C-NODE: Cloud-Native Orchestration of Distributed Services for network planning and optimisation

新冠肺炎疫情对移动网络运营产生了深刻影响：1)网络负载激增，远远超出容量；2)网络能耗增加，导致CO2排放量增加；3)工程师对站点的访问有限，特别是对于建筑物内的无线网络，这给网络部署和维护带来了重大问题。以上几点强调：1)移动网络必须能够适应变化；2)网络的规划、调试和操作需要自动化，以尽量减少实地访问的次数。为此，在委托更改网络参数之前，需要仔细评估许多假设场景。这就要求开发“真实世界的完美计算机复制品”——也就是数字孪生——以反映环境、网络组件和无线网络模拟。在这个项目中，Ranplan将开发一个基于微服务架构的环境、网络设备和无线网络模拟的数字双胞胎，以实现云中的自动网络规划和优化。移动网络是经济、社会连接、远程工作/教学的关键推动者。随着网络使用量的增加，能源消耗也在增加。最近的研究表明，到本十年末，移动网络将产生3.2亿吨二氧化碳。Ranplan认为，拟议中的项目可以节省30%的移动网络CAPEX/OPEX，从而大幅减少设备的使用和二氧化碳的排放。

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on mobile network operations: 1) network loads have surged far beyond capacity; 2) network energy consumption has increased, resulting in a higher CO2 emission; and 3) engineers have limited access to sites, in particular, for in-building wireless networks, which has caused significant problems on network deployment and maintenance.The above points emphasise that: 1) mobile networks must be able to adapt to changes; 2) the planning, commissioning, and operations of networks, need to be automated so that the number of physical site visits, can be minimised.To this end, many what-if scenarios need to be carefully evaluated before changes of network parameters are commissioned. This calls for the development of 'perfect computer replicas of the real world' -- aka as a digital twin - reflecting the environment, the network components, and radio network simulation.In this project, Ranplan will develop a digital twin of environment, network device and radio network simulation based on a microservice architecture to enable automatic network planning and optimisation in the cloud.Mobile networks are a key enabler for economy, social connectivity, remote working/ teaching. As the use of network increase, so does energy consumption. Recent studies suggest that mobile networks will produce 320 million Tonnes of CO2 by the end of the current decade. Ranplan believes that the proposed project can enable 30% savings on mobile network CAPEX/OPEX, resulting in a substantial reduction of use of equipment and CO2 emissions.