Open RAN and Programmable - The Huddle 2023

Open RAN and Programmable Networks Workshop

Date: 8 May 2023

Time: 14:00 – 17:00 SGT

Location: SUTD Campus, 8 Somapah Rd, Singapore

About

This workshop takes a deep dive into challenges and opportunities represented by Open RAN (ORAN) technology and assesses its potential for revolutionizing the wireless communication industry. ORAN is a new network architecture that aims to use open, interoperable, and virtualized components to enhance network flexibility, reduce vendor lock-in, and improve network efficiency. In this workshop, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of programmable networks such as ORAN, including its architecture, key components, and be able to judge whether it can achieve these challenging goals. Additionally, experts in the field will share their insights on how ORAN might shape the future of 6G networks and how programmable networks in general could play a critical role in the evolution of wireless communication. Network with professionals in the industry and be a part of shaping the future of wireless technology.

Speakers

Prof. Mun Choon CHAN, National University of Singapore

Title: FSA: Fronthaul Slicing Architecture for 5G using data plane programmable switches

Abstract: 5G networks are gaining pace in development and deployment in recent years. One of 5G’s key objective is to support a variety of use cases with different Service Level Objectives (SLOs). Slicing is a key part of 5G that allows operators to provide a tailored set of resources to different use cases in order to meet their SLOs. Existing works focus on slicing in the frontend or the C-RAN. However, slicing is missing in the fronthaul network that connects the frontend to the C-RAN. This leads to over-provisioning in the fronthaul and the C-RAN, and also limits the scalability of the network. In this talk, we will present the design and implementation of Fronthaul Slicing Architecture (FSA). FSA runs in the switch data plane and uses information from the wireless schedule to identify the slice of a fronthaul data packet at line-rate. It enables multipoint-to-multipoint routing as well as packet prioritization to provide multiplexing gains in the fronthaul and the C-RAN, making the system more scalable.

Bio: Mun Choon CHAN is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science, School of Computing, National University of Singapore. His research area includes IoT, wireless sensor network, mobile computing, and software defined networking. He graduated with a BS in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and Ph.D. from Columbia University. Before joining NUS, he was a Member of Technical Staff in the Networking Research Laboratory, Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies.: Mun Choon CHAN is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science, School of Computing, National University of Singapore. His research area includes IoT, wireless sensor network, mobile computing, and software defined networking. He graduated with a BS in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and Ph.D. from Columbia University. Before joining NUS, he was a Member of Technical Staff in the Networking Research Laboratory, Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies.

Dr. Tsunehiko Chiba, VIAVI

Title: Advancing Open RAN Ecosystem and Testing

Abstract: In this presentation, overview of Open RAN, value chain and key challenges are covered. The overview includes two key organizations, O-RAN Alliance and TIP (Telecom Infra Project) followed by Open RAN deployment status and future growth. While Open RAN will bring innovation to Telco world, industry needs to solve some key challenges such as security, integration, and testing. We will further explain how to test these key areas including RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller).

Bio: Dr. Tsunehiko Chiba is currently Chief Wireless Architect, CTO Office at VIAVI Solutions. He has more than 23-years’ experience in mobile industry including 3G/4G commercial development, 4G/5G standardization & research expert as part of global leading vendor and operator. Especially, he has been one of the main contributors in 3GPP, O-RAN Alliance and ITU with several patent portfolio as well as next generation research forums. His current role at VIAVI Solutions is standardization lead for 3GPP and O-RAN Alliance, and technical lead for wireless network research and strategy.

Prof. Ray-Guang Cheng, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST)

Title: “O-RAN Alliance and O-RAN Software Community.”

Abstract: The O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) Alliance is a global industry consortium that aims to drive the mobile industry towards an ecosystem of innovative, multi-vendor, interoperable, and autonomous RAN, with reduced cost, improved performance, and greater agility. Intelligence and openness and two core principles of the O-RAN Alliance. O-RAN Software Community (OSC) is an open-source project collaborated by O-RAN Alliance and Linux Foundation, aiming to develop reference software components based on 3GPP and O-RAN Alliance specifications. Three OSC Community Laboratories were built to speed up the integration and interoperability testing among different projects. In this talk, we will briefly introduce the architecture of the O-RAN Alliance and the ongoing projects of the OSC.

Bio: Ray-Guang Cheng received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in communication engineering from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, in 1991, 1993, and 1996, respectively. From 1997 to 2000, he was with Advance Technology Center, Computer and Communication Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan, as a Researcher and a Project Leader. From 2000 to 2003, he joined BenQ Mobile System, Inc., Taiwan, as a Senior Manager of the R&D Division. He is currently a Director of the Computer Center and a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST), Taiwan. He holds the IEEE Wireless Communication Professional (WCP) Certification, 18 U.S. patents, and more than 30 IEEE/3GPP standard contributions. He is the Head of the Joint NTUST-EURECOM Open5G Lab and the OSC Taiwan Lab.