5G Network Architecture and FMC

Joe Wilke, Ericsson

July 2017
 Ericsson 5G core system
Key system areas
Efficiency
Agility
Automation Agility
Service optimized Scale
Actionable insights Efficiency
connectivity

Devices / Access sites Distributed sites National sites Global sites

Local NW
Application Cloud

Management & Monetization

Network Slices

Mobile Access, Mobility, Network applications

Fixed Cloud Infrastructure

Transport
 Overall 5G Core Architecture
Strategy
• Network Slicing is a key enabler supporting
– Separation of concern
– Diverging Use Cases and Requirement
– Multiple instantiations of same functionality
– Reduced TTM
• 5G Mobile Broadband is an evolution of
current 4G MBB, but using the Service Based
architecture as basis
• Support possibility for diverging architectures
for new services
• Automation and programmability important
part of target architecture
 5G Core Network Architecture
Key Principles
• The 5G core standardization should define a
functional architecture where implementation
technologies can be evolved and replaced over time
• Key principles:
– Prioritize interfaces to support Multi-vendor integration
– Scale UP and CP functionality independently
– Allow for a flexible deployment of UP separate from the CP
– Supporting authentication for both IMSI-based and non IMSI-based identities
– Allows for different network configurations in different network slices
– Abstract transport layer from 3GPP NFs
 5G – New Concepts

• CP/UP Split
• NW slicing
• Service Based Architecture SBA
 5G CORE architecture overview
Changes and improvements compared to 4G
EPC today
Authentication Server Policy Control
S6a Function (AUSF) and User Function (PCF)
S1-MME MME HSS PCRF
Data Management (UDM)
AUSF
N13 PCF
S11 Gx UDM
HSS/ PCRF
AAA
S1-U
SGW S5
PGW SGi N12 N8 N10 N7

Access & Session

After CUPS Mobility Management
management NG11 Function (SMF)
AMF SMF
S6a HSS
Function (AMF)
S1-MME MME PCRF
Mapping the EPC MME N15 MME SGW
CP
PGW
CP

functions to new
S11 Gx
N4
SGW PGW 5G CN functions
CP CP
User Plane
N3 Function (UPF)
UPF
N6
S1-U SGW PGW SGi
UP UP
PGW SGW
UP UP
 Network Slice Definition
One Network – Multiple Industries

Network slice is a logical network

serving a defined business purpose or
customer, consisting of all required
Services/Products
network resources configured together. It
Logical Logical Logical
is created, changed and removed by
MBB Net Enterprise Net MDN
management functions.
• Logical network managed by a provider
• Enabler for services, not a service
Network
• Mobile and fixed
NW Slice
Mgmt • Resources may be physical or virtual, dedicated
or shared
Network Slices
• Independent/”Isolated” but may share resources
• May integrate services from other providers,
Access Transport Cloud Nw Netw. facilitating e.g. aggregation and roaming
Resources Resources Resources Function Mgmt
Resources/Components • May include management functions and possible
exposure of control/management to customer
Ericsson Internal | © Ericsson AB 2015 | 2015-11-06 | Page 8
 Federated Network Slicing
Enable seamless service experience and service control

Business Customers

Service Providing operator Orchestration

Service SLA

NW Slice vCore vUP NW Slice

Partner Operator Orchestration

Service SLA
NW Slice for VNF NW Slice
hosted service
 Service Based Architecture
3GPP TS 23.501 V1.0.0 (2017-06)
The 5G architecture is defined as service-based and the interaction between network functions is represented in two
ways. Network functions within the 5GC Control Plane shall only use service-based interfaces for their interactions.

Reference point representation. Service-based representation,

shows the interaction that exist between the NF services in the network
functions described by point-to-point reference point (e.g. N11) where network functions (e.g. AMF) within the control plane enables
between any two network functions (e.g. AMF and SMF). other authorized network functions to access their services

AUSF N13 UDM

NEF NRF PCF UDM AF

Nnef Nnrf Npcf Nudm Naf

N12 N8 N10

Nausf Namf Nsmf

AMF N11 SMF N7 PCF N5 AF
AUSF AMF SMF
N14 N15

N1 N2 N4

N2 N4
N1

UE (R)AN N3 UPF N6 DN

UE (R)AN N3 UPF N6 DN
N9

Authentication Server Function (AUSF) Network Exposure Function (NEF) Session Management Function (SMF)
Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) NF Repository Function (NRF) Unified Data Management (UDM)
Data network (DN), e.g. operator services, Internet access Policy Control function (PCF) User plane Function (UPF)
or 3rd party services Application Function (AF)
User Equipment (UE)
 5G CORE architecture
Functional view – service-based representation
› Network Functions within the 5GC
Control Plane (CP) use Service-Based
Interfaces (SBI) for their interactions:
› A CP NF can provide one or more NF NRF UDM PCF NEF AF
Services Nnrf Nudm Npcf Nnef Naf

AF Application Function Nausf Namf Nsmf

AMF Access and Mobility Management Function
AUSF Authentication Server Function
NEF Network Exposure Function
NRF Network Repository Function
PCF Policy Control Function AUSF AMF SMF
SMF Session Management Function
UDM Unified Data Management
UPF User Plane Function
N1
N2
N4
Data Network
N3 N6 (e.g. operator
or Internet)
5G
NG UE RAN UPF
 Service-based interface in 5GC
Services and Operations
› A Control Plane Network Function can provide one or more NF Services
› A NF Service consist of operations based on either a request-response or a subscribe-notify model
› Common control protocol using e.g. HTTP based API, replacing protocols like e.g. Diameter

Service Based Interface (SBI)

NF A NF B
Request
NF Service A1 NF Service A1
Producer Reply Consumer

Subscribe
NF Service B1 NF Service B1
Consumer Notify Producer

NF Service Operation
 5G EPC architecture overview
Functional view – non-roaming RAN-CN interaction
› Enables early introduction of NR through
connectivity Option 3
› UE anchored to network over LTE/EPC HSS PCRF
control plane
› Wide area coverage through LTE with NR S6a Gx Rx
as capacity boost

EPC NAS S10

S11 SGW/ S5
MME PGW CP

S1-MME
LTE RRC Sx
LTE PDCP
LTE Uu

LTE + NR S1-U SGi Data Network

LTE/EPC UE SGW/ (e.g. operator
RAN PGW UP or Internet)
NR/EPC UE
 5G Standards plan

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

IMT-2020 Evaluation
ITU IMT-2020 Requirements WS IMT-2020 Proposals IMT-2020 Specs
WRC WRC

Rel-13 Rel-14 Rel-15 Rel-16 Rel-17, ...

Study on next generation network (technical realization, self evaluation)
3GPP 5G/NR Phase 1 5G/NR Phase 2
LTE evo LTE evo LTE evo

Phase 1: Rel-15 RAN + Core Phase 2: Rel-16

targeting first phase of targeting ITU IMT-
deployments 2020 2020 submission