Vendor Onboarding Test Control for 5G Artifact Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing reliance on third-party vendors for 5G network deployment requires efficient methods to validate and test software services for integration, interoperability, and reliability before deployment in a 5G network environment, especially with the advent of open radio access networks and virtualization.
Innovation Solution
An automated test control system that receives requests for deploying artifacts, generates profiles, performs validation, instantiates test environments, conducts functional tests, and outputs results, utilizing cloud-based platforms for virtualization and orchestration to manage network slices and resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual validation and testing processes are used for vendor artifacts, then thorough integration and interoperability verification can be achieved, but the deployment time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs validation of vendor artifacts against predefined schemas, security policies, and compliance rules before deployment to the 5G network. This preliminary validation includes checking artifact profiles, configuration profiles, and release notes to ensure they meet integration and interoperability requirements, thereby reducing deployment time while maintaining thorough verification
Solution Approach 2:
The automated test control system enables self-service validation where vendor artifacts are automatically tested against the network environment without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously performs functional tests, integration verification, and interoperability checks, significantly reducing deployment time while maintaining comprehensive validation
2Reliability
If comprehensive functional testing is performed in test environments, then deployment reliability and security are improved, but the testing complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The testing process is segmented into distinct phases: artifact validation, functional testing, integration testing, and interoperability verification. Each phase focuses on specific aspects of the artifact, breaking down the complex testing process into manageable segments that can be executed systematically, thereby reducing overall testing complexity while maintaining comprehensive validation
Solution Approach 2:
The automated test control system acts as an intermediary between vendor artifacts and the 5G network environment. It manages test environment instantiation, coordinates testing activities, and handles resource allocation, thereby simplifying the testing process for vendors while ensuring thorough validation of deployment reliability and security
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vendors deploy software services on the same 5G network infrastructure, then network versatility and service diversity increase, but integration and interoperability challenges arise
Solution Approach 1:
The automated test control system provides universal validation capabilities that work across multiple vendor artifacts and different 5G network services. It uses standardized artifact profiles and configuration profiles that can accommodate diverse vendor implementations, ensuring consistent integration and interoperability verification across the entire vendor ecosystem, thereby enabling service diversity while maintaining integration reliability
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for service vendor onboarding and pre-production artifact validation and functional testing are provided. An example method includes receiving, in an automated test control system in connection with a cellular network, a request for deploying an artifact on the cellular network, generating an artifact profile, a configuration profile, a release note associated with the artifact, performing a validation of the artifact according to a predetermined validation rule, in response to a determination that the artifact is validated, instantiating one or more test environments for the validated artifact, performing a functional test on the artifact within the test environment, and outputting results of the validation and the functional test.