Next-generation
Robust and scalable network architectures
Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and the planned 5G service-based architecture will fundamentally transform network (NF) functionality. The network functions will implement more and more cloud native principles. For this purpose, off-line stateless functions are split off, while internal information about subscriber-specific session and registration states are outsourced to an external, cloud-based database. The network functions achieve much better scalability, elasticity and availability, and the network architecture is considerably simplified.
5G Core network architecture relies on service-based interfaces where network functions communicate with each other via REST/HTTP interfaces. The architecture separate the User Plane (UP) functions from the Control Plane (CP) functions, allowing independent scalability, evolution and flexible deployment scenarios. The dependencies between the Access Network (AN) and the Core Network (CN) are minimized. The architecture is defined with a converged core network with a common AN-CN interface which integrates different Access Types e.g. 3GPP access and non-3GPP access.