vRAN Auto-Commissioning With Day Zero Configuration Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional cell site commissioning process for virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRANs) is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to human error, requiring significant operational costs and resources due to manual processes.
Innovation Solution
An auto-commissioning server is employed to receive parameters from site controllers, databases, and network entities, automatically generate a day zero configuration, deploy network functions in the cloud, and activate them upon receiving a power-on notification from the Radio Unit, eliminating the need for physical site visits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual commissioning process is used, then human error is reduced through careful verification, but commissioning time increases significantly and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service commissioning through automated configuration generation, deployment, and validation. The commissioning system automatically performs tasks that traditionally required manual human intervention, including generating device configurations, deploying network functions, and validating commissioning results, thereby eliminating human error while significantly reducing commissioning time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating device configurations and preparing deployment packages before actual commissioning. The configuration generation occurs automatically based on site parameters, and network functions are prepared for deployment in advance, allowing the commissioning process to proceed rapidly without manual verification steps
2Reliability
If manual commissioning process is used, then complex verification can be performed, but operational costs and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical human labor with automated computational processes. The commissioning system uses software-based configuration generation, automated deployment mechanisms, and algorithmic validation instead of manual verification by engineers, thereby maintaining verification quality while dramatically reducing operational costs and resource requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and uses template-based configuration copies that can be automatically generated and adapted. Instead of manually creating unique configurations for each site, the system uses standardized templates that are automatically instantiated with site-specific parameters, enabling verification through automated comparison against known good configurations
3Productivity
If automated commissioning is implemented, then commissioning time is reduced and costs are lowered, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The commissioning system is designed as a universal multi-functional platform that handles configuration generation, deployment automation, validation, and site parameter management all through a single integrated system. This consolidates multiple complex functions into one cohesive solution, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining high automation capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an automated commissioning system as an intermediary layer between site parameters and network deployment. This intermediary automatically translates high-level site requirements into detailed device configurations and deployment instructions, shielding users from the underlying complexity while enabling rapid automated commissioning
Data Source
AI summary
An auto-commissioning server may be used in the auto-commissioning of virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRANs) by receiving a plurality of parameters from a site controller of a cell site, an inventory, and a plurality of network entities; automatically generating a day zero configuration based on the received plurality of parameters; deploying the network function(s) of the vRANs into a cloud server based on the automatically generated day zero configuration; receiving a power-on notification message from a RU of the cell site, wherein the power-on notification message may indicate the RU of the cell site is ready for radio signal transmission; and activating the deployed network function(s) of the vRANs before transmitting a radio signal from the RU of the cell site.