Towards 6G zero touch networks: The case of automated Cloud-RAN deployments

TL;DR

This paper proposes a Zero Touch Commissioning model for automating Cloud-RAN deployments in 6G networks, enabling rapid, autonomous network setup with minimal human intervention, addressing latency and physical management challenges.

Contribution

It introduces a novel ZTC model for fully automated Cloud-RAN deployment, validated through a testbed using Kubernetes and open-source network components.

Findings

Successful autonomous deployment of Cloud-RAN networks

Effective resource discovery near coverage zones

Validation of ZTC model in a Kubernetes-based testbed

Abstract

The arrival of 6G technologies shall massively increase the proliferation of on-demand and ephemeral networks. Creating and removing customized networks on the fly notably requires fully automation to guarantee commissioning-time acceleration. In this paper, we address the deployment automation of an end-to-end mobile network, with special focus on RAN units (referred to as Cloud-RAN). The Cloud-RAN automation is especially challenging due to the strong latency constraints expected in 6G as well as the required management of physical antennas. To automatically instantiate a Cloud-RAN chain, we introduce a Zero Touch Commissioning (ZTC) model which performs resource discovery while looking for both antennas and computing capacity as near as possible to the targeted coverage zone. We validate the ZTC model by a testbed which deploys, configures and starts the network service without human intervention while using Kubernetes-based infrastructures as well as open-source RAN and core elements implementing the mobile network functions.