Nokia Networks. FutureWorks Network architecture for the 5G era. Nokia Networks white paper Network architecture for the 5G era

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1 Nokia Networks FutureWorks Network architecture for the 5G era Nokia Networks white paper Network architecture for the 5G era

2 Contents Introduction 3 The need for new architecture 5 Architectural requirements 6 Defining the architecture 7 Benefits 12 Conclusion 14 Innovation is happening right now at Nokia Many of the innovations from previous years described in this document are still relevant today and have been developed to support the optimization of mobile broadband networks and services. Looking ahead, Nokia will continue to focus on innovation and we will be updating this document to reflect the latest developments. Page 2

3 Introduction The future of mobile communications is likely to be very different to that which we are used to today. While demand for mobile broadband will continue to increase, largely driven by high definition video and better screens, we are already seeing the growing impact of the human possibilities of technology as the things around us become ever more connected. Objects ranging from cars and factory machines, appliances to watches and apparel, will learn and organize themselves to fulfil our needs by automatically adapting to our behavior, environment or business processes. New uses will arise, many not yet conceived, creating novel requirements that communications networks must be able to meet flexibly and cost effectively in order to support operator profitability and the wider ecosystem. Networks must, therefore, evolve to become personalized, by which we mean able to meet the diverse needs of each user, whether human or thing. Future networks will be programmable platforms offering not just voice and data, but supporting diverse uses, services and applications. In other words, the same physical infrastructure will be used simultaneously for various network scenarios. Current telco architecture will transform from comprising vertically integrated discrete network elements, to being cognitive, cloud optimized and seamless in operation. The shift towards cloud-based and software defined networks will depend on equipment makers taking advantage of IT standards and open source technologies. Such next-generation networks will not be server-centric, but instead focus on data and content requirements. Data and the applications that use it will be decoupled. The new network architecture will support easy scalability, have security and privacy built-in, enable energy efficient operation, offer the lowest Operational Expenses (OPEX), and flexibly support an extremely wide range of uses. Nokia Networks has created innovative network architecture for the 5G era. Called Cognitive and cloud Optimized Network Evolution, CONE, it encompasses eight domains, from the access all the way up to service enabling. The architecture gives operators full control over the network to make changes according to the user, session and service class. These capabilities will help operators to open up new business opportunities, not only within the telco ecosystem, but also beyond. Page 3

4 Network architecture for the 5G era will provide the following capabilities: Integrate multiple radio access technologies in licensed and unlicensed frequency bands. The radio network will make full use of the entire frequency range from sub-6 GHz up to 100 GHz. The access network will be ultra-dense and provide virtual zero latency. Automation will be used to smartly manage operational complexity created by this wide range of different radio technologies. Backhaul will be heterogeneous, relying on optical technologies wherever possible, augmented with other secure wireless backhaul options to support flexible deployments. Mobile edge computing will bring the cloud i.e. applications, content and context closer to user locations. This will personalize the service experience through faster service delivery and augmented reality enhancements. This capability goes hand-in-hand with the transformation to cloud-based radio access. Virtualization of core and radio access network functions will optimize the use of network resources, add scalability and agility. This will also require both central and local data centers with Software Defined Networking (SDN) capabilities. SDN technologies will enable transport network resources, including fronthaul and backhaul, to become virtually programmable. A shared data layer will emerge to provide a single version of all network data. Big data analytics will support cross-layer orchestration and enable real-time action to be taken. Networks will become self-aware, cognitive, and implement extensive automation and continuous and predictive learning. Security and end-to-end management and orchestration will be embedded into the network architecture across all domains. With CONE, operators will gain a programmable network architecture that enables new applications and use cases with extreme requirements. These will be deployed and optimized automatically using the latest cognitive software technologies and cloud capabilities. Page 4

5 The need for new architecture In the years ahead the human possibilities of technology will be expanded in ways that haven t yet been imagined. Ultra High Definition (4k) video applications will strain existing network capacity, and are likely to be followed by 8k video in the not too distant future. Meanwhile, the promise of 5G is to ensure a consistent experience for end users. What will be needed to enable hundreds of train commuters to view 8k videos without service degradation during their journey? By 2025, there will be times more devices connected than humans. Many applications will need reliable communication links with low latency and extreme throughput. Public safety and business critical applications will run on the cellular network, requiring stringent and reliable service levels for capacity, throughput and latency. A large number of real-time applications will demand end-to-end network latency of single digit milliseconds to avoid perceivable lags in browsing or videos, or to control drones and robots. Networks in the 5G era will achieve 1ms network latency, which is far better than the 15 to 20 ms that today s best LTE networks can achieve. The overall performance of mobile networks must increase dramatically. Fig. 1. Networks must cope with a wide range of use cases and extreme requirements in the 5G era Page 5

6 Architectural requirements New network architecture will be essential to meet the requirements beyond 2020, to manage complex multi-layer and multi-technology networks, and to achieve built-in flexibility. 5G era networks will be programmable, software driven and managed holistically. 5G mobile networks will focus on the customer experience and must be built around user needs. The value of networks will lay in their personalization and the experience of using them. Networks will be cognitive and optimize themselves autonomously. Cognitive networks will use big data analytics and artificial intelligence to solve complex optimization tasks in real time and in a predictable manner. All parts of the network will be cloud-based to use existing resources in the best way. With more intelligence placed closer to the user and the ability to process large amounts of data, network performance can be predicted and optimized. This network architecture will entail the full use of open source software technologies, industry compliance and greater cooperation with IT players. At the same time, standardization bodies and organizations such as 3GPP and ETSI will continue to help define the best standard for 5G, assuring interoperability with regard to the air interface and associated software and mobility control architecture. Fig. 2. The network architecture for the 5G era will adapt new paradigms Crucially, because it is not possible to foresee all future uses, applications and business models, the network needs to be flexible and scalable to cope with the unknown. Page 6

7 Defining the architecture CONE encompasses fundamental changes in eight network domains, both mobile and fixed, as shown in figure 3, which combines a topological view for the radio access and core networks with a functional architecture view of network functions. The architecture shown in figure 3 depicts mobile access networks for brevity. (1) Cognitive Domain (2) Service Enabling Domain (3) Shared Data Domain (4) SW Appliances (5) Virtualization Framework (6) Radio Access Network (7) Management / Orchestration (8) Security Fig. 3. CONE architecture encompasses all domains of a network CONE comprises eight domains: Cognitive Domain The Cognitive Domain collects data and events from the network and, when necessary, from external sources such as social networks. This data can be processed in real-time to extract relevant information as well as stored offline for later processing, or. Applications access the data via the Shared Data Domain. Analysis of the data reveals and interprets different patterns, for example, to find the root cause of problems and to identify any effects on customers or the operator s business. Insights from these analyses are reported and automatically translated into appropriate actions. These are performed by the Co-ordinated Actuation Domain to prevent conflicts between actions initiated by different applications. Page 7

8 To build the cognitive domain, Nokia Networks has incorporated many new Self-Organizing Networks (SON) features into products and also introduced Dynamic Experience Management (DEM). DEM combines newly developed telco-scale big data analytics, artificial intelligence and full process automation to make experience management more responsive. Many innovations have been realized, including Predictive Operations, which allows operators to predict network performance issues up to 48 hours in advance. Service Enablement Domain Using the Service Enablement Domain (SED), operators can allow controlled and secured access to their networks to authorized third parties, allowing them to deploy innovative, cognitive applications and services to mobile consumers, enterprises and vertical segments. The SED provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) to aid application design, provisioning, testing, reporting, analytics and integration into the platform. For example the Throughput Guidance capability in Mobile Edge Computing already provides managed access to the network for any kind of application to ensure the best performance. Shared Data Domain The Shared Data Domain (SDD) acts as a common data repository to provide shared data access for applications from various operator domains. The aim is to eliminate application-specific data silos whenever possible and to provide a consistent set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As well as providing flexible access to data, the SDD also has security and privacy mechanisms to ensure that only authorized applications have access to protected data. Authentication and authorization, and restricting access to people based on their roles, ensures data security and privacy. Nokia has already showcased different use cases displaying how network data on the mass movement of people can be used to support events, traffic management and city planning. Page 8

9 Software Appliances Environment In the CONE architecture, all physical resources needed to implement any network element are virtualized and offered as a Service accessible through an infrastructure manager. All network functions and services are built from software, which can be subscriber repository, a voice server, LTE-SW, a firewall on an IP transport layer, SON functionality, and many others. For example, Nokia has implemented EPC elements, Voice over LTE and other communication services in a completely virtualized environment. Virtualization is a key enabler for next-generation wireless network architecture. The vision is to maximize the use of general-purpose processing platforms to host a variety of network functions from Core to RAN in the form of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). Virtualization Framework The virtualization domain comprises an execution plane and an automation plane. The execution plane consists of a set of resources (compute, networking, storage) which may be accessed by network functions through a virtualization layer. The automation plane enables automated management of the execution plane, through operations such as creation, deletion and scaling of the network functions and allocation of the underlying resources. Nokia Networks has already implemented the world s first commercial telco cloud/network Function Virtualization in an operator network and is establishing an end-to-end cloud portfolio including cloudbased radio access. Further developments include an advanced SDNcontrolled network prototype including backhaul, transport and core; a proof of concept of cloud-based RAN with a major North American operator; the launch of Cloud Application Manager and numerous NFV implementations. Page 9

10 Radio Access network Although the RAN remains the key enabler of ubiquitous wireless connectivity, significant changes are expected over the coming years. New 5G radio will integrate existing and new technologies to complement LTE. 5G will include existing systems like LTE- Advanced and Wi-Fi, coupled with revolutionary technologies for ultra dense deployments, machine type communication, highly reliable communication and minimal latency. It is important to keep the number of new air interfaces to a minimum to help ensure the new radios interact perfectly with each other and with existing technologies. Meeting the vastly increased throughput and extremely low latency requirements requires very dense networks in addition to more spectrum. However, it is not economically feasible to build ultra-dense networks everywhere and low latency and/or gigabit connectivity will only be needed in certain cases. Massive Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) will make use of new and plentiful spectrum in the cm-wave and mm-wave bands. Meanwhile, new applications requiring latencies of a millisecond or less will call for computing power placed near to the user. This will turn existing macro sites into small data centers, a configuration made practical by the use of mm-wave and cm-wave spectrum for fast transport. Though computing resources are close to the radio, the control and coordination functions reside more centrally to ensure seamless integration with the wide area network. Nokia Networks has already shown prototypes for 5G radio design, such as the use of mm-wave and cm-wave spectrum and beam tracking of mobile users. Nokia Networks real-time Radio Resource Management for 5G systems has demonstrated seamless connectivity between 4G and 5G and shows an advanced view of how 4G can be integrated into 5G. Page 10

11 Orchestration and Management In a fully cloud-based network, there are several levels and types of orchestration. These include service orchestration for services, developed by the operator and offered to users; and the management of cloud services and available resources, performed by the virtualized infrastructure manager domain. And, as a completely new entity, the Network Function Orchestrator is introduced and defined by ETSI NFV. Within this domain, Nokia Networks proposes an end-to-end Global Network Orchestrator (GNO) which covers the full process of network operations; that is the lifecycle phases of all elements of a network. This starts with network planning (concept) and ends with tracking the history of operational activities (archive). Security and Privacy It is vital to take steps to protect the network from threats. These threats must be detected quickly, with swift action to reduce their effect. This rapid response requires an architecture that is multidimensional, cohesive and holistic, connecting the dots between Security and Privacy and network events. Sharing of information on threats, breaches, and associated solutions is critical, not only with customers, and ecosystem partners, but with regulators and potentially with competitors. This openness is required since all domains are affected by cyber threats. The major principles on which the Security and Privacy Architecture is based are constant vigilance; increased automation of data collection, analysis and response; and the evaluation of threats beyond the boundaries of the network. Page 11

12 Benefits CONE architecture will enable operators reposition themselves in the changing ecosystem and alter the way they do business in response to new market demands as they arise: New business can be driven by enabling completely new use cases that depend on massive throughput on demand, such as 4k video, or on carrier grade connectivity in conjunction with low latency, which is necessary for connected cars, as well as unbreakable connectivity optimized for connected infrastructure and industrial applications. Higher profitability: Dynamic Experience Management (DEM) allows operators to instantly respond to changing needs of customers and network conditions to improve their experience by orders of magnitude while ensuring network resources are used efficiently to maximize profitability for each application session. DEM can sustain Quality of Experience (QoE) in nearly all sessions even under high load conditions, which is about four times better than industry-standard Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms. Service Agility: With the move towards cloud-based infrastructure, new services can be introduced fast in a controlled, targeted, incremental and minimally disruptive manner. Multi Tenancy: Flexible sharing of resources enables entirely new revenue streams and radically improved cost structures. The architecture supports new operational models, allowing operators to lease their own infrastructure to third parties, gaining a new revenue source, or alternatively to lease infrastructure from others. Page 12

13 Open Ecosystem: The Service Enablement layer connects operators with a wider ecosystem of partners. Opportunities arise from completely new applications and use cases from managed connectivity which is becoming a critical factor in the Internet of Things. Data Monetization: The Shared Data Layer and big data analytics allow operators to use automated processes to take and analyze data from across multiple domains and maximize its value in real-time. Data monetization is augmented by the security and privacy domain and network and business operations. Minimal Total cost of Ownership: Costs will be minimized by the consolidation of hardware platforms, lowered site acquisition costs, automation through SDN, energy efficiency and far better resource utilization through the extensive use of cognitive technologies. Page 13

14 Conclusion The extreme requirements of 5G era networks in 2020 and beyond have shaped the Nokia end-to-end architectural vision for a Cognitive and cloud Optimized Network Evolution (CONE), the future network architecture. Nokia Networks has designed architecture that meets these ambitions. CONE encompasses all domains of a communication network, starting from the access domain all the way up to the user service enabling domain. CONE makes full use of cloud technology including Network Function Virtualization (driven by ETSI NFV) and the programmability and multitenancy of the network. This enables the on-demand assignment of virtual resources. Furthermore, cognitive networks autonomously adapt the network to changing user behavior, application demands and network conditions. Next-generation networks will be based on a data and content-centric architecture that decouples data from the applications that use the data. These networks require an architecture that supports higher dynamic scalability, built-in security and privacy. The transformation towards software-driven networks signals the emergence of new ecosystems and new approaches that take advantage of best practice and scale from the IT world. In particular, open source projects and other collaborative working, such as joint proofs-of-concept and testing events, will play a major role and improve the telco sector s economic efficiency. Nokia believes that the CONE architecture expands the human possibilities of the connected world by outlining a comprehensive architecture for the 5G era. Many details of 5G architecture are still open and subject to findings from ongoing research and standardization. However, a clear conceptual view has been developed with the evolution of the cognitive and cloud optimized network, its constituent domains and associated architectural principles. Nokia Networks has also built and tested many of the building blocks that will form a real world next generation network. It has done extensive research and undertaken work with operators and other industry partners to develop solutions to reduce latency, increase capacity, manage resources more efficiently, make the network more self-aware, use data analytics in new ways and bring apps closer to the user. The Nokia Networks Future Innovation program is taking the next steps towards developing the components and capabilities that will make it possible to execute the architecture vision for the 5G era. Page 14

15 Abbreviations CONE DEM EPC ETSI GNO IP KPI LTE M2M MIMO OPEX QoS RAN SDL SDK SDN SEL SON VNF Cognitive and cloud Optimized Network Evolution Dynamic Experience Management Evolved Packet Core European Telecommunications Standards Institute Global Network Orchestrator Internet Protocol Key Performance Indicator Long Term Evolution Machine-to-machine Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output Operational Expenses Quality of Service Radio Access Network Shared Data Layer Software Development Kit Software Defined Networking Service Enablement Layer Self-Organizing Networks Virtual Network Function Page 15

16 Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or trade names of their respective owners. Nokia Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy P.O. Box 1 FI Finland Visiting address: Karaportti 3, ESPOO, Finland Switchboard Product code C WP EN Nokia Solutions and Networks 2015