O-RAN ALLIANCE has published a new set of 52 specifications for open and intelligent RAN, as the first batch of the O-RAN Release 003 specifications. Among them there are 12 new titles:
Another40 technical documents have been updated with extensions and new features.
A brief overview of all specifications in this set is provided below. To access the O-RAN specifications, please visit our website at www.o-ran.org/specifications.
4 specifications published since March 2022
This document describes O-RAN slicing related use cases, requirements and architecture. Along with requirements and a reference slicing architecture, slicing related impact to O-RAN functions and interfaces is also captured. This version includes updates to O-NSSI allocation and deallocation procedures to reflect O-Cloud developments. It also updates Annex B to capture the latest approach and the updated phases for Transport Network slicing aspects.
This document describes potential O-RAN use cases at a very high level, emphasizing how the use case is enabled by the O-RAN architecture along with basic input data expected and resultant actions. This particular version includes two new use cases, “Shared O-RU” and “Energy Saving”, as well as updates to QoE optimization use case based on RAN Analytics Information Exposure feature.
This document describes selected O-RAN use cases in detail to facilitate the definition of requirements and associated interfaces specs by related work groups. This version includes a new use case, “Local indoor positioning”, and updates QoE optimization use case based on RAN Analytics Information Exposure feature.
This new title captures the outcome of the Massive MIMO pre-normative phase, including the following:
8 specifications published since March 2022
This version includes load balancing related updates to RANSlice SLA assurance use case, and a set of three Massive MIMO Optimization use cases:
This version added descriptions for Service Management & Exposure services and functions, Data Management & Exposure services and functions, A1 related services and functions, O1 related services and functions, O2 related services and functions. Procedures for Data Management & Exposure, as well as A1 EI results collection from rApps, are also provided.
This version added descriptions and procedures for A1 policy management services, Query related procedures to O2 Infrastructure management service. The descriptions and procedures for Data Management and exposure services are updated as well.
This new title added use cases for Service management and exposure services, including rApp registration, Service registration, Discovery of services, and Subscription of Service availability.
This new title introduces the REST Protocol as part of R1 Services.
This version enhances alignment and consistency between A1-P and A1-EI Open APIs.
This version introduces a new policy type for Load balancing.
This version introduces A1-EI conformance test cases for Non-RT RIC and Near-RT RIC.
5 specifications published since March 2022
This version provides minor corrections and a clarification regarding the use of RIC services REPORT and INSERT.
This version provides minor corrections to the use of Global gNB ID and MAX limits, as well as clarifications regarding RIC Service Query, RIC Control Failure, and RIC Service Update Ack.
This version adds new parameters and additional testing conditions for the configuration of UE grouping, e.g. SINR, CQI, Packet Loss, QoS parameters, S-NSSAI, etc.
This version provides corrections/fixes in RAN Function definition, RAN Parameter table, enhancement of multiple actions for insert/control request, and Measurement Report Configuration.
This new title specifies test configurations and test cases for E2 interface testing including conformance testing of the Near- RT RIC over E2 interface, conformance testing of the E2 Nodes over E2 interface, and interoperability testing of Near-RT RIC and E2 Nodes over E2 interface.
4 specifications published since March 2022
Extensive clean-up of the entire document to align with ETSI/O-RAN drafting rules:
Clarifications on:
Corrections on:
Introduced new capabilities on:
Extensive language clean-up of the entire document to align with ETSI/O-RAN drafting rules:
Added security related enhancements for fronthaul.
Additional capabilities and formatting for Section Type 6.
Clarifications on:
Correction of slot definition.
Align to OFH spec versions CUS.0-v08.00 and MP.0-v08.00:
TLS conformance tests added to existing “Call Home” SSH-based tests,
Corrections to Mandatory or Conditional Mandatory status to facilitate TIFG certification:
Include 17 CRs submitted by both operators and vendors:
CR and text proposals and editorial updates
Correct M-Plane tests to use IPv6/TLS (VIA-0007)
Add M-Plane hybrid mode profile IPv6/TLS (VIA-0008)
4 specification published since March 2022
The scope of this spec is to further clarify (i.e. profile) the expected behavior for each RAN node, still within the scope of the 3GPP specifications. Examples include the usage of IEs for each use case, general behavior of each node, etc. It contains profiles of X2/F1/Xn C-Plane procedure for EN-DC use cases, NR-SA use cases, and NR-DC use cases.
This version adds the optional use of dual connectivity-based PDCP duplication to NR-DC use cases. It also contains a number of corrections.
The scope of this spec is to specify the interface that links O-DU to the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework. It is focused on O-DU management operations, performance counters, fault supervision, software management, synchronization management, and configuration parameters.
This version includes the following updates:
The scope of this spec is to specify interoperability tests for RAN Node from different vendors implemented in accordance to the X2/F1/Xn C-plane and U-plane profiles.
This version focuses on:
Additional updates include corrections, clarifications, and minor editorial corrections.
The scope of this spec is to specify the interface that links O-CU-CP and O-CU-UP to the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework. It is focused on O-CU management operations, performance counters, fault supervision, software management, and configuration parameters. This version includes the addition of O-CU Trace Management chapter, updates to PM counters to correctly refer to 3GPP PM counters, editorial updates, and alignment with latest O1 Interface spec.
11 specifications published since March 2022
This specification introduces and examines different scenarios and use cases for O-RAN deployments of Network Functionality into Cloud Platforms, O-RAN Cloudified NFs and O-RAN Physical NFs. The new version introduces synchronization updates and definition of the O-Cloud Gateway, in conjunction with the Network Slicing support.
This specification outlines the infrastructure management services of the O2 interface. This version introduces fault information model and services, and extensions to infrastructure service objects.
This is a new title that specifies the deployment management services of the O2dms interface profile based on Kubernetes Native API for containerized NFs. This initial version introduces support for instantiation and termination.
This is a new title that specifies the deployment management services of the O2dms interface profile based on ETSI NFV protocol and data models. This initial version introduces support for instantiation, termination, and query.
This document describes a REST API that allows Event Consumers (EC) such as a vO-DU or CNF to subscribe to events/status from the O-Cloud. This version provides clarifications and corrections for synchronization.
This version includes substantial updates to introduce a framework and architecture for common AAL APIs against the cloud management layer (AALi-C-Mgmt) as well as the AAL application (AALi-C-App). These common APIs are used to manage the lifecycle of the accelerator and its profiles by the cloud and the AAL application. This version also includes a new AAL profile for offloading precoding/beam-forming calculations by the AAL application.
This is a new title that defines the architecture and specifications for the AAL common API which is to be used by all AAL acceleration profiles. The AAL Common API provides management capabilities towards the cloud platform for managing the accelerator, provides lifecycle management capabilities for allocating and deallocation accelerator resources, and fault and performance service assurance functions. It also defines an application API to enable the AAL application to instantiate and configure AAL profiles allocated from the accelerator as well as a transport abstraction to allow the application to invoke the accelerator’s capabilities in a vendor neutral manner. This version of the specification focusses on architecture and stage 2 aspects.
This version completes the FEC acceleration profile by including a stage 3 application API specification header file that is hosted in a O-RAN OSC repo to enable use by open source communities under a BSD license.
This version completes the stage 2 specification through addition of UL and DL configuration parameters. It is extended to support offload of beam-forming computation by the AAL application to deliver advanced UE pairing capabilities for MU-MIMO. Moreover, it also defines stage 2 aspects of the Hi-PHY profile.
This is a new AAL acceleration profile to allow an AAL DU application to offload computation of precoding and beam-forming weights for MU-MIMO to an accelerator. This version of the specification includes stage 2 aspects of the MU-MIMO BF/Precoder profile.
This specification defines different use cases for O-RAN orchestration and cloudification of virtualized RAN functions, and associated requirements on the interfaces used for management and orchestration such as the O2 interface. The new version adds several new use cases, including Network Slice Creation and Deletion, K8s Cluster Creation, as well as additional Performance Monitoring and Fault Management use cases.
1 specification published since March 2022
This new title introduces the O-RAN Hardware Reference Design for outdoor Macrocell FR1 with Split Architecture Option 7-2 (V1). It describes one white box example for outdoor deployments. Complete reference designs for O-CU, O-DU7-2, and O-RU7-2 are provided.
2 specifications published since March 2022
This version adds support of 3GPP Release 16 based massive MIMO and O-RAN optimization of mMIMO feature, in alignment with MVP feature definition. Other minor corrections and API updates are also included.
This version adds test cases related to RAN slicing configuration and slicing functionalities, O1 configuration, and Inter-O-DU handover.
2 specifications published since March 2022
The document is intended to describe best practices for O-RAN transport based on end-to-end packet switching technology. It delivers updates related to RAN Slicing Phase 2 feature plan in Annex F.
This document provides best practices for O-RAN Transport Network Element (TNE) management interfaces. Generic requirements are given in section 6 and 7 for these interfaces, and then, informative content on device, network and service interfaces are included in section 8 and 9. Section 9 presents controller architectures and management interfaces for RAN Slicing Phase 2.
3 specifications published since March 2022
This version adds an Alarm Dictionary section to the Architecture Principles, adds some clarifications to the description of the O-RU management via M-Plane, and updates terminology for the Common App LCM Application Package Model.
This version of O1 specification incorporates the following approved CRs:
This document also includes the following content:
This version includes:
Effective on June 23, 2022 O-RAN has converted the former Security Focus Group (SFG) into O-RAN’s 11th technical Work Group to allow even more intensive specification effort in the field of security.
6 specifications published since March 2022
This new title provides a security analysis for the Non-RT RIC Framework, rApps, R1 interface and A1 interface. Twenty-six threats were identified through the threat modeling process. The risk assessment process addressed the likelihood of attack and impact to confidentiality, integrity, availability, and authenticity. Likelihood scores considered internal and external threats consistent with a zero trust architecture. Recommended security controls are provided to mitigate each identified threat.
The technical report on the security analysis of O-Cloud published during the march train analyzes the following topics:
This new title covers the security aspects of the Near-RT RIC platform and xApps, as well as the associated network and management interfaces (E2, A1, O1) and APIs. The initial version discusses 11 key issues, each covering a particular problem area, and provides 13 solutions, each of which proposes changes to existing document such as the security requirements specification and the security protocols specification, but also specifications maintained by WG3. It also provides a mapping table explaining which solutions would solve which key issues.
This version features specification covering three key updates – a) security for the Open Fronthaul interface covering C-plane, U-plane, S-plane and M-plane, b) security for Near-RT RIC xAPPs and APIs, and c) optional support for Open FH Point to Point LAN security using 802.1x. This version introduces authentication and authorization requirements and security controls for APIs and xAPPs in the Near-RT RIC platform. It also features security requirements for authenticating and validating xAPP images during onboarding.
This version introduces Likelihood assessment of the identified threats from the threat model and remediation analysis, and updates technical specification with threats and risk analysis for Near-RT RIC and Non-RT RIC assets, threats, risks, and security controls.
This version introduces test cases for the following features: Point-2-Point LAN Segment, SBOM, Network Protocol Fuzzing, and O1 Interface Network Configuration Access Control Model (NACM) Validation.
2 specifications published since March 2022
This version of the document includes the following approved CRs:
This version also includes the following changes:
This version adds chapter 9, RIC-enabled use case test - Traffic Steering connected mode
Chih-Lin I and
Sachin Katti
