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O RAN - Seminar 1
O RAN - Seminar 1
Introduction
O-RAN Overview
O-RAN Architecture
O-RAN
RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC)
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Introduction
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5G Architecture
5GC Control Plane
N6
5GC
User Plane
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Open RAN – Network Transformation
Core
Network CN
(CN)
Open RAN
CU
RIC
Traditional RAN
DU
• Disaggregation
Open FH
• Open Ecosystem
• Open Interfaces RU
• Decoupling HW from SW
• Intelligent management
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What is Open RAN?
RRH BBU
5GC
RRH BBU
RAN CN OSS
RRH BBU
EPC
RRH BBU
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O-RAN Timeline/History
2021 – March
O-RAN Alliance
2020 – May releases second
Open RAN Policy set of
2020 – Feb Coalition was specifications
O-RAN Alliance formed
2019 – July sets up
SCF enabled O- partnership with
2019 – Feb RAN ecosystem TIP
Rakuten deploys with nFAPI
2018 - Feb World’s first V-
O-RAN Alliance RAN network
2017 formed (from
First Open RAN xRAN Forum and
2016 trials in LATAM C-RAN Alliance)
Telecom Infra
Project (TIP) was
formed
xRAN Forum was
formed
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List of Abbreviations
5GC 5G Core Network O-eNB O-RAN evolved NodeB
5QI 5G QoS Indicator ONF Open Networking Foundation
AMF Access and Mobility Function O-RAN Open RAN
API Application Programming Interface O-RU O-RAN Radio Unit
CA Cell Association OSC O-RAN Software Community
CN Core Network PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol
CP Control Plane PHY Physical Layer
CU Central Unit PM Performance Measurements
D/A Digital to analog QoS Quality of Service
DU Distributed Unit R/W Read/Write
FCAPS Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security RA Resource Allocation
FH Fronthaul RAN Radio Access Network
gNB next-generation NodeB RFE Radio Front-End
I/F Interface RIC RAN Intelligent Controller
LLS Lower-Layer Split RLC Radio Link Control
MAC Medium Access Control RRC Radio Resource Control
MANO Management and Orchestration RRM Radio Resource Management
MBB Mobile Broadband RT Real-Time
Mgmt Management RU Remote/Radio-Unit
ML Machine Learning SDAP Service Data Adaptation Protocol
NG-RAN Next Generation RAN SD-RAN Software Defined RAN
nRT near Real Time SM Spectrum Management
O-CU-CP O-RAN Central Unit Control Plane SMO Service Management and Orchestration
O-CU-UP O-RAN Central Unit User Plane S-NSSAI Single - Network Slice Selection Assistance ID
O-DU O-RAN Distributed Unit SON Self-Organizing Networks
TS Traffic Steering
UE User Equipment
UPF User Plane Function
xApp Application to be placed at nRT RIC
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O-RAN Overview
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Open-RAN
Non-RT RIC
A1
E2 E2 E2
N2
to AMF RRC PDCP-C
O-CU-CP
Sched.
N3
to UPF SDAP PDCP-U RLC MAC PHY D/A & RFE
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E2 Node
O-RAN Defined Entities
System supporting orchestration of O-RAN SMO
components
Logical node enabling Non-RT control/optimization of RAN
elements and resources, AI/ML workflow, and policy-based
Non-RT RIC guidance of applications/features in nRT RIC
xApp
xApp
xApp
• independent of the nRT RIC
• may be provided by 3rd party. Logical node enabling nRT control/optimization of RAN
elements and resources via fine-grained data collection
and actions over E2. May include AI/ML workflow.
near-RT RIC
Logical node hosting SDAP and UP part of PDCP
Cloud Computing platform comprising: O-RU Logical node hosting Low-PHY layer (FFT/iFFT, PRACH
• PHY infra nodes to host O-RAN fcns (e.g. nRT extraction) and RF based on LLS
RIC, O-DU),
• Supporting SW components (e.g. OS, VM O-Cloud
Monitor, Container Runtime)
• MANO functions
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Based on defs from: O-RAN Alliance Specifications
Relevant Entities & Relations
• MANO • SMO & Non-RT RIC • Exemplar Platform for
• CU-CP/CU-UP • near-RT RIC O-RAN Based on
• DU • A1, E2, O1, O2, Open FH Specific Design Choices
• E1, F1-C, F1-U • O-RAN LLS
Other features
Notes:
• There is also Open RAN Policy Coalition to promote policies that will advance the adoption of O-RAN concept rimedolabs.com
• Other entities may show up, like cloud platforms for placing O-RAN / interoperatibility testing / „xApp stores”
O-RAN Alliance WGs
WG1 • UC, arch, slicing, security Focus: identify/study use cases and
overall architecture
Note: Specifications are at different maturity levels, e.g. (as of April 2021):
• FH control, user and synchronization specification is considered stable (version 5.0)
• O1 SMO data models, O2 cloud management interface and security specifications haven't been specified yet.
As of today it is impossible to build an end-to-end, standardized O-RAN compliant system. One can build a partially compliant system, which would rimedolabs.com
have proprietary components (requiring pairwise agreements between involved parties).
O-RAN Virtual Exhibition
O-RAN Software Community (OSC)
OSC is a collaboration between O-RAN ALLIANCE and Linux Foundation to support the creation of RAN software.
O-RAN OSC
Projects
near-RT RAN Intelligent
Controller (RIC) - initial RIC
Currently available:
Platform to support xAPPs
Cherry Release (12.2020) Service Management and Orchestration
(SMO) – onboarding of rApps running on
NRT RIC, xApps running on nRT RIC
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Selected O-RAN Alliance Specifications
Spec name Title Contents
O-RAN.WG1.O-RAN-Architecture-Description- O-RAN Architecture Description O-RAN definitions, architecture,
v02.00 interfaces, block diagrams
O-RAN.WG1.OAM-Architecture-v03.00 O-RAN Operations and OAM use cases, OAM architecture
Maintenance Architecture
O-RAN.WG3.RICARCH-v01.00 Near-RT RIC Architecture nRT RIC Architecture, APIs for xApps,
requirements
O-RAN.WG1.Use-Cases-Detailed-Specification- Use Cases Detailed Specification Use cases background, entities involved,
v03.00 solutions, required data
O-RAN.WG3.E2GAP-v01.01 Near-Real-time RIC Architecture nRT RIC Functional allocation,
& E2 General Aspects and architecture and support functions, E2
Principles principles and functions, service model
O-RAN-WG2.A1GAP-v02.00 A1 interface: General Aspects A1 service architecture and functions, A1
and Principles signalling procedures, protocol structure
O-RAN.WG2.A1AP-v02.00 A1 interface: Application Protocol A1 services, API definitions, Open API
specification, JSON objects (e.g. for TS
policy)
O-RAN.WG1.O1-Interface.0-v03.00 O-RAN Operations and Management services (privisioning, fault
Maintenance Interface supervision, performance assurance,
Specification etc.)
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O-RAN Architecture
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O-RAN Architecture SMO
Control Loops
Non RT
Non-RT RIC >1s
policy, enrichment
Open FH
O1 info, ML model mgmt A1 O2
M-Plane
(O1 FFS)
policy feedback
xAPP
xAPP
xAPP
xAPP
platform resources
FCAPS for O-RU: and workload
SW mgmt, CM, PM, FM, to Near-RT RIC management
File mgmt, installation (scaling, FCAPS, SW
near-RT RIC mgmt, resource
create/delete)
E2 E2 E2 E2
RT (O-DU Scheduler)
Open FH I/F < 10 ms
O-RU
O-Cloud rimedolabs.com
O-RAN Implementation Options (1/2)
Disaggregated Network Functions Aggregated O-CU-CP, O-CU-CP, O-DU
SMO SMO
Non-RT RIC Non-RT RIC
O1
A1 O2 O1 A1 O2
E2 E2 E2 E2
O-CU-CP O-CU-CP
E1
O-CU-UP O-CU-UP
E2 Node E2 Node
F1-c F1-u
O-DU O-DU
O-Cloud O-Cloud
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O-RAN Implementation Options (2/2)
Aggregated near-RT RIC, O-CU-CP, O-CU-CP All Nodes Aggregated
SMO SMO
Non-RT RIC Non-RT RIC
O1
O2 O1 O2
A1 A1
O-CU-CP O-CU-CP
O-CU-UP O-CU-UP
F1-c F1-u E2
O-DU O-DU
Open FH Open FH
M-Plane
O-RU O-RU
O-Cloud O-Cloud
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O-RAN near-RT RIC
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O-RAN nRIC – Internal Architecture
SMO
Non-RT RIC
A1
near-RT RIC
A1 Termination
xApp
Conflict Mgmt
resolves potentially overlapping or Subscription Security security scheme for the xApps
Mitigation services
conflicting requests from multiple xApps Mgmt
E2
E2 Node(s) rimedolabs.com
Based on defs from: O-RAN Alliance Specifications
nRT RIC Implementation Options
SMO SMO
Non-RT RIC Non-RT RIC
A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1
near-RT RIC serving gNB near-RT RIC serving gNB and eNB
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Based on defs from: O-RAN Alliance Specifications
E2: Key Performance Measurements
5GC
N2 N3
near-RT RIC
E2
O-CU- O-CU-
CP UP
E2 Node E2 Node
O-DU
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Based on: ORAN-WG3.E2SM-KPM-v01.00.00
E2 KPM – O-DU Measurement for 5G Example
PM Container O-DU PM container
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Source: ORAN-WG3.E2SM-KPM-v01.00.00
O-RAN Use Cases
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O-RAN Use Cases
Low Cost RAN Whitebox Hardware (Impacted: RAN Sharing (Impacted: Non-RT RIC, nRT RIC,
O-DU, O-RU) O-CU, O-DU)
Traffic Steering (Impacted: Non-RT RIC, RAN Slice SLA Assurance (Impacted:
nRT RIC, O-CU) Non-RT RIC, nRT RIC, O-CU, O-DU)
Phase I Phase II
Context Based Dynamic Handover
QoE Optimization (Impacted: Non-RT
Management for V2X (Impacted:
RIC, nRT RIC, O-CU)
Non-RT RIC, nRT RIC, O-CU)
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Based on: O-RAN Alliance WP (O-RAN Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios)
O-RAN Traffic Steering Use Case
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O-RAN Traffic Steering – Use Case Description
Challenge:
• Typical TS mechanisms:
• use radio conditions of cell by treating all UEs in the same way with average
values,
• are limited to adjusting the cell reselection, handover parameters, cell priorities.
?
Aims/Objectives:
• Customization of UE-centric strategies and proactive optimization by predicting
network condition
TS – directs traffic • Allow operators to specify different objectives for traffic management: by optimizing
to specific cell(s)
the network/UE performance, achieving balanced cell load, etc.
• Allow operators to flexibly configure desired optimization policies, utilize right
performance criteria, leverage ML to enable intelligent and proactive TS control.
from data collected by O1 I/F from O-CU and O-DU • Connection and mobility/HO stats - indication of successful and failed HOs, etc.,
• Cell load stats – # active users/connections, # scheduled active users per TTI, PRB
utilization, etc.,
• Per UE performance stats – PDCP thrpt, RLC/MAC latency, etc.
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.Use-Case-Requirements-v02.00
O-RAN TS Use Case – Node Responsibilities
• Defines and updates policies - to guide the behavior of TS xApp in nRT RIC (e.g. optimization objectives to
SMO •
guide carrier/band preferences for UE/UE-group)
Performs statistical analysis to provide enrichment info for nRT RIC to assist TS function (e.g., RF fingerprint
based on UE meas. report like RSRP/RSRQ/CQI info for serving/neighboring cells)
Non-RT RIC • Comunicates policies and enrichment info (e.g. RF fingerprints) to nRT RIC & measurement configuration
parameters to RAN nodes.
• A1 policy – declarative policy to enable Non-RT RIC to guide nRT RIC on steering the behavior of RAN fcns
towards stated objectives
• A1 enrichment info – additional info used by nRT RIC collected at SMO/non-RT RIC from non-network data
or from NFs
A1
xApp
TS
• Control messages
E2
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.Use-Case-Requirements-v02.00
A1: TS Policies
SMO
Non-RT RIC
A1 Policy can relate to:
• Single/group UE ID
• Slice ID
xApp
• QoS ID
TS
E2 E2 E2
E2 E2 E2
Node Node Node
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.A1AP-v02.00
A1: TS Policies Examples
SMO
Non-RT RIC
A1
xApp
TS
near-RT RIC
E2 E2 E2
E2 E2 E2
Node Node Node
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.A1AP-v02.00
O-RAN TS Use Case Example - Scenario
• Understands requirements of characteristics of services
• Decides:
UE 1: • Voice and CP connection on low band (covered by Cell
• Belong to S-NSSAI=1 B – PCell)
• Have voice connection (5QI=1) • MBB connection preferably on higher band (covered by
• Have MBB connection (5QI=9) small cell C and D – SCells), avoid low bands (Cell A only
• Enters area covered by 4 freq. bands for coverage)
gNB 1:
• Low Bands
gNB 2: • Narrow BW Non-RT RIC
• High Bands • Low Latency
• Wide BW Policies for allocation of CP and UP for
• High Latency different services, identified by 5QI are
A1 sent to any cell of concern, e.g. where the
UE resides and may move
xApp
UE 1
TS
near-RT RIC
Cell D Cell C
Cell B Cell A
E2 E2
E2 E2
Node Node
MBB cells
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.Use-Case-Requirements-v02.00
O-RAN TS Use Case – Example Scenario
Non-RT RIC To acheive the behavior, two policies provided via A1
Policy 1: steering voice service to be served by Cell B Policy 2: steering MBB service to be served by Cell C/D
A1
xApp
TS
nRT RIC needs to locate the UE and enforce policy near-RT RIC
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Based on: O-RAN.WG2.Use-Case-Requirements-v02.00
O-RAN TS Use Case – Example Scenario Result
xApp
TS
Near-RT RIC
Control msg for UE1:
• Handover to Cell B (PCell)
E2 • Add Cell A (SCell) for 5QI=1
• Add SCG Cell C (SCell) for 5QI=9
E2
Node
• Cell B: PCell/CP
• Cell A: SCell/Voice
• Cell C: SCell/MBB
Cell D Cell C
Cell B Cell A
MBB cells
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Using O-RAN Approach
O-RAN
Allows hierarchical and modular approach to resource management
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