A 5G NTN Emulation Platform for VNF Orchestration: Design, Development, and Evaluation

The integration of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with 5G represents a monumental leap in wireless network capabilities, significantly enhancing capacity, range, and reliability. This fusion fosters technological innovation and global connectivity. Crucial to this development is the softwarization of 5G networks through Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) within the OpenRAN paradigm, which disaggregates traditional radio access networks into Central and Distributed Units (CU and DU), accelerating deployment and facilitating upgrades. However, incorporating edge computing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites into this virtualized infrastructure presents arising management complexities, particularly in the interaction and resource sharing among VNFs, including satellite components. The absence of advanced emulators capable of simulating these environments represents a significant hurdle. As a response, this study introduces a groundbreaking emulation framework based on the Open Air Interface platform, tailored to reflect OpenRAN’s disaggregated network architecture. The contribution of this work encompasses the design and implementation of a 5G-NTN platform, laying on Kubernetes for VNF lifecycle management automation, enabling a boost in multi-domain networks operational efficiency. The emulation of the NTN environment is performed at network level, abstracting the setup from the radio link implementation. The platform’s capabilities in VNF deployment and resource optimization are validated by extensive performance metrics, with a full slice instantiation taking approximately 76.30 seconds, highlighting its contribution in emulating 5G-NTN orchestrated systems. The presented innovation lays the groundwork for future research in efficient resource management within complex multi-domain network environments, enabling the exploration of diverse VNF deployment scenarios and facilitating networks to adapt dynamically to advanced mobile communication demands.