Evolved Architecture for Global Green Systems

The work focus is on an architectural transformation, targeting energy-efficiency, using the flexibility that the Service-Based Architecture (SBA), introduced in Rel15 (TS23.501) is offering.

• Improved architectures considering all elements of the future SNS systems, from the terminal to the data centre, how these will communicate efficiently with each other and how the overall system will be capable to jointly optimize their energy consumption.
• Extensions of the current SBA focus on the core network control plane, towards a unified coverage of system design and runtime composition/resolution, including multicast/broadcast services, cross-plane (i.e. from user plane to the management planes), and incorporation of new types of compute resources (e.g. at the edge).
• Definition of adequate interfaces for integrating compute, transport and RAN considerations in a globally optimized system.
• Beyond the architectural extensions of the SBA as mentioned above, the work may cover the transport extensions of the underlying infrastructure and the consistency and distribution effects for the involved databases.
• The efficient collection of increasing volumes of data to facilitate the use of AI, expanding on trends considered by standardization organizations (e.g. 3GPP and ETSI), while maintaining the necessary consistency to provide optimized and energy-efficient infrastructures, and enable public and private networks to jointly interconnect and operate towards a common efficiency goal.

The challenges posed by the expected novel services requiring strict timing, fast mobility, and highly dynamic situations (such as trains, moving vehicles, etc.), and by the security aspects of the overall service chains possible to establish with this architecture are in scope. Solutions for bridging the control, management and operational divide that needs to be addressed for seamless operation of joint Public and Non-Public interconnected networks (e.g. campus or emergency service networks, local, regional or even universal and global smart interconnected networks and services) are also in scope. In that evolving context, digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, programmable and energy optimized cloud and edge computing solutions may be considered.

The above topics listed in the scope represent the core focus of SNS-2022-STREAM-A-01-04, without precluding the potential inclusion of other related technologies still contributing to the listed Expected Outcomes.