AI-driven network optimization: From Open RAN to cloud transformation

Digital landscape depends heavily on the telecommunications industry to function, with network infrastructure at its foundation. From Open RAN and disaggregation to the shift towards cloud-based solutions, we are constantly working to reinvent, reinforce and improve network architectures in pursuit of better performance and end-user experiences.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2024, the world’s premier connectivity event, we will showcase our broad portfolio of test and measurement solutions. These solutions are designed to capture the opportunities and address the challenges of interoperability and cloud transformation. VIAVI is committed to support all the ecosystem players in their efforts to develop more robust and flexible network infrastructures that meet the current and future demands of the digital economy. Additionally, VIAVI collaborates with leading cloud platform providers to enhance network performance and security.

In this highly dynamic landscape, AI and Machine Learning ensure that, as the network grows, it can adapt and expand to new consumer needs and business requirements. AI’s predictive and generative powers enable users throughout a network ecosystem to enhance network security, resiliency and efficiency.

Advanced testing of cloud telecommunications
Ensuring the reliability, stability and suitability of network components in various cloud environments requires advanced testing and optimization tools. VIAVI TM500 Cloud solutions measure and mitigate risks associated with the Quality of Service (QoS) for end users in cloud-deployed O-RAN components. It’s designed to ensure that network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and operators can maintain the same level of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and QoS as traditional network architectures, even in cloud environments. These solutions are adaptable to various deployment models, including private or public cloud setups, and can be particularly effective in scenarios where the 5G User Plane Function (UPF) is deployed close to the edge of the cloud RAN to meet strict latency requirements. What sets the TM500 Cloud solutions apart is the ability to conduct comprehensive evaluations of critical KPIs like throughput, latency and round-trip time, which help ensure that performance per user does not degrade as more users are added to the network.

VIAVI TeraVM solutions provide network operators and service providers with a flexible platform to validate network functions, assess performance and ensure security across virtual and cloud-based infrastructures. By simulating real-world traffic and network conditions, TeraVM solutions enable accurate and efficient testing of network components, ensuring they meet the rigorous demands of modern telecom environments.

In addition, AI-driven VIAVI NITRO® AI Ops analytics platform further revolutionizes network performance monitoring and troubleshooting by offering real-time insights and predictive intelligence for optimizing cloud-based telecommunications networks. This solution offers true end-to-end and vendor-agnostic topology, cloud-native inventory, AI-driven assurance, workflow automation and more – empowering service providers to evolve their legacy NOC and achieve end-to-end network visibility across multiple technology domains.

At the core of modern, cloud-based open networks is the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), which plays a crucial role in optimizing network resources and performance. A cloud-native component for open and virtualized RAN networks, the RIC optimizes network resources by providing analytics and adaptation recommendations. Central to its functionality are xApps and rApps, software automation applications that run on Near-RT and Non-RT RICs respectively. These applications utilize inputs to perform computations and propose changes to improve various aspects of the RAN such as network admission control, resource utilization and Quality of Service (QoS) fulfillment.

VIAVI plays a key role in this ecosystem by offering solutions for testing the RIC, facilitating the expedited rollout of open RAN networks and architectures. TeraVM, for example, provides a comprehensive validation test suite for the RAN Interface Controller element of the O-RAN ecosystem. It emulates various network components and scenarios, enabling thorough testing of the RIC’s functionality. The TeraVM system can also test the E2 interface, critical for communication between the RIC and other network elements, ensuring that the RIC can effectively manage and optimize network operations in real time.

Automated, AI-enabled solutions, delivered as-a-service
VIAVI is committed to enhancing network performance, security and efficiency by integrating AI into its solutions. This commitment is evident in services like Lab as a Service (LaaS) and Test as a Service (TaaS). These services are designed to support 5G and Open RAN projects, delivering cutting-edge test tools and expertise to ensure timely project completion while meeting demanding performance criteria. The TaaS service is designed to assist in short-term and time-sensitive projects, providing access to necessary tools and expert staff with minimal ramp-up time, streamlining the testing process and accelerating time-to-market for 5G and O-RAN projects.

Other AI-powered solutions, such as the VIAVI Digital Twin technology, offer predictive capabilities that enhance network security and efficiency. This technology enables the creation of virtual network models in the lab, allowing service providers to simulate challenging scenarios such as natural disasters or traffic spikes to see how their infrastructure might perform under duress.

CT Bureau