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Near-Real-time RIC X-APPs (RICAPP)

Primary Goals: Expand the community working on open source xApps for O-RAN SC. Enhance the set of open source xApps in support of the R-SAC use cases (traffic steering, health check, life cycle management) as well new use cases. Update and enhance existing xApps to take advantage of the new features in xApp SDK (implemented by the xApp frameworks in C++, go, and python).

D release highlights (7-7-21):

  • Expanded set of xApps from expanded community: D release includes xApps from HCL (AD, QP, Bouncer), Samsung (KPI, HW-python, HW-go), ChinaMobile (LP), Parana Technical University (TS), and AT&T (HW, MC).
  • AD xApp implements true ML-based anomaly detection where the ML-model is trained using data from Viavi E2 simulator and then at runtime, AD reads time series data from the inFlux (DB new RIC platform component) and raises anomaly alarms.
  • QP xApp implements for the first time true ML-based throughput prediction trained using data from Viavi simulator. QP receives prediction request for a set of UEs, determines the current UE metrics and current neighbor cells by reading the inFlux DB and provides prediction of the throughput prediction in the current serving cell as well as the neighboring cells. Note that the current QP includes the functionality previous embedded in the separate QP-driver xApp.
  • TS xApp has been extended to receive anomaly detection messages and trigger predictions request based on these messages. It is also extended to make a call to Viavi simulator (REST based call while waiting for E2SM RC) to trigger UE handover.
  • The AD, QP, and TS xApps have been integrated to implement an anomaly detection driven traffic steering use case.
  • KPIMON xApp now implements E2SM KPM 2.0.3 - when an E2 simulator is available that implements that SM, the KPIMON flow can be tested (likely E Release) and integrated with the rest of the use case.
  • The new LP xApp introduces a load prediction capability - this new xApp will be integrated with the traffic steering use case in E Release
  • The new demo (hello world) xApps HW-python and HW-go introduce the initial versions of xApps to demonstrate how all RIC features can be utilized from xApps written in python and go.
  • Bouncer xApp has now been properly introduced as an xApp in the RICAPP project - it will allow the performance benchmarking of the RIC platform (latency of INSERT-CONTROL loop, number of E2 Nodes supported).
  • The HW (C++) and MC xApps include minor updates.
  • Image list: can be found here.
  • Instructions for testing the xApps: can be found here....

PTL: Matti Hiltunen

Jira: Count of Epics, User Stories, Tasks, and Issues:  165 issues

Status (5-25-21): 

D Release status

  • New xApps:
    • Bouncer xApp (HCL, C++): RIC performance measurement xApp - in conjunction with the appropriate E2 Sim, can test E2 control loop latency (INSERT-CONTROL) as well as the scalability of the RIC with regard to the number of E2 Nodes supported.
    • LP (Load Prediction, ChinaMobile, python): Initial version of a cell load predictor.
    • HW-P (Hello World - Python, Samsung): A python based demo xApp that demonstrates how an xApp can use the RIC platform features in python.
    • HW-G (Hello World - go, Samsung): A go-based demo xApp that demonstrates how an xApp can use the RIC platform features in go.
  • Improved xApps:
    • AD (Anomaly Detection, HCL, python): A ML-based real-time anomaly detection using KPI data populated in inFlux DB.
    • KPIMON (Samsung, go): Improved version implements E2 SM KPM 2.0.3 version and stored collected data in time series DB (inFlux)
    • QP (QuE Predictor, HCL, python): A ML-based predictor of UE's throughput if it was handed over to a neighboring cell. The D release version finally uses a ML-trained prediction model and includes the functionality previously provided as a separate QP-driver xApp.
    • TS (Traffic Steering, UTFPR, C++): Extended version of the TS xApp that now receives anomaly detection messages, requests QoE prediction, and issue control operation to request a UE handover.
  • Together, AD, QP, and TS xApps and Viavi E2 Tester, implement a use case where anomaly detection is combined with QoE prediction and traffic steering action to move the affected UEs to a different cell.

D release source code, container images and deployment instructionsTODO

Each repository has a branch named "dawn" that can be accessed using git. For example, the source code for the AD xApp can be retrieved using  "git clone --branch dawn "https://gerrit.o-ran-sc.org/r/ric-app/ad". The other xApps in the D release can be found at ric-app/qp, ric-app/ts, ric-app/lp, ric-app/hw, ric-app/hw-go, ric-app/hw-python, ric-app/mc, ric-app/bouncer, and scp/ric-app/kpimon. Note that the other ric-app repos are obsolete.

Note that this branch is in maintenance and all new development is done in branch "master".

In order to deploy the D release xApps,  you can re-use the pre-created container images as defined here and the instructions on testing the xApps can be found here.


Near-Real-time RAN Intelligent Controller Platform (E2 Interface) (RICPLT)

Mission: Update to newer O-RAN specs (E2,A1,O2,O1) and related features.

Original primary goals: Update to E2APv1.1 (E2 Node configuration transfer in E2 Setup and E2 Configuration Update (even if likely changing again in E2APv2.0) and E2SM OID support in internal E2SM function query interfaces) // support for A1-EI (as per A1APv3.0) // support for O2 as per WG6 use cases // support for RIC-708 O1-CM to xApps // RIC-734 Include time series database into RIC platform (InfluxDB) for usage by xApps // RIC-421 O1 mediator graceful restart with O1 data being persisted over restarts // Concrete alarms from RIC platform (related to message overload): RIC-204, RIC-203 // SDK package, well documented interfaces to be used by xApps via xApp frameworks // Portability SDK (in xApp project) // REST interface for subscription management. 35 Epics planned: link and 11 items as stretch goals: link

Achieved D release highlights = high-level release notes (2021-06-28) below (note that the release image list is here: Near-RT RIC (D release))

  • Some of the features are demoed here: 2021-06-08 Dawn. An extract of more fine-grained per component releases notes can be found in the attachement of [this page].
  • REST interface for xApps towards E2 subscription manager. No need to encode E2AP subscription messages in the xApps anymore. The Xapp framework for Go already supports/uses this.
  • Support for A1-EI (Enhancement information) to xApps. The A1 container now uses Ubuntu base image (like all others) and not Alpine anymore.
  • SDL: multiple groups of SDL standalone or sentinel instances.
  • SDL-py: Pack all the events in a channel to one DB notification to be in line with SDL Golang
  • A lot of extra load/scalability testing (using a new bouncer xApp) and functionality testing (E2, ...) was done under RIC-150 using a "bouncer xApp".
  • Wider scope of the xapp framework for python related to SDL, xapp registration, RNIB and E2AP handling.
  • We added InfluxDB as optional platform service time series database (RIC-734)
  • Support for O2 as per WG6 use case "Deploy xAPP in Near-RT RIC" in O-RAN Orchestration Use Cases v2.0. This also includes a change in how xApps register as part of their startup.
  • libe2ap (asn1c-based) can be re-used by components to encode/decode E2AP ASN.1 PDUs (Protocol Data Unit)
  • E2 statistics are now visible as VES metrics events
  • RMR raises alarms using the RIC alarm system in temporary overload situations
  • The Near-RT RIC can be deployed on Kubernetes 1.18 and helm 3. For the first time, this and all robot framework based "end-to-end" tests have also been verified in the O-RAN SC lab.
  • The Near-RT RIC project now achieved the CII (Core Infrastructure Initiative) badge "passing": (link).

For the D release of the near-RT RIC we did only limited integration testing: only the use case: deploy RIC, deploy xApp and make E2 connection were tested.

PTL: Thoralf Czichy

Status 2021-07-05: Work is completed for the following 25 (19 epics and 6 "others") items link. All of these are already "done". The following 24 items (17 epics and 7 "others") we had to move out from Dawn content link. None of the stretch goals (link) has been worked on. See release highlights (above) for what has been achieved. Most notable items that were dropped are support for the E2APv1.1 capabilities "config transfer" and "OID support (i.e., we continue with E2APv1.0), RIC-708 O1-CM to xApps. Discussion on the portability SDK is still work in progress. We continue to support all the existing SDKs via the xapp Frameworks for C++, python and go.

Status 2021-03-03: Work started on many items. 31 Epics planned: link and 15 items as stretch goals: link. Start of release snapshot (MS Excel): link For CII compliance (link)we now do some checks every two weeks in the status meeting and have started a Release criteria checklist template that we go through before releasing, Note that we update to E2APv1.1

D release source code, container images and deployment instructions

Each repository has a branch named "dawn" that can be accessed using git: "git clone --branch dawn "https://gerrit.o-ran-sc.org/r/ric-plt/e2". Make sure to replace the URL with correct repositories. Note that this branch is in maintenance and all new development is done in branch "master". The complete list of repositories belonging to  the RIC platform is defined here: Scope of the near-RT RIC platform and its components (summary).

In order to deploy the D release of the near-RT RIC platform you can re-use the pre-created container images as defined here. The same instructions as always apply, i.e., follow the general latest instructions: https://docs.o-ran-sc.org/projects/o-ran-sc-ric-plt-ric-dep/en/latest/ → Installing Near Realtime RIC in RIC Cluster, but make sure to use "git clone --branch dawn ..." instead of "git clone ..." when cloning it/dep and ric-plt/ric-dep.

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