Exploiting a Network Digital Twin to optimize B5G networks management. The OPTIMAIX approach

The rapid advancements in 5G and 6G networks call for novel solutions tackling network operation and management processes, which can effectively deal with the growing stringent requirements, as well as the remarkable service heterogeneity. In this context, Network Digital Twin (NDT) platforms are seen as a promising enabler for advanced network management solutions. In this work we introduce the NDT architecture that has been defined and developed within the OP-TIMAIX project, as an element of the broader Optimize-as-a-Service framework. In addition, the work describes how this NDT approach can be exploited to address a particular problem of the Radio Access Network, such as the joint decision of RAN centralization and resource management in multi-slice scenarios.