Category: ODiN
Cloud Native Manifesto
On our journey to highly flexible, sustainable, and resilient networks for the future, we believe in applying the following cloud native principles to all layers of network infrastructure, applications, and services*:
1. Decoupled infrastructure and application lifecycles over vertical monoliths;
2. ‘API first’ over manual provisioning of network resources;
3. Declarative and intent-based automation over imperative workflows;
4. GitOps** principles over traditional network operations practices;
5. Unified Kubernetes (or the like) resource consumption patterns over domain-specific resource controllers;
6. Unified Kubernetes (or the like) closed-loop reconciliation patterns over vendorspecific element management practices; and
7. Interoperability by well-defined certification processes over vendor-specific optimisation.
We also believe that openness and compatibility principles need to be key drivers of future Telecom and network services implementations to ensure we leverage Cloud Native principles to encourage software – orchestration – and hardware disaggregation.
Building a cloud native architecture calls for a joint effort among telecom operators, suppliers, and partners. This is described in this document by stating a few principal requirements and by outlining the area of focus for this journey from an operator point of view.
* Does not imply order of priority
** Everything as code, single point of truth, immutable source of trust
Operating Disaggregated Networks V2.0
“ODiN – Operating Disaggregated Networks v2.0”, provides a detailed breakdown on how disaggregation impacts an operator’s organisation and processes. The publication covers RAN, core and transport disaggregation and outlines how planning, deployment, service provision, optimisation and maintenance processes will be impacted. In addition, the publication highlights the impact on processes of cloudification and the need to move towards the use of greater network automation whilst embracing DevSecOps. The opportunities, challenges and the impact on network testing are also explained. Developed by the NGMN Alliance’s Partners – operators, vendors, system integrators, and research institutes –, the new publication builds on “ODiN – Operating Disaggregated Networks v1.0” from October 2021, which outlined the opportunities and challenges of network disaggregation.
ODiN – Operating Disaggregated Networks
With network disaggregation, mobile network operators along with their partners are facing a major paradigm shift.
It promises a great deal of prospects, including the mere ability to respond to new demands of socio-economic transformation, of increasingly mobile, connected and smart societies, and automated industries. This paradigm shift, however, comes with a wide range of challenges.
This publication explores the appealing opportunities and the expected challenges arising from the disaggregation of mobile networks.
We put an emphasis on the perspective of mobile network operators and expected benefits such as:
- lower barriers to enter the market
- a more resilient ecosystem and supply chain
- enabled increased competition and innovation
- agility and flexibility
As well as expected challenges such as:
- increasing complexities in interoperability and in
- system integration and
- in achieving efficient and resilient operation
All these aspects lead to the need for a significant operating model transformation.
Going forward, we will develop blueprints for end-to-end operating models, enabling operators to make their individual right choices, and to address the industry to develop solutions for identified gaps.
With our ODiN project we invite the entire NGMN Partnership – vendors, system integrators and other interested parties – to jointly work on operating model requirements, analyse potential gaps and work on industry solutions to resolve the identified challenges. The project will also work with other relevant organisations and submit requirements to the industry.