OpenAirInterface-5G-Core-Network-with-MEC-Integration

Mentor

Dr. Bhupendra Kumar

Team Members

• Mohit Ritwik Yernena (202251071)
• Rohit Lokhande (202251068)
• Narendra Deshmukh (202251036)
• Susmit Kumar Bharati (202251138)

Project Overview

This project demonstrates the setup and deployment of a 5G Core Network using OpenAirInterface (OAI) with Docker containers. The architecture integrates essential 5G core network functions, including AMF, SMF, UPF, NRF, UDM, and UDR, alongside Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC). By leveraging tools such as UERANSIM for UE and gNB simulation, the project showcases edge computing's ability to enhance latency-sensitive applications like video streaming, AR/VR, IoT, and real-time analytics.

This implementation enables a controlled, repeatable, and extensible simulation environment, making it ideal for validating the effectiveness of 5G technologies in reducing latency and improving throughput through MEC.

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Key Features

• Containerized Deployment: All 5G Core components (AMF, SMF, UPF, NRF, UDM, AUSF, and UDR) are deployed as Docker containers, ensuring scalability, ease of use, and modularity.
• UERANSIM Integration: Simulates User Equipment (UE) and gNodeB (gNB) to test the behavior and performance of the 5G core network.
• MEC Offloading: Demonstrates traffic offloading to MEC servers for real-time, low-latency data processing and edge computing.
• Traffic Inspection and Analysis: Captures NAS, NGAP, SCTP, and GTP traffic using Wireshark, enabling real-time monitoring and troubleshooting of network interactions.
• Latency and Throughput Validation: Performance testing with tools like iperf3 to compare results with and without MEC integration.
• Video Streaming Testbed: Real-time video streaming over a simulated 5G network, showcasing reduced buffering and improved quality using MEC.

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Architecture

The system architecture is designed with modularity and extensibility in mind.

1. Core Network Functions:

• AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function): Handles registration, connection management, and mobility procedures.
• SMF (Session Management Function): Manages PDU session establishment, modification, and release.
• UPF (User Plane Function): Routes and forwards user traffic, supports MEC integration for local breakout.
• NRF (Network Repository Function): Supports service-based architecture by allowing network functions to discover one another.
• UDM/UDR (Unified Data Management/Repository): Manages subscriber data and supports authentication.

2. MEC Integration:

• Edge servers placed close to the UPF to ensure minimal latency.
• Offloads video streaming, analytics, or compute-intensive tasks to the edge for optimized performance.

3. Simulation:

• UERANSIM: Simulates the UE and gNB, providing an end-to-end testing environment to validate 5G core functionalities.

4. Traffic Analysis:

• Tools like Wireshark and Tcpdump capture and analyze SCTP, GTP, and NGAP traffic for troubleshooting and validation.

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Demonstration: Video Streaming

Setup:

1. Install and Configure a Video Server on the MEC:

   • Use a lightweight video streaming server like NGINX RTMP or GStreamer.
   • Configure the MEC to host the video server:

     apt install nginx
     # Enable RTMP module in the nginx.conf file for streaming

2. Stream a Video from the MEC to the simulated UE:

   • Host a video file on the MEC server.
   • Use VLC Media Player or a browser on the UE simulation to stream the video.

3. Test Latency and Quality:

   • Perform streaming tests with and without MEC offloading.
   • Use iperf3 and Wireshark to measure reduced latency and improved throughput with MEC integration.

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Getting Started

Prerequisites:

• Docker & Docker Compose: Ensure Docker is installed for containerized deployment.
• Wireshark: For network traffic analysis.
• Basic Networking Knowledge: Familiarity with 5G protocols like NAS, NGAP, and GTP is recommended.

Installation:

1. Clone the Repository:

   [email protected]:oai/cn5g/oai-cn5g-fed.git
   cd oai-cn5g-fed-master

2. Deploy the 5G Core with Docker Compose:

   docker-compose -f docker-compose-basic-vpp-nrf.yaml up -d

3. UERANSIM deploy to simulate UE and gNB behavior:

   docker-compose -f docker-compose-ueransim-vpp.yaml up -d

4. Run UERANSIM to simulate UE and gNB behavior:

   docker run -it --network host --name ueransim ueransim:latest

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Network Testing in UE Simulation Environment

This section describes how to test network connectivity, monitor traffic, and measure bandwidth within the UE simulation environment.

1. Ping Test

The ping command checks connectivity between the UE interface and an external server (e.g., google.com).

Command:

docker exec -it ueransim ping -c 3 -I uesimtun0 google.com

Traffic Monitoring and Testing

1. Monitor Network Interfaces:

   • Open Wireshark and select an appropriate interface (e.g., cn5g-access or uesimtun0).
   • Use protocol filters like ngap, gtp, or sctp to inspect specific traffic flows.

2. Latency and Throughput Testing:

   • Use iperf3 to measure performance between the UE and MEC:

     iperf3 -c <MEC_Server_IP> -t 10

   • Analyze metrics for latency reduction and throughput improvements.

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Use Cases

• Real-Time Video Streaming: Leverage MEC for buffer-free, low-latency video streaming.
• AR/VR Applications: Optimize AR/VR experiences by processing data close to the user.
• IoT: Enhance IoT device interactions with reliable, low-latency communication.
• Content Delivery: Use edge caching to reduce core network load and improve content delivery.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions to this project! You can:

• Open issues for bugs or feature requests.
• Submit pull requests for new features or enhancements.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to:

• The OpenAirInterface Community for their 5G core solutions.
• The UERANSIM Team for providing an excellent simulation tool.
• Developers of tools like Wireshark, which make traffic analysis seamless.

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Contact

For queries or support, feel free to reach out at:

• Email: [email protected]