Network Analytics Suite, a new collection of virtualised cloud infrastructure products introduced this week by Oracle, will assist Communication Service Providers (CSPs) in learning more about the functionality and stability of their 5G data center. Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), the first product in the new suite, is currently accessible.
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As per Oracle SVP and GM Andrew Morawski, the latest suite’s objectives are to assist CSPs in increasing cost effectiveness, enhancing the quality of service, and discover new revenue sources. As per Oracle, the new portfolio of technologies combines artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable internet providers to more rapidly identify and resolve network attacks that could lead to major breakdowns. “Our 5G Network Analytics Suite harnesses Oracle’s cloud and network experience into a powerful toolset that helps operators better manage and optimise their 5G networks,” said Morawski. “NWDAF as a core principle is defined by 3GPP standards to provide statistical and predictive analytics for 5G network function consumption,” said Oracle. It standardises and streamlines how data is collected and how analytical insights drawn from the network are consumed. 3GPP has defined standard interfaces for 5G core network functions to deliver and receive the performance thresholds and analytics information to and from the NWDAF.” It gathers information that conforms to specifications from the 5G network functions (NFs), app functions (AFs), and operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM). Then after, the analysis report on the backside receives the data for additional processing and analysis. The open-source distributed event streaming platform Apache Kafka can be used by the CAP4C to natively process data from the NWDAF-FE as well as from other non-3GPP or proprietary sources. “With the offering, CSPs can build automation into applications to monitor and audit software components. This supports anomaly detection to avoid events such as network function failure that could result in the degradation of network quality. The offering can also support network monetisation with data and insight sharing to third-party developers to create new services,” said the company. As per Oracle, the viability of 5G depends on the network efficiency that supports innovation, like its new Network Analytics Suite. “There are three key words, and they are automation, automation, automation,” said Anil Rao, Oracle’s senior director of product marketing and strategy. “5G operations must be automation-native by design,” he continued. On the convergence of cloud, virtualisation, disaggregation and decentralisation of the network, “If you put all these things together. It’s fair to say that the networks that underpin 5G are going to look massively different. And it’s going to be immensely more complex to manage and operate on a day-to-day basis.”
