Nokia Siemens Networks

Open Core System

White Paper

Software continuity with existing deployments and latest commercial-off-the-shelf hardware brings unique benefits to communication service providers core networks

Executive summary
Table of Contents
Executive summary Increasing Profits via Renewal and Simplification Major Benefits from Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA Open Core Platform Architecture Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA Hardware Open Core Software Architecture Open Core System Investment and Efficiency Protection Evolution and Revolution CS voice network modernization and expansion Managing a cost efficient voice transformation to VoIP Interconnect transformation with future proof technology Mobile broadband with modernized Packet Core network 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 Introduction 3 What it is
The Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System is the suite of products enabled by the Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core Applications and Software Architecture where all common components of a Core Network including Packet Switched (PS), Circuit Switched (CS) and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) domains can be installed and scaled up at a single and synergic Commercial off the shelf (COTS) ATCA HW environment. The Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System is fully compliant with all defined Core Network standard interfaces, therefore it is a perfect evolutionary step towards simplification, modernization and environmentally sustainable telecommunication business. The Open Core Software Architecture offers strategic benefits to CSPs as it is HW agnostic, enabling the same software to run on both legacy and latest state-of-the-art platforms. The Open Core Software Architecture offers flexibility and scalability in case of changing and evolving networks. Moreover it helps achieving economies of scale for new applications, thus enabling optimized OPEX and smooth and efficient CAPEX. Finally, the Open Core System architecture promotes faster innovation, enables acquiring best practices without proprietary vendor lock-ins, reduces engineering time and simplifies network building practices, thus offering faster time to market. The Open Core System is a powerful tool to enable a fast and smooth core network evolution and ensure superior operational efficiency compared to traditional proprietary platform approaches. Combined with Nokia Siemens Networks strong global customer services capabilities and common NetActTM OSS for voice and data, significant acquisition and operating cost savings can be achieved over the system life cycle, leading to a positive financial impact for the CSPs.

How it affects
The telecommunications applications market including services such as Voice, SMS and data is currently under a major transformation where the majority of Communications Service Providers (CSPs) are reconsidering their long term platform strategy. Communications market development is now pushing CSPs to require more open and flexible platforms for its most valued applications. Such platforms must also provide a secure evolution path and guarantee further value creation.

Conclusions 10 References 10 Abbreviations 11

Open Core System White Paper

Introduction
The core network consists of Circuit Switched (CS) Domain, Packet Switched (PS) Domain and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The basic applications market including services such as Voice, SMS and data is currently at a point where majority of Communications Service Providers (CSPs) are reconsidering their long term platform strategy. Several factors are now pushing CSPs to require more open and flexible platforms for the current applications that can offer a secure and smooth evolution path into the future beyond the basic services. Simplification and renewal of fixed and mobile networks is a major opportunity to drive total cost of ownership down, while promoting new features for growth and improving energy efficiency. Harmonization of hardware and software platforms is the key starting point for such an evolution. environments that need to be maintained and expanded with new functionalities. A typical network consists of multiple platforms and applications that have strong dependencies to underlying hardware and software. This dependency needs to be removed to simplify the network. This is done by harmonizing platforms while enabling re-use of existing software, co-location of different application functionality and overall flexibility in network design. Platform evolution is vital also in achieving lower footprint both physically and environmentally. COTS approach have been used for a long time by various industries in building complex systems. Some COTS systems are based on open specifications and some are closed or tightly controlled by a single company (e.g. IT server platforms). The use of COTS hardware that is based on open standards is a great way to boost innovation and improve time to market while reducing workload and overall risk level in the development. Use of COTS will also allow network equipment providers like Nokia Siemens Networks to put ever more focus on platform software and application software. While proprietary platforms offer great flexibility and can be justified for specialized and high volume applications, all core network elements are such that they can be easily built using open standards based platform such as Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA). ATCA is based on open specifications, can be sourced as COTS and takes into account telecom specific requirements such as long life cycle and high availability. Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA is the best choice for both Network Equipment Providers and Network Service Providers to simplify and harmonize the core network.

Major Benefits from Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA

Telecommunications networks are often based on proprietary platforms that have been developed by the Network Equipment Providers themselves. The drawback of such proprietary platforms is that there is no innovation outside the supply chain for a given platform. In recent history, many proprietary technologies have been replaced by those based on open specification due to this reason.

Increasing Profits via Renewal and Simplification

Networks have evolved from fixed to mobile and from GPRS to 3G and LTE. In the process new network elements have been added leading to extremely complex hardware and software

Wireless and Wired Access Networks

Core Network

Support Systems
Charging OAM Provisioning/ Subscriber data

GSM

BSC

CS-MGW

IMS-MGW

Interworking
3G RNC

HLR MSS, NVS, MGCF STP SGSN IMS HSS

xSP PSTN
VoIP Server
SS7

LTE

PLMN

IP DSLAN

MME
MSAN

GGSN

PCRF

Serving GW

PDN GW

Picture 1 Multiple core platforms makes consolidation and co-location difficult

Open Core System White Paper

Open Core Platform Architecture

Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System supports all core networks domains from circuit switched voice to IMS and from 2G to LTE. The Open Core Platform Architecture offers strategic benefits to Communications Service Providers as it enables leveraging the existing installed base using Nokia Siemens Networks products and offers evolution path to state-of-the-art ATCA built using COTS principle. Architecture (ATCA) designs have matured in recent years and now offer the kind of functionalities and quality expected from a future proof telecom platform, Nokia Siemens Networks have selected ATCA to be in a central role in Open Core Platform Architecture. ATCA is the most advanced open standard specification available for telecommunications products. It is seen widely as a future proof and main stream approach in building or upgrading core networks. Since ATCA ecosystem is built first and foremost around network equipment providers, the telecom specific requirements such as long lifecycle for hardware, high availability and regulatory compliance are taken into account fully. By using ATCA as the common platform for the Open Core System, Nokia Siemens Networks is able to significantly simplify the network in terms of operability and number of physical elements. This is possible because ATCA, combined with the latest Ethernet technology, offers a future proof platform with small footprint and high capacity. In addition it enables co-locating more applications into a single network element and even multiple network elements into a single equipment shelf. The COTS ATCA ecosystem (Picture 2) consists of over 50 companies and has synergies with other industries, using standard embedded designs such as industry automation. Therefore, Nokia Siemens Networks is able to leverage innovations of some of the best embedded design teams in the world

Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA Hardware

In the past, many applications in the core network selected specialized proprietary hardware as there was no one-size-fits-all hardware platform available. As the Advanced Telecommunications Hardware

Open Core Software Architecture

Carrier Blade DSP Blade NPU Blade HUB Blade CPU Blade ATCA Shelf AMC AMC AMC AMC AMC

Commercial off-the-shelf ATCA Ecosystem

Picture 2 Open Core Platform Architecture leveraging COTS ATCA Ecosystem

Open Core System White Paper

By definition, a platform that is partially compliant with ATCA is not ATCA it is a proprietary platform (Picture 3). Even full compliancy to ATCA specification is not enough to guarantee interoperability inside the ATCA ecosystem, especially if development of ATCA is largely done by the Network Element Provider. To fully leverage the benefits of ATCA, the platform needs to be fully compliant with commercial off-the-shelf ATCA ecosystem implementations. Nokia Siemens Networks uses a Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ATCA platform that is fully compliant with the ATCA standards and interoperable with products implemented by the vast ATCA ecosystem.

Compliancy to open standards

Open Core System COTS ATCA

Designed for: Environment Higher processing Lower power

Capacity consumption and footprint

ATCA Competitor 2

Proprietary In-house development

Proprietary Design Competitor 1

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)

Picture 3. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ATCA in comparison to alternatives

Open Core Software Architecture

The open source Linux operating system plays an increasingly important role in Nokia Siemens Networks products. Linux is also in the heart of the Open Core Software Architecture (Picture 4), which

Provides hardware independence for applications via virtualization infrastructure Enables applications to leverage both open source Linux and legacy software at the same time. This allows CSPs to leverage the existing install base and software to the fullest possible extent Enables the same software release to be installed into both ATCA and legacy hardware

Using a Virtualization infrastructure between operating systems and the hardware, Nokia Siemens Networks is able to create hardware agnostic software, leverage efficiently the ever increasing amount of parallelism in processors and enable co-location of multiple network elements within a single hardware enclosure. Virtualization also helps to speed up the process of introducing latest stateof-the art processors with enhanced energy efficiency features and more processing capacity. The Open Core Software Architecture combined with COTS ATCA enables Communication Service Providers to modernize and harmonize their networks while reducing the complexity. It enables smooth capacity and functionality upgrades for the existing installed base while also enabling the operator to leverage the state-of-the-art energy efficient ATCA hardware platform.

Applications Open Core Software Architecture

Virtualization Infrastructure Hardware Platforms

Picture 4 Open Core Software Architecture

Open Core System White Paper

Open Core System

The Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System addresses the complexity of the current telecommunications Core Networks. It offers the opportunity of leveraging the innovations which the COTS ATCA ecosystem brings to the whole communications industry. The Open Core Network SW applications: MSS, MGW, HLR, VoIP Server, STP, PCRF, HSS, CSCF, SGSN, MME, S-GW, P-GW and GGSN can be scaled up and freely configured simply by installing the respective application software to the Open Core System, which is dimensioned HW and SW wise to the planned traffic demand (Picture 5). The Open Core System ensures the full continuity of all Core Network voice and data services, since it is access technology agnostic, i.e. it is able connect to any wireless, mobile or fixed access technology. Design for Environment (DfE) principles were integrated to the Open Core System development processes. The main objectives were: to minimize material and energy use to minimize the use of environmentally hazardous materials to design the equipments to be easily or remotely maintainable or maintenance free to maximize reuse and recycling Around 300 mobile operators who have deployed core products from Nokia Siemens Networks can now easily take the advantages of the flexibility, cost efficiency and environmental sustainability offered through our Open Core system.
Wireless and Wired Access Networks

Open Core System

Support Systems
Charging OAM Provisioning/ Subscriber data

GSM

BSC

Interworking
3G RNC

xSP PSTN PLMN

SS7

LTE

IP DSLAN

Open Core SW Applications

MSS MGW STP GGSN HLR SGSN MME P-GW CSCF HSS VoIP Server PCRF S-GW

MSAN

The Open Core System simplifies Core Network infrastructure and operations

Picture 5 Open Core System simplifies Core Network infrastructure and operations

Investment and Efficiency Protection

Balancing traffic demand among different applications of the Open Core System Due to the Open Core Software Architecture, the Open Core System is flexible enough to be configured in different setups, with each Core Network component having own specific traffic capacity requirements. On a core network evolution scenario where CS traffic evolves to IMS traffic, the Open Core System capacity can easily and gradually be reconfigured by SW configuration change to allow the transfer of traffic capacity from the MSS to the IMS. Similarly the Packet Core (SGSN, GGSN) can smoothly be transformed to an Evolved Packet Core (MME, S-GW,P-GW).

Reducing the Total Cost of Ownership The Open Core System addresses both CAPEX and OPEX. On CAPEX rationalization for a network modernization, the Open Core System decreases the need of telecommunication infrastructure HW due to its HW consolidation and extended SW assets utilization. On OPEX reduction, the Open Core System addresses the simplification of configuration, maintenance and operability of the Core Network, since it is composed of a common and small set of different ATCA blades, which share common procedures for configuration, maintenance and operability besides being fully integrated to Nokia Siemens Network NetAct, which in its side manages the complete network, from services delivered across radio, transport and core.

Open Core System White Paper

Going Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System enables OPEX optimization and smooth and efficient CAPEX:

Footprint reduction Plug-in units number reduction Energy reduction

: up to 80% : up to 80% : up to 40%

Source: Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System TCO calculator.

As well, some revolutionizing innovations are made available by the Open Core System approach, for instance to list a few: All common components of a modern Core Network in a single and synergic COTS ATCA HW environment. Possibility to balance traffic capacity between legacy traffic demand and new technologies traffic demand within the same Open Core System.

Also, the management of spare parts stock and additional traffic capacity parts are greatly simplified, due to the dramatic reduction of the number of different HW blade variants at the Open Core System. The Open Core System also allows many simplifications to the setup and maintenance procedures of the core network elements, such as: self configuration, self optimization, self healing and energy saving, which reduces its TCO.

to simplify the network and to drive energy efficiency, however it is also very expensive and risky. The best approach is a smooth evolution, meaning a renewal of the network in phases. The key for a smooth evolution is a software package that makes applications HW agnostic and thus enables same software to run on both legacy and latest state-of-the-art platforms. The introduction of the Open Core System to any Core Network is an evolutionary step towards: simplification, modernization and environmentally sustainable telecommunications business for the CSP.

CS voice network modernization and expansion

Ensuring end-user satisfaction while reducing cost The three most important requirements to the Circuit Switched voice networks of today are: Cost efficient and reliable delivery of CS services A rich set of standard and tailored features developed over many years Enabling a smooth evolution to the future access and core technologies The Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System delivers on all three of these requirements with a unique and unbeatable advantage on top: Operators can smoothly modernize or expand the capacity of their existing network by adding new cost efficient technology while fully maintaining the same end-user service experience throughout the network. Due to the long development history of the CS core network features the application software is especially valuable in this part of the network. With the Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System this value is well protected and thus CSPs need to wait no longer to start saving cost. Taking flexibility to the next level The 3GPP Rel-4 network architecture was developed in order to provide CSPs the flexibility to place and scale user plane and control plane capacity

Evolution and Revolution

Replacing all the existing equipment could be the most revolutionary way

Picture 6: Complete Core Network in a single and synergic Open Core System.

Open Core System White Paper

separately achieving great cost efficiency. Nokia Siemens Networks takes this flexibility and cost efficiency to a whole new level when offering the same HW platform for both the MSC Server and the Media Gateway. Initial network deployment can be optimized using minimum floor space as even the same cabinet can be used for both MSC Server and Media Gateway. This makes it possible to fully utilize every cabinet according to the exact traffic profile and if needed even re-balance user plane and control plane resources within existing cabinets when traffic requirements change. Another aspect of the flexibility of the Open Core System, enabled by the Open Core Software Architecture, is the guaranteed functional equivalence between the ATCA based and the Nokia Siemens Networks proprietary HW MSC Servers and Media Gateways allowing operators to, for example, modernize first the control plane layer and only later the user plane layer.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) network will drive down network operating expenditure (OPEX), justifying the required technology investments. Nokia Siemens Networks award winning approach to introduce VoIP/ VoLTE services by a simple software upgrade to an MSS system allows re-using the full CS infrastructure, including the voice service engine and OSS/BSS integration. Operators interested in introducing new services such as Rich Communication Suite and full Multimedia telephony for all accesses (fixed, cable, mobile) can easily implement the IMS functionality into an already installed Open Core System via software update. New hardware needs to be added on blade or shelf level only if required by forecasted traffic volumes. When, over time, more IMS traffic needs to be handled, the Open Core capacity can also easily be reconfigured by SW update to allow the transfer of capacity from the Open MSS to the Open IMS application.

transformation and the Open Core System is fully designed to bring the needed efficiency. Already today the Nokia Siemens Networks MSC Server System and Signaling Transfer Point support a rich set of national and international gateway features. This proven legacy, combined with the ATCA HW benefits provides a compelling reason to deploy the Open Transit Routing Server and Signaling Application Manager to take care of the interconnect traffic even if still on TDM for a while. With all the required capabilities for IP based interconnections already supported in the first phase, the investment is safe when moving to IP, as the main functionalities such as transcoding resources can be fully re-used. Furthermore, the evolution of the Open Core System will bring even more benefits as the integration of Interconnect Border Control and Border Gateway functions required for IP based interconnects will be possible resulting in a simple network architecture, the lowest expenditure and maximum protection of investments. Nokia Siemens Networks also foresees that a common interconnect architecture for traditional CS voice, VoIP, VoLTE, RCS and multimedia will be the most cost efficient, especially when this will be possible using the Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core system.

Managing a cost efficient voice transformation to VoIP

In mobile history, the voice service has been the major focus for network design and is thus inherently part of the entire system. The possibility to gradually migrate all operators voice services from 2G and 3G to a single

Interconnect transformation with future proof technology

The industry is in a transformation process from TDM based voice interconnections to IP based voice interconnections. Cost savings is one of the very important targets of this

Open Core System White Paper

Mobile broadband with modernized Packet Core network

The Nokia Siemens Networks solution for Mobile Packet Core addresses increased traffic and smartphone signaling demand, while lowering the operators Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The Nokia Siemens Networks products for modernized 2G/3G PS Core and new Evolved Packet Core (EPC) use a unique design based on the open Advanced Telecommunications Computing

Architecture (ATCA) platform to achieve lower cost, higher performance and superior flexibility. The key components playing an essential role in supporting nextgeneration mobile broadband are Network Server (SGSN / MME) and Network Gateway (GGSN / S/P-GW). With convincing capacity in throughput, subscriber density and signaling, operators are able to manage the data traffic explosion and millions of smart devices. Combined with unparalleled service intelligence, operators can

ensure superior end user experience and manage network resource usage to maximize their revenues. Operators who want to modernize their mobile packet core networks to be prepared for future traffic growth by deploying Nokia Siemens Networks EPC products can introduce the LTE functionality (MME and S/P-GW) by a simple software upgrade onto the existing hardware including OSS/BSS integration and additional core functionality like HSS and PCRF. In case of increasing traffic and more and more subscribers being migrated from 2G/3G to LTE, Nokia Siemens Networks EPC can be flexibly reconfigured by software to meet the changing demand in capacity and signaling traffic. Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System has been running in live networks since 2010, with the first depolyment, in NTT DoCoMo Xi LTE network, taken into commercial use in December of the same year.

2G/3G
PCRF

Packet Core

BTS Smartphones, Laptops

BSC

SGSN GGSN

Internet & Content and Service Networks

NodeB

RNC

2G/3G & LTE

BTS BSC
HSS PCRF SGSN MME GGSN S/P-GW

Operators can reuse the modernized Packet Core for LTE by software upgrade.
Internet & Content and Service Networks

NodeB Smartphones, Laptops

RNC

eNodeB

Picture 7: Modernized Packet Core and the Path to Evolved Packet Core

Open Core System White Paper

Conclusions
Communications market is pushing CSPs to require more open and flexible platforms to provide secure evolution path and further increase networked value creation also beyond the basic services. With Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System all common components of a Core Network can be installed and scaled up at a single and synergic COTS ATCA HW environment. Open Core Software Architecture is HW agnostic enabling same software to be run on both legacy and latest state-of-the-art platforms Open Core Software Architecture offers flexibility and scalability in case of changing and evolving requirements, has lower TCO and it also helps achieving economies of scale for new applications. Nokia Siemens Networks Open Core System is compliant with all defined Core Network standard interfaces. It is a perfect evolutionary step towards simplification, modernization and environmentally sustainable telecommunication business. Nokia Siemens Networks approach to the revolution is a smooth evolution - renewing the network in phases and enabling existing installed base and new equipment capture value together.

References
Nokia Siemens Networks whitepaper
Enabling mobile broadband growth Evolved Packet Core Single RAN made simple - managing site and frequency evolution to tomorrows mobile broadband world

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Open Core System White Paper

Abbreviations
3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project AMC Advanced Mezzanine Card ATCA Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture BSC Base Station controler BSS Business Support Systems CAPEX Capital Expenditure COTS ATCA Commercial Off the Shelf ATCA CPU Central Processing Unit CS Circuit Switched CSCF Call Session Control Function CSP Communication Service Provider DfE Design for Environment DSLAM Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer DSP Digital Signal Processor EPC Evolved Packet Core GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node GPRS General Packet Radio System HLR Home Location Register HSS Home Subscriber Server HW Hardware IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem IT Information Technology LTE Long Term Evolution MGW Media Gateway MME Mobility Management Entity MSAN Multi-service Access Node MSS Mobile Switching Center Server NPU Network Processor NVS NSN Mobile VoIP Server OAM Operations and Maintenance OPEX Operational Expenditure OSS Operations Support Systems P-GW Packet Data Network Gateway PCRF Policy and Charging Rules Function PCS Policy Control Server RNC Radio Network Controller PLMN Public Land Mobile Network PS Packet Switched PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network RCS Rich Communication Suite S-GW Serving Gateway SAM Signaling Application Manager SDM Subscriber Data Management SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node STP Signaling Transfer Point TCO Total Cost of Ownership TDM Time-Division Multiplexing VoIP Voice over IP VoLTE Voice over LTE

Open Core System White Paper

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Nokia Siemens Networks P.O. Box 1 FI-02022 NOKIA SIEMENS NETWORKS Finland Visiting address: Karaportti 3, ESPOO, Finland Switchboard +358 71 400 4000 (Finland) Switchboard +49 89 5159 01 (Germany)
Product code: B301-00682-WP-201102-1-EN Copyright 2011 Nokia Siemens Networks. All rights reserved. Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation, Siemens is a registered trademark of Siemens AG. The wave logo is a trademark of Nokia Siemens Networks Oy. Other company and product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks of their respective owners, and they are mentioned for identification purposes only. This publication is issued to provide information only and is not to form part of any order or contract. The products and services described herein are subject to availability and change without notice.

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