ANChOR

Objectives

ANChOR objectives are focused on the design and implementation of an integrated infrastructure for 5G Satellite-Terrestrial networks, with data-driven orchestration techniques applied to the optimization of the multi-domain network.

The project aims to investigate satellite-based extensions to 5G architectureand use cases, targeting eMBB and mMTC services, analyzing new business models and multi-domain deployments combining NR and satellite networks.

Challenges

The ANChOR challenge is to enable the intelligent and automated orchestration of satellite resources as integrated part of the overall 5G infrastructure.

Benefits

The ANChOR platform brings several benefits to the management of 5G networks deploying satellite technologies:

Satellite control functions are virtualized and managed as integrated part of the end-to-end 5G infrastructure,

automation strategies for self-configuration, self-optimization and self-healing actions following the closed-loop and zero-touch paradigms,

The ANChOR-based 5G infrastructure adopts unified management mechanisms across multiple domains and multiple technologies, combining hybrid satellite/radio access and edge/cloud resources, in support of a diversity of vertical services and network slices,

algorithms are enabled to jointly manage 5G infrastructure resources, transport connectivity, network slices up to vertical services and QoS assurance,

ANChOR data analytics solution relies on a flexible and open monitoring platform, supporting the efficient collection, storage, publishing and processing of cross-layer and cross-domain monitoring data,

improvement of the efficiency of resource allocation, function placement and migration decisions, for joint and real-time optimization of network and IT resources

Features

ANChOR platform offers advanced features for the orchestration of 5G Satellite-Terrestrial networks:

Adoption of AI/ML techniques

Data analytics applied to monitoring data from multiple data sources

Management and arbitration of multi-tenant network slices for differentiated categories of vertical services.

Unified control of heterogeneous network technologies.

End-to-end resource management strategies, across access, edge, core domains.

Real-time adaptation of 5G infrastructure configuration and network slices

Zero-touch approach for automated configuration of virtualized satellite network functions.

Compliance with ETSI NFV and 3GPP standards (NFV MANO, network slicing, NWDAF).

Adoption of open APIs and flexible software architecture to easily integrate third party algorithms and additional data sources as input for data analytics and AI/ML engines.

System Architecture

Plan

The project is structured in phases, starting from use cases and architecture design, and evolving in the development phase to conclude with validation trials and demonstrations.

First, Baseline Design Review (February 2021), focuses on use case specification.

In July 2021, the ANChOR architecture and the AI/ML and data mining solution design is released for the Critical Design Review.

The ANChOR platform prototype and its test plan is covered at the Preliminary Performance Review (June 2022), while the results of the validation trials are delivered at the end of the project in October 2022 for the Final Review.