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Evolution of the Mobile Core

Softwarization in 5G MCN

Author/ Email: Artur Hecker/ artur.hecker@huawei.com

Version: V1.0(20160110)

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2

LTE EPC: Limitations wrt 5G expectations Logical Architecture

RAN CORE

MME, SGW

PGW

RU, DU

PGWSGW

MME

eNB

PCRF

HSS

GTP-U

GTP-C

Physical Network

IP backhaul

LTE EPC 5G

Unique, fixed architecture for all needs• The same C-Plane and D-Plane pipelines for all requests

• MME and PGW often overloaded as single anchoring point

• “Always on” principle creates too much network state and signaling

messages

• Carrier grade, secure and reliable elements

New device types• Massive cheap and low power

• Giant critical (V2V, M2M)

Structural dynamics• Multi-tenant

• Small cells, green net

Limited extensibility• Introduction of new elements is difficult

Flexible for unknown• Support of vertical services

Overlay over the transport infrastructure• Non-native usage of the infrastructure, indirect routing

• TCP/IP over GTP over TCP/IP

Smart, low latency• Rapid offloading, breakout

• Augmented data plane

• No-tunneling protocols

Bearer concept• a single pipe or bearer split from the UE to the gateway

MultiRAT Network• Multi-bearer support

• Access agnostic

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3

Softwarization of Mobile Core Networks

Logical Architecture

RAN CORE

RU

Physical Network

SDN based backhaul

Edge DC

Central DC

AFSDN APP y

SDN APP x

RE RE

SDI Control

RE

MM CM APPx…

MM: mobility mgmtCM: connectivity mgmt

RE: Resource Element

Logical Architecture

Orchestrator

VNF Manager

Virtualized Inf. Manager (VIM)

ETSI NFV MANORAN CORE

RU, DU

Physical Network

SDN based backhaul

Central DC

MME, S/PGW

GW-C

MME

eNB

PCRF

HSS

NE NE

SDN CTRL

CE

CE: Computation ElementNE: Network Element

Stat

e o

f th

e ar

t (r

esea

rch

) Fu

ll So

ftw

ariz

atio

n

(vis

ion

)

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4

Challenges to the enabling technologies

Challenges to specific technologies

SDN: scalability, flow aggregation, resilience, security

NFV/MEC: performance, placement, orchestration

Overall: flexibility, and dependability of dealing with dynamics

Both NFV and SDN were conceived for fixed/static environments

Software Networks: OK, but what exactly is in software?

Network: 1. Topology 2. Protocol Stacks 3. Routing

2: NFV, 3: SDN. What about 1?

SN: How to support structural dynamics, node and link churn

Expected 5G traits will bring such effects: small cells, front/backhaul

integration, V2X, mobile BS, cloud integration, virtual nodes, etc.

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5

Vision and Technological Gaps

Infrastructure (Switches/Routers, Hosts with Hypervisors, Storage)

Logical abstractions, slices, overlays, virtual objects

Higher Functions

Infrastructure

control

e.g. OpenFlow

Controller API (e.g. RESTful API)

“Controller North interface”

QoS Sec SPF App1 App2 AppN

Configuration

NETCONF

Allocs Catalog

Compute, storage and

link control

Others

“Controller South interface”

Discovery, failure detection, control traffic preservation, etc

Auto-organization

+Extensions

Low Level cApps

Topology

High Level cApps AAA Mobility Other 5G Apps Conn.

Sanity Checks, Access Control, Quotas, Verifications

Abstractions

Infrastructure layer

Carrier Grade SDN

Intelligent

orchestration

Control Plane

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6

Vision and Technological Gaps

Infrastructure (Switches/Routers, Hosts with Hypervisors, Storage)

Logical abstractions, slices, overlays, virtual objects

Higher Functions

Infrastructure

control

e.g. OpenFlow

Controller API (e.g. RESTful API)

“Controller North interface”

QoS Sec SPF App1 App2 AppN

Configuration

NETCONF

Allocs Catalog

Compute, storage and

link control

Others

“Controller South interface”

Discovery, failure detection, control traffic preservation, etc

Auto-organization

+Extensions

Low Level cApps

Topology

High Level cApps AAA Mobility Other 5G Apps Conn.

Sanity Checks, Access Control, Quotas, Verifications

Abstractions

Infrastructure layer

Carrier Grade SDN

Intelligent

orchestration

Control Plane

“Hardware” or Distributed Resources

OS Utilities

OS Kernel

Applications

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7

From Theory to Practice: 5G Testbed

We pursue a radical goal of tuneless, anchor-less and NFV-less mobility support in SDN

MCN support: service request, mobility, paging, etc.

1

2

3

4

Emulation Server (Mininet)

Log T1 (Packet_IN)

Log T2 (Request to Push Flows)

Log T3 (First UL Flowmod)

Log T4 (Last DL Flowmod)

Floodlight Controller

SDN APP

Controller Server

It could measure!

It also scales!

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8

Conclusions

We target a flexible, carrier grade, logical access core network

that becomes a unified platform for different instantiations of

connection, mobility, security and routing managements

Owned resources are dynamically integrated into a tenant control pool

These resources are usable over a layer cake of abstractions, starting

with low level abstractions (IaaS like) and going up to enriched APIs

Service, management and network applications run on the latter using

standard interfaces

We welcome partners and EC feedback to realize our vision and

prove technical feasibility and business viability through tests

and large scale trials in 5GPPP Phase II and, especially, Phase III

(show cases in Europe)

Thank you www.huawei.com

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