Accelerating 5G standalone rollout: continuous testing to enhance robustness, interoperability and efficiency

Accelerating 5G standalone rollout: continuous testing to enhance robustness, interoperability and efficiency The challenge of 5G core interoperability Testing within a cloud-native environment Using a comprehensive testing regime Introducing the autonomous continuous testing framework Benefits of the automated testing Streamlining functional testing Next steps and how Red Hat can help Red Hat Learning Subscription | Product Trial About the authors Mark Longwell Hanen Garcia Saad Ahmed Rob McManus More like this Blog post Blog post Blog post Keep exploring Browse by channel Automation Artificial intelligence Open hybrid cloud Security Edge computing Infrastructure Applications Virtualization Share In this post: Learn about the importance of interoperability testing between the various 5G core network functions. Read about the challenges associated with 5G core lifecycle management, software versioning, and its impact on testing and verification. Find out how Red Hat and Rebaca’s autonomous continuous testing framework helps service providers with the consistent delivery of compliant and interoperable 5G core cloud-native network functions (CNFs). Deploying a 5G core network involves several key components, including the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) for connection and mobility management, the Session Management Function (SMF) for managing user data sessions, the User Plane Function (UPF) for service delivery, the Network Repository Function (NRF) for service discovery, and the Policy Control Function (PCF) for policy enforcement among others. A significant challenge for telecommunication (telco) service providers is the management of different software versions of these network functions, especially in a multivendor environment. A particular version may include new features, bug fixes, or require specific configurations. Consequently, testing of the network functions is complex, going beyond the verification of each component's functionality to ensure that various versions of these network functions can interoperate. Dealing with this complexity necessitates extensive testing automation to guarantee streamlined operations across the service provider’s network. Adopting a cloud-native design for the 5G core gives service providers a competitive edge in building networks that easily scale and adapt. A distributed and disaggregated 5G core network introduces additional challenges, particularly around ensuring that all the different components can work together. As 5G core cloud-native network functions (CNFs) are made up of microservices that are constantly being updated and deployed in a dynamic environment, keeping tabs on security and adherence to standards becomes an overwhelming task. To ensure that all independently developed components of the 5G core operate effectively, the various network functions within the 5G core must interoperate efficiently, adhering to 3GPP standards.