What is the telco core network?

Introduction

The telecommunications industry relies heavily on their core network, which is essential for enabling communication and data transfer. As technology advances and data demand increases, these core networks pose significant challenges. Telcos may face immense difficulties in ensuring fast data transfer, maintaining network reliability, and securing communications. At the same time, the transition to technologies like 5G adds to these challenges, requiring substantial infrastructure changes. In this post, we will analyse the primary pain points faced by the industry and consider how different core network designs can address these challenges.

This discussion aims to provide a clear understanding of core network requirements and design choices, offering insights for telecommunications professionals and stakeholders. By examining these critical aspects, we can better understand how to develop core networks that meet current and future demands, ultimately improving network performance and user experience.

Core network requirements

The core network is the backbone of any telecommunications system, as it ensures the smooth and efficient transmission of data and communication signals. For a core network to function optimally, it must meet several key requirements that cater to both current and future demands.

First is reliability. Reliability is a non-negotiable requirement for the core network: it must provide consistent and uninterrupted service. This involves robust fault-tolerance mechanisms, redundancy, and fail-over capabilities to ensure that the network remains operational even in the event of hardware or software failures. High reliability is critical for maintaining user trust and meeting service level agreements (SLAs).

The second key requirement is security, an equally essential factor. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, the core network must incorporate advanced security measures to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access. This includes encryption, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.

Scalability is another crucial requirement. With the rapid growth of data traffic and the increasing number of connected devices, the core network must be able to expand and accommodate this growth without compromising performance. Scalability ensures that the network can handle peak loads and future expansion without requiring a complete overhaul.

Telco operators also need to prioritise low latency, as it is vital for real-time applications such as voice calls or video conferencing, and emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles and augmented reality. The core network must be designed to minimise delays and ensure fast data transmission, enhancing the user experience.

Interoperability is also important, as it enables the core network to work seamlessly with various technologies and systems. This is particularly relevant in a multi-vendor environment, where equipment from different manufacturers must operate together without issues. Standardisation and adherence to industry protocols facilitate this interoperability.

Finally, cost-effectiveness cannot be overlooked. The core network must provide a balance between performance and cost, ensuring that it delivers high-quality service without excessive expenditure. Efficient resource management and innovative technologies can help achieve this balance, making it feasible for operators to maintain and upgrade their networks economically.

Design options

The design of a core network significantly impacts its performance, scalability, and reliability. Telco operators have several architectural options, each with distinct benefits and challenges.

Traditional core network architectures

Traditional core network designs rely on dedicated hardware and proprietary systems. These architectures are robust and well-tested but can be inflexible and costly to upgrade. This approach relies on physical infrastructure, which often leads to higher operational costs and longer deployment times.

Virtualisation and Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

Virtualisation and SDN represent the first modernisation approach to decoupling hardware and software in the core network design. Virtualisation abstracts network functions from hardware, allowing them to run on standard servers. This increases flexibility and reduces costs. SDN separates the control plane from the data plane, enabling centralised network management and more efficient resource utilisation. However, transitioning to virtualised and SDN-based networks can be complex and require significant investment in new skills and technologies.

Cloud-based core networks

Cloud-based solutions leverage cloud computing to host core network functions. This approach offers scalability, agility and cost savings by utilising cloud infrastructure. Operators can quickly scale resources up or down based on demand, therefore improving their efficiency. The main challenges of this approach are data security and the potential for increased latency, depending on cloud provider performance and network configuration.

Private cloud and cloud-ready apps

Private cloud solutions offer a balance between the scalability of public clouds and the control of traditional infrastructure. They allow operators to manage resources securely within their own environment, using automation tools that are similar to the ones used in public clouds for provisioning compute, storage and networking. Cloud-ready applications are designed to run efficiently in cloud environments, ensuring better performance and easier management.

Cloud-native core network architecture

Cloud-native architecture focuses on building and running applications that exploit the advantages of cloud computing models. These applications are typically built as micro-services, deployed in containers, and managed by orchestration platforms like Kubernetes. This approach enhances agility, scalability, and resilience.

Hybrid approaches

Many operators adopt a hybrid approach, combining traditional and modern design elements. This allows for a gradual migration to newer technologies while maintaining the stability of legacy systems. Hybrid networks can provide a balance between innovation and reliability, making the transition smoother and more manageable.

5G Non-Standalone vs Standalone

In the context of 5G, non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) architectures offer different pathways for deployment. NSA uses existing 4G infrastructure for control functions, with 5G providing enhanced data capabilities. This allows for faster deployment and lower initial costs. Conversely, SA architecture utilises a completely new 5G core, delivering full 5G benefits such as ultra-low latency and advanced network slicing. While SA promises superior performance, it requires significant investment in new infrastructure.
By understanding these design options, telco operators can choose the best approach for their specific needs, ensuring their core networks are robust, scalable, and future-ready.

Major pain points in core network design and implementation

Designing and implementing a core network involves several challenges that telco operators must navigate.

Technical challenges

Scalability remains a major issue. As the number of connected devices and data traffic increases, networks must expand efficiently without performance loss. Reducing latency is also critical, especially for real-time applications like video calls and gaming. Integrating new technologies with existing legacy systems can be complex and costly. Operators need solutions that allow for smooth integration without extensive overhauls.

Operational challenges

Provisioning, maintaining and upgrading the network poses significant challenges. Regular maintenance is necessary to ensure reliability and performance, but it can be disruptive and expensive. Telcos often encounter difficulties in automating and streamlining the process of setting up network services for new customers. Inefficient provisioning can lead to delays, increased operational costs, and customer dissatisfaction. Security and privacy concerns are ever-present, as networks must protect against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Ensuring network reliability and uptime is crucial, as outages can lead to substantial financial losses and damage to reputation.

Strategic challenges

Cost management is a key concern. Building and upgrading core networks require substantial investment, and operators must balance performance with cost-efficiency. Keeping up with rapid technological advancements demands continuous learning and adaptation, which can strain resources. Regulatory and compliance requirements add another layer of complexity, as operators must adhere to various standards and regulations.

Energy costs and environmental footprint

Energy consumption is a significant pain point for telco operators. Running and cooling network infrastructure requires substantial amounts of energy, contributing to high operational costs. Additionally, the environmental footprint of these energy demands is considerable, leading to increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies and environmentally conscious consumers. Operators must seek energy-efficient solutions and renewable energy sources to mitigate these impacts, balancing performance with sustainability.

Leveraging open source solutions

Telco operators can leverage open source solutions to address some of these challenges. Open source software offers flexibility and cost savings by reducing reliance on proprietary systems. It allows operators to customise solutions to fit their specific needs and integrate them more easily with existing systems. Open source communities provide a collaborative environment where operators can share knowledge and resources, accelerating innovation and problem-solving.

Adopting open source technologies also presents an opportunity for telcos to transform into techcos. By embracing a tech-first approach, telcos can adopt DevSecOps practices, integrating development, security, and operations to drive continuous innovation. DevSecOps fosters a culture of collaboration and efficiency, enabling faster deployment of new features and improvements while maintaining high security standards.

This transformation allows telcos to participate more actively in the tech growth, contributing to and benefiting from the collective advancements of the open-source community. By leveraging open source solutions and adopting DevSecOps practices, telco operators can enhance scalability, improve security, and reduce costs. This approach helps manage the complexities of core network design and implementation more effectively, ensuring robust and future-ready networks.

Conclusion

In the rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape, addressing the challenges of core network design and implementation is critical. Telco operators must ensure scalability, reliability, security, and cost-effectiveness to meet growing demands. Canonical offers a robust portfolio of open-source infrastructure software that can help telcos overcome these challenges and drive innovation.

Canonical’s software, including Ubuntu, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and MicroCloud, provide flexible and scalable infrastructure options. Ubuntu is renowned for its stability and security, making it a reliable choice for core network operations. OpenStack offers a powerful platform for building private clouds, enabling operators to efficiently manage and scale their resources. Kubernetes facilitates container orchestration, allowing for the deployment and management of applications in a consistent and automated manner. MicroCloud extends these capabilities to edge environments, ensuring consistent performance across diverse locations.

Additionally, Canonical’s Ubuntu Pro enhances security and support with features such as Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) and live kernel updates. Ubuntu Pro provides up to 12 years of security coverage for over 30,000 packages, ensuring compliance with standards like HIPAA, FIPS, and GDPR. It reduces average CVE exposure time from 98 days to just one, offering peace of mind with enterprise-grade support and long-term maintenance. Canonical Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) also participates in helping telcos ensure they comply with the latest telecommunications and security regulations, including the UK’s Telecommunications Security Code of Practice (TSCP), the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act, and the US’ Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).

Canonical’s open source solutions and comprehensive support services empower telco operators to build efficient, scalable, and secure core networks. By embracing these technologies, operators can stay ahead of technological advancements, reduce costs, and deliver enhanced services to their customers.

Learn more about Canonical’s portfolio of software and services solutions for the telco core.