Project description
Secure cloud-native SDN controller beyond 5G
Software-defined networking (SDN) technology improves network performance and monitoring. However, digitalisation and 5G technology led to the re-examination of traditional network architectures. The EU-funded TeraFlow project will develop a new type of secure cloud-native SDN controller that will fundamentally advance innovation beyond 5G networks. The controller will integrate with the existing network functions virtualisation and multi-access edge computing structures, provide pioneering properties for flow management as well as optical/microwave network equipment integration, and incorporate security through machine learning and forensic evidence for multi-tenancy based on distributed ledgers. The project will target the traditional telecom operators and edge and hyperscale cloud providers offering substantial business agility with innovative and highly dynamic network services with zero-touch automation features.
Objective
TeraFlow will create a new type of secure cloud-native SDN controller that will radically advance the state-of-the-art in beyond 5G networks. This new SDN controller shall be able to integrate with the current NFV and MEC frameworks as well as to provide revolutionary features for both flow management (service layer) and optical/microwave network equipment integration (infrastructure layer), while incorporating security using Machine Learning (ML) and forensic evidence for multi-tenancy based on Distributed Ledgers.
The target pool of stakeholders expands beyond the traditional telecom operators towards edge and hyperscale cloud providers. These actors will be benefited from TeraFlow by a) exploiting a new type of secure SDN controller based on cloud-native solutions while, b) achieving substantial business agility with novel and highly dynamic network services with zero-touch automation features.
The novel TeraFlow architecture will be validated through the implementation of the TeraFlow OS with the following innovations: a) Cloud-Native Architecture; b) Transport Network Integration; c) Unification of Network and Cloud Resource Management; d) ML-based security; and e) Distributed Ledger Technologies. The final demonstrations (TRL 5) will support three use cases: Autonomous Networks Beyond 5G, Automotive, and Cybersecurity.
During the course of the TeraFlow project (30 months), experimental implementation and demonstration of prototypes will also play an important role in the project, including communication and dissemination activities and strong collaboration with Standard Defining Organizations (ETSI NFV, ZSM, ENI, PDL, IETF, ONF), and open source software community with dedicated focus on ONF ONOS and ETSI OpenSourceMANO. TeraFlow will also foster strong relationship with other 5GPPP projects through multiple collaboration activities. A concrete plan for TeraFlow results adoption will be implemented as well.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksmobile network5G
- social sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomation
- medical and health sciencesother medical sciencesforensic sciences
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligencemachine learning
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputer security
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
08860 Castelldefels Barcelona
Spain