Intended Audience
This course is intended for planning, engineering, operations, and systems performance teams.
Objectives
After completing this course, the student will be able to:
■ Identify the key technology enablers for Open RAN initiatives
■ Sketch O-RAN architecture, describe role of each logical function and their open interfaces
■ Describe SMO architecture and functions
■ Describe the role of Non-RT RIC, Near RT-RIC towards network operations
■ Describe A1/E2 operations that helps to improve Network Performance for different usage scenarios
■ Identify the different location strategies of O-RAN components and its challenges
Outline
1. Open RAN Drivers
1.1 Need for Open RAN
1.2 Industry Initiative and role of O-RAN Alliance
1.3 Separation of user and control planes
1.4 Virtualization in 5G RAN
1.5 Role of artificial intelligence and automation
Exercise: Open RAN drivers
2. O-RAN Network Architecture
2.1 O-RAN reference architecture
2.2 Role of Service Management and Orchestration (SMO)
2.3 SMO using ONAP and OSM
2.4 RAN Intelligent Controllers (Non-RT RIC, Near RT RIC)
2.5 Functionalities of O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, O-DU, O-RU
2.6 O-Cloud services
2.7 O-RAN interfaces
2.8 O-RAN Split Option 7-2x Interface
2.9 APIs in O-RAN
Exercise: O-RAN architecture
3. O-RAN Operations
3.1 Network service instantiation and management
3.2 O-Cloud management and orchestration
3.3 Non-RT RIC Services Framework
3.4 A1/E2 interface protocol stack and procedures
3.5 Interaction between xAPPs and E2 nodes
3.6 RAN usage scenarios
3.7 Fronthaul transport and synchronization
Exercise: Operations in O-RAN
4. O-RAN Deployment Scenarios
4.1 Near RT-RIC, O-DU, O-CU, O-RU location strategies
4.2 Challenges and key considerations
4.3 O-RAN slicing
