MD-NAF - Massively Decentralized Network Automation Framework

Network Infrastructure Control and Management (C&M) systems, vital for managing 5G/6G and beyond infrastructures, rely on centralized entities like Network Function Virtualization (NFV) orchestrators or Software Defined Network (SDN) controllers for managing, monitoring, and reconfiguring complex infrastructures and networks. These systems face challenges such as managing large data models and maintaining service during failures.

Recent advancements propose microservices-based C&M systems, like the ETSI TeraFlowSDN controller and the ETSI OpenSourceMANO NFV orchestrator, enabling dynamic replication for handling load spikes, failures, and allowing zero-downtime upgrades. These systems integrate into Network Automation Frameworks (NAFs), which consolidate functionalities and incorporate telemetry and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for improved automated control.

The Massively Decentralized NAF (MD-NAF) represents a significant evolution, distributing NAF architecture across multiple network locations to ensure resilience, scalability, and efficiency. MD-NAF addresses challenges such as data replication, architectural deployment, negotiation protocols between instances, and disaster recovery optimization. The introduction of MD-NAF could significantly impact the Network Automation market, anticipated to reach $30BN by 2028. The goal is to advance this technology from TRL-2 to TRL-3 within two years, demonstrating its viability through a lab proof-of-concept. This development, alongside securing a product owner and patenting the technology, aims to position it for licensing agreements with global network providers, potentially accelerating innovation cycles in the telecom industry.