In the first year of the project, the consortium worked towards defining the requirements for the 6G-Cloud system design and architectural design principles based on 6G use cases and their requirements. Additionally, the consortium carried out an analysis of key value indicators (KVI) and key performance indicators (KPI) to be considered in 6G-Cloud system architecture design, validation, and performance evaluation, to better understand their impacts in 6G use cases.
The 6G-Cloud architecture design principles emphasize flexibility and dynamic deployment to adapt to varying connectivity needs, infrastructure resources, and optimization goals. It enables novel network concepts through service-based radio access networks (RAN), RAN-Core convergence, and enhanced service delivery, emphasizing reduced latency, scalability, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The design integrates cloud-native principles with distributed, programmable control, ensuring seamless orchestration across hybrid environments. Native artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) support enhances performance, cost-efficiency, and energy optimization while managing the complexity of heterogeneous, multi-vendor networks. The cloud continuum concept underpins the architecture, enabling the dynamic allocation of compute/storage resources across public and private clouds. This unifies service-oriented RAN and core functions for unprecedented adaptability, resource utilization, and service innovation, supporting emerging 6G applications.