Nokia Siemens Networks

Open Core System

White Paper

Software continuity with existing deployments and latest

commercial-off-the-shelf hardware brings unique benefits
to communication service providers core networks

Executive summary
What it is

Table of Contents
Executive summary

Introduction 3
Increasing Profits via
Renewal and Simplification

Major Benefits from

Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA

Open Core Platform

Architecture

Commercial off-the-shelf
ATCA Hardware

Open Core Software

Architecture

Open Core System

Investment and Efficiency

Protection

The Nokia Siemens Networks Open

Core System is fully compliant
with all defined Core Network
standard interfaces, therefore it is a
perfect evolutionary step towards
simplification, modernization and
environmentally sustainable
telecommunication business.

Evolution and Revolution

How it affects

CS voice network
modernization and expansion

Managing a cost efficient

voice transformation to VoIP

Interconnect transformation
with future proof technology

Mobile broadband with

modernized Packet Core
network

Conclusions 10
References 10
Abbreviations 11

The Nokia Siemens Networks Open

Core System is the suite of products
enabled by the Nokia Siemens
Networks Open Core Applications and
Software Architecture where all
common components of a Core
Network including Packet Switched
(PS), Circuit Switched (CS) and IP
Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) domains
can be installed and scaled up at a
single and synergic Commercial off the
shelf (COTS) ATCA HW environment.

Open Core System White Paper

The telecommunications applications

market including services such as
Voice, SMS and data is currently under
a major transformation where the
majority of Communications Service
Providers (CSPs) are reconsidering
their long term platform strategy.
Communications market development
is now pushing CSPs to require more
open and flexible platforms for its most
valued applications. Such platforms
must also provide a secure evolution
path and guarantee further value
creation.

The Open Core Software Architecture

offers strategic benefits to CSPs as
it is HW agnostic, enabling the same
software to run on both legacy and
latest state-of-the-art platforms. The
Open Core Software Architecture
offers flexibility and scalability in case
of changing and evolving networks.
Moreover it helps achieving economies
of scale for new applications, thus
enabling optimized OPEX and smooth
and efficient CAPEX.
Finally, the Open Core System
architecture promotes faster
innovation, enables acquiring best
practices without proprietary vendor
lock-ins, reduces engineering time and
simplifies network building practices,
thus offering faster time to market.
The Open Core System is a powerful
tool to enable a fast and smooth core
network evolution and ensure superior
operational efficiency compared
to traditional proprietary platform
approaches. Combined with Nokia
Siemens Networks strong global
customer services capabilities and
common NetActTM OSS for voice and
data, significant acquisition
and operating cost savings can be
achieved over the system life cycle,
leading to a positive financial impact for
the CSPs.

Introduction
The core network consists of Circuit
Switched (CS) Domain, Packet
Switched (PS) Domain and IP
Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The
basic applications market including
services such as Voice, SMS and data
is currently at a point where majority of
Communications Service Providers
(CSPs) are reconsidering their long
term platform strategy. Several factors
are now pushing CSPs to require more
open and flexible platforms for the
current applications that can offer a
secure and smooth evolution path into
the future beyond the basic services.
Simplification and renewal of fixed and
mobile networks is a major opportunity
to drive total cost of ownership
down, while promoting new features
for growth and improving energy
efficiency. Harmonization of hardware
and software platforms is the key
starting point for such an evolution.

Increasing Profits via

Renewal and Simplification
Networks have evolved from fixed to
mobile and from GPRS to 3G and LTE.
In the process new network elements
have been added leading to extremely
complex hardware and software

Wireless and Wired

Access Networks

GSM

BSC

environments that need to be

maintained and expanded with new
functionalities.

COTS approach have been used for

a long time by various industries in
building complex systems. Some
COTS systems are based on open
specifications and some are closed or
tightly controlled by a single company
(e.g. IT server platforms). The use of
COTS hardware that is based on open
standards is a great way to boost
innovation and improve time to market
while reducing workload and overall risk
level in the development. Use of COTS
will also allow network equipment
providers like Nokia Siemens Networks
to put ever more focus on platform
software and application software.

A typical network consists of multiple

platforms and applications that have
strong dependencies to underlying
hardware and software. This
dependency needs to be removed to
simplify the network. This is done by
harmonizing platforms while enabling
re-use of existing software, co-location
of different application functionality and
overall flexibility in network design.
Platform evolution is vital also in
achieving lower footprint both
physically and environmentally.

While proprietary platforms offer

great flexibility and can be justified
for specialized and high volume
applications, all core network elements
are such that they can be easily built
using open standards based platform
such as Advanced Telecommunications
Computing Architecture (ATCA). ATCA
is based on open specifications, can
be sourced as COTS and takes into
account telecom specific requirements
such as long life cycle and high
availability. Commercial off-the-shelf
ATCA is the best choice for both
Network Equipment Providers and
Network Service Providers to simplify
and harmonize the core network.

Major Benefits from

Commercial off-the-shelf
ATCA
Telecommunications networks are
often based on proprietary platforms
that have been developed by the
Network Equipment Providers
themselves. The drawback of such
proprietary platforms is that there is no
innovation outside the supply chain for
a given platform. In recent history,
many proprietary technologies have
been replaced by those based on open
specification due to this reason.

Core Network

Support Systems
Charging

OAM

Provisioning/
Subscriber data

IMS-MGW

CS-MGW

Interworking
3G

RNC

HLR

xSP

MSS, NVS,
MGCF

LTE

HSS

PSTN

STP

VoIP Server
IMS

SGSN

SS7

PLMN

IP DSLAN

MME

PCRF

GGSN

MSAN

Serving GW

PDN GW

Picture 1 Multiple core platforms makes consolidation and co-location difficult

Open Core System White Paper

Open Core Platform Architecture

Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core
System supports all core networks
domains from circuit switched voice to
IMS and from 2G to LTE. The Open
Core Platform Architecture offers
strategic benefits to Communications
Service Providers as it enables
leveraging the existing installed base
using Nokia Siemens Networks
products and offers evolution path to
state-of-the-art ATCA built using COTS
principle.

Commercial off-the-shelf
ATCA Hardware
In the past, many applications in the
core network selected specialized
proprietary hardware as there was
no one-size-fits-all hardware
platform available. As the Advanced
Telecommunications Hardware

Architecture (ATCA) designs have

matured in recent years and now offer
the kind of functionalities and quality
expected from a future proof telecom
platform, Nokia Siemens Networks
have selected ATCA to be in a central
role in Open Core Platform Architecture.
ATCA is the most advanced open
standard specification available for
telecommunications products. It is
seen widely as a future proof and
main stream approach in building or
upgrading core networks. Since ATCA
ecosystem is built first and foremost
around network equipment providers,
the telecom specific requirements such
as long lifecycle for hardware, high
availability and regulatory compliance
are taken into account fully.
By using ATCA as the common
platform for the Open Core System,

Nokia Siemens Networks is able to

significantly simplify the network in
terms of operability and number of
physical elements. This is possible
because ATCA, combined with the
latest Ethernet technology, offers
a future proof platform with small
footprint and high capacity. In
addition it enables co-locating more
applications into a single network
element and even multiple network
elements into a single equipment shelf.
The COTS ATCA ecosystem
(Picture 2) consists of over 50
companies and has synergies with
other industries, using standard
embedded designs such as industry
automation. Therefore, Nokia Siemens
Networks is able to leverage
innovations of some of the best
embedded design teams in the world

Open Core Software Architecture

AMC

Carrier Blade

AMC

DSP Blade
NPU Blade
HUB Blade
CPU Blade

ATCA Shelf

AMC
AMC
AMC

Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA Ecosystem

Picture 2 Open Core Platform Architecture leveraging COTS ATCA Ecosystem

Open Core System White Paper

By definition, a platform that is partially

compliant with ATCA is not ATCA
it is a proprietary platform (Picture 3).
Even full compliancy to ATCA
specification is not enough to
guarantee interoperability inside the
ATCA ecosystem, especially if
development of ATCA is largely done
by the Network Element Provider. To
fully leverage the benefits of ATCA, the
platform needs to be fully compliant
with commercial off-the-shelf ATCA
ecosystem implementations.
Nokia Siemens Networks uses a
Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ATCA
platform that is fully compliant with the
ATCA standards and interoperable with
products implemented by the vast
ATCA ecosystem.

Open Core Software

Architecture
The open source Linux operating
system plays an increasingly important
role in Nokia Siemens Networks
products. Linux is also in the heart of
the Open Core Software Architecture
(Picture 4), which

Applications
Open Core Software Architecture

Virtualization Infrastructure
Hardware Platforms
Picture 4 Open Core Software Architecture

Open Core System

COTS ATCA

Compliancy
to open
standards

Designed for:
Environment
Higher processing
Capacity

Lower power

consumption and
footprint

ATCA
Competitor 2

Proprietary
Design
Competitor 1

Proprietary
In-house development

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)

Picture 3. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ATCA in comparison to alternatives

Provides hardware independence

for applications via virtualization
infrastructure
Enables applications to leverage
both open source Linux and legacy
software at the same time. This
allows CSPs to leverage the
existing install base and software
to the fullest possible extent
Enables the same software release
to be installed into both ATCA and
legacy hardware

Using a Virtualization infrastructure

between operating systems and the
hardware, Nokia Siemens Networks
is able to create hardware agnostic
software, leverage efficiently the ever
increasing amount of parallelism in
processors and enable co-location
of multiple network elements within
a single hardware enclosure.
Virtualization also helps to speed up
the process of introducing latest stateof-the art processors with enhanced
energy efficiency features and more
processing capacity.
The Open Core Software Architecture
combined with COTS ATCA enables
Communication Service Providers
to modernize and harmonize their
networks while reducing the complexity.
It enables smooth capacity and
functionality upgrades for the existing
installed base while also enabling the
operator to leverage the state-of-the-art
energy efficient ATCA hardware
platform.

Open Core System White Paper

Open Core System

The Nokia Siemens Networks Open
Core System addresses the complexity
of the current telecommunications
Core Networks. It offers the opportunity
of leveraging the innovations which the
COTS ATCA ecosystem brings to the
whole communications industry.
The Open Core Network SW
applications: MSS, MGW, HLR, VoIP
Server, STP, PCRF, HSS, CSCF,
SGSN, MME, S-GW, P-GW and
GGSN can be scaled up and freely
configured simply by installing the
respective application software
to the Open Core System, which is
dimensioned HW and SW wise to the
planned traffic demand (Picture 5).
The Open Core System ensures the
full continuity of all Core Network voice
and data services, since it is access
technology agnostic, i.e. it is able
connect to any wireless, mobile or fixed
access technology.
Design for Environment (DfE)
principles were integrated to the Open
Core System development processes.
The main objectives were:
to minimize material and energy
use
to minimize the use of
environmentally hazardous
materials
to design the equipments to be
easily or remotely maintainable or
maintenance free
to maximize reuse and recycling
Around 300 mobile operators
who have deployed core products
from Nokia Siemens Networks
can now easily take the
advantages of the flexibility, cost
efficiency and environmental
sustainability offered through our
Open Core system.

Open Core System White Paper

Wireless and Wired

Access Networks

GSM

BSC

3G

RNC

Open Core System

Support Systems
Charging

OAM

Provisioning/
Subscriber data

Interworking
xSP
PSTN

LTE

SS7

PLMN

IP DSLAN

MSAN

Open Core SW Applications

MSS

HLR

CSCF

MGW

SGSN

HSS

STP

MME

VoIP Server

GGSN

P-GW

PCRF
S-GW

The Open Core

System simplifies
Core Network
infrastructure and
operations

Picture 5 Open Core System simplifies Core Network infrastructure and operations

Investment and Efficiency

Protection

Reducing the Total Cost of

Ownership

Balancing traffic demand among

different applications of the Open
Core System

The Open Core System addresses

both CAPEX and OPEX. On
CAPEX rationalization for a network
modernization, the Open Core
System decreases the need of
telecommunication infrastructure HW
due to its HW consolidation and
extended SW assets utilization.

Due to the Open Core Software

Architecture, the Open Core System
is flexible enough to be configured
in different setups, with each Core
Network component having own
specific traffic capacity requirements.
On a core network evolution scenario
where CS traffic evolves to IMS traffic,
the Open Core System capacity can
easily and gradually be reconfigured by
SW configuration change to allow the
transfer of traffic capacity from the MSS
to the IMS.
Similarly the Packet Core (SGSN,
GGSN) can smoothly be transformed
to an Evolved Packet Core (MME,
S-GW,P-GW).

On OPEX reduction, the Open Core

System addresses the simplification
of configuration, maintenance and
operability of the Core Network, since
it is composed of a common and
small set of different ATCA blades,
which share common procedures
for configuration, maintenance and
operability besides being fully integrated
to Nokia Siemens Network NetAct,
which in its side manages the complete
network, from services delivered across
radio, transport and core.

Going Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System enables OPEX

optimization and smooth and efficient CAPEX:

Footprint reduction

: up to 80%

Plug-in units number reduction

: up to 80%

Energy reduction

: up to 40%

Source: Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System TCO calculator.

Also, the management of spare parts

stock and additional traffic capacity
parts are greatly simplified, due to the
dramatic reduction of the number of
different HW blade variants at the
Open Core System.
The Open Core System also allows
many simplifications to the setup and
maintenance procedures of the core
network elements, such as: self
configuration, self optimization, self
healing and energy saving, which
reduces its TCO.

Evolution and Revolution

Replacing all the existing equipment
could be the most revolutionary way

to simplify the network and to drive

energy efficiency, however it is also
very expensive and risky. The best
approach is a smooth evolution,
meaning a renewal of the network in
phases. The key for a smooth evolution
is a software package that makes
applications HW agnostic and thus
enables same software to run on both
legacy and latest state-of-the-art
platforms.
The introduction of the Open Core
System to any Core Network is
an evolutionary step towards:
simplification, modernization
and environmentally sustainable
telecommunications business for
the CSP.

As well, some revolutionizing

innovations are made available by the
Open Core System approach, for
instance to list a few:
All common components of a
modern Core Network in a single
and synergic COTS ATCA HW
environment.
Possibility to balance traffic capacity
between legacy traffic demand and
new technologies traffic demand
within the same Open Core System.

CS voice network
modernization and expansion
Ensuring end-user satisfaction
while reducing cost
The three most important requirements
to the Circuit Switched voice networks
of today are:
Cost efficient and reliable delivery
of CS services
A rich set of standard and tailored
features developed over many
years
Enabling a smooth evolution to the
future access and core technologies
The Nokia Siemens Networks Open
Core System delivers on all three of
these requirements with a unique
and unbeatable advantage on top:
Operators can smoothly modernize or
expand the capacity of their existing
network by adding new cost efficient
technology while fully maintaining the
same end-user service experience
throughout the network. Due to the
long development history of the CS
core network features the application
software is especially valuable in this
part of the network. With the Nokia
Siemens Networks Open Core System
this value is well protected and thus
CSPs need to wait no longer to start
saving cost.
Taking flexibility to the next level

Picture 6: Complete Core Network in a single and synergic Open Core System.

The 3GPP Rel-4 network architecture

was developed in order to provide
CSPs the flexibility to place and scale
user plane and control plane capacity

Open Core System White Paper

separately achieving great cost

efficiency. Nokia Siemens Networks
takes this flexibility and cost efficiency
to a whole new level when offering the
same HW platform for both the MSC
Server and the Media Gateway.
Initial network deployment can be
optimized using minimum floor space
as even the same cabinet can be
used for both MSC Server and Media
Gateway. This makes it possible to fully
utilize every cabinet according to the
exact traffic profile and if needed even
re-balance user plane and control plane
resources within existing cabinets when
traffic requirements change.
Another aspect of the flexibility of the
Open Core System, enabled by the
Open Core Software Architecture, is
the guaranteed functional equivalence
between the ATCA based and the Nokia
Siemens Networks proprietary HW
MSC Servers and Media Gateways
allowing operators to, for example,
modernize first the control plane layer
and only later the user plane layer.

Managing a cost efficient

voice transformation to VoIP
In mobile history, the voice service
has been the major focus for network
design and is thus inherently part of
the entire system. The possibility to
gradually migrate all operators voice
services from 2G and 3G to a single

Open Core System White Paper

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) network

will drive down network operating
expenditure (OPEX), justifying the
required technology investments.
Nokia Siemens Networks award
winning approach to introduce VoIP/
VoLTE services by a simple software
upgrade to an MSS system allows
re-using the full CS infrastructure,
including the voice service engine and
OSS/BSS integration.
Operators interested in introducing new
services such as Rich Communication
Suite and full Multimedia telephony for
all accesses (fixed, cable, mobile) can
easily implement the IMS functionality
into an already installed Open Core
System via software update. New
hardware needs to be added on
blade or shelf level only if required by
forecasted traffic volumes. When, over
time, more IMS traffic needs to be
handled, the Open Core capacity can
also easily be reconfigured by SW
update to allow the transfer of capacity
from the Open MSS to the Open IMS
application.

Interconnect transformation
with future proof technology
The industry is in a transformation
process from TDM based voice
interconnections to IP based voice
interconnections. Cost savings is one
of the very important targets of this

transformation and the Open Core

System is fully designed to bring the
needed efficiency.
Already today the Nokia Siemens
Networks MSC Server System and
Signaling Transfer Point support a
rich set of national and international
gateway features. This proven legacy,
combined with the ATCA HW benefits
provides a compelling reason to deploy
the Open Transit Routing Server and
Signaling Application Manager to take
care of the interconnect traffic even if
still on TDM for a while.
With all the required capabilities for
IP based interconnections already
supported in the first phase, the
investment is safe when moving to IP,
as the main functionalities such as
transcoding resources can be fully
re-used. Furthermore, the evolution of
the Open Core System will bring even
more benefits as the integration of
Interconnect Border Control and Border
Gateway functions required for IP based
interconnects will be possible resulting
in a simple network architecture, the
lowest expenditure and maximum
protection of investments.
Nokia Siemens Networks also
foresees that a common interconnect
architecture for traditional CS voice,
VoIP, VoLTE, RCS and multimedia will
be the most cost efficient, especially
when this will be possible using the
Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core
system.

Mobile broadband with

modernized Packet Core
network

Architecture (ATCA) platform to

achieve lower cost, higher performance
and superior flexibility.

ensure superior end user experience

and manage network resource usage
to maximize their revenues.

The Nokia Siemens Networks

solution for Mobile Packet Core
addresses increased traffic and
smartphone signaling demand, while
lowering the operators Total Cost of
Ownership (TCO). The Nokia Siemens
Networks products for modernized
2G/3G PS Core and new Evolved
Packet Core (EPC) use a unique
design based on the open Advanced
Telecommunications Computing

The key components playing an

essential role in supporting nextgeneration mobile broadband are
Network Server (SGSN / MME) and
Network Gateway (GGSN / S/P-GW).
With convincing capacity in throughput,
subscriber density and signaling,
operators are able to manage the data
traffic explosion and millions of smart
devices. Combined with unparalleled
service intelligence, operators can

Operators who want to modernize their

mobile packet core networks to be
prepared for future traffic growth by
deploying Nokia Siemens Networks
EPC products can introduce the LTE
functionality (MME and S/P-GW) by a
simple software upgrade onto the
existing hardware including OSS/BSS
integration and additional core
functionality like HSS and PCRF.

2G/3G
PCRF

BTS
Smartphones,
Laptops

BSC

SGSN
GGSN

NodeB

BTS

NodeB

Internet &
Content and
Service
Networks

RNC

2G/3G & LTE

Smartphones,
Laptops

Packet
Core

In case of increasing traffic and more

and more subscribers being migrated
from 2G/3G to LTE, Nokia Siemens
Networks EPC can be flexibly
reconfigured by software to meet the
changing demand in capacity and
signaling traffic.

BSC

RNC

HSS
PCRF

Operators can reuse the

modernized Packet Core for
LTE by software upgrade.

SGSN
MME
GGSN
S/P-GW

eNodeB

Internet &
Content and
Service
Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks Open

Core System has been running in
live networks since 2010, with the
first depolyment, in NTT DoCoMo
Xi LTE network, taken into
commercial use in December of
the same year.

Picture 7: Modernized Packet Core and the Path to Evolved Packet Core

Open Core System White Paper

Conclusions
Communications market is pushing CSPs to require more open and flexible
platforms to provide secure evolution path and further increase networked value
creation also beyond the basic services.
With Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System all common components of a Core
Network can be installed and scaled up at a single and synergic COTS ATCA HW
environment.
Open Core Software Architecture is HW agnostic enabling same software to be run on
both legacy and latest state-of-the-art platforms
Open Core Software Architecture offers flexibility and scalability in case of changing
and evolving requirements, has lower TCO and it also helps achieving economies of
scale for new applications.
Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System is compliant with all defined Core
Network standard interfaces. It is a perfect evolutionary step towards simplification,
modernization and environmentally sustainable telecommunication business.
Nokia Siemens Networks approach to the revolution is a smooth evolution - renewing
the network in phases and enabling existing installed base and new equipment
capture value together.

References
Nokia Siemens Networks whitepaper
Enabling mobile broadband growth Evolved Packet Core
Single RAN made simple - managing site and frequency evolution to tomorrows mobile
broadband world

10

Open Core System White Paper

Abbreviations
3GPP
3rd Generation Partnership Project
AMC
Advanced Mezzanine Card
ATCA
Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture
BSC
Base Station controler
BSS
Business Support Systems
CAPEX
Capital Expenditure
COTS ATCA
Commercial Off the Shelf ATCA
CPU
Central Processing Unit
CS
Circuit Switched
CSCF
Call Session Control Function
CSP
Communication Service Provider
DfE
Design for Environment
DSLAM
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer
DSP
Digital Signal Processor
EPC
Evolved Packet Core
GGSN
Gateway GPRS Support Node
GPRS
General Packet Radio System
HLR
Home Location Register
HSS
Home Subscriber Server
HW Hardware
IMS
IP Multimedia Subsystem
IT
Information Technology
LTE
Long Term Evolution
MGW
Media Gateway
MME
Mobility Management Entity
MSAN
Multi-service Access Node
MSS
Mobile Switching Center Server
NPU
Network Processor
NVS
NSN Mobile VoIP Server
OAM
Operations and Maintenance
OPEX
Operational Expenditure
OSS
Operations Support Systems
P-GW
Packet Data Network Gateway
PCRF
Policy and Charging Rules Function
PCS
Policy Control Server
RNC
Radio Network Controller
PLMN
Public Land Mobile Network
PS
Packet Switched
PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network
RCS
Rich Communication Suite
S-GW
Serving Gateway
SAM
Signaling Application Manager
SDM
Subscriber Data Management
SGSN
Serving GPRS Support Node
STP
Signaling Transfer Point
TCO
Total Cost of Ownership
TDM
Time-Division Multiplexing
VoIP
Voice over IP
VoLTE
Voice over LTE

Open Core System White Paper

11

Nokia Siemens Networks

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