SD RAN - Open Networking Foundation

SD-RAN™ is building open source components for the mobile RAN space, complementing O-RAN’s focus on architecture and interfaces by building and trialing O-RAN compliant open source components. This will foster the creation of true multi-vendor RAN solutions and help invigorate innovation across the RAN ecosystem. SD-RAN is developing a near-real-time RIC (nRT-RIC) and a set of exemplar xApps for controlling the RAN. This RIC is cloud-native and builds on several of ONF’s well established platforms including the ONOS SDN Controller. The architecture for the SD-RAN nRT-RIC will leverage the O-RAN architecture and vision. As the O-RAN specifications evolve, SD-RAN will follow them. As the SD-RAN project creates new functionality, all extensions and learning that come from building the system will be contributed back to the O-RAN Alliance with the intent that these extensions can help advance the O-RAN specifications. Learn more details about ONF’s commitment to support of the O-RAN Alliance.

Berlin SD-RAN Trial

Deutsche Telekom deployed the first fully disaggregated 5G field trial, interconnecting components from over 8 vendors with ONF’s SD-RAN open source RAN Intelligent Controller (nRT-RIC). As the first full implementation of the O-RAN architecture with RU, DU, CU, RIC and xApps from a suite of different suppliers, this represents a milestone in the open RAN movement.

To learn more about this exciting trial, check out on-demand talks from a webinar featuring executives from Deutsche Telekom, ONF and participating vendors.

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Mobile RAN – Past and Present

Mobile RAN networks have historically been implemented in vendor proprietary base stations. Operators would like to see interoperable RAN components, and to have control over spectrum optimization and end-user experience.

Operators, through the O-RAN consortium, are advocating for a disaggregation of RAN networks into interoperable RU, DU, CU components

O-RAN Architecture

A near real-time RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller) is integral to the O-RAN architecture. The nRT-RIC supports xApps responsible for advanced functions (like handover) that historically have been opaque vendor proprietary functions embedded in the base stations.

The SD-RAN project is building an open source nRT-RIC and exemplar xApps to accelerate the adoption of the O-RAN architecture and the availability of interoperable O-RAN components.

O-RAN Architecture

µONOS RIC
At the heart of ONF’s SD-RAN architecture is the µONOS RIC, based on ONOS, the leading open source SDN control plane for operators.

ONOS RIC is a cloud-native, carrier-grade  SDN controller that enables:

Ease in scalability
High performance
High availability
Support for multi-vendor equipment

ONF SDRAN for RAN Vendors v8 3 png
The µONOS RIC uses a microservices architecture  that includes the following elements:

Certificate Manager
Topology Manager
Configuration Manager
RAN Control Manager
Distributed Store

A Deeper Dive into SD-RAN

SD-RAN is ONF’s exemplar platform for 3GPP compliant software-defined RAN and is consistent with the O-RAN architecture. It is cloud-native and leverages several of ONF’s well established platforms including the ONOS SDN Controller.

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O-RAN Architecture

O-RAN Architecture

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SD RAN Resources