The expected ability of 5G network to deliver advanced, chained services for multiple tenants in the on-demand way will introduce an unavoidable complexity. To assure meeting the high bandwidth and low latency targets, 5G is foreseen to be largely a softwarized network, using advanced MANO functionalities. Any testbed which wants to offer realistic conditions for 5G test needs to provide experimenters with the ability to orchestrate real-time network and cloud resources for 5G services.
As winner of the first round of Extension Open Call, TNO, a Dutch leading research center in networking and communications, will implement a Network Functions Virtualization basic infrastructure within the TRIANGLE testbed, opening the doors to new types of testing and experimentation. The TNO extension will target on service testing and network optimization testing, with a stronger focus on Mobile Network Operators support.
The extension will allow the TRIANGLE testbed to offer to its users the ability of running experiments orchestrating the management of programmable 5G networks. The extension will also integrate management and assistance of VR streaming apps tightly within the 5G network, by introducing in the TRIANGLE testbed a novel network element (called DANE) implementing the upcoming MPEG DASH SAND standard. By programming the MANO to coordinate the usage of SDN resources and the streaming app behaviour, the solution will yield higher network efficiency and superior application QoS.