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The Common Core Changes the Game

Mar 04. 2020

5G is not only multiplying the speed of wireless connectivity, but it is massively expanding the number of connected devices by several fold and leveraging edge computing technologies to optimize user traffic delivery.

 

 

The vision of 5G is to build an immensely flexible, efficient, and high-performance, end-to-end services network to meet the demands of the fast-growing, yet specialized wireless use cases:

 

 

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband
• Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications
• Massive Machine-Type Communications (MMTC, also known as Massive IoT).

 

 

And the path to these abilities requires a smooth migration of 4G users to 5G.

 

 

Today’s core network deployments leverage an architecture that supports both 4G and 5G radio networks, called 5G non-standalone (5G NSA.) While the 4G-based core supports the 5G RAN, the full benefits of low latency requires the core network to evolve to the solution defined by the 5G architecture, called 5G Core or 5GC. In short, the 5GC is a cloud native solution that will facilitate fast new service creation to enable new business models. The 5GC also provides a more granular decomposition of control and user plane functions that will better manage user plane traffic to lower latency of application traffic in the network.

5GC functions are in play in many of today’s 4G core networks. 3GPP Release 14 enhanced the 4G packet core by extending the separation of control and user planes that 3GPP Release 13 defined. Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) describes how the network distributes and controls the resources that carry user data in the system.  . CUPS identifies and allocates the network resources to support the needs of each requested service, which is also the foundation for supporting 5G’s edge computing functionality. Moreover, when the 5G network demands more user plane capacity, CUPS provides flexible growth and allocation of resources. The results – low latency, manageable, scalable network growth, and, more importantly, a lower cost due to the efficient use of user plane resources.

The new core network architecture for 5G uses cloud native principles to create a service-based architecture (SBA). The SBA method means functions of the 5GC communicate with other functions at a service level. These service-based interfaces carry the requests, instructions, and information between the functional elements to perform the control aspects of the 5GC. This architecture creates each network function as a collection of micro-services that run on an automated platform. The various network services perform the control actions of the core network on a dynamically managed or orchestrate, platform. The resulting architectural model provides an agile and programmable environment that scales the core network functions to support new applications.

Samsung is at the front edge of 5G core network solutions. Designed using cloud native concepts of micro-services, containers, and stateless architectures, the Samsung 5G Core will serve as the key enabler for the rapid realization of 5G innovation. The 5G Core network expedites the development and verification of new functional capabilities, and optimizes operational efficiencies for service providers by enabling automatic service upgrades and deployments.

Samsung, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Openet recently announced the successful integration of a cloud-native 5G standalone (SA) Core with multivendor interoperability. This achievement represents an important milestone that demonstrates significant progress in the journey toward 5G SA. The Samsung 5G SA core brings together cloud-native 5G network functions from Samsung, HPE, and Openet to deliver end-to-end 5G SA services. Samsung’s Common Core network continues to support Korea’s highly successful 5G services, which began commercial operation in April 2019 and continues to transition 4G subscribers to 5G users. Similarly, the large installed base of cloud native Samsung core network solutions in India is providing those operators with the CUPS-enabled core solution to help transition their 4G users to 5G. These live network experiences are providing the Samsung 5G Common Core with the expertise to deliver a comprehensive migration plan. The evolution will include separate operation of 5GC from the existing EPC, standard-compliant communication between the 5G and 4G cores, and a common core that integrates 4G, 5G (NSA and SA) and even Wi-Fi.

Shifting to a service-based architecture, combined with cloud native, virtualized and orchestrated management, the new 5GC becomes a dynamic service-based network with high flexibility and scaling. This 5GC will enable quicker introduction and easier management of innovative and specialized services for network providers and their subscribers.

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