Use Case Name

Use Case Overview & Description

O-RAN has defined A1 interface specification in the context of the management of 5G RAN elements to provide intent based policies for optimization of the RAN network performance. This requirement enhances the support for Managing and Mediating O-RAN A1 Policies in ONAP.  This extends work contributed in Rel 6 - Frankfurt (REQ-38) and Rel 7 - Guilin (REQ-352). A1 Adapter functionality was introduced in Frankfurt. In Guilin The A1 adapter was improved and a A1 Policy Management Service was added.

Planned enhancements for Rel 8 include: support of new A1 interface version in alignment to O-RAN alliance, common logging/audit. improved CSIT and OOM alignment, easier configuration, an improved NBI, and improved security cert management.

Use Case Key Information

BUSINESS DRIVER

Key Contacts : John Keeney, Michela Bevilacqua

Executive Summary:

O-RAN has defined A1 interface specification in the context of the management of 5G RAN elements to provide intent based policies for optimization of the RAN network performance. This requirement enhances the support for Managing and Mediating O-RAN A1 Policies in ONAP.  This extends work contributed in Rel 6 - Frankfurt (REQ-38) and Rel 7 - Guilin (REQ-352). A1 Adapter functionality was introduced in Frankfurt. In Guilin The A1 adapter was improved and a A1 Policy Management Service was added.

Planned enhancements for Rel 8 include: support of new A1 interface version in alignment to O-RAN alliance, common logging/audit. improved CSIT and OOM alignment, easier configuration, an improved NBI, and improved security cert management.

Business Impact: Continuing the convergence between ONAP and ORAN for A1 Policy interface to used by all service providers.

Business Markets: Enhanced A1 Policy capabilities, once developed, will be usable by any service provider deploying and using ONAP.

Funding/Financial Impacts: A1 interface provides a flexible way for the operator to manage wide area RAN network optimization, reducing capex investment needs.

Organization Mgmt, Sales Strategies: There is no additional organizational management or sales strategies for this use case outside of a service providers "normal" ONAP deployment and its attendant organizational resources from a service provider.

Development Status

List of PTLs: Approved Projects

*Each Requirement should be tracked by its own User Story in JIRA 

USE CASE DIAGRAM

Use cases define how different users interact with a system under design. 

Enhancements for Honolulu Release

• Add support for O-RAN Alliance A1-AP v2.0 specification (A1 Policy only)
• Improve alignment with OOM deployment & configuration options
• Improve alignment with CSIT way of working for function tests
• New REST interface for configuration
• New A1 Policy Management NBI (REST & DMaaP)
• Improved security cert management
• Stretch: Investigate if A1 Policy manipulation can be incorporated into other use cases (e.g. Slicing, OOF) - TBC

A1 Policies - Northbound Interface (REST & DMaaP) Proposed

• Changes proposed for A1 Policy Management Service NBI (not-backward compatible)
  • Coming Soon!

Use Case Functional Definitions

Synchronize A1 Policy Information in RAN

A1 Policy Type / Instance Operations

A1 Policy Instance Status Operations

Other Impacts

Affected ONAP Functions:

• SDNC / CCSDK only

Integration of bordering ONAP components:

• TBC

Interfaces:

• Northbound Interface – See earlier section
  • Add/Change SDNC NBI for A1 Policy Management (REST & DMaaP)
    • REST (New version)
    • DMaaP (New version)
• Configuration
  • File based, supports dynamic refresh - including K8s ConfigMap (existing)
  • CBS/Consul (existing)
  • REST (New)
• Southbound Interfaces – See earlier section
  
  • OSC A1 v2.1 (Existing)
  • O-RAN A1 v1.1 (Existing)
  • O-RAN A1 v2.0 (New)

Usage outside ONAP:

• Used in O-RAN-SC NONRTRIC Project (Downstream)
• Southbound Interface: O-RAN A1 Interface + Information Model is specified and maintained by O-RAN Alliance

Modelling Impacts:

• TBC

Other:

• Update Documentation with A1 interface aspects
• Update Integration & Existing Test requirements

Testing

Test use-cases:

• Synchronize A1 Policy Information in RAN
• A1 Policy Type / Instance Operations
• A1 Policy Instance Status Operations

Use Case Functional Definitions

TESTING

• Currently being defined

Current Status

• None yet

End to End flow to be Tested

• Currently being defined

Test Cases and Status

• Currently being defined