5G has completely revamped the way people communicate with each other. These networks allow us to connect our device with numerous other devices within milliseconds, making them ideal for IoT use. 5G core network ensures low latency, high speed, and reliability.
Through the network slicing selection function, we can allocate different slices for different purposes. As such, 5G enables a degree of customization that was not possible with past generations of telecommunication networks. Furthermore, the 5G service-based architecture, SBA, is truly virtual, transferring all the processes to the cloud.
In this article, we'll explain the concept of service-based architecture. We will compare the new methodology with the legacy architectures, examining both the advantages and drawbacks. Lastly, we will go through Titan.ium's features, to see why this platform excels for business entities.
II. What is Service-Based Architecture (SBA)?
Service-based architecture (SBA) is a type of 5G network that allows network functions to communicate with each other through APIs over HTTP/2. Each network function is registered within the central NRF or Network Repository Function. Upon request, NRF shares data regarding individual NFs with other NFs, allowing them to use each other's services.
There are a few reasons why SBA excels over past generation architectures:
- Each of the functions can be scaled by itself. They have a high degree of autonomy, which gives users unprecedented flexibility.
- Speaking of flexibility, you can easily integrate new vendors and services with the existing infrastructure. Furthermore, the 5G core network can be used in conjunction with your current 4G LTE network as you prepare to make a full transition to a 5G network.
- The fact that 5G is a cloud-based service gives companies a lot of freedom while freeing up resources. Instead of having to build your own servers and invest in hardware, you can relatively cheaply deploy a 5G network by relying only on an internet connection and software.
- Among other things, service-based architecture allows you to quickly orchestrate and discover services at your request.
5G architecture offers numerous advantages compared to 4G EPC, which relied on a point-to-point model. It is a flat architecture that differentiates between control and user plane functions. By comparison, 4G EPC used a rigid service-based interface relying on GTP and Diameter protocols to transfer signaling data.
Modern vendors have transferred everything online. Instead of using hardware-based architecture, relying on stateful and static interactions, 5G SBA ensures stateless microservices and container-based deployments.
All of this makes the 5G core network significantly more flexible compared to its predecessors. 5G supports fast updates, various use cases, and dynamic traffic patterns. Lastly, we also have to mention that 5G is ideal for interoperability with other services and apps.
III. Key Principles of SBA
Service-based architecture works under several key principles that ensure higher performance and flexibility:
- Microservices Orientation: Each NF has a well-defined role and full independence according to loose coupling, modularity, and autonomy principles. Control plane functions can easily communicate with APIs and each other without interfering with their functionality. NFs can fulfill numerous tasks, such as Access and Mobility Management Function, Network Exposure Function, and Authentication Server Function.
- API-Based Communication: 5G networks rely on RESTful HTTP/2 interfaces to execute communication between network functions. Every NF within the network exposes its services through JSON over HTTP/2 (or some other API). The reason it uses JSON is due to its availability and lightweight nature.
- Service Discovery via NRF: As mentioned, the secret behind 5G lies in its interaction between the NRF and NFs. As a central database, NRF stores all information about 5G's network functions. Besides their service type (for example, PCF, SMF, AMF), NRF stores information about their status, availability, endpoints, and supported API versions.
- Loose Coupling and Scalability: According to the loose coupling principle, each network function is an autonomous microservice. They are loosely connected to other NFs and won't interact through shared states or rigid interfaces. When communicating with each other, an NF only requests data about the other NF's role, not necessarily how the function is implemented within the network.
- Security and Identity Management: 5G service-based architecture provides numerous security benefits to users, including role-based access control, OAuth2, and mutual TLS. By relying on sophisticated encryption, authentication, and authorization, vendors are able to protect users' data with ease.
IV. Core Components in Titan.ium’s SBA Implementation
Titan.ium's solution offers unprecedented agility for companies. You can integrate it with your legacy architecture, making sure you don't lose productivity as you're transitioning to a more advanced network.
- - Network Functions (NFs) Built for SBA
Titan.ium's network functions are tailor-made for service-based architecture, offering enormous flexibility to companies. Aside from being SBA compliant, NFs can be containerized. The platform provide provides supports for the 4th industrial revolution, allowing you to use modern technologies such as virtual reality and machine learning.
- - Service Communication Proxy (SCP)
SCP functions as the main intermediary between NFs by handling optimization and control. It performs the role of load balancing, traffic routing, resiliency, and delegated service discovery. SCP comes with a wide variety of resilience features, including backoff, failover, and retry.
- - Network Repository Function (NRF)
NRF enables discovery, registration, and query functionality for NFs. With dynamic service registration, it makes it easier to locate the right NF for a certain action. NRF stores various types of metadata regarding supported devices, NF type, and instance ID. Among other things, the network repository function monitors the availability and health of network functions.
- - Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP)
Security edge protection proxy is a vital security function within the 5G core network. SEPP ensures full compliance with the current security standards while fulfilling lawful interception requirements. The function safeguards inter-PLMN communications by relying on screening and encryption.
V. Advantages of SBA for Operators
5G service-based architecture provides numerous benefits to operators, including:
- Agility: By relying on Titan.ium 5G core, you're able to roll out services at a much higher speed. By supporting CI/CD and the best DevOps practices, these networks ensure continuous innovation without loss of productivity. Users can simply introduce new features whenever they want, without having to make significant changes to the core.
- Scalability: Users can scale NFs based on their current needs. As such, you can fine-tune different features and functionalities, ensuring optimal resource allocation. 5G core allows you to tap into the infrastructure of public, private, and hybrid clouds.
- Interoperability: Utilizing open interfaces and standardized RESTful APIs enables users to avoid vendor lock-in. Companies can select the best components from different vendors and create an optimal network tailored to their specific use case.
- Reliability: Titan.ium SBA combines service discovery, modular design, intelligent traffic management, and redundancy to bring users the highest possible reliability. Through self-healing and handling faults, the platform ensures consistency regardless of the situation.
- Security: Security features are integrated within the SBA, instead of being introduced as add-ons. As a result, users get a system that is much more protected and programmable. Some of the main features include certificate management, API governance, and message screening.
VI. Real-World Application Scenarios
Aside from offering better performance, Titan.ium platform is renowned for supporting various use cases. Here are some examples of how you can utilize our solution:
- Operators are able to utilize the network slice selection function to deliver services across various fields. For example, companies are able to offer their users a combination of IoT, eMBB, and URLLC functionality on demand.
- Titan.ium can provide only a selected number of NFs. As a containerized service, every NF can be scaled according to your needs and integrated with the existing infrastructure and systems. Our solution can be used by various organizations, ranging from factories to airports and ports.
- Our solution relies on a combination of SCP, NRF, and SEPP to deliver unprecedented interoperability in roaming environments. It allows a dynamic and safe connection of two networks while ensuring edge policy enforcement.
Our solution can be used by different types of businesses across various industries. 5G SBA is a prerequisite for industrial automation, providing almost real-time transfer of data. As such, it allows us to use sophisticated devices that must make split-second decisions (such as autonomous cars and medical equipment).
Titan.ium is often used by companies that want to explore VR and AR features. It supports immersive experiences, remote collaboration, and virtual training. Besides private entities, public organizations can benefit from our platform. For example, it is ideal for large public spaces such as buses and parks.
VII. Titan.ium’s Approach to SBA
If you're looking for a 5G solution that fits your business requirements, you must consider Titan.ium. Our platform answers all the demands of modern businesses, providing incredible features coupled with a high degree of customization. If you choose our system, these are some of the things you can expect:
- Titan.ium offers a fully cloud-native SBS framework that relies on Kubernetes. The intergenerational solution works on both hyperscaler and telco clouds, making sure you can run our platform on existing architecture. Furthermore, we offer services for telemetry/metrics, access management, OAM, and data replication.
- Our solution is suitable for multi-cloud, hybrid, and edge deployments. By choosing a multi-cloud computing approach, you're able to avoid the risks of a single vendor lock-in. Hybrid clouds are perfect for companies that want to combine public clouds and their in-house solutions. Edge computing deployment is ideal for businesses looking for a customized system according to their use cases.
- With our InterGENerational architecture, you're able to have a 4G and a 5G network coexisting at the same time. That way, you can slowly prepare to transition toward 5G core while relying on 4G LTE until then.
- Titan.ium offers service mesh, centralized certificate lifecycle management, and traffic orchestration. These features give you the chance to secure, balance, and scale your traffic flows. Through controlled in-service upgrades, you won't have to worry about a local service outage.
VIII. Conclusion
SBA is vital for delivering a programmable, modular, and scalable 5G network. This architectural framework shines compared to the prior generation's solutions, offering much more scalability for operators. It is perfect for various use cases, from industrial automation to IoT devices and autonomous vehicles.
Our platform fully embraces the SBA framework. We use the most sophisticated solutions to provide our clients with a resilient, dynamic, and secure telecommunication environment. Titan.ium adapts to your user equipment, while offering a unified data management product for your company.
Invest in Titan.ium’s 5G SBA-ready solutions to boost your current network capabilities. The interconnected network functions are ideal for businesses of all sizes, regardless of the legacy solutions they used in the past.