The foundation of 5G is in the cloud. Ericsson's vision
Source: HW Upgrade added 18th Dec 2020
Ericsson firmly believes in the need to revise the model of implementation and management of cellular networks with the arrival of 5G: exploiting the cloud will create networks that are much more agile and secure, as well as less expensive to implement and maintain
by Riccardo Robecchi published on 18 December 2020 , at 17: 21 in the TLC and Mobile channel
Ericsson 5G
The real, disruptive novelty of 5G is not seen. The result, however, is extremely tangible. If for 3G and 4G the innovations were mainly those perceived by users, for example through increasingly higher connection speeds, the most substantial changes for 5G are behind the scenes and include a new paradigm based on software and the use of the cloud. The result is not only an increase in connection speed, but also greater agility on the part of operators and the possibility for subscribers to take advantage of services that were simply not possible before. Ericsson takes stock of the situation and explains why the evolution of 5G is closely linked to the cloud.
5G Core is cloud native
Cellular networks can be divided into two: on the one hand, the access network , or the ” set of radio cells to which the various devices such as smartphones are connected; on the other hand the heart of the network , consisting of all those elements that interconnect the various cells and which they allow them to connect with the rest of the world. In the official English specification it is called 5G Core and this is the name we will keep.
In all previous generations, including 4G, the core component of the network was mainly carried out on specialized equipment. On the other hand, 5G brings a breath of fresh air to this market, as it will be based on generic hardware on which the software that virtualizes the functions runs that once were the domain of dedicated machines, allowing to exploit a more open ecosystem and where products from multiple brands can be leveraged while maintaining intercompatibility. All this leads to lower costs, greater agility and choice, greater competition and the possibility of offering new features.
To give a practical example, think of dedicated networks : the cost of these solutions has always been affordable only for large companies. With 5G, network function virtualisation network function virtualisation are used , NFV) and software-defined networks ( software-defined networks , SDN), thanks to which it is possible to implement the network slicing , or the division of the network into slices with different characteristics depending on the type of application and the customer. It is therefore possible to offer a network with specific characteristics for the individual corporate customer: for example, the network can be focused on minimizing latency in the case of connected industrial machinery and dedicated to the specific customer.
In this context is part of the cloud , which is already revolutionizing all other sectors. 5G Core is cloud native , i.e. it is built using cloud technologies – in other words, it is conceived and designed to take advantage of typical cloud technologies such as containers. If we combine the ability of these technologies to evolve rapidly and offer high availability with the functions of the network, we obtain a system capable of responding quickly to changes , of automate the management of many of the functions thus increasing efficiency, of offering new features without the need to purchase new hardware.
Nature cloud native of the networks implies that it is possible to offer a much greater robustness than before , combining it with unprecedented scalability that allows operators to provide the necessary services always, regardless of the growth of network.
However these changes require a complete overhaul of the operators’ networks : a long process e expensive that will take years to complete. For this reason, many network equipment manufacturers, such as Ericsson, are proposing a pragmatic approach that allows operators to exploit new technologies alongside existing ones . Ericsson calls its solution “5G Core dual mode”, because it can be used both in a purely cloud environment and in a hybrid one where traditional solutions are still present.
With 5G more complexity, but greater automation
There is no doubt that 5G introduces a complexity of much greater scope than in the past . However, the advantage of using cloud technologies lies in the possibility of introducing automation into the equation: in this way it is possible to manage complexity by containing costs and increasing efficiency.
The concept of automation may appear abstract, but it is not. “Automation” means being able to scale resources according to needs automatically, thus reacting to changes in the needs of the network in real time; it means being able to automatically carry out checks on functionality and repairs of faults , in a much shorter time than now; means being able to update elements of the network without affecting its functionality in any way, thus providing a higher level of service and security.
This need to introduce automation requires, however, a complete paradigm shift in the way the network is managed . It is not just a matter of a technological change, but a broader shift towards a new mentality that requires new skills, new ways of working and new processes. All of these things take time and investment, as well as overcoming major challenges, but the end result is an overcoming of classic silo structures in favor of more agile and service-oriented structures.
Last but not least, the fact that we rely on automation also has positive implications for safety . We are not only talking about the possibility of taking more effective threat detection measures, but also about designing the whole network that is more based on security principles and the use of security solutions that can scale much better with the evolve the network. Also in this case it is possible to take advantage of automation functions that allow operators to guarantee a much higher level of security than in the past: Ericsson’s solutions, for example, allow the entire network to be covered with safety functions integrated in the network devices. , such as a firewall integrated into the gateways.
5G and cloud: not a distant future, but a path starting today
It might seem that we are talking about topics that will only be current in several years, but this is not the case: the scenario described is current, so much so that TIM and Ericsson have successfully tested its implementation in the TIM laboratories in Turin. The success of this first experiment has shown that the promises of new technologies to offer much more than previous generations are well founded.
However, it will take some time for operators to make this change of perspective and implement these new technologies. The old saying states that who gets off to a good start is half the battle and never as in this case is it true: the first stone of change must be laid now, otherwise the risk is to start too late to implement a revolution that starts from foundations that must be new .