In our blog post series how to build a cloud-native 5G Core, we’ve covered different solutions and technologies you should consider in your core network evolution plans. Today, we’ll discuss how they’ll impact the way you manage and operate your network, and why an operational transformation is needed to unlock 5G’s full potential.As we’ve explained in previous posts, the deployment of 5G Core (5GC) networks typically marks the point that cloud-native technology is introduced into the core of communication service providers’ mobile networks.
The benefits that cloud-native design principles offer, such as: software decomposition and improved lifecycle, greater interdependency between applications and underlying infrastructure, and higher levels of resilience and automation, will be crucial to achieve the expected efficiency and business innovation in 5G networks. However, it will also create new network operation and management challenges for service providers and will require an operational transformation like never seen before.
Adopting cloud native principles will have a direct impact on business processes, OSS architecture and daily operations. Let’s break down them in some selected areas.
Virtualization: the migration from physical network functions (PNFs) to virtual network functions (VNFs) allows service providers to automate the testing and lifecycle management (LCM) of VNFs, enabling greater agility to launch applications in a virtualized environment. While legacy PNF networks involved physical locations and points for connectivity, virtualization introduces new computer science vs computer programming and an intermediary abstraction that disconnects resources from service features. This requires redesign of existing systems and processes, causing changes in network management tools and procedures as well as introducing a need for increased process orchestration.
New and legacy coexistence: the new cloud.native functions (CNFs) from the 5GC will need to coexist with the legacy systems in the network. Ensuring smooth and timely network migration, with reduced impact over the management layer, requires compatibility with the legacy architecture’s interfaces.
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