Currently, Microsoft is engaged on RAN Analytics and Control applied sciences for virtualized RAN operating on Microsoft Edge platforms. Our objective is to empower any virtualized RAN resolution supplier and operators to appreciate the total potential of disaggregated and programmable networks. We intention to develop platform applied sciences that virtualized RAN distributors can leverage to realize analytics insights of their RAN software program operations, and to make use of these insights for operational automations, machine studying, and AI-driven optimizations.
Microsoft has just lately made essential progress in RAN analytics and management expertise. Microsoft Azure for Operators is introducing versatile, dynamically loaded service fashions to each the RAN software program stack and cloud/edge platforms internet hosting the RAN, to speed up the tempo of innovation in Open RAN.
The objective of Open RAN is to speed up innovation within the RAN house by the disaggregation of features and publicity of inner interfaces for interoperability, controllability, and programmability. The present standardization effort of O-RAN by O-RAN Alliance, specifies the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) structure that exposes a set of telemetry and management interfaces with predefined service fashions (generally known as the E2 interface). Open RAN distributors are anticipated to implement all E2 service fashions laid out in the usual. Near-real-time RAN controls are made potential with xApp purposes accessing these service fashions.
Microsoft’s innovation extends this standard-yet-static interface. It introduces the aptitude of getting detailed inner states and real-time telemetric information out of the stay RAN software program in a dynamic vogue for brand spanking new RAN management purposes. With this expertise, along with detailed platform telemetry, operators can obtain higher community monitoring and efficiency optimization for his or her 5G networks, and allow new AI, analytics, and automation capabilities that weren’t potential earlier than.
This yr, Microsoft, along with contributions from Intel and Capgemini, has developed an analytics and management method that was acknowledged with the Light Reading Editor’s Choice award beneath the class of Outstanding Use case: Service supplier AI. This innovation requires dynamic providers fashions for Open RAN.
Dynamic service fashions for real-time RAN management
There are many RAN management use instances that require dynamic service fashions past these laid out in O-RAN as we speak, resembling entry to IQ samples, RLC and MAC queue sizes, and packet retransmission info. These high-volume real-time information have to be aggregated and compressed earlier than being delivered to the xApp. Also, detailed information from completely different RAN modules throughout completely different layers like L1, L2, and L3 might have to be collected and correlated in real-time earlier than any helpful perception could be derived and shared with xApp. Further, a virtualized RAN affords so many extra potentialities, that any static interface or service mannequin could also be ineffective in assembly the extra superior real-time management wants.
One such instance happens with interference detection. Today, operators usually have to do a drive check to detect exterior interference in a macro cell. But now, Open RAN has the potential to switch the costly truck roll with a software program program that detects interference indicators on the RAN’s L1 layer. However, it will require a brand new information service mannequin with direct entry to uncooked IQ samples on the bodily layer. Another instance exists in dynamic energy saving. If a RAN energy controller can see the variety of packets queued at varied locations within the stay RAN system, then it could estimate the pending course of masses and optimize the CPU frequency at a really excessive tempo, to be able to scale back the RAN server energy consumption. Our examine has proven that we will scale back the RAN energy consumption by 30 % by this technique—even throughout busy durations. To help this in Open RAN, we are going to want a brand new service mannequin that exposes packet queuing info.
These new use instances are envisioned for the time after the present E2 interface has been standardized. To obtain them, although, we want new RAN platform applied sciences to rapidly prolong this interface to help these and future superior RAN management purposes.
The Microsoft RAN analytics and management framework
The Microsoft RAN analytics and management framework extends the present RIC service fashions in O-RAN structure to be each versatile and dynamic. In the method, the framework permits RAN resolution suppliers and operators to outline their very own service fashions for dynamic RAN monitoring and management. Here, the underlying expertise is a runtime system that may dynamically load and execute third-party code in a trusted and protected method.
This system allows operators and trusted third-party builders to put in writing their very own telemetry, management, and inference items of code (referred to as “codelets”) that may be deployed at runtime at varied factors within the RAN software program stack, with out disrupting the RAN operations. The codelets are executed inline within the stay RAN system and on its essential paths, permitting them to get direct entry to all essential inner uncooked RAN information constructions, to gather statistics, and to make real-time inference and management selections.
To guarantee safety and security, the codelets checked with static verified with verification instruments earlier than they are often loaded, and they are going to be robotically pre-empted if operating longer than the predefined execution budgets. The dynamic code extension system is similar because the Extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF), which is a confirmed expertise that has been entrusted to run customized codes in Linux kernels on tens of millions of mission-critical servers across the globe. The inline execution can be extraordinarily quick, usually incurring lower than one % of overhead on the present RAN operations.
The following picture illustrates the general framework and the dynamic service mannequin denoted by the star circle with the letter D.
The advantage of the dynamic extension framework with low-latency management is that it could open the chance for third-party real-time management algorithms. Traditionally, as a result of tight timing constraint, a real-time management algorithm should be tightly applied and built-in contained in the RAN system. The Microsoft RAN analytics framework permits RAN software program to delegate sure real-time management to RIC, probably resulting in a future market the place real-time management algorithms, machine studying, and AI fashions for optimizations could also be potential.
Microsoft, Intel, and Capgemini have collectively prototyped this expertise in Intel’s FlexRAN™ reference software program and Capgemini’s 5G RAN. We have additionally recognized normal instrumentation factors aligned with the usual 3GPP RAN structure to attain greater visibility into the RAN’s inner state. We have additional developed 17 dynamic service fashions, and enabled many new and thrilling purposes that have been beforehand not thought potential.
Examples of latest purposes of RAN analytics
With this new Analytics and Control Framework, purposes of dynamic energy financial savings and interference detection described earlier can now be realized.
RAN-agnostic dynamic energy saving
5G RAN vitality consumption is a serious OPEX merchandise for any cellular operator. As a consequence, it’s paramount for a RAN platform supplier to search out any alternative to avoid wasting energy when operating the RAN software program. One such alternative could be discovered by stepping down the RAN server CPU frequency when the RAN processing load will not be at full capability. This is certainly promising as a result of web site visitors is intrinsically “bursty”; even throughout peak hours, the community isn’t operated at full capability.
However, any dynamic RAN energy controller should even have correct load prediction and quick response in millisecond timescale. Otherwise, if one a part of RAN is in hibernation, then any instantaneous site visitors burst will trigger critical efficiency points, and even crashes. The Microsoft RAN analytics framework with dynamic service fashions and low-latency control-loop makes it potential to put in writing a novel CPU frequency prediction algorithm primarily based on the variety of energetic customers, and modifications in several queue sizes. We have applied this algorithm on high of Capgemini 5G RAN and Intel FlexRAN™ reference software program, and we achieved as much as 30 % vitality financial savings—even throughout busy durations.
Interference detection
External wi-fi interference has lengthy been a supply of efficiency points in mobile networks. Detecting exterior wi-fi interference is tough and infrequently requires a truck roll with specialised tools and consultants to detect it. With dynamic service fashions, we will flip an O-RAN 5G base station right into a software-defined radio that may detect and characterize exterior wi-fi interference with out affecting the radio efficiency. We have developed a dynamic service mannequin that averages the obtained IQ samples throughout frequency chunks and instances inside an L1 of the FlexRAN™ reference software program stack. The service mannequin in flip reviews the averages to an utility that runs an AI and machine studying mannequin for anomaly detection, to be able to detect when the noise ground will increase.
Virtualized and software-based RAN resolution supply immense potential of programmable networks that may leverage AI, machine studying, and analytics to enhance community effectivity. Dynamic service fashions for O-RAN interfaces additional enhances the tempo of innovation with added flexibility and safety.