Multi-Vendor Testbed
Multi-Vendor Testbed with Open-RAN
System Integrator: HP Enterprise
The FCTLab’s multivendor 5G testbed provides a comprehensive and flexible environment designed to explore and validate advanced 5G capabilities across key domains, including the Radio Access Network (RAN), 5G Core (5GC), and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC). This testbed embodies the latest in end-to-end (E2E) 5G technologies, enabling seamless interoperability among different vendor solutions and offering a robust platform for innovative experimentation with next-generation network functionalities. With a modular architecture built on open standards, the testbed supports versatile testing scenarios for diverse applications and use cases, enhancing adaptability, efficiency, and resilience in a real-world 5G environment.
This multivendor 5G testbed at FCTLab stands as a pioneering framework for testing, validating, and refining 5G networks, serving as a versatile platform for research, development, and deployment of cutting-edge 5G solutions.
High-Level Architecture Illustrating Network Functions from Various Vendors
Key network functions within the 5GC architecture include essential elements like the Unified Data Repository (UDR) for subscriber data management, the Authentication Service Function (AUSF) for secure user authentication, and the Access & Mobility Selection Function (AMF) for managing user connectivity and mobility. Additionally, the testbed supports critical data routing and forwarding via the User Plane Function (UPF), with other functions handling policy control, session management, and network slicing selection. Together, these components ensure a highly efficient, resilient, and secure 5G environment ready for a wide range of testing scenarios and user applications.
Deployment at FCTLab
5G Radio Cells at FCTLab
Indoor and Outdoor Deployment Architecture
The RAN within the testbed employs Open RAN (O-RAN) standards, which allow for a flexible, vendor-neutral approach to network development. This setup includes advanced features like Time Division Duplexing (TDD) slot configurations for optimized spectrum use and handover support to maintain continuous connectivity across Central Units (CU), Base Stations (gNB), and the 5GC. Interoperability and standardization are ensured through the 7.2 split architecture, supporting efficient and scalable data transmission across the network. Open standards make it possible to incorporate multiple vendors’ hardware and software, reducing reliance on single-source suppliers and promoting cost-effective, adaptable network infrastructure.