Open RAN (ORAN) architecture, evolution & deployment - 5G

Examine open RAN architecture, from traditional networks to virtualization and cloud native deployments, and learn deployment scenarios, 3GPP splits including split two and 7.2, plus management and radio intelligent controllers.

Describe traditional ran: a cabinet at the cell site houses the baseband unit and radio unit in one enclosure on the mast, using proprietary hardware with no split architecture.

explains evolution of RAN deployment from distributed RAN to virtualized and cloud RAN, detailing CU/DU split, midhaul challenges, fibre costs, and edge or regional CU placement.

Explore protocol layer overview in open ran, comparing traditional 4g baseband unit handling all layers with evolved 5g ran disaggregation and real-time scheduling moving to the radio unit.

Disaggregate functions across RU, DU, and CU in open RAN, with RU handling rf analog‑to‑digital conversions and physical layers, and DU managing higher layers, modulation, coding, HARQ, and MAC scheduling.

Explore Oran architecture evolved by the Oran alliance, integrating near real-time and non real-time RICs to optimize QoS and beamforming. Discover orchestration and third-party apps for dynamic radio resource management.

Explore SMO's role in ORAN for service management and orchestration, including F1 near real time intelligent controller, automated site provisioning, and cloud management via O2, shaped by evolving working groups.

Explore the 5G NR PDCCH and CORSET-based resource allocation with CCEs to manage slot formats, symbols to avoid, PRB usage, power control, bandwidth part switching, and random access.

Trace how PDSCH carries downlink transport blocks, applies LDPC decoding, rate matching, HARQ, scrambling, and modulation, and uses DMRS, phase tracking reference signal, and CSI-RS for estimation and interference management.

explains the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and how UEs transmit scheduling requests, CSI feedback, and HARQ information to the base station to guide resource allocation and PUCCH formats.

Explain how the uplink physical shared channel carries user data from the lower to the MAC layer as transport blocks, with resource mapping, modulation, coding, scrambling, CRC and LDPC decoding.

Simulate uplink signals and channels, configuring PUSCH resources across 13 symbols, using sounding and demodulated reference signals for channel estimation, plus phase tracking signals and flexible start and length.

In O-DU, the RLC layer processes data, segments SDUs into PDUs, and maps them to MAC. It enables ARQ, segmentation, reassembly, and uses transparent mode for SRB0.

Explore the open central unit (O-CU) in open radio access network, detailing layer two and three functionalities, including PDCP, SDAP, RRC, and UE states for 5G low-latency use cases.

PDCP provides services to both control and user planes, performing header compression, integrity protection, and ciphering. It supports dual connectivity by managing radio bearers across master and secondary cell groups.

Explore layer three rrc in the o-cu, showing how sdap carries user plane data and rrc handles control plane data through pdcp-rlc-mac mapping to physical layer, with dual connectivity.

RRC layer 3 handles radio resource control for the O-CU, enabling initial setup, system information broadcasts, cell selection, radio bearer establishment, and power control across idle, inactive, and connected states.

Learn the RRC states idle, inactive, and connected, and how RM-registered and CM-connected statuses with NAS signaling govern core network access via the AMF.

Explore the basics of machine learning and intelligent controllers and their deployment in open radio access networks to boost efficiency with real-time and non real-time RICs.

Develop an end-to-end machine learning framework for Open RAN. Cover data collection of SINR and throughput, data preparation, model training, evaluation, tuning, and final prediction from NMS and the BBU/CU/DU/RIC.

Describe end-to-end ml deployment in Open RAN, from model creation with Keras, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn to training, tuning, and publishing to non real time RIC and near real time RIC.

Explore how machine learning in Open RAN predicts QoE and QoS for time-sensitive 5G apps like VR and AR, and optimizes 3D MIMO beamforming and interference coordination.

Show how Open RAN employs radio intelligent controllers, including near real time RICs and non real time RICs, to optimize resources with machine learning from NMS data, enabling traffic sharing.

Explore xApps within near real-time ric for dynamic ran slicing. They reserve 136 rbs across three cells via e2 and coordinate the mac scheduler to guarantee 25 Mbps downlink.

Explore how non real time rApps in open RAN optimize energy by monitoring traffic and powering down underutilized radio modules to cut energy use and total cost of ownership.

Learn how open RAN cloud platforms decouple software and hardware via virtualization, using general purpose hardware, Linux, containers, and virtual machines to enable edge scaling of distributed units with Kubernetes.

Explore virtualization and orchestration within open ran architectures, enabling virtualized O-DU, O-CU, and near real-time RIC through NFV managers and an orchestrator to scale, start, stop, and terminate services.

Understand software defined networking's role in virtualization by separating control and data planes with OpenFlow, a controller, and a network OS, enabling ORAN with near real-time RIC.

Examine Open RAN deployment scenarios across edge and regional clouds, highlighting scenario C1 with DU at the edge, split CU, and selective user and control plane placement for low latency.

Explore traditional and evolved transport connectivity in open radio access, from fronthaul to midhaul, with RU to DU to CU links using enhanced CPRI over fibre and e band wireless.

Explain how open ran front haul evolves from cpri to ecpri to support 100 gbps between ru and du, with snmp for management and ptp and sync key for synchronization.

Explore midhaul deployment options in open ran, comparing wireless 70-90 ghz e-band links with lower-frequency microwave for cost-effective, high-capacity transport between central and distributed units.

Explore how E band midhaul delivers high capacity and low latency for Open RAN, balancing with lower bands to ensure availability and plan reliable transport.

Explore how open RAN integrates into the 5G ecosystem, and how telco cloud virtualization applies to both radio and core networks, detailing end-to-end network architecture and standalone 5G deployment.

Explore the 5g core network, focusing on mobility, session management, secure connections, and traffic routing. Compare standalone versus non-standalone deployments, and note disaggregation, QoS, network slicing, policies and charging.

Explore how 5G telco cloud uses network slices, network function virtualization, and software defined network to deploy VNFs and microservices across edge and core clouds with automation, orchestration, and DevOps.