Intelligent Automation Platform

Any network. Intelligently automated.

Intelligent Automation Platform

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Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform plays a key role in improving network performance and enhancing customer experience while delivering operational savings through industrial scale automation in the radio access network.

Intelligent Automation Platform is Ericsson’s new Service Management and Orchestration, or SMO, entity, plus much more. It includes a Non-Real-Time Radio Intelligent Controller (non-RT-RIC) for running radio network applications (rApps) as part of Intelligent RAN Automation.

It has its own open software development toolkit (SDK) which can be used by communication service providers (CSPs), and third parties to develop new rApps.

Introducing the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform | Video | 1 min

Get a detailed view of what the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform enables | Video | 4 min

Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform is a solution for:

Intelligent RAN automation

Intelligent RAN automation applies artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics to manage complex, ever changing network, device and end-user requirements for optimal efficiency.

Service management and orchestration

Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) is the function responsible for the management and orchestration of the managed elements under it’s control. Within the O-RAN Alliance architectural framework SMO terminates the O1, O2 and A1 interfaces (in the non-Real-time RIC). It also encapsulates the R1 interface between the non-Real-Time RIC and the rApps.

Non-Real-Time-RAN Intelligent Controller (Non-RT-RIC)

The RAN intelligent controller, or RIC, is a new end-to-end automation platform which manages and orchestrates software applications and algorithms that optimize network performance. There are two types of RIC, non-real-time and near-real-time. Non-real-time RIC controls an automation loop greater than one second.

rApps

Non-real-time RIC applications are known as rApps. These software applications and algorithms can be developed by network vendors, communication service providers or specialist developers to automate and optimize network performance.

Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform for purpose-built and Open RAN

Our platform plays a key role in improving network performance and enhancing customer experience while delivering operational savings through industrial scale automation in the radio access network. For more details, download the solution brief.

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From the floor of MWC23 in Barcelona join our expert Gema Gomez, OSS Solution Marketing Manager, to explore the future of RAN automation in action, and see how Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform can revolutionize your network operations!

Watch the video above

The Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform plays a key role in improving network performance and enhancing customer experience while delivering operational savings through industrial scale automation in the radio access network.

It allows CSPs to deploy rApps to optimize radio access network performance across both Cloud RAN/Open RAN and purpose-built RAN networks reducing complexity and operational costs.

The net effect of rApps is to “level-up” network performance across any vendor and any radio technology providing a common and consistent level of network performance and customer experience.

02 Multi-technology

Intelligent Automation Platform for multi-technology, enabling adoption of Open RAN

03 Innovation

Intelligent Automation Platform SDK driving open rApp development and ecosystems

Intelligent Automation Platform is a cloud-native automation platform for purpose-built and Open RAN.

It provides both design-time and run-time execution environment for RAN automation use-cases. The run time environment allows any application, Ericsson, CSP or third-party developer, to run on the platform. It also accesses data and controls radio access network elements.

The Intelligent Automation Platform provides applications with commonly used functionality and mediation. The design environment allows for rapid application development and life cycle management of applications.

The Intelligent Automation Platform is cloud-vendor agnostic and can be deployed on-premises, on the service provider cloud edge or in hyper-scale cloud environments.

rApps use an open, standards-based, R1 interface to the non-RT-RIC, meaning rApps can be developed to run on multiple vendors’ non-RT-RICs.

Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform: Design-time and run-time environments

Ericsson Intelligent Automation rApps

Explore rApps for Cloud RAN/Open RAN and purpose-built networks

Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform Ecosystem

Learn more about the EIAP Ecosystem for rApps development

Learn more

Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform Ecosystem

Intelligent RAN Automation guide series

This guide series on the Intelligent RAN Automation domain highlight some of the key technical, industry and market insights related to management and automation of Open RAN, Cloud RAN and purpose-built 4G and 5G networks.

Graphic element showing the the different topic for the tech guide series about RAN automation

Intelligent Security - updated

For communication service providers it is essential that security is built-in not bolted-on to protect customers and the network infrastructure. Service management and orchestration (SMO) has a number of threat-surfaces including: third-party developers; rApps; open interfaces; open source software and the SMO platform. The key to intelligent security is security-by-design.

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Intelligent Automation

Intelligent automation is essential to meet growing network demands, manage the increasing complexity, operate networks more efficiently to provide the best network performance, and deliver a great customer experience with rationalized capex investments. This guide explores intelligent automation solutions that address the main CSP challenges and provide the highest ROI and shortest time to market, with a future-proof architecture that can meet the ever-changing demands for each service provider.

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Intelligent Operation

Increased network complexity is driving the need for a new approach to the operational management of networks. The introduction of 5G hugely increases the number of operational variables including new frequency bands, automated antenna systems, new low-latency services and many more network components. Intelligent RAN automation unlocks advanced automation through increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. It also enables AI operations by using AI and ML to manage the RAN SW lifecycle.

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Intelligent Optimization

Many analysts predict that the earliest rApp use cases will be from the migration of self-optimizing networks (SON) applications to SON rApps. Furthermore the migration from stand-alone SON applications to SON rApps running on a common application platform, the non-real-time RAN intelligent controller enables platform consolidation and consequent reduction in operational costs which may re-invigorate the global SON market.

However, Ericsson believe that SON rApps are just the starting point and that rApps covering other use cases like energy efficiency or cloud RAN support will also help establish a $1.6bn market by 2026.

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Intelligent Innovation

Open RAN is driving incredible radio access network innovation. The O-RAN alliance architecture is in the process of defining multiple open interfaces which will drive multi-vendor, multi-technology interoperability. In the service management and orchestration domain the open R1 interface combined with high-function SDK will accelerate RAN automation rApp from Ericsson, service providers and other third-parties.

However, there are decisions to be made in terms of approach from simple API publication to open-source project to full industry-body standardization. Each has pros and cons. Which approach is best?

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Intelligent Ecosystem

RAN automation applications, or rApps, will become the key components for automation new Open RAN and Cloud RAN networks, as well as the existing purpose-built 4G and 5G networks that make up ~98% of deployed networks today. Within Open RAN service management and orchestration (SMO) the non-real-time-RAN intelligent controller runs multiple rApps over an open R1 interface. But who will build these rApps, how will the development ecosystems evolve and will service providers be able to monetize their investment in rApps in a global marketplace?

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Hear Deepak Shahane, VP/GM Service Enablement Business VIAVI Solutions talk about their rApp development and the collaboration with Ericsson

"VIAVI and Ericsson have a rich history of innovation, supporting operators around the world. We view the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform as an important step forward for enabling service innovation and automation across Open RAN and purpose-built networks. Partnering with Ericsson, VIAVI is committed to making available rApps available across the VIAVI NITRO Mobility suite of services, and we’re focused on delivering RAN Performance, management, optimization and orchestration to ensure robust mobile networks." - Deepak Shahane, VP & General Manager, Service Enablement, VIAVI

Hear from Yann Le Helloco, CTO Infovista talking about Ericsson's SMO initiative and its relevance for the industry to build powerful rApps

"The combination of Ericsson open platform approach and Infovista’s cloud-native applications for planning, testing and assurance (network lifecycle automation) gives CSPs a unique opportunity to rapidly deliver innovative services and rApps when deploying Cloud RAN and purpose-built 5G networks."

- Franco Messori, Chief Product Strategy and Transformation Officer, Infovista