Private wireless core network

Intelligent at the core with Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC)

About the solution

The core network routes the traffic from the wireless endpoints to your campus LAN and administers your wireless devices. It controls the mobility management of your moving assets as well as performs authentication, authorization and manages the quality of service of the data sessions.

Connectivity application runs on Nokia MX Industrial Edge

The DAC core network connectivity app, a cloud native software incorporates the 3GPP 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and 5G Next Generation Core (5G NGC) network functions. It is managed in the same way as any other industrial application running on Nokia MX Industrial Edge.

MX Industrial Edge

Benefits

Cloud native

Nokia DAC core network functions are implemented through containerized kubernetes (K8s) microservices running on the edge cloud platform allowing you to access all the benefits of cloud native SW developments including agility, scalability, and resiliency.

Secured by design

Security principles and best practises are embedded in the product lifecycle of the connectivity application via the Nokia Design for Security (DFSEC) framework

Converged and simplified

Nokia DAC 4G and 5G containerized core network functions (CNFs) are implemented in an integrated connectivity application running on MX Industrial Edge. Complexity is removed as only two interfaces are visible – one to the radio network and the other to the external IP network, while the complex 3GPP architecture and vast number of reference interfaces are not visible. Additionally, the 4G and 5G core networks can run concurrently on the same MX Industrial Edge.

Automated

The Nokia DAC connectivity application supports a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) framework for greater agility and faster time to market. It is highly abstracted for simplified operations and the software status is updated automatically.

How does it work?

Core network functions are responsible for subscriber management, mobility management, UE authentication and authorization and the user plane termination towards the enterprise IP network. The core network operates as the evolved packet core (EPC) in 4G/LTE and 5G non-standalone (NSA) architecture and as the 5G next generation core (5G NGC) in 5G standalone (SA) architecture.

Nokia DAC core network can operate in a 4G / 5G concurrent mode where the 4G evolved packet core (EPC) and 5G next generation core (5G NGC) run simultaniously on the MX Industrial Edge

Core network functions

Access and mobility management

Operates in the control plane (the logical communication channel that exchanges control information between the UE, radio and the core network) and controls mobility management functions including handovers between cells and roaming and is a key participant in user equipment (UE) authentication. In 3GPP terminology this is known as the Mobility Management Entity (MME) in 4G EPC/ Access and Mobility Function (AMF) in 5G NGC.

Serving and Packet Gateway (SP GW) / User Plane Function (UPF)

Operates in the user plane (which transports the user payload) and is responsible for managing packet routing between the external IP network which is typically the campus LAN. It also acts as policy enforcement entity. In 3GPP terminology this is known as the Serving and Packet Gateway (SP GW) in 4G EPC / User Plane Function (UPF) in 5G NGC.

Subscriber data management

Operates in the control plane, acting as a subscriber database supporting the network functions that handle the data session between the UE and the external IP network. It contains the user profile, including the services the UE is entitled to consume. It is a key participant in authentication and authorization of the UE and can provide information about the physical location of the UE. In 3GPP terminology this is known as a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) in 4G EPC / Unified Data Repository (UDR) in 5G NGC.

Policy control

Manages the QoS of the sessions based on the subscriber profile containing the services the UE can consume. In 3GPP terminology this is known as the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) in 4G EPC / Policy Control Function (PCF) in 5G NGC.

Right-size your private wireless network

Nokia DAC private wireless is available in small, medium and large capacity bundles, to meet the needs of a variety of data-speeds and user numbers.

Capacity bundle	Data transfer speed	Number of users	Number of radio licenses
NDAC Core small	0.5 Gbps	100 users	5 radio licenses
NDAC Core medium	Up to 10 Gbps	2000 users	50 radio licenses
NDAC Core large	Up to 100 Gbps	20000 users	200 radio licenses