WP1 Future Open Network Architecture

Overview

Future open networks are envisioned to provide intelligence, limitless connectivity, and full synchronisation of the physical and digital worlds, paving the way for the development of novel applications, both indoor and outdoor. Apart from higher data rates, lower latency, and higher number of connected devices, new classes of services are foreseen such as:

• Networked sensing and localisation
• Network Agility when the whole network topology changes at different time scale
• Energy efficient communication and computation
• Security, privacy, and trustworthiness by design
• Embedded pervasive Artificial Intelligence (AI)

However, despite expectations, solutions with a proven capability to offer such services at an end-to-end system level are still missing. In this context, a combination of next generation multiple access, use of more spectrum/antennas/resources, edge computing, AI/ML, service orchestration, etc., are all parts of the same puzzle.

WP1 targets to solve this challenge by driving an architecture blueprint for autonomous and synthesising end-to-end network services utilising different technological solutions to be produced by WP2-WP5. The proposed architecture will introduce open interfaces at system and subsystem levels to derive a breakthrough open network architecture, which will produce new knowledge, driving international leadership in future networking, opening up new commercial opportunities, and making impactful contributions to international standards.

Such an End-to-End (E2E) Open Network Architecture blueprint will be driven by ambitious KPIs, emerging standards, Industry roadmaps and UK policy for future telecoms while taking into account emerging technologies as well as Intelligence and knowledge derived through continuous monitoring and exploitation of AI.

WP1 will define and design the functional blocks and interfaces of the architecture that can be realised, driving from E2E system perspective utilising technological outcomes from WP2-WP5 including cross-cutting elements. WP1 will also deliver early evaluation and validation of the proposed architecture against the envisaged KPIs and requirements using a combination of theoretical and experimental tools, leveraging facilities and testbeds such as the Bristol, and the SONIC Labs. The architecture will be continuously informed by emerging commercialisation and standardisation opportunities identified through WP6.

Tasks

The WP is broken down into four tasks:

• Task 1.1 Functional definition of REASON architecture, led by Digital Catapult
• Task 1.2 Workflow and Open API Architecture Strategy, led by University of Bristol
• Task 1.3 Cybersecurity by design framework for open architectures, ed by Weaver Labs
• Task 1.4 Energy management framework for open architectures, ed by Real Wireless

Initial output of WP1

1. REASON End-to-End Functional Architecture capturing the functional and non-functional requirements, as described in Deliverable D1.1, incorporating innovations from WP2-5
2. Open APIs definition, initially for mATRIC
3. Established Cyber-Security working group that performed an initial assessment of the security innovations of each WP
4. Development of an Energy Framework for the REASON architecture, that models the consumption and provides a workflow for the collection of the data; initial investigation of the energy consumption of Machine Learning providing a strategy and guidelines