Simplified core architecture for a new connectivity age
Within a few years, networks running 5G technology will be offering a vast variety of connectivity services to people, organizations, industries and machines, all with widely differing needs. Market development will be rapid, calling on operators to be super-agile to be able to quickly adapt their networks and businesses to new trends and service needs.
Core networks have changed dramatically in recent years, becoming cloud based with virtualization technology transforming conventional servers, functions and entire networks. This has brought significant benefits to operators in the shape of greater flexibility and lower costs. Yet if increasingly diverse demands are to be supported, further transformation of the core network will be needed.
By storing all data, including subscriber and session data, in a separate Shared Data Layer (SDL), cloud-based virtualized network function (VNF) machines can become stateless. This means the VNFs no longer need to manage their own data and will run only the required service business logic, making them easier and faster to develop. Stateless VNFs substantially simplify networks by moving network functions to a generic layer, making the architecture far more flexible.