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SoftBank Develops SRv6 MUP Technology to Implement MEC and Network Slicing

SoftBank Develops SRv6 MUP Technology to Implement MEC and Network Slicing Image Credit: Andrey Suslov/Bigstockphoto.com

SoftBank announced that it has developed SRv6 Mobile User Plane (MUP) technology that is completely IP-native and capable of implementing a complete mobile user-plane (U-plane) across commercial SRv6 networks. 

SoftBank will lead a proof of concept (PoC) demonstration of SRv6 MUP at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2022, which is scheduled to be held from February 28 to March 3. Partner companies are supporting this SRv6 MUP initiative in the PoC. 

At MWC '22, the SoftBank-developed SRv6 MUP PoC will be demonstrated using Arrcus's ArcOS, a native SRv6 MUP implementation combined with Intel hardware platform, which is also hosting the SRv6 MUP demo system at its MWC '22 booth, is providing cloud platform support for SRv6 MUP. 1. 

Overview and features of SRv6 MUP SRv6 MUP enables the easy deployment of key 5G technologies, such as Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) and network slicing, at low costs and with a much simpler architecture. While 5G promises MEC roll-out and network slicing, costly deployments and operations are inevitable, especially in large-scale deployments as legacy mobile U-plane requires many session states to be maintained in a User Plane Function (UPF), as well the necessity of a high number of costly UPFs in a distributed MEC. SoftBank developed a SRv6 MUP that eliminates the pain points of the legacy U-plane and can deliver MEC and network slicing at high-cost efficiency. SRv6 MUP is a standard IP routing based U-plane technology that leverages network programmability of SRv6 to integrate mobile sessions in IP routing. In other words, SRv6 MUP enables MEC and network slicing as one of the various functions supported by merchant network chipsets and whitebox switches in SRv6 networks. SRv6 MUP can be easily applied to SRv6 networks that SoftBank began operating in its commercial network in 2019. 2. 

A validation system for SRv6 MUP is provided by Arrcus' ArcOS, hardware platform with the Intel Tofino Intelligent Fabric Processor and Intel Xeon Scalable Processor, and VMware's Telco Cloud Platform. Comments from the validation partners Arrcus, Intel and VMware are as follows. 

SoftBank will work with its partners to standardize the underlying technology with the aim of achieving early commercial adoption of SRv6 MUP and widespread use in the telecommunications industry. In collaboration with various technology companies and telecom operators in various countries, SoftBank will contribute to the more efficient realization of MEC and network slicing through the use of SRv6 MUP. SoftBank plans to roll SRv6 MUP out in its 5G SA commercial network in the future.

Hideyuki Tsukuda, SoftBank, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
SRv6 is not a mere IP layer for U-plane tunnel transport, but a full U-plane networking solution for a mobile cellular network. We are actively looking into IP and cloud-native technologies for telecom to achieve higher cost efficiencies. SoftBank with its partners will continue to further improve SRv6 MUP to make it even more light-weight and cost efficient.

Shekar Ayyar, Arrcus CEO and chairman.
The emergence of 5G and corresponding demand from new applications call for increased capacity and coverage capabilities with greater efficiency. Arrcus' ACE 2.0 platform supported by ArcOS provides service providers with a scalable, performant, secure and cost-effective transport networking solution.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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