Orchestrating Virtualized Core Network Migration in OpenROADM SDN-Enabled Network

Optical network technology is one of the leading candidates for meeting the required backhaul transport layer latency and capacity requirements of 5G services. In addition, its physical layer programmability supports the execution of advanced methods that can improve 5G service reliability and SLA compliance in the face of equipment failure. While a number of such methods is addressed in the literature, including Virtual Network Function (VNF) fault-tolerant methods, a full proof of concept is yet to be reported.The study in this paper describes a testbed — along with its Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) capabilities — which is used to experimentally showcase the key functionalities that are required by VNF fault-tolerant methods. The testbed makes use of OpenROADM compliant Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) equipment to implement the programmable backhaul of a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) Non-standalone (NSA) architecture running 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) with the 5G next-generation NodeB (gNB). Specifically, the testbed is used to showcase the live migration of virtualized EPC components that is required to restore pre-failure VNF.