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

Share In this post: 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. Still, as each 5G core vendor implements their microservices slightly differently, rigorous testing of these interactions is crucial. To ensure robustness and performance, the 5G core needs to be tested at different levels: Red Hat and Rebaca have collaborated to produce an autonomous continuous testing framework to address the challenges outlined with 5G core lifecycle management. The framework is engineered to facilitate the consistent delivery of compliant and interoperable 5G core CNFs.