20-Sept-2018

Overview and Current Activities

Open vRAN Ecosystem

Bob Everson – Global Director, Mobility and 5GSteve Mailey – Consulting Systems EngineerNic Martinez – Consulting Systems Engineer

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Agenda

1

2

3

4

5

Why Open vRAN?

What is the Open vRANEcosystem?

Introduction to RAN and vRAN Architectures

Demos and Production Ready Systems

Wrap-up, Q&A

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Software is Eating the World

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• Disaggregation simplifies scaling of h/w and s/w instances

• Rapidly deploy new capabilities and services

• Infrastructure and location agnostic

• Easier to stich together complex service chains

• Simpler to standardize ops tooling

The Modern CSP has a Software Personality

Transport

Mobile Core

Edge Access

L4-7 Services

Data Center

RAN

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Software Defined Mobile Network

From: To:

Network defined (and constrained) by RAN

Network defined by the services, and desired

operational model

Closed interfaces, limited options

Open, modular solutions

Monolithic, Proprietary Systems

Flexible, Agile Software-Based Solutions

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Ecosystem Overview

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Accelerate the viabilityand adoption of open virtualized RAN

(vRAN) solutions and ensure their extension into a broader software-

defined network architecture

Open vRAN Ecosystem Overview

Technology Economics

Operations Consumption

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Open vRAN Ecosystem Overview

Current Vendor MembersRU

vRAN S/W

NFVI / Compute

Mobile Core

Transport

Automation

Services

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Why Open vRAN End-to-End Solution?

Use Cases• Densification• Reach• Small Cell• 5GNR• Private Mobile Networks

Open• Modular solutions• Cloud infrastructure

flexibility• IP transport

Flexible• New and existing

environments• Adapts to business req’ts

Multi-vendor• Leading innovators• Ecosystem = Choice

and Scale

Ready to Deploy• Pre-validated• Pre-integrated

Synergies• Better end-to end• Network Slicing• MEC• Automation /

Orchestration

Net Benefits• Flexible architecture• Agile service delivery environment• Lower TCO

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RAN and vRAN Architecture Overview

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Internet, Enterprise,

etceNB

Traditional Distributed RAN Architecture

Backhaul Agg/Core

MME

SGW

PGW

BBU

RRH/RU

RRH = Remote Radio HeadRU = Radio UnitBBU = Baseband UniteNB = Evolved Node B (LTE)

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

CPRIFronthaul BBU

eNodeB

Transition to C-RAN Architecture

Agg/Core

BBU

RRH/RU

Backhaul

MME

SGW

PGW

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Centralized RAN Architecture

Backhaul Agg/CoreCPRI

Fronthaul BBURRH/RU

CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) Fiber Fronthaul:Constant Bit Rate – transmits even when no user traffic, no multiplexingHighly inefficient – scales with number of antennas, not data rate

i.e. 150Mbps data = ~2.5Gbps CPRI trafficRequires very low latency – 200µsOptical transport; RAN vendor proprietary format

MME

SGW

PGW

Remote BBU -typically proprietary closed platform

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Virtualized/Cloud RAN Architecture

Backhaul Agg/CoreFronthaulOptions vBBU

RRH/RU

Virtualized Baseband –typically clusters running on COTS H/W

Fronthaul - CPRI or eCRPI (enhanced CPRI, moving to more open splits – i.e. xRAN/ORAN

MME

SGW

PGW

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Transition to Split Architecture

Backhaul Agg/CoreFronthaul vBBURRH/RU

MidhaulFront-haul DU CU

MME

SGW

PGW

Further disaggregate vBBU real-time and non-real-time functions into DU – Distributed Unit and CU – Centralized Unit

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Split vRAN Architecture

Backhaul Agg/Core

Fronthaul and Midhaul splits discussed more later. One key goal is driving away from vendor proprietary solutions, towards open IP/Ethernet based technologies.

MME

SGW

PGW

MidhaulFront-haulRRH

/RU

DU CU

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Midhaul

Split vRAN Architecture, cont.

Backhaul Agg/CoreFront-haulRRH

Split architecture flexibility:Each CU can support multiple DU’sEach DU can support multiple RRH’s

MME

SGW

PGW

RRH

RRHDU

DU

CUDU

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Midhaul

Further Control Plane Split

Backhaul Agg/CoreFront-haul

CU

-U

P

RRH/RU

DU

CU

-C

P

Some operators looking to split RAN control plane and user plane to allow them to scale independently and architect their network in

more granular manner

MME

SGW

PGW

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Midhaul

Split Architecture – Where to Split?

Backhaul Agg/CoreFront-haulRRH/RURRH/RU

DU CU

RAN protocol stack splits are not clear cut…how to determine what

goes where?

MME

SGW

PGW

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Data

RFLow PHY

PDCP RRCHigh PHY

Low MAC

High MAC

Low RLC

High RLC

There are a lot of Split Options

Option 8 Option 7 Option 6 Option 5 Option 4 Option 3 Option 2 Option 1

Greater bandwidth requirements

Higher Latency sensitivity

Increased radio co-ordination

Fronthaul/Lower Layer Split

CPRIMidhaul/

Higher Layer Split

We’ll focus on 2 Initially

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Internet, Enterprise,

etc

Midhaul

Split Architecture – Where to Split?

Backhaul Agg/CoreFront-haulRRH

/RU

DU CU

General thinking is option 7-2x for DU-RU, option 2 for CU-DU. Can vary based on deployment model, service types i.e. Fixed Wireless could do option 2 split to RU with integrated DU, etc. More work to come here + deeper dive presentation on splits coming soon

MME

SGW

PGW

Option 7-2x Option 2

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Open vRAN Ecosystem

Flexible Architecture Options

BackhaulAgg/Core

NGC

EPC

HLSOption 2

LLS (7-2x)

DUCUUPF

MEC

PacketMIdhaul

DUCU UPCU-UPCU CPCU-CP UPF

MEC

PacketMidhaul

DUCUPacketMidhaul

Fronthaul

UPF

MEC

DUCUUPF

MEC

Automation and OrchestrationAutomation and Orchestration

Security, Management, and SupportSecurity, Management, and Support

HLSOption 2

RU

RU

RU

RU

RU

RU

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Open vRAN DemosPre-5G: Let’s Deploy Now5G: It’s Real

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Pre-5G Open vRAN End-to-End SolutionE2E Converged Multi-vendor Pre-5G

‘Network-in-a-box’

• Pre-certified• Pre-integrated• Ready to deploy

Efficiently Delivering High-Quality Video

• CUPS-enabled MEC App Edge Cache• Network Slicing Differentiated Services

MidhaulOption 2

Backhaul Agg/CoreAltiostarRU / DU

Cisco EPC

AltiostarvCU

CiscoUPF

QwiltEdge

Cache

Cisco NFVI

Cisco CPS

Cisco NSO / ESC

IMS

HSS

Cisco NFVI

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MWC Americas – Cisco Meeting Room Tech M Redmond Lab

Edge Compute

Pre-5G Open vRAN End-to-End Solution: Flows

AltiostarRU / DU

Altiostar

vCU

CiscoUPF2

Internet

Cisco NFVI

CiscoUPF1

CiscoPCRF

HSS

IMS

CiscoCPF

QwiltEdge

Cache

QwiltCache

RegularUser

PremiumUser

Qwilt CP / Video Origin

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5G Open vRAN End-to-End PoCE2E Multi-vendor 5G SA PoC• OTA 5G SA Data Call• Cloud-native 5G SA Core• 5G SA Core Deployable on

Any Platform

High-bandwidth OTA Video Streaming

• CUPS-enabled MEC App Edge Cache• Automation Google Cloud Deployment

Backhaul Agg/CorePhazr gNBRU / DU / CU

Cisco5G SA Core

CiscoUPFSynamedia

Edge Cache

Cisco NFVI

Cisco Automation

Orchestration

Cloud Platform

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Cisco BXB Lab / GCP

Cisco Container Platform

MWC Americas – Cisco Meeting Room

5G Open vRAN End-to-End PoC: Flows

PhazrgNB

SMF

AMF

PhazrUE

Dev Hub Repo

Tiller

Prometheus/Grafana

Docker

PCF

NRFNSSF

Kubernetes

Pod Network(Contiv VPP)

AUSF/UDM PATS

Helm Charts/Docker images

Edge Compute

UPF

Edge Cache

Internet

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Enabling New Services

Enhanced Mobile Broadband1000x BW, 10-100x

End User Speed

Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication~1ms Latency

Massive Machine-type Communications1000x Density

• Vehicle updates, telematics, and infotainment

• Warehouse logistics, automated delivery services

Connected Car / RC Drones

• Police, fire, hospitals with strict SLAs and security

Network Slicinge.g. Public Sector Private Networks

• Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality for learning, gaming, 4K/8K

Augmented / Virtual Reality Delivery

• Smart-sensor enabled

• Waste and recycling, parking, smart grid, homes

Smart CityEnablement

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Accelerating to a truly software-defined mobile network

Open vRAN Ecosystem – Wrap Up

Enabling open, flexible architectures

Technology + Business + Operational + Consumption

Real solutions are possible now

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Questions?

Contact us: openvraninterest@cisco.com

https://blogs.cisco.com/sp/open-vran-ecosystem-enabling-a-better-mobile-architecture