We are pleased to share that our paper “Energy Efficiency Testing and Power Modeling of O-RAN Radio Units” has been accepted for presentation at the IEEE Future Networks World Forum 2025, taking place in Bangalore, India (November 10–12, 2025).
The paper is co-authored by Sarat Puthenpura and Alexandru Stancu (Open Networking Foundation/Aether), Zhuohuan Li, Prasanthi Maddala, N.K. Shankaranarayanan, and Ivan Seskar (Rutgers WINLAB), and Christian Nunez Alvarez and Gregg Albrecht (Keysight Technologies).
Supported by the NTIA Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, this work addresses one of the most critical challenges in both current and future generation wireless networks: energy efficiency. O-RAN Radio Units (O-RUs) are among the biggest energy consumers in mobile networks, and understanding their power consumption is a critical first step towards making 5G and NextG systems more sustainable.
The team developed a multi-vendor measurement/testing platform and validated power models that reveal how O-RUs behave under different conditions. These insights will help guide the design of energy-saving features in O-RUs and AI-driven Radio Access Network optimizations, ensuring that open and disaggregated networks evolve in a way that is both innovative and environmentally responsible.
This work highlights the power of cross-industry collaboration, bringing together open networking, open source, academic research, and measurement expertise, to build a more sustainable future for global connectivity. Further results in this line of research will be released soon.
This Aether community member profile features Andy Bavier who is based in Tucson, Arizona.
Andy has been involved with Aether since its inception in 2020 and served for several years on the Aether Technical Steering Committee as a member of the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) technical team. He contributed to the Monitoring and Alert infrastructure that is an integral part of the Aether Management Plane (AMP). He created multiple dashboards to simplify monitoring of various attributes of Aether, including resource health and subscriber activity.
Andy created “Aether-in-a-Box” (AiaB), a software tool that enabled developers and researchers to easily setup and deploy Aether’s SD-Core and Runtime Operational Components (ROC) for testing, validation and experimentation on a local machine. It offered a self-contained, simplified way to set up a private 4G/5G network with tools to manage and validate the network, enabling users to test network slices, application integration, and other core Aether features without requiring large-scale infrastructure. AiaB was also leveraged to build the Aether CI pipeline to run E2E integration tests and ensure the quality of Aether releases. AiaB inspired Aether OnRamp, which is the currently recommended method for deploying Aether.
Andy collaborated on the Pronto Project, a DARPA-funded project focused on building and testing new types of programmable and flexible 4G/5G networks to improve security and performance. The project was led by the ONF and included researchers at Stanford, Cornell, and Princeton universities. As part of this effort, he maintained a centrally-managed Aether at several of the universities for use in project research. He also supported researchers’ experiments to demonstrate and evaluate novel applications using Aether.
With other members of the Aether community (Larry Peterson, Scott Baker, Zack Williams), he co-authored a book based on hands-on experiences operating Aether and Pronto networks: Edge Cloud Operations: A Systems Approach. Andy was a key contributor to Intel’s open-source Edge Manageability Framework, a secure platform for delivering scalable edge solutions that aligns with the principles described in the Edge Cloud Operations book.
“Being a member of the Aether community has been a very rewarding experience. My contributions have centered around “operationalizing” Aether so that it was easy to deploy, configure, and monitor. As a result I have been fortunate to collaborate with many remarkable colleagues, including engineers managing their own Aether deployments, and researchers working to extend Aether with new capabilities. I am proud of the project that we have built together and excited to see it being adopted by companies around the world.” – Andy Bavier
Andy received a B.A. in Philosophy from the College of William and Mary in 1990, a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Arizona in 1995, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University in 2004.
He worked as a Research Scientist at the University of Arizona from 1996 – 1998, contributing to the Scout OS, a research OS for network appliances. From 2004 – 2017, he was a Research Scholar at Princeton University, where he built and operated distributed testbeds (PlanetLab, VINI, VICCI, GENI) supporting research in distributed systems and networking. From 2015 – 2022 Andy served as a member of the technical staff at ON.Lab / ONF, where he worked on integrating edge clouds with telecommunication technologies in the CORD, SEBA, VOLTHA, and Aether projects. He joined the Ananki ONF spin out that was formed to commercialize Aether. After Intel acquired Ananki in 2022, he worked as a Cloud Software Development Engineer at Intel on the Edge Management Framework project. Andy left Intel earlier this year and is taking time off to plan his next chapter.
Some of the publications to which Andy has contributed include:
Andy was born in Providence, Rhode Island. In his free time he enjoys hikes in the Arizona desert, playing guitar with friends, cooking, reading, and drinking good quality coffee and craft beer.
This Aether community member profile features Scott Baker. Scott is a Principal Engineer, Cloud Software Architecture at Intel and is based in Oregon.
Scott was a leader in operating the production Open Networking Foundation (ONF) Aether network which hosted edge sites at multiple universities, commercial organizations, test clusters, etc. He also contributed to the development of the Runtime Operational Controller (ROC), a component for managing Aether connectivity services. He even had an active “Aether At Home” edge site with an eNodeB bolted to the ceiling of his home office where he deployed a couple of test edge nodes using raspberry pi devices together with cellular USB dongles. These “Aether At Home” installations were deployed by several team members during the Covid pandemic, when the ONF office was not available, and it was still useful to gain experience with network operation.
His experience gained with Aether and the technological approaches developed for Aether influenced Scott’s next project, the Edge Manageability Framework. For example, Aether contributed useful open source libraries related to logging, support for Kubernetes operators, etc. Aether exemplifies a strong philosophy of data model drive design that emphasizes getting the data model right, followed by implementation. The configuration systems used in the ROC, including µONOS, are novel and excellent examples of how to develop a data model and push that configuration via adapters to multiple southbound technologies.
“My involvement as a member of the Aether community has been a wonderful learning and personal growth experience. It was amazing to see the project successfully transition from internal development to something supported and utilized by an active community.” – Scott Baker
Scott holds a PhD from the University of Arizona. He was an independent consultant for many years before joining the Open Network Laboratory which eventually evolved into the ONF. While at ONF he had the opportunity to work on many of the organization’s projects including the XOS operating system Central Office Rearchitected as Datacenter (CORD), Software Enabled Broadband Access (SEBA), and Virtual OLT Hardware Abstraction (VOLTHA). He was recognized by the community with a SEBA/VOLTHA Contributor Award in 2020.
Scott was born in the midwest United States. He moved to Tucson, Arizona at an early age where he spent many years, including his attendance at the University of Arizona. Eventually he moved out of the desert to the pacific northwest for a chance of scenary..In his free time, he enjoys walking an hour each day before work, enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Oregon – rain or shine.
This Aether community member profile features Woojoong Kim. Woojoong is a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft in Mountain View, California.
Woojoong has been actively contributing to the Aether project since it began in 2020. He has been engaged in multiple sub-projects related to Aether including the Aether 4G/5G platform, SD-RAN and Project Pronto.
Some of his significant contributions in building elements of Aether included the integration of COMAC and M-CORD into the Aether platform, e.g., deploying core network functions, RAN functions, and edge applications.
Woojoong contributed to Project Pronto, a DARPA-funded project focused on building and testing new types of programmable and flexible 4G/5G networks to improve security and performance. The project was led by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and included researchers at Stanford, Cornell, and Princeton universities. As part of this effort, he worked as part of a team on the successful development and demonstration of a private secure 4G/5G network for an autonomous drone flight, including integration of essential software and hardware components such as ground control software, motion capture software, and dozens of cameras for motion capture. Also as part of Pronto he integrated commercial and open source RAN devices with the Aether 4G/5G platform as well as researched and developed RAN control software for Aether.
Woojoong is currently a member of the Aether TST where he is focused on leading the SD-RAN engineering team. He has been involved in the SD-RAN project since its inception including all the SD-RAN releases and live demonstrations (i.e. Deutsche Telekom trial, OCP Global Summit demo). He led design and development of many new features incorporated into SD-RAN, including: the SD-RAN Near-RT RIC; an SD-RAN platform automation tool; an E2 interface and various SON and RRM applications (called xApps in O-RAN architecture) such as KPIMON, closed-loop RAN device parameter configuration, A3 handover, load balancing, RAN-slicing, etc.; an A1 interface to assign policies to the SD-RAN controller; research and development of a concept for RAN slicing; integration of SD-RAN with XOS orchestration platform to provide management of the entire SD-RAN controller; and integration of SD-RAN with the observability stack to visualize SD-RAN RIC metrics.
At Microsoft, Woojoong currently works on Azure Local / Operator Nexus, projects related to edge/hybrid cloud + 5G network. While work on Aether is not part of his work at Microsoft, he remains interested in continuing its evolution and contributes to the Aether project outside of work using his personal time.
“Over the past five years, my involvement with the Aether community has been a deeply rewarding and impactful experience that has significantly shaped my career in cloud-native mobile networking. From 2020 onward, I contributed to the Aether project as a core committer, technical steering team member, and SD-RAN engineering lead. My work spanned across design, development, and operations of Aether as a fully open-source, cloud-native 4G/5G private network platform. Through Aether, I have collaborated with an exceptional open source community, industry leaders, and academic institutions. It has been a platform where cutting-edge ideas on 5G, edge computing, and cloud-native orchestration have been translated into working systems. I’m proud to have helped move the vision of open, programmable private networks closer to reality.” – Woojoong Kim
Woojoong Kim received his B.S. degree in Computer Engineering from Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea, in 2012, and earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea, in 2019. His doctoral research focused on scalable and elastic control plane architectures for large-scale software-defined networking (SDN) environments.
From 2008 to 2010, Woojoong served as a software engineer at the Central Computing Center of the Republic of Korea Air Force as part of his mandatory military service. During this time, he was responsible for developing and maintaining a Single Sign-On (SSO) system for the Air Force intranet, contributing to secure and centralized access management across the defense network.
From 2017 to 2018, he worked at the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) as a research scholar, where he contributed to the Mobile-CORD (M-CORD) project—an open, cloud-native platform to support 4G/LTE mobile networks. His work there laid the foundation for his long-term engagement with next-generation mobile infrastructure. From 2019 to 2022, he continued at ONF as a Member of Technical Staff. During this period, he played a pivotal role in the development of several flagship open-source platforms including Aether (a private 4G/5G edge-cloud platform), Pronto (a DARPA-funded secure 5G infrastructure project), and SD-RAN (a cloud-native RAN control framework aligned with O-RAN). His work spanned system architecture, control plane design, orchestration, and field deployments.
Between 2022 and 2025, Woojoong worked as a Cloud Software Development Engineer at Intel, focusing on the design and development of a Kubernetes-based Intel edge cloud platform. His contributions included building containerized VM infrastructure (e.g., KubeVirt), edge orchestration services, and multi-tenant Kubernetes controllers for complex edge computing use cases.
In early 2025, he briefly joined Pure Storage as a Member of Technical Staff, where he worked on design and development efforts on a Kubernetes-based edge platform, including KubeVirt VM migration pipelines, hybrid hypervisor integration, and automated control of virtualized workloads.
Since April 2025, Woojoong has been a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft, where he is engaged in research and development efforts on Azure Local and Operator Nexus—projects aimed at enhancing 5G and edge orchestration capabilities within the Azure ecosystem.
His core research and technical interests lie in SDN, NFV, cloud-native orchestration, wireless and mobile networking, and AI/ML-driven network management. He has authored more than 10 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers as first and corresponding author, and holds multiple patents in cloud computing and wireless network technologies.
In parallel with his industry work, Woojoong remains actively engaged with the academic and research community. He is a member of IEEE and ACM, and has served as a Technical Program Committee (TPC) member and TPC Chair for multiple conferences and workshops, including the ACM MobiSys Workshop on Networked AI Systems (NetAISys) in 2024 and 2025. As a peer reviewer, he has reviewed dozens of papers for top-tier journals.
Woojoong was born in Seoul, South Korea. In his free time, he spends most of his time with his wife and six-year-old son. They enjoy visiting the San Francisco, South San Jose area and Monterey. During the summer they typically visit his family in Seoul, South Korea where Woojoong was born, and Coronado Island near San Diego, California where his wife’s family lives. He loves to watch and play baseball and golf with his son. In the winter season, he and his family enjoy visiting the Lake Tahoe area to play in the snow.
Check out an insightful article by Aether TST member, Ajay Lotan Thakur, published in the IEEE Canadian Review.
It focuses on the increasing demand for power in today’s telecom networks and the critical challenges and opportunities in reducing energy consumption and minimizing carbon footprint. A case study on Aether, an open source 5G platform, and the Aether Sustainable Mobile and RAN Transformation 5G (SMaRT-5G) project, is an example of exciting advancements being developed and demonstrable today that address the essential telecom energy efficiency need.
This Aether community member profile features Ajay Lotan Thakur. Ajay is a Cloud Software Architect at Intel Corporation and is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ajay has been an active contributing member of the Aether community since its beginning in 2020. From its inception he has been deeply involved in shaping the technical direction and architecture of the Aether platform, with a focus on the advancement of Aether’s 5G SD-Core.
One of his most significant contributions was in delivery of a robust, scalable, and API-driven open-source 5G SD-Core project. This core is a foundational component of Aether, enabling reliable deployments and serving as a reference implementation for many in the broader open source and telecom communities. He also led the architecture and development of gNBSim, a unique and powerful gNodeB simulator. This tool fills a critical gap in the open source ecosystem by allowing users to simulate RAN behavior without requiring physical hardware. It has proven invaluable not only for Aether users but also for researchers, developers, and operators working on 5G networks globally.
Ajay also architected and implemented several major features, including the metrics architecture, which provides deep observability into the system’s performance and health. These architectural designs have been widely adopted as reference models by newcomers and other contributors in the community.
Within Intel, Aether has been a key component in several strategic initiatives. Most notably, successful demonstration of Aether on Intel’s edge platform as part of the conclusion of the DARPA-funded Project Pronto. This demonstration showcased Aether’s capabilities in delivering programmable, cloud-native 5G infrastructure at the edge. Following the initial success, Intel Labs has continued to work on multiple phases and extensions of Project Pronto which I have provided technical consultation. to the Intel Labs team—particularly to Gabriel and Christian, with Gabriel also serving as a member of the Aether Technical Steering Team (TST). My involvement has helped ensure that Aether’s integration into these research efforts remains aligned with its architectural principles and performance goals.
In parallel, Ajay has been collaborating with Purdue University on research initiatives conducted in partnership with Intel Labs. This collaboration offered him the opportunity to mentor PhD students working on Aether-related projects. Together, they explored ways to enhance Aether’s scalability and gain deeper insights into its performance characteristics under various deployment scenarios. These efforts led to feeding back improvements to Aether as well as contributions to advance the broader research community’s understanding of open source 5G systems.
“I feel truly fortunate to be part of the Aether community. Over the years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with researchers and students from around the world, as well as work closely with startups such as Kajeet and Monogoto, and companies like GS Lab \ GAVS, who have adopted and integrated Aether into their solutions. Being part of this open source ecosystem has been an inspiring experience. It offers rare opportunities for global collaboration, innovation, and real-world impact. These experiences are truly unique and not easily found elsewhere. I am deeply grateful to the Aether community for welcoming me and allowing me to contribute to the project’s growth and evolution.” – Ajay Thakur
Ajay began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from SVPM’s Engineering College, Malegaon (BK), affiliated with Pune University. From his early college days, he was deeply curious about computers and programming, and was fortunate to have access to an excellent infrastructure that allowed him to explore and nurture this interest. He later pursued a Master’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Professionally, Ajay has spent most of his career in the datacom and telecom industries, in architect and technical leadership roles. His work has focused on open source technologies, distributed systems, and cloud-native platforms, including next-generation mobile networks such as 5G.
Ajay is a Senior Member of IEEE and a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS), where he actively mentors new members and contributes to professional development. As part of his IEEE contributions he serves as a Technical Program Committee (TPC) member and program committee member for multiple research conferences where he reviews papers in the areas of distributed systems, networking, and AI/ML, helping to shape the direction of emerging research in these fields.
Beyond his industry and academic contributions, Ajay has authored multiple technical articles for online platforms and serves as an editorial team member for the IEEE ComSoc TechBlog. His research includes papers on User Plane design using P4 and the architecture of Aether/SD-Core, focusing on performance, scalability, and programmability in modern mobile networks. These contributions have helped advance the understanding and adoption of open-source 5G core technologies.
Ajay was born in a village called Dondaicha, located in the Dhule district in the northern part of Maharashtra, India and spent most of his childhood in Pune, a city renowned for its rich educational heritage and vibrant academic environment. Growing up in Pune provided access to excellent learning opportunities that helped shape his early interest in technology and engineering.
In his free time, Ajay enjoys spending quality time with his daughter and wife. They often explore hidden trails across the Greater Toronto Area, discovering new paths and experiencing nature together. During the winter months, he takes his daughter out for snow activities and ice skating. He and his family enjoy visiting local libraries, where they spend time reading, checking out new topics, and encouraging curiosity and learning as a family. These visits offer them a way to unwind, discover new ideas, and stay connected with the community. Whether it’s hiking, skating, or browsing bookshelves, Ajay values these family experiences and the balance they bring.
This is the tenth and final blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
A well-defined roadmap is essential for ensuring the long-term development, sustainability, and alignment with industry trends in open-source projects. For Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controllers (Near-RT RICs) in Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) environments, an evolving roadmap reflects planned enhancements in performance, interoperability, security and compliance with O-RAN standards.
This blog post focuses on the development trajectory of Aether SD-RAN, a cloud-native Near-RT RIC implementation hosted by the Linux Foundation. The roadmap highlights upcoming innovations in scalability, automation, and AI integration. Insights are based on Section 3.6 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For a broader view across multiple frameworks, the full report offers additional context.
Why a Roadmap Matters
A strong roadmap provides:
A vision for ongoing improvements, ensuring adaptability to new technologies and network requirements.
Commitment to O-RAN standardization, ensuring compliance with evolving specifications.
Stability for adopters, helping network operators and vendors plan long-term deployments.
Clear development priorities, directing community contributions and resource allocation.
Aether SD-RAN: Roadmap Highlights for 2025 and Community Goals
Aether SD-RAN is evolving toward a highly modular, AI-enhanced, and fully cloud-native Near-RT RIC. Its roadmap outlines a vision that bridges telecom-grade needs with cloud-native agility. Key goals include:
Near-Term Goals
Enhanced cloud-native capabilities: Continued refinement of Kubernetes-native orchestration for scalable deployments, improving automation and multi-site rollout.
Integration with ONAP and cloud automation frameworks: Extending support for dynamic service lifecycle management across hybrid infrastructures.
Expanded E2 and A1 interface functionalities: Improving adaptability for dynamic RAN policies and operator-defined automation workflows.
Long-Term Vision
Scalable, modular Near-RT RIC with AI-driven optimizations: Incorporating analytics and policy-based intelligence to support autonomous RAN behavior.
Strengthened interoperability with telecom and cloud vendors: Ensuring seamless integration in multi-vendor and multi-domain deployments.
Streamlined xApp onboarding and deployment: Simplifying the development, packaging, and lifecycle management of custom and third-party xApps.
Community and Engineering Goals
In addition to its technical roadmap, the SD-RAN community has set a number of engineering and research goals that are ongoing:
Aligning with the latest O-RAN specifications – since the O-RAN specifications are continuously evolving, it is important to stay up to date
Stabilize and refactor core components, including the E2 interface, A1 interface (A1-DM), and key-value database (considering alternatives to Atomix).
Advance integration with other O-RAN stacks, such as O-RAN SC and OAI.
Expand community engagement, including collaboration with Intel Labs, Rimedo Labs, universities, and new contributors.
Engineer and deliver key features:
Scalable RAN simulator and RC service model integration.
Support for 4G/5G OAI RAN, KPM, RAN slicing, and SMART-5G.
Enhanced observability (fixing the SD-RAN exporter) and SMO integration.
Onboarding new AI/LLM-driven use cases, aligned with emerging O-RAN scenarios.
Improve CI/CD pipelines and image/chart publication
Fix SD-RAN observability stack
Brainstorm SMART-5G and new research topics with the community
Complete new SD-RAN API and E2 interface design
Q3:
Fix E2SM to work with other O-RAN stacks
Integrate O1 (NETCONF)
Update A1 interface version integration
Complete Phase 1 of SMO integration
Complete initial version of scalable RAN Simulator
Complete design of new AI/LLM research topic
Q4 (SD-RAN 1.6 release):
Finalize AI/LLM use case
Complete OAI 5G RAN Slicing
Complete SMO integration
Release SD-RAN 1.6
Publish 1–2 research deliverables
These goals reinforce Aether SD-RAN’s position as a forward-looking, telecom-cloud converged platform aligned with operator and research community requirements.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN’s roadmap reflects a strategic commitment to delivering a cloud-native, AI-augmented, and open Near-RT RIC architecture. As O-RAN ecosystems evolve, the roadmap ensures Aether SD-RAN remains flexible and adaptable to new requirements, industry partnerships, and use cases.
NgKore is an open-source community led by a group of passionate researchers, engineers, and professionals working to advance the future of 5G Advanced and 6G technologies. Our work spans a wide range of focus areas, including O-RAN, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), AI/ML integration, Post-Quantum Cryptography adoption, blockchain integration, and cloud-native telecom infrastructure.
At the heart of NgKore is a commitment to openness and interoperability. We actively contribute to replacing proprietary hardware and closed systems with open-source software, enabling vendors, operators, and developers to innovate without being locked into specific solutions. Our team shares complete end-to-end deployment guides, technical insights, and demonstration videos to help others build and scale open telecom systems.
Our Journey with the Aether/SD-Core Community
NgKore’s engagement with open-source 5G began through practical experimentation with platforms such as Magma, Open5GS, Free5GC, and OpenAirInterface (OAI). As our research progressed, we evaluated a range of 5G core implementations for their real-world applicability, scalability, and cloud-native design. Among them, Aether/SD-Core emerged as the most production-ready platform—offering advanced features like Network Slicing, DPDK-SR-IOV and CNDP integration, and Dynamic Scaling capabilities.
Following extensive lab testing, we adopted Aether SD-Core as the foundation for several of our advanced R&D workflows. We integrated it with real radios, COTS UEs, and O-RAN components, validating its robustness in complex, large-scale deployment scenarios. These efforts were documented and shared through a series of technical demonstrations and walkthroughs, including:
We successfully integrated Aether SD-Core with open-source RAN solutions such as OAI and SRSRAN, and tested it with commercial O-RUs from LiteON, Benetel, and Accton, alongside various COTS UEs. Additionally, we performed extensive testing with simulators like UERANSIM and gNBsim, and used PacketRusher to simulate thousands of UEs – benchmarking system performance under high-load and failure conditions.
Leveraging Charmed SD-Core, we achieved user plane scaling through Canonical’s Juju charms. Our team is now actively working on control plane scaling, aiming to build a fully elastic and cloud-native 5G core. We have also validated UPF operation in both AF_PACKET and DPDK with SR-IOV modes.
As part of our continued contribution, we proposed our open-source projectHEXAeBPF to the LFN 5G Super Blueprint. HEXAeBPF is an interoperable eBPF-defined 5G Core (eDC) Kubernetes operator that enables seamless integration between multiple eBPF-based UPFs (such as eUPF, OAI-UPF-eBPF, BPF-UPF) and open-source 5G core solutions including Aether SD-Core.
Future Work
Looking ahead, we are expanding our focus on cryptographic resilience in telecom systems. We have implemented Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) over Aether/SD-Core—specifically on the SBI and other 3GPP-defined interfaces—and proposed this work under our open-source projectQORE to the LF Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA). This effort supports the growing need for quantum-safe, future-ready telecom infrastructure.
About NgKore
NgKore Infrastructure and Funding
NgKore is a non-profit research community founded by university researchers and engineers, sustained entirely through self-funded, bootstrapped efforts. Our progress is made possible through strong collaborations with academic institutions and industry partners, who support us with access to advanced testing infrastructure and resources.
Collaboration and Community Engagement
At NgKore, we believe that open innovation thrives through collaboration. Our community actively engages with global open-source foundations and research alliances to co-develop the future of telecom and network infrastructure. As members or associate members of leading open-source and standards organizations—including the Magma Foundation, OpenAirInterface (OAI), LF Connectivity, Open Infrastructure Foundation (OIF), TARS Foundation, NextArch Foundation, and the PKI Consortium—we maintain strong ties with the global open networking community. In addition, we are actively associated with initiatives such as the LFN Super Blueprint (SBP), Hyperledger, LF Decentralized Trust (LFDT), Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA), O-RAN Software Community (OSC), Nephio, L3AF, OpenSSL Foundation and OpenSSL Corporation. We also collaborate closely with industry partners to ensure our work remains grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities.
Through these collaborations, we share technical knowledge, contribute code, participate in working groups, and support broader efforts to create secure, scalable, and future-ready network solutions. Our involvement extends beyond code—we advocate for openness, diversity, and community-driven progress across the open-source ecosystem.
Over the years, NgKore has hosted and participated in numerous technical events, talks, and meetups to support open-source education and collaboration. Notable engagements include:
Our primary research facility, the 6G Research Lab, is based at the University of Delhi and serves as a hub for experimentation in 5G Advanced, 6G, and edge technologies. The lab houses a mix of COTS and high-performance servers, more than 14 radios (including SDRs and commercial O-RUs), multiple COTS UEs, PTP switches, GNSS receivers, high-speed NICs, and hardware accelerators.
In addition to core telecom infrastructure, the lab supports experimentation across emerging verticals with AR/VR/XR headsets, drones, HoloLens, robotics, and IoT devices. This enables us to validate open-source solutions in realistic, high-impact scenarios—from immersive communication and industrial automation to autonomous systems and intelligent networking.
This is the ninth blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
The quality and robustness of code are critical factors in assessing the maturity of an open-source Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC). Clean, well-structured, and thoroughly tested code contributes to system stability, ease of maintenance, and long-term sustainability.
This blog post explores the code quality and robustness of Aether SD-RAN, an open-source Near-RT RIC developed with a focus on modular design, cloud-native practices, and scalable performance. The insights presented here are based on Sections 5.5.6 and 6 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For readers seeking comparisons across multiple Near-RT RIC implementations, the full report offers additional context.
Why Code Quality and Robustness Matter in Near-RT RICs
A Near-RT RIC with high-quality code ensures:
Reliability: Fewer bugs, fewer crashes, and predictable performance under load.
Maintainability: Easier updates, debugging, and long-term support.
Performance: Optimized execution efficiency, reducing overhead and latency.
Security: Reduced vulnerabilities through best coding practices and rigorous testing.
Let’s take a closer look at how Aether SD-RAN addresses each of these key areas.
Well-defined Architecture and Modular Design
Aether SD-RAN is built on a microservices-based, cloud-native architecture. This modular design:
Separates responsibilities across well-defined components.
Makes it easier to develop, test, and deploy features independently.
Supports scalability and maintainability in complex network environments.
This architecture allows for rapid iteration and high resilience in distributed deployments.
Comprehensive Documentation and Developer Onboarding
Aether SD-RAN offers structured, accessible and simple to follow documentation, making it easier for new developers to:
Understand system components and interactions.
Follow onboarding workflows and development guidelines.
Work efficiently within Kubernetes-based environments.
The emphasis on documentation contributes to smoother and accelerated development, collaboration and faster adoption.
Testing and Continuous Integration
To ensure reliability and code quality, Aether SD-RAN incorporates:
Automated testing frameworks for unit and integration tests.
CI/CD pipelines for consistent validation of code revisions.
Integration with cloud-native toolchains to support scalable test automation.
This modern approach helps detect regressions early and keeps the codebase updated and production-ready.
Performance Optimization and Resource Efficiency
Performance is a critical consideration for any Near-RT RIC. Aether SD-RAN is:
Designed for efficient resource utilization, reducing memory and CPU overhead.
Optimized to maintain low latency under varying traffic conditions.
Well-suited for deployment in both centralized and edge environments.
These optimizations enable the platform to handle real-time demands with confidence.
Security Best Practices and Code Hardening
Security is a core part of Aether SD-RAN’s design. The platform includes:
Encrypted communication between microservices using gRPC with TLS.
Role-based access controls and Kubernetes-native policy enforcement.
Secure defaults and proactive code reviews to minimize vulnerabilities.
These practices ensure the platform meets enterprise-grade security expectations.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN demonstrates a strong commitment to code quality and robustness through its modular architecture, testing automation, optimized performance, and secure design. These attributes contribute to a platform that is both reliable and production-ready for modern O-RAN environments. For organizations seeking a scalable and secure Near-RT RIC with a strong development foundation, Aether SD-RAN presents a compelling option.
This is the eighth blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
Open source licensing is an important factor when selecting a Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) for Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) deployments. Licensing governs how the software can be used, modified, and redistributed, impacting compliance, commercial adoption, and ecosystem collaboration.
This blog post focuses on the licensing policies of Aether SD-RAN, an open-source Near-RT RIC framework governed by a permissive license that enables flexibility and encourages innovation. Insights are drawn from Section 3.3 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For a broader comparison across multiple Near-RT RIC implementations, the full report offers additional context.
Why Licensing Matters in Near-RT RIC
A Near-RT RIC’s license affects:
Commercial Adoption: Whether the software can be used in proprietary products.
Code Modifications: How code contributions and extensions are governed.
Compliance with Open Source Policies: Ensuring consistency with enterprise and legal requirements.
Collaboration and Ecosystem Growth: The ease with which diverse stakeholders can contribute and integrate the software.
Let’s examine how Aether SD-RAN addresses these aspects through its licensing.
Aether SD-RAN: Apache 2.0 Licensing Benefits
Aether SD-RAN is released under the Apache License 2.0, a permissive open source license that provides wide latitude for use and customization. This licensing model brings several important advantages:
1. Commercial Adoption Flexibility
Organizations can integrate Aether SD-RAN into proprietary or commercial solutions without the obligation to open source derivative works. This encourages:
Broader industry participation.
Customization to closely with operator needs.
Integration into vendor-specific platforms and offerings.
2. Freedom to Modify and Extend
Under the Apache 2.0 license, developers are free to:
Modify the codebase for their own use cases.
Build new functionality without needing to contribute changes back (though contributions are welcomed).
Choose their own licensing model for derivative works.
This freedom promotes innovation while respecting organizational IP strategies.
3. Open Collaboration Without Barriers
The license allows for low-friction collaboration among stakeholders, including:
Network operators
Cloud service providers
Academic institutions
Research labs and system integrators
With no copyright restrictions, contributions can be made openly or privately, enabling a balance between community and commercial interests.
4. Compatibility with Cloud-Native and Enterprise Policies
Apache 2.0 is widely accepted by legal and compliance teams across industries, which:
Reduces adoption barriers in regulated sectors.
Simplifies integration into CI/CD pipelines and enterprise DevOps environments.
Aligns with modern cloud-native and software-defined infrastructure philosophies.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN’s use of the Apache 2.0 license provides a foundation for flexible deployment, commercial readiness, and open collaboration. It enables both innovation and adoption, making it well-suited for a wide range of diverse O-RAN initiatives.
As Open RAN gains momentum, so does the need to understand how vendor diversity and network disaggregation impact both performance and energy efficiency. Two NTIA PWSCIF NOFO1 projects, ACCoRD and SMaRT-5G, are tackling these challenges from different but complementary angles. This emerging collaboration could help push the industry forward with better tools, methods, and insights.
Where do these two NTIA PWSCIF NOFO1 projects intersect?
This is the seventh blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
The success of an open-source project often depends on its community participation and support, development momentum, and industry adoption. In the context of Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controllers (Near-RT RICs), an active project means regular updates, contributions from multiple diverse stakeholders, and continuous alignment with evolving O-RAN standards.
This blog post highlights the project activity and engagement around Aether SD-RAN, a cloud-native Near-RT RIC implementation aligned with open networking innovations. Insights are drawn from Section 3.2 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For those interested in comparisons across multiple frameworks, the full report provides additional context.
Key Factors Defining Project Activity
A thriving open-source project is characterized by:
Code Contributions: Regular updates, a roadmap for feature enhancements, and bug fixes.
Community Engagement: Active discussions, issue resolution, and stakeholder contributions and participation.
Industry Adoption and Partnerships: Usage by end users, vendors, pilot testbeds, researchers and standardization efforts.
Governance and Roadmap: Clear project direction and commitment to long-term development.
Let’s explore how Aether SD-RAN demonstrates strength in each of these key areas.
Code Contributions and Release Frequency
Aether SD-RAN features steady development activity, with ongoing enhancements aimed at improving cloud-native capabilities, including modularity, and interoperability or security. Regular updates ensure alignment with evolving O-RAN standards while also supporting modern deployment models like multi-cloud and edge-native architectures.
Planned code commits and iterative improvements reflect the commitment of the development team to advancing the platform.
Community Engagement and Contributor Base
Aether SD-RAN benefits from a community that spans both telecom and cloud-native development ecosystems. This unique blend:
Fosters innovation at the intersection of networking and cloud technologies.
Encourages collaboration between operators, cloud providers, and technology vendors.
Supports a diverse and growing contributor base, ensuring resilience and broader perspectives.
Participation in forums, working groups, and collaborative initiatives helps maintain strong momentum and alignment with industry requirements.
Industry Adoption and Real-World Deployments
Aether SD-RAN is well-integrated into Linux Foundation’s ecosystems, ensuring:
Alignment with real-world operator requirements.
Deployment in testbeds and proof-of-concept environments.
Collaboration with organizations aiming to bring cloud-native principles into telecom infrastructure.
This adoption highlights the platform’s robustness, relevance and readiness for production-oriented scenarios.
Governance and Long-Term Roadmap
Governed under the Linux Foundation umbrella, Aether SD-RAN benefits from:
A clear strategic vision centered around open networking advancements.
Roadmap aligned with industry trends, including AI-driven RAN control, network slicing, and edge deployments.
Long-term commitment to open standards, interoperability, and cloud integration.
The project’s roadmap reflects its goal to stay at the forefront of O-RAN innovation and compatibility while ensuring operational practicality.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN showcases a strong level of project activity, combining ongoing development momentum, engaged community participation, and industry-backed governance. These attributes make it a compelling choice for organizations seeking an open, flexible, and future-proof Near-RT RIC platform.
This is the sixth blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
In Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) environments, flexibility is a key characteristic that allows Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controllers (Near-RT RICs) to adapt to various network architectures, deployment scenarios, and use cases. A flexible Near-RT RIC should support multiple deployment models, customizable service models, extensible APIs, and multi-vendor interoperability.
This blog post explores the flexibility of Aether SD-RAN, an open-source Near-RT RIC designed with modularity, cloud-native architecture, and extensibility in mind. Insights are drawn from Section 5.5 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For a broader view of other open-source RIC implementations, readers can consult the full report.
What Defines Flexibility in Aether SD-RAN?
Aether SD-RAN exhibits flexibility in several dimensions that are critical to supporting modern and diverse O-RAN use cases:
Support for Diverse Deployment Models
Extensible Architecture
Multi-Vendor Interoperability
Customizable Service Models (E2SMs)
API and xApp Extensibility
Let’s explore each area in more detail.
Deployment Model Flexibility
Aether SD-RAN supports multi-cloud and edge-native deployments, making it ideal for dynamic and distributed environments. It can be:
Deployed on public or private cloud infrastructure.
Installed on Kubernetes clusters across data centers or edge sites.
Integrated with automated tools like Aether OnRamp for simplified deployment.
This makes Aether SD-RAN highly suitable for operators looking to deploy in standalone, distributed, complex and evolving environments.
Extensible Architecture
Built on a microservices-based architecture, Aether SD-RAN allows:
Individual components to be developed, deployed, or scaled independently.
Flexible integration of new modules, xApps, or interfaces.
New features or improvements can be introduced to individual components without requiring changes to the entire system.
This modular design ensures that the platform can evolve with emerging network needs.
Multi-Vendor and E2 Node Support
Aether SD-RAN is designed to integrate with diverse E2 nodes from multiple vendors. Its architecture supports:
Seamless onboarding of different RAN equipment.
Interoperability across vendor ecosystems by adhering to O-RAN standards.
Adaptation for specialized RAN configurations in edge, enterprise, or rural deployments.
This flexibility offers open network architectures, freedom of choice in radio vendors, and ability to mix and match.
Customizable E2 Service Models (E2SMs)
Aether SD-RAN enables developers to implement custom E2SMs based on specific use cases, such as:
Traffic steering and load balancing.
RAN radio energy efficiency and resource optimization.
Network slicing and service assurance.
Support for both standardized and user-defined E2SMs makes Aether SD-RAN adaptable to both traditional and experimental RAN control scenarios.
xApp and API Extensibility
Aether SD-RAN offers gRPC-based APIs for streamlined xApp development and integration. Key capabilities include:
Support for various programming languages through protobuf/gRPC interfaces.
Modular xApp registration and management.
Integration with external systems such as AI/ML pipelines, policy engines, or orchestration platforms.
This API-first design ensures that developers can build and innovate without tight coupling to the core system.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN is built for flexibility—supporting multi-cloud and edge deployments, offering a modular and extensible architecture, enabling customizable control models, and facilitating multi-vendor integration. These attributes make it well-suited for modern O-RAN environments where adaptability is essential.
For teams evaluating Near-RT RIC solutions, Aether SD-RAN offers a powerful combination of openness, modularity, and future-readiness.
This is the fifth blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
For developers working on Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) solutions, the ease of use of a Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) can significantly impact development efficiency, xApp creation, testing, debugging, and deployment. A well-designed Near-RT RIC should provide clear documentation, streamlined development and troubleshooting tools, and robust support for onboarding new developers.
This blog post focuses on the developer experience and ease of use of Aether SD-RAN, an open-source Near-RT RIC built with modern development practices and cloud-native principles. The insights presented here are based on Section 5.5 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. For those interested in comparisons across other Near-RT RIC implementations, the full report provides additional context.
Key Factors Affecting Developer Experience
Aether SD-RAN stands out in its developer-friendly design, offering:
Structured and Evolving Documentation: Guides for installation, xApp development, and architecture.
Modular xApp Development: Microservice-based approach with well-defined interfaces.
Comprehensive Tooling and Debugging: Built-in observability using gRPC tracing and logs.
Kubernetes-Native Deployment: Simplifies orchestration, scaling, and management.
Engaged Community Support: Backed by the Linux Foundation ecosystem, with active collaboration.
Let’s explore how each of these contributes to a productive development experience.
Documentation and Learning Curve
Aether SD-RAN provides structured documentation that continues to evolve. It caters to both newcomers and advanced developers, helping them:
Understand the architecture and components.
Follow step-by-step guides for installation and configuration.
Develop and deploy xApps efficiently with sample workflows and code references.
This approach significantly reduces the onboarding time for new developers.
Ease of xApp Development
Aether SD-RAN simplifies xApp development through its modular and microservice-oriented architecture. Developers benefit from:
Clear and consistent APIs.
SDKs that abstracts the infrastructure complexity simplifying understanding.
Defined workflows for xApp registration, communication, and scaling.
This design makes it easier to focus on business logic and innovation without being burdened by low-level implementation concerns.
Tooling, Debugging, and Observability
Efficient debugging and monitoring are essential for developing stable xApps. Aether SD-RAN includes:
gRPC tracing for service communication insights.
Structured logging mechanisms.
Integration with observability tools for monitoring cluster health and xApp behavior.
These tools provide developers with the visibility needed to quickly identify and resolve issues, accelerating the development lifecycle.
Ease of Deployment and Orchestration
Built with Kubernetes-native deployment, Aether SD-RAN offers:
Helm charts for streamlined installation and updates.
Automatic scaling of xApps and RIC components based on traffic or resource usage.
Recovery and self-healing capabilities to restart failed components and maintain system integrity.
Compatibility with cloud-native CI/CD workflows, allowing automated build, test, and deployment of xApps and RIC components using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or ArgoCD. This enables fast iteration, version control, and seamless integration into modern DevOps pipelines.
These attributes make it easy to test locally and scale in production, enabling developers to move seamlessly from development to deployment.
Community Support and Engagement
Aether SD-RAN benefits from being part of the Linux Foundation ecosystem, which brings:
Regular collaborative community meetings and updates.
Open-source collaboration via GitHub.
Channels for submitting issues, sharing ideas, and contributing to the codebase.
This supportive environment ensures developers aren’t working in isolation and have access to peer feedback and guidance.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN offers a modern and developer-friendly experience for those building and deploying xApps in O-RAN environments. With its structured documentation, modular architecture, powerful debugging tools, and native cloud orchestration, it lowers the barrier to entry and supports rapid innovation.
As the O-RAN ecosystem grows, enhancing the developer experience will be key to accelerating adoption. Aether SD-RAN is already ahead in this area, making it an attractive choice for development teams.
The world is rapidly embracing 5G, and with it, a wave of transformative use cases is emerging, promising to reshape industries and redefine connectivity. At GS Lab | GAVS, we are not just witnessing this revolution; we are actively driving it, leveraging the power of open-source private 5G technology to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower our customers to lead in this new era. Our solution of choice? Aether.
GS Lab | GAVS: Architects of Digital Transformation
GS Lab | GAVS stands as a vanguard in technology solutions, specializing in digital transformation, cloud computing, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Our core mission is to empower businesses across diverse industries to not only achieve but exceed their strategic goals through innovative and impactful solutions. We forge deep partnerships with our clients, immersing ourselves in their unique challenges and aspirations. Our expertise spans the entire technology spectrum, from strategic consulting and solution design to seamless implementation and ongoing management. We are committed to delivering tangible business outcomes, driving efficiency, fostering growth, and enabling our clients to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world.
Why Open Source and Why Aether?
In a world often dominated by proprietary technologies, we champion the power of open source. We firmly believe that open-source solutions like Aether offer unparalleled flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and a dynamic engine for community-driven innovation. Aether, in particular, has distinguished itself as a powerful platform, and our confidence in it stems from its:
Cloud-native architecture: Aether’s cloud-native design aligns perfectly with our focus on delivering modern, scalable solutions that seamlessly integrate with cloud environments.
3GPP compliance: Aether’s adherence to 3GPP standards ensures seamless interoperability and future-proof deployments, protecting our clients’ investments and enabling them to adapt to evolving industry standards.
End-to-end solution: Aether provides a comprehensive 5G network stack, significantly simplifying the complexities of deployment and management, and accelerating time to value for our customers.
Strong community support: The vibrant Aether community provides a wealth of resources, fosters collaboration, and ensures continuous innovation, empowering us to deliver best-in-class solutions.
Deploying Aether: Our Tailored Approach
We adopt a flexible and adaptable approach to Aether deployment, meticulously tailoring each solution to the unique needs and specific challenges of every use case. Our deployments span a wide range, from on-premises installations that provide dedicated, localized networks, to cloud-hosted solutions that leverage the scalability and reach of major cloud providers. Furthermore, we strategically leverage both commercial and open-source hardware and software components, enabling us to optimize performance, cost-efficiency, and scalability, ensuring that each customer receives a solution that is perfectly aligned with their objectives.
Deploying Aether with True CUPS Architecture
GS Lab | GAVS has successfully pioneered the deployment of Aether using the True CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation) architecture. This strategic approach empowers us to leverage best-of-breed hardware and software components for each specific network function.
We have deployed Aether on both AWS and GCP, providing our customers with the flexibility to harness the power of their preferred cloud platform. Our deployments adhere to the functional CUPS architecture, where the control plane and user plane are logically separated, allowing for independent scaling and management.
The deployment of Aether with True CUPS architecture delivers a multitude of compelling benefits:
Unrivaled Flexibility and Scalability: The True CUPS architecture grants us the agility to mix and match hardware and software components from a diverse range of vendors. This empowers our customers with an extensive array of options, enabling them to precisely tailor their 5G networks to meet their unique and evolving requirements.
Enhanced Performance and Reliability: By separating the control plane and user plane, we can optimize each component for its specific function. This targeted optimization results in a significant boost in overall network performance and an unparalleled level of reliability.
Simplified and Streamlined Management: The True CUPS architecture streamlines network management by providing a centralized control plane that offers comprehensive oversight of the entire network. This centralized approach simplifies monitoring, accelerates troubleshooting, and facilitates seamless scaling, significantly reducing operational complexity.
Optimal Cost-Effectiveness: By strategically leveraging open-source software and disaggregating hardware and software components, we deliver Aether deployments that are not only cost-effective but also maintain uncompromising levels of performance and a rich feature set.
Our team possesses deep expertise and extensive experience in deploying Aether with True CUPS architecture on both AWS and GCP platforms. We collaborate closely with our customers, taking the time to understand their unique needs, challenges, and aspirations. This collaborative approach allows us to meticulously tailor our deployments, ensuring that the final solution delivers optimal performance, seamless scalability, and a tangible return on investment.
If you are interested in exploring the transformative potential of Aether and the benefits of True CUPS architecture, we invite you to connect with our team of experts. We are eager to discuss your specific requirements in detail and provide tailored guidance on the most effective deployment strategy for your organization.
Aether in Action: Real-World Use Cases
We’ve harnessed the power of Aether to drive 5G innovation across a diverse range of industries, delivering tangible results for our clients. Here are a few examples of how we’re putting Aether into action:
University Campus Transformation: We deployed Aether for a prominent US university, creating a cutting-edge private 5G network that seamlessly supports BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). This deployment has resulted in:
Enhanced Connectivity: Students and faculty now enjoy seamless, high-speed internet access across the entire campus, empowering them with ubiquitous connectivity.
Improved Campus Security: The network’s advanced security features, including comprehensive video surveillance and robust access control, have significantly enhanced the safety and security of the campus environment.
Seamless IoT Integration: The 5G network seamlessly integrates with a wide range of IoT devices, enabling the development and deployment of innovative smart campus applications that enhance the learning and living experience.
Manufacturing Industry Efficiency: In a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, Aether is the backbone of a private 5G network that is revolutionizing operations:
Real-time Video Monitoring: High-definition video feeds from IoT cameras provide enhanced monitoring and security, enabling proactive identification of potential issues and ensuring a safe working environment.
Industrial Automation: The network’s reliable, low-latency connectivity is critical for supporting advanced industrial control systems, enabling precise and efficient automation of manufacturing processes.
Data-Driven Optimization: The 5G network facilitates the efficient collection and analysis of vast amounts of data, providing valuable insights that drive improved operational efficiency, optimize production workflows, and enhance decision-making.
Connectivity in a Public Park: We built a private 5G network in a public park that previously lacked adequate public operator coverage. This initiative has provided:
Universal Internet Access: Park visitors can now enjoy high-speed internet access for recreational and educational purposes, transforming the park into a digital hub.
Empowered Park Services: Park staff can leverage the network for enhanced communication, improved security, and streamlined operational tasks, leading to a more efficient and well-managed park environment.
Environmental Insights: The network enables the deployment of a network of sensors for comprehensive environmental monitoring and data collection, providing valuable data for sustainability initiatives and informed decision-making.
Enhanced VoIP Services: For a leading VoIP service provider, Aether has enabled a new level of communication excellence:
Crystal-Clear Voice Calls: The private 5G network delivers unparalleled voice quality and ultra-low latency, ensuring superior call experiences for users.
Increased Capacity and Reliability: The network supports a significantly larger number of concurrent calls, guaranteeing reliable service even during peak usage periods and mission-critical communications.
Seamless Mobility: Users can experience uninterrupted, high-quality calls as they move around, thanks to the network’s robust mobility features and seamless handovers.
Shaping Aether’s Future: A Collaborative Vision
GS Lab | GAVS is not just a user of Aether technology; we are deeply committed to actively contributing to its evolution and shaping its future. We firmly believe in the power of collaboration and actively engage with the Aether community to:
Enhance Aether’s Capabilities: We contribute our expertise to the development of new features and functionalities, with a particular focus on enhancing security mechanisms and enabling advanced network slicing capabilities.
Simplify Deployment: We are dedicated to streamlining and simplifying the deployment process, making Aether more accessible and user-friendly for a wider audience, including enterprises with varying levels of technical expertise.
Expand Industry-Specific Solutions: We actively develop and share industry-specific blueprints and solutions based on Aether, providing practical guidance and accelerating adoption across various sectors.
At GS Lab | GAVS, Kunal Kapoor and Amit Wankhede are actively involved in these use cases, working to ensure that Aether continues to evolve and effectively meet the dynamic needs of businesses across various sectors.
By combining GS Lab | GAVS’s deep expertise in 5G technologies with the power and flexibility of Aether, we are empowering businesses to unlock the full potential of 5G and drive unprecedented innovation across industries. We are proud to be an active and contributing member of the Aether community, and we are committed to shaping the future of open-source 5G technology. Check out GS Lab | GAVS website for more information.
This is the fourth blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
As Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) deployments expand, the ability of Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controllers (Near-RT RICs) to scale efficiently becomes crucial. Scalability determines how well a Near-RT RIC can accommodate growing numbers of E2 nodes, xApps, and control loops without performance degradation. Ensuring that a Near-RT RIC can handle large-scale deployments while maintaining low latency and reliability is a key factor in real-world implementations.
This blog post explores the scalability aspects of Aether SD-RAN, an open-source Near-RT RIC framework designed for cloud-native scalability and operational efficiency. For those interested in a comparative analysis of multiple Near-RT RIC implementations, refer to the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs.
Key Factors Affecting Aether SD-RAN’s Scalability
Aether SD-RAN is built with the following scalability attribute priorities in mind:
Efficient E2 Interface Load Management
Dynamic xApp Deployment and Lifecycle Control
Resource Efficiency and Adaptability Under Variable Load
Native Cloud Orchestration and Automation
Each of these areas ensures that Aether SD-RAN can evolve and expand with the needs of modern O-RAN deployments without compromising responsiveness or reliability.
Handling Large-Scale E2 Interface Load
The E2 interface is fundamental to Near-RT RIC scalability, enabling real-time communication with RAN components. Aether SD-RAN employs an efficient gRPC-based E2 message handling architecture, which supports the management of a large number of concurrent E2 nodes while maintaining low latency.
This architecture ensures responsiveness, even when processing thousands of messages per second – making Aether SD-RAN well-suited for high-density, large-scale networks.
Scalable xApp Management
Aether SD-RAN supports a microservice-based xApp architecture, allowing each xApp to be developed, deployed, and managed independently. The system enables:
Concurrent operation of multiple xApps without contention.
Kubernetes-native deployment, which facilitates dynamic scaling.
Helm-based configuration for reproducibility and ease of automation.
This level of modularity ensures that operators can extend functionality as needed, without impacting system stability or performance.
Resource Utilization and Performance at Scale
Aether SD-RAN is optimized for efficient CPU and memory usage, and adapts as workloads increase. As the number of E2 nodes and xApps grows, Aether SD-RAN maintains:
Stable resource consumption curves, reducing the risk of bottlenecks.
Predictable performance, even in resource-constrained environments.
Integrated monitoring and observability tools, such as Prometheus exporters, to track key metrics in real time.
These features enable confident scaling in both central and edge deployments.
Orchestration and Automation for Dynamic Scaling
Built with cloud-native principles, Aether SD-RAN integrates deeply with Kubernetes and Helm to support automated scaling. Key benefits include:
Self-healing capabilities, ensuring service continuity.
Dynamic load balancing and container orchestration.
Blueprints and tools like Aether OnRamp, which simplify multi-node, multi-site deployments.
These orchestration features make Aether SD-RAN adaptable for a wide range of deployment scenarios, from lab testing and research to full production environments.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN demonstrates a scalable, efficient, and cloud-ready approach to deploying Near-RT RICs in O-RAN environments. Its use of gRPC for message handling, microservice-based xApp design, efficient resource utilization, and Kubernetes-native orchestration make it ideal for operators aiming to scale intelligently and reliably.
As O-RAN continues to expand into production-grade networks, scalability will remain a defining factor in adoption. Aether SD-RAN is built from the ground up to meet this challenge.
This is the third blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
Stability and reliability are critical factors in the deployment of Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controllers (Near-RT RICs) in Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) environments. As networks grow in complexity, the ability of Near-RT RIC implementations to maintain consistent performance under a wide range of conditions while ensuring predictable operational continuity is essential for real-world deployments.
This blog post highlights the stability and reliability aspects of Aether SD-RAN, a leading open-source Near-RT RIC implementation. The insights presented here are informed by Sections 5.2 and 5.3 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs. Readers interested in a comparative analysis of multiple Near-RT RIC frameworks can refer to that document for additional context.
The Importance of Stability and Reliability in O-RAN
A Near-RT RIC should be designed to:
Maintain steady performance under varying network conditions without excessive fluctuations.
Ensure resiliency against failures, including xApp crashes and E2 node disconnections.
Recover from failures quickly and automatically without manual intervention.
Maintain predictable system behavior over extended operations.
Stability ensures that a Near-RT RIC can operate consistently over time, while reliability guarantees that it can recover from failures and restore normal functioning with minimal downtime.
Aether SD-RAN: Built for Stable and Reliable Operations
Handling E2 Interface Traffic Under Load
The E2 interface plays a pivotal role in maintaining stability by efficiently processing high-frequency indication messages and control requests between the Near-RT RIC and E2 nodes. Aether SD-RAN is designed with scalability and efficient load handling in mind, providing predictable performance and adapting as message rates increase or decrease.
This design makes Aether SD-RAN suitable for demanding and dynamic network environments, where consistent latency and high throughput are essential.
Optimized Resource Utilization
Aether SD-RAN demonstrates strong stability over extended periods due to its optimized resource allocation mechanisms. Whether under light or heavy traffic conditions, Aether SD-RAN maintains predictable CPU and memory usage, ensuring that the system does not degrade over time or under pressure.
This efficient resource management is especially important in edge or distributed deployments, where hardware resources may be constrained.
Robust Auto-Recovery Mechanisms
For system reliability it is essential that the platform recover automatically and seamlessly from failures. Aether SD-RAN features robust recovery mechanisms including:
Auto-restart crashed xApps and core platform services.
Restore E2 connectivity quickly and efficiently without manual intervention.
Contain and mitigate the effects of malfunctioning components, isolating faults and mitigating their impact on system operations .
These capabilities contribute to high service availability and reduce operational overhead for network administrators.
Automated Resource Control and Protection
To mitigate system instability due to misbehaving or resource-intensive xApps, Aether SD-RAN includes built-in mechanisms for automated resource control. These safeguards:
Set memory and CPU limits per xApp, that could affect performance degradation.
Monitor resource usage in real time, initiating proactive intervention measures.
Maintain predictable resource behavior, to ensure consistent performance and service quality.
By continuously observing real-time metrics (e.g., CPU load, memory footprint, I/O activity), Aether SD-RAN can trigger alerts or automated actions – such as throttling a misbehaving xApp, restarting it, or adjusting resource allocations – to maintain system health. This approach ensures early detection of anomalies and helps operators address problems before they impact service availability or performance.
These features enable Aether SD-RAN to deliver stable performance across diverse workloads and without manual intervention.
Conclusion
Aether SD-RAN is a stable and reliable Near-RT RIC platform built for real-world O-RAN deployments. With its ability to handle high E2 traffic loads, maintain consistent resource usage, recover automatically from failures, and protect against system overload, it provides a strong foundation for intelligent and scalable RAN control.
As O-RAN continues to accelerate traction, the ability to ensure predictable performance, minimal downtime, and robust fault recovery is critical. Aether SD-RAN’s design and engineering principles were designed from the ground up to address these needs, making it a compelling choice for operators and developers focused on stability and reliability.
For More Information
For a broader look at how various open-source Near-RT RICs perform in terms of stability and reliability, refer to Sections 5.2 and 5.3 of the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” by Rimedo Labs.
This is the second blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
The Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture is built on the principles of openness, interoperability, and vendor neutrality. Compliance with O-RAN specifications is essential to ensuring that different network components seamlessly integrate within multi-vendor environments. The Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) plays a crucial role in this ecosystem, facilitating intelligent control over RAN operations within a latency range of 10 milliseconds to one second.
One of the leading open-source implementations of Near-RT RIC is Aether SD-RAN, a cloud-native and modular framework originally developed by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and now part of the Linux Foundation. Aether SD-RAN is designed to adhere closely to O-RAN standards, enabling smooth integration with standardized interfaces, compliance with E2 Service Models (E2SMs), and robust security features. This blog post highlights Aether SD-RAN’s approach to O-RAN compliance and how it ensures seamless interoperability, security, and standardization.
O-RAN Compliance in Aether SD-RAN
Aether SD-RAN is built with compliance at its core, ensuring that all essential O-RAN interfaces and functions are properly implemented. Below, we explore its adherence to key O-RAN specifications.
Standardized Interface Support
O-RAN defines a set of critical interfaces that enable interoperability between Near-RT RIC and other network components. Aether SD-RAN provides robust support for these interfaces:
E2 Interface – Enables direct communication between the Near-RT RIC and O-RAN CUs/DUs, facilitating real-time network control.
A1 Interface – Allows integration with the Non-RT RIC for policy-driven network management and AI-based optimizations.
O1 Interface – Provides Operations, Administration, and Management (OAM) capabilities for configuring and monitoring network performance.
Y1 Interface – Supports data exchange for advanced network analytics, enhancing AI-driven insights and predictive optimizations.
Aether SD-RAN’s modular architecture ensures that these interfaces are scalable and adaptable, allowing for future enhancements and seamless integration within multi-vendor O-RAN environments.
O-RAN compliance requires adherence to E2 Service Models (E2SMs), which define the interactions between Near-RT RIC and E2 nodes. Aether SD-RAN implements a flexible and scalable approach to E2SM integration, ensuring:
Support for Key Performance Measurement (KPM) E2SM, enabling real-time monitoring of RAN performance.
Implementation of RAN Control (RC) E2SM, allowing dynamic adjustments to network parameters.
Efficient handling of E2 Subscription and Indication messages, ensuring real-time control and analytics data collection.
Aether SD-RAN’s architecture ensures that E2SM support evolves alongside O-RAN specifications, making it a future-proof solution for RAN intelligence.
Security and Compliance
Security is a fundamental component of O-RAN compliance, ensuring that networks remain protected from unauthorized access and cyber threats. Aether SD-RAN implements:
TLS-based encryption for secure communication over E2 and A1 interfaces.
Role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce strict authorization policies for xApps and RIC components.
These features ensure that Aether SD-RAN aligns with O-RAN’s best practices for security and access management, providing a reliable and compliant framework for Near-RT RIC deployments.
Interoperability with O-RAN Components
One of the key goals of O-RAN is to enable multi-vendor interoperability, allowing different network elements to function together seamlessly. Aether SD-RAN is designed for high interoperability, ensuring compatibility with:
O-RAN-compliant CUs and DUs, allowing smooth E2 interface integration.
xApps from third-party developers, supporting a dynamic and extensible ecosystem.
Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) platforms, facilitating centralized network management.
By focusing on cloud-native, vendor-agnostic design, Aether SD-RAN ensures that operators can deploy and integrate it flexibly across different network environments.
OnRamp: Simplifying Aether SD-RAN Deployment
Deploying Aether SD-RAN can be streamlined using OnRamp, a tool designed to help users set up and customize Aether’s 5G platform efficiently. OnRamp provides a structured approach for learning, experimenting, and deploying Aether SD-RAN in different environments. Users can start with a Quick Start deployment on a single virtual machine and gradually progress toward more complex configurations, including emulated and physical Radio Access Networks (RANs). By leveraging OnRamp, organizations can accelerate the adoption of Aether SD-RAN, ensuring a smooth integration of Near-RT RIC functionalities into their O-RAN deployments.
Conclusion: Aether SD-RAN is a Compliant and Future-Ready Near-RT RIC
Aether SD-RAN is a mature, scalable, and compliant Near-RT RIC implementation that aligns closely with O-RAN’s open and intelligent RAN vision. With strong adherence to standardized interfaces, security best practices, and interoperability requirements, it provides a robust foundation for operators, researchers, and enterprises deploying O-RAN networks.
As O-RAN adoption accelerates, compliance with evolving standards will remain a priority. Aether SD-RAN’s modular, cloud-native approach ensures that it can continuously adapt to new specifications, making it a reliable and future-ready choice for intelligent RAN deployments.
For More Information
For a comparative analysis of open-source Near-RT RIC implementations, Section 5.5.6 of the ‘Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0’ report by Rimedo Labs provides insights into multiple frameworks. “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” by Rimedo Labs.
This is the first blog in a series of weekly posts that focuses on highlights from the “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” report by Rimedo Labs.
Introduction
The Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture is transforming the way mobile networks are built and operated by introducing open interfaces, modular components, and intelligent real-time optimizations. A key element of O-RAN is the Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC), which is responsible for making network adjustments within a latency range of 10 milliseconds to one second. The Near-RT RIC enables advanced control over the Radio Access Network (RAN) through specialized applications known as xApps, which leverage AI/ML models, policies, and real-time data analytics to optimize network performance.
Aether SD-RAN brings a modular, cloud-native approach to network control, integrating software-defined networking (SDN) principles with O-RAN specifications. This post explores how Aether SD-RAN aligns with the O-RAN architecture and additional enhancements it offers specifically for Near-RT RIC functionality.
Key Features of Aether SD-RAN
Aether SD-RAN is built to support critical Near-RT RIC capabilities, ensuring efficient and scalable RAN control. The following sections highlight its core functionalities and how they contribute to O-RAN’s vision.
E2 Interface: Enabling Real-Time RAN Control
The E2 interface serves as the communication channel between the Near-RT RIC and E2 nodes (O-RAN-compliant base station elements such as CUs and DUs). Aether SD-RAN provides:
Support for Key Performance Measurement (KPM) E2SM, allowing continuous monitoring of RAN performance.
RAN Control (RC) E2SM, enabling real-time network optimization and policy enforcement.
E2 Subscription and Indication Handling, ensuring that xApps receive real-time network data efficiently.
Dynamic E2 Setup and Configuration Updates, allowing seamless network adjustments.
These capabilities ensure that Aether SD-RAN can efficiently monitor and optimize network behavior while maintaining flexibility for multi-vendor interoperability.
A1 Interface: Policy-Based Network Control
The A1 interface enables coordination between the Non-Real-Time RIC (Non-RT RIC) and Near-RT RIC, ensuring that policy-driven decisions are enforced in real time. Aether SD-RAN features:
A1 policy management, supporting policy-based optimizations from the Non-RT RIC.
Efficient routing of A1 messages to xApps, ensuring seamless integration between policy control and near-real-time decision-making.
Support for policy updates and enrichment data exchange, enhancing AI-driven network automation.
By integrating A1 policies, Aether SD-RAN enables adaptive, AI-powered optimizations that dynamically adjust to changing network conditions.
O1 Interface: Orchestration and Fault Management
The O1 interface facilitates Operations, Administration, and Management (OAM), allowing integration with the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) system. Aether SD-RAN enhances network management by providing:
NETCONF/YANG-based configuration, ensuring structured and automated network management.
Fault and performance monitoring with Prometheus integration, allowing real-time observability.
Scalability through cloud-native orchestration, supporting dynamic deployment and lifecycle management of RIC components.
With these capabilities, Aether SD-RAN enables simplified and automated network operations, reducing the operational burden on network administrators.
Y1 Interface: Leveraging RAN Analytics
The Y1 interface facilitates the exchange of RAN analytics with external consumers, improving data-driven network decision-making. Aether SD-RAN includes:
Integrated observability with Prometheus exporters, providing real-time network insights.
Support for AI/ML-driven network analytics, allowing predictive performance optimizations.
Efficient data collection mechanisms for enhanced decision-making.
While Y1 functionality continues to evolve within O-RAN implementations, Aether SD-RAN is actively advancing network intelligence and analytics-driven automation.
Security and Fault Tolerance
Security and reliability are essential for any Near-RT RIC deployment. Aether SD-RAN ensures a secure and resilient architecture with:
Secure gRPC-based communication, ensuring encrypted interactions between network components.
Role-based access control (RBAC) and TLS encryption, preventing unauthorized access.
Automated fault recovery using Kubernetes, ensuring high availability and self-healing capabilities.
These security enhancements make Aether SD-RAN a robust solution for enterprise and telecom-grade O-RAN deployments.
Cloud-Native Orchestration and Scalability
Aether SD-RAN is designed with scalability and flexibility in mind, integrating with modern cloud environments. Key capabilities include:
Kubernetes-native orchestration, ensuring automated scaling and resource management.
Helm charts for simplified deployment, making it easy to install and configure RIC components.
onos-operator for dynamic resource allocation, optimizing network control functions.
These features make Aether SD-RAN highly adaptable for real-world deployments, from research environments to commercial networks.
Aether SD-RAN’s Role in the O-RAN Ecosystem
Aether SD-RAN provides a mature and feature-rich open source Near-RT RIC implementation that aligns closely with O-RAN’s vision. By integrating E2 and A1 policy control, advanced orchestration, and AI-powered analytics, it serves as a strong foundation for building intelligent, vendor-neutral RAN solutions.
As 5G and future networks continue to evolve, Aether SD-RAN plays a critical role in enabling open, software-defined, and AI-driven RAN control. With its cloud-native approach and modular architecture, it provides a scalable and interoperable solution for operators, developers, researchers, and enterprises exploring the potential of O-RAN.
For More Information
Read an in-depth independent third-party comparative analysis of open-source Near-RT RIC frameworks, in Section 4.1 of the report, “Open Source Near-RT RIC Comparison v1.0” by Rimedo Labs.
Research and Development focused on rApps that optimize performance and lower energy costs in heterogeneous 4G/5G radio access networks (RAN)
Palo Alto, California – March 12, 2025 – Aether, a Linux Foundation project, is pleased to announce that it is teaming with Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony to launch a series of experiments and trials to explore and validate innovative approaches to address RAN energy saving and traffic steering, under its SMaRT-5G initiative. By focusing on energy savings and traffic steering capabilities, network operators can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance user experiences while supporting sustainable practices.
This project is specifically designed for 4G/5G brownfield, heterogeneous network environments utilizing an adapted O-RAN architecture. Open source SMO and Non-RT RIC from Linux Foundation projects, optimized and packaged by Aether, will be used to host the rApps which are foundational for the project. Trials will be conducted within network testing labs of Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony, with collaboration from Intel Labs, Rimedo Labs, Tietoevry, and VIAVI Solutions, with whom Aether has been conducting a series of proof-of-concept studies in the RAN traffic steering/energy saving space, under its SMaRT-5G program.
Specifically, the current project will implement and test coordinated traffic steering and energy-saving rApps on an open source SMO/Non-RT RIC stack supported by VIAVI simulator and will progress to a commercial SMO/Non-RT RIC stack of Rakuten Mobile with VIAVI simulator as a precursor to potential field trials.
“Energy Saving and Traffic Steering are two of the most critical challenges facing mobile operators and this effort is a significant step towards applying an O-RAN based solution in an open-source platform environment,” said Sarat Puthenpura, Chief Architect Open RAN, Aether. “It is of significance that this is an rApp play, which uses only an O1 interface without an E2 interface, and the coordination between the energy saving and traffic steering applications will be achieved without an A1 interface unlike conventional approaches, making this a pioneering achievement.”
Planned contributions as part of experiments and trials:
Trials are with rApps, using SMO and Non-RT RIC without Near-RT RIC/xApps.
In the initial phase, open source SMO and Non-RT RIC (from Linux Foundation’s O-RAN Software Community), will be used for experimentation, and later Rakuten’s SMO and Non-RT RIC will be used to replicate and further validate the results.
Initial studies will utilize simulated RAN, and successful experiments will be considered for field trials.
Rimedo Labs is developing the Traffic Steering rApp (TS-rApp) that will guarantee UE level performance and coordinate with the Energy Saving rApp (ES-rApp). The TS-rApp to use only an O1 interface and its adaptations, as needed.
Intel Labs is creating the AI/ML based Energy Saving rApp (ES-rApp), implementing optimal cell on/off strategies in coordination with the TS-rApp. The ES-rApp to use only an O1 interface and its adaptations.
AI/ML capabilities will be leveraged to optimize the rApps performance.
VIAVI Solutions will provide RAN simulation capabilities with its TeraVM AI RAN Scenario Generator that trains ML Models to optimize the RAN and tests the ES rApp against stringent benchmarks
Tietoevry will contribute system integration support across O-RAN architecture interfaces, implementation of rApps and all needed adaptations, along with test services, for the lab trials.
“We are pleased to see that the Linux Foundation SMaRT-5G initiative, for which we provide an innovative AI/ML based 5G energy-saving rApp to improve efficiency and performance, will have the opportunity to be tested in collaboration with Aether partners. It is one step closer to be deployed in networks in operation,” said Pranav Mehta, Vice-President, Intel Labs. “Energy savings of 5G systems is a key usage model called for by Open RAN (ORAN) operators and customers.”
“This project provides us with a unique opportunity to apply our extensive expertise in developing advanced RAN algorithms,” said Marcin Dryjanski, CEO, Rimedo Labs. “Traditionally, traffic steering has been a RAN feature that we have delivered in the form of an xApp. In this project, however, we focus on extracting the core algorithm and adapting it for integration into an SMO-level application, expanding its scope and potential impact allowing it to be utilized on legacy networks.”
“We are excited about the evolving roadmap of the SMaRT-5G initiative and the opportunity to integrate, deploy, and experiment on Energy Saving and Traffic Steering optimizations,”said Mariusz Rudnicki, Wireless Global Business Sales Director, Tietoevry. “This project leverages our deep RAN domain expertise to bring emerging technologies one step closer to real-world deployments. By embedding AI-based solutions we enhance automation, efficiency, and performance – accelerating the path from innovation to operational excellence.”
“VIAVI are excited to be involved in the SMaRT-5G initiative and use our tools and expertise to ensure the success of the Energy Saving and Traffic Steering optimization experiments and trials,” said Ultan Kelly, Wireless Product Manager, VIAVI. “VIAVI AI RSG creates a RAN digital twin that replicates real-world conditions in the lab enabling x/rApps to be trained, tested and validated in real-world environments prior to field deployment. For over 100 years, VIAVI has been directly involved in testing, assuring and securing the largest communications networks around the globe, and validating network products for all Tier-1 network equipment manufacturers.”
About Aether SMaRT-5G Aether is a Linux Foundation project that serves as an umbrella for a portfolio of open source 5G mobile networking sub-projects including Aether (private 5G and edge computing platform), SD-Core (open 5G mobile core), SD-RAN (O-RAN compliant open RAN) and SMaRT-5G (sustainable mobile and RAN transformation of 5G).
The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org. The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of
The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
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Media Contact Denise Barton dbarton@stratiview.com
Palo Alto, California – March 11, 2025 – Aether’s SD-RAN initiative announced it has emerged as a leading open source platform for implementing an O-RAN-compliant Near-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) based upon an independent in-depth comprehensive evaluation by Rimedo Labs, renowned specialists in 5G Open RAN consulting.
The lab tests conducted an in-depth assessment of open-source Near RT-RIC platforms; the results demonstrated the superiority of Aether SD-RAN across multiple key areas:
Most Robust Comprehensive Enterprise-Class Production-Ready Features
Advanced orchestration capabilities through RKE2 (Rancher Kubernetes Engine 2)
Robust observability stack including Elasticsearch, Grafana, and Prometheus integration
Superior security implementation with enforced TLS/SSL encryption for all component communications
Efficient gRPC APIs enabling low-latency communication with streaming support
Sophisticated topology management through the μONOS platform
Full adherence to O-RAN specifications and architecture
Advanced state management through Atomix for distributed operations
Comprehensive Kubernetes integration via custom operators
The Aether SD-RAN platform’s enterprise focus is evident in its superior orchestration support and robust observability tools, making it an ideal choice for organizations seeking a production-grade RAN intelligence solution. The project’s integration into the Aether initiative further strengthens its position as a leading choice for private 5G deployments. Aether has built a strong community of contributors and supporters including: Canonical, Intel, Kyunghee University, and Monogoto.
An Open Community
The Aether Project is an open community with open meetings, participation, and collaboration. To learn how to learn about Aether SD-RAN, access project resources, and get involved, please visit: https://aetherproject.org/sd-ran/
About the Aether Project
Aether is a Linux Foundation project that supports a portfolio of open-source 5G mobile networking sub-projects including Aether (private 5G and edge computing), SD-Core (open 5G mobile core), SD-RAN (open RAN), and SMaRT-5G (sustainable mobile and RAN transformation 5G).
About The Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org. The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of
The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
About Rimedo Labs
Rimedo Labs specializes in delivering top-tier RAN algorithm design and implementation, tailored to meet customer’s individual needs and requirements. We provide applied research and expert consulting services in modern wireless systems, covering Open RAN, 5G, and beyond. Rimedo Labs provides an extensive portfolio of xApps and rApps integrated with commercial and open source RICs.
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Media Contact Denise Barton dbarton@stratiview.com
Monogoto, a leading provider of cloud-based cellular connectivity, is excited to announce at MWC Barcelona (Booth 5I51) its adoption of the open-source Aether project, a leading-edge cloud platform for 4G and 5G private networks. As part of this collaboration, Monogoto is integrating Aether into its global connectivity cloud, providing developers with a powerful new component to establish and manage private 4G and 5G networks with ease.
The Aether SD-RAN v1.5 release is the sixth release of the Aether SD-RAN project and adds three major enhancements to the RIC and 5G RAN:
xApps updates enabling O-RAN E2SM-RC
Updates to SD-RAN OAI 5G RAN stack to work with SD-RAN RIC
Integration of Aether-OnRamp, a blueprint that simplifies SD-RAN deployment
Join us for a techinar March 5th at 8:00 am Pacific to learn about the latest SD-RAN v1.5 release – Register here.
This release integrates the official O-RAN E2SM RC service model (v1.02.03). The legacy underlying service models PCI, MLB, and MHO xApps from the ONF community E2SMs (including E2SM RC-Pre and MHO) were replaced with the official O-RAN E2SM RC service model. This expands SD-RAN coverage enabling RAN vendors or users/developers to use/test more official O-RAN SM features. With SD-RAN v1.5 release, there are now four use-cases leveraging the official O-RAN SM – KPIMON (with KPM), PCI, MHO, and MLB (with RC).
The SD-RAN v1.5 release adds support for 5G ONF/OAI 5G RAN stack. Note the previous SD-RAN releases supported the OAI RAN stack option for 4G RAN with the official O-RAN E2SM KPM and the Aether community E2SM RSM service models. The RAN stack now supports the official O-RAN E2SM KPM service model and plans are to support the RSM service model in the future.
The addition of support for the Aether OnRamp blueprint for SD-RAN blueprint provides deployment automation of this SD-RAN release. This more closely aligns SD-RAN with the overall Aether Project which includes other Aether services such as SD-Core, ROC, etc. over the same cluster. We continue to support the sdRan-in-a-Box (RiaB) deployment automation tool, which enables creation of a local Kubernetes cluster and deployment of SD-RAN components on top. However, RiaB is specifically only supported for SD-RAN project deployments only.
PALO ALTO, California – January 14, 2025 — Aether SMaRT-5G is pleased to announce that along with Rutgers University WINLAB, it is joining forces with the ORCID Lab to further expand its SMaRT-5G program, broadening the current R&D efforts on 5G energy efficiency measurements, modeling and tests to support EchoStar’s Boost Mobile 5G open RAN network design and ecosystem of commercial vendors.
To accelerate the R&D effort from lab to field, Aether and WINLAB are collaborating with the ORCID lab to expand the experiments to a model of EchoStar’s Boost Mobile production network. This involves refining and validating the energy consumption models on the Boost Mobile Network, testing with commercial RUs, CUs and DUs utilized in Boost Mobile’s network, and prototyping applications to monitor and optimize energy consumption across both the RAN and mobile core. Given that ORCID encompasses both replicas of actual field deployment configurations as well as outdoor sites, this collaboration will validate the results of the current R&D efforts in real-world scenarios.
Improving wireless network energy efficiency not only helps mobile network operators substantially reduce operational costs but is also vital for environmental sustainability. Global telecommunications networks consume a staggering 90 terawatt-hours of electricity annually just to power their RAN. This massive energy footprint equals the entire electricity consumption of metropolitan Los Angeles and generates CO2 emissions equivalent to what major European cities produce in a year. Even a modest 10% reduction in RAN energy consumption would eliminate emissions equivalent to 4.3 million transatlantic flights. As mobile operators worldwide push toward more sustainable operations, optimizing RAN energy efficiency represents one of the most significant opportunities to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint while maintaining the essential connectivity that powers our digital world.
“The collaboration among Aether, WINLAB, and ORCID combines key capabilities and expertise essential to develop and field open RAN technologies”, said Sarat Puthenpura, Chief Architect, Open RAN, Aether and SMaRT-5G. “We believe this will accelerate the adoption and viable commercialization of open RAN architectures by addressing the challenge of RAN energy consumption and management.”
“The collaboration among Aether, WINLAB and ORCID will enable us to further our objectives in providing relevant results to the industry,” said N. K. Shankaranarayanan, Affiliate Research Scientist at WINLAB. ”Measurements from the O-RAN systems and components in the ORCID Lab will allow us to validate our test methodology, refine energy consumption models, and improve energy optimization solutions.”
“ORCID is pleased to partner with WINLAB to provide a production level telecom technology stack to enable new use case testing in both lab and field environments for the advancement of O-RAN,” said Ravinder Jarral, Vice President, Network Development, Boost Mobile.
About Aether SMaRT-5G
Aether SMaRT-5G is an open source project advancing energy savings on 5G networks. The project is researching energy measurement and modeling techniques for 5G mobile open RAN networks. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the US Department of Commerce has been supporting the initiative with a $2M research grant through their Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF).
About WINLAB
WINLAB (Wireless Information Network Laboratory), an industry-university cooperative research center focused on wireless technology, was founded at New Jersey’s Rutgers University in 1989. Its research mission is to advance the development of wireless networking technology by combining the resources of government, industry and academia. The center’s educational mission is to train the next generation of wireless technologists via graduate research programs that are especially relevant to industry. WINLAB, in collaboration with Aether has created POET (Platform for O-RAN Energy Efficiency Testing), which consists of bare-metal and Kubernetes open source O-RAN network functions, commercial open radio units (O-RUs), and software defined radios (SDRs), to enable research and training on energy efficiency testing, modeling, and optimization.
About ORCID
The Open RAN Center for Integration & Deployment (ORCID) serves a critical role in strengthening the global Open RAN ecosystem and building the next generation of wireless networks. EchoStar Corporation is the lead participant in the ORCID consortium, which also includes Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., Mavenir Systems Inc., and VMware by Broadcom. ORCID is further supported by: Keysight, Viavi, Dell Technologies, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). ORCID is made possible thanks to funding from a $50 million grant from PWSCIF.
We are pleased to announce the results of the recent 2025 Aether Technical Steering Team (TST) elections. Each of these individuals has been elected by the community to a 2-year term on the Aether TST: Gabriel Arrobo (Intel), Ghislain Bourgeois (Canonical), Bilal Saleem (Purdue University) and Tianyi Zhang (Iowa State University).
We also would like to extend a warm thank you to the outgoing TST members: Scott Baker (Intel), Andy Bavier (Intel) and Muhammad Shahbaz (Purdue University). Your past and ongoing dedication and contributions are greatly appreciated!
Aether Project enhancements through community contributions are continuing to accelerate, along with ecosystem support and commercial adoption. We look forward to an exciting year in 2025 and invite current members to continue their support and new members to join us.
Gabriel was reelected to the Aether TST for an additional 2-year term. He has over two decades of experience in telecommunication systems, has published more than 20+ papers, and filed 80+ patent applications related to wireless network communications.
As a contributor on the Aether Project since 2022, Gabriel has collaborated with other working group members on a number of efforts. His Aether contributions include: implemented GTPu Path monitoring in the UPF; enabled TLS by default for the service-based interface (SBI); implemented ZUC algorithm at the NAS; replaced logger in all source code to use ZAP; refactored configuration options in all network functions; drove enablement the of CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions; managed SD-Core components: GitHub repositories, DockerHub and Aether registries; updated SD-Core codebase to use the latest major GO version (1.23); continued reviewing, testing and merging pull requests to maintain the codebase up-to-date; created a (5G) RAN Slicing Management xApp that uses the Cell Configuration and Control (CCC) service model.
Gabriel is a Cloud Software Architect at Intel Labs and is currently working on upgrading the 3GPP release for Aether and is hoping to help drive more community contributions in his role as a member of the TST.
Gabirel holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Florida, in addition to an Engineering Degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from Escuela Politecnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador.
Ghislain is an experienced senior technical architect with a history of success implementing and maintaining telecommunications systems. His background spans from networking protocols, automation, CI/CD, Linux and many other programming languages and debugging tools. He began participating and contributing to the Aether Project in 2023. His initial contribution was improving the API of the SD-Core web console to allow reading device groups and network slices. Since that time, most of his contributions have been related to general maintenance of the SD-Core project such as improving the CI, updating dependencies and fixing bugs.
As a Senior Software Engineer at Canonical, Ghislain works on the Charmed Aether SD-Core product development which aims to provide users a way to easily deploy and operate a private 5G core network. This work requires a stable Aether SD-Core base that is secure and can be maintained well in the future and therefore the work Ghislain and his team are contributing to the Aether Project is focused around testing, bug fixes and improving the maintainability of the code. They also contribute new features periodically.
The main enhancements Ghislain would like to bring to the Aether community are improvements in the maintenance of the project, including the release process and automation of maintenance tasks. Another goal is making it easier for people to join the community and contribute to the project which can be accelerated by improving the code quality, adding tests and improving the tooling that developers can use to successfully contribute to the project.
Ghislain holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from École de Technologie Supérieure located in Montréal, Québec.
Bilal is an experienced research assistant based upon his work in academia at Purdue University. He has published 5 technical research papers, 3 of which were presented at A-star conferences. Bilal also has industry experience in software development, computer networks, and cloud computing with skills in languages such as C++, Python, Go, and Java, and frameworks like Django. He has been contributing to the Aether Project since 2023 and contributed to the design and development of Aether OnRamp, a toolkit for customization of Aether configurations on local hardware. In addition, he added support for OAI RAN, and resolved multiple bugs in the Aether code base.
Bilal is currently focused on making Aether scalable and high-performing, enhancing OnRamp, and adding support for additional RAN simulators. Going forward, he looks forward to collaborating with the Aether community to identify opportunities for enhancing its functionality as well as learning from peers.
Bilal holds a degree in Computer Science from Purdue University and a Bachelor degree from Computer Science and Emerging Sciences in Pakistan.
Tianyi has extensive experience in wireless networking from his research work in academia and contributions to open source projects (including Aether, OAI, srsRAN, Open5GS, and O-RAN Alliance), and has authored numerous publications and received awards related to wireless network communications. His background includes 5G hardware platforms (NI USRP SDR, Ericsson, Skylark, Keysight, Viavi), robotics (ROS, CAD and CAE software), AI/ML software, data analytics (MATLAB, Mathematica, Minitab, OriginLab), and programming languages (Python, C, C++, MATLAB, Qt, CUDA).
Tianyi has participated in the Aether community since 2024 and is the lead representative for the ARA Wireless Living Lab (ARA) to the Aether Project. ARA is a large-scale, real-world experimental infrastructure designed for rural wireless technologies and applications. It is being deployed across the Iowa State University campus, the City of Ames (home to ISU), surrounding research and producer farms, and rural communities in central Iowa, spanning a diameter of over 60 km. ARA serves as a living testbed for smart and connected rural communities, enabling the research and development of rural-focused wireless technologies that deliver affordable, high-capacity connectivity to rural areas and industries such as agriculture.
Together with other members of the ARA, Tianyi has integrated ARA’s field-deployed open source RAN and an Ericsson gNB with Aether SD-Core. They also deployed Aether’s SD-RAN micro-ONOS-based near real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) on the ARA platform to connect to the open source RAN. In addition, Tianyi is collaborating with his advisor, Professor Hongwei Zhang, and other ARA research group members to integrate SD-Core and SD-RAN into the ARA platform. This work supports not only their own research but also the broader ARA user community and the advancement of rural wireless technologies and applications.
Tianyi is currently a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University and holds an MMS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Boston University and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Check out this article by Ajay Lotan Thakur, Aether TST Member and Software Director, Intel Canada published in The Fast Mode, as he discusses the role of open source-software in Open RAN, including our Aether open source 5G platform and SD-RAN O-RAN compliant RAN.
Check out this article by Ajay Lotan Thakur, Aether TST Member and Software Director, Intel published in the Canadian IEEE Toronto Section. He discusses the benefits and community value of collaborative open source 5G projects including Aether, OpenAirInterface, Open5gs, Free5gc, Open5gCore, and Magma.
“At this year’s Ubuntu Summit at The Hague, Netherlands, Canonical gave a live demonstration of how open source with automation can help enterprises in their private mobile network deployments. The demo showcased successful integration of Charmed Aether SD-Core and Charmed OAI RAN, where a 5G PMN was set up with commercial 5G phones connected via a software-defined radio (SDR) as the radio front-end. The demo attracted considerable attention from the Summit attendees, who were particularly drawn by the potential impact of these two products on the private mobile networking market.”
“The demo setup with desktop PCs running a disaggregated 5G private mobile network. Our live installation also showcased the ability to deploy the 5G PMN as disaggregated components. This included the control and user plane separation (CUPS) capability of Charmed Aether SD-Core.”
In this article featured in RCR Wireless News by Sarat Puthenpura, Chief Architect, Aether SMaRT-5G, he shares some of the exciting research findings to date from the Aether SMaRT-5G project. SMaRT-5G is focused on exploring, demonstrating and validating innovative energy measurements and modeling for 5G mobile networks. As part of this effort, a platform, POET: Platform for O-RAN Energy Efficiency Testing has been created.
The project is funded by a $2M grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and activity is taking place in collaboration with Rutgers University’s WINLAB and Cognizant.
Excerpt Published Courtesy of ReTHINK Wireless Watch
“Back in June, Canonical (the firm behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution), released Charmed Aether SD-Core, its implementation of Aether’s SD-Core as a beta release. At this launch, Canonical billed the offering as a way for companies that lack the deep technical expertise of an MNO to deploy a 5G-native network core. — to orchestrate the various microservices needed to keep the network online and in harmony, running on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, deployed via K8s.”
“Canonical provided an October update on its Aether-based progress. Next week, at the Ubuntu Summit, a live demonstration of Charmed Aether SD-Core will be running and available for perusal.”
“We are excited about this live demonstration of Charmed Aether SD-Core which combines Aether SD-Core, a scalable open source cloud native mobile core for Private 5G deployments with Canonical’s powerful orchestration engine,” said Larry Peterson, a member of the Aether board and the chair of the Technical Steering Team. “Charmed Aether SD-Core simplifies the operation of a Private 5G, enabling enterprises to efficiently host their own edge applications.”
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You might recall that we recently announced the beta release of Charmed Aether SD-Core, bringing automation to the Linux Foundation’s open source 5G software-defined core (SD-Core) networking software. SD-Core is distributed by the Aether project and is for anyone who wants to build a private 5G network. Canonical’s Charmed distribution of this software is designed to simplify deployment and operation of mobile 5G networks. In this blog, we’ll run through the benefits of using charms for your Aether SD-Core deployment.
Aether SD-Core: Open source 5G network core for private 5G
SD-Core is built to be deployed and run as a cloud-native 5G core on Kubernetes. With SD-Core, an enterprise can achieve a private 5G deployment, with premium connectivity available for their devices on-site, instead of relying on traditional local area network solutions. What’s more, as free open source software, SD-Core is cost-efficient, and is trusted by the industry.
5G mobile network core: benefits and challenges
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)’s service-based architecture for 5G core networks provides flexibility, agility and programmability to mobile core networks, transforming a traditionally monolithic software architecture into a fully modular one. This brings efficiency and cost benefits to an operator. Networks can now be deployed on demand, across a distributed cloud infrastructure, and managed with software that can easily scale based on customer demand and dynamic system conditions.
However, as with any cloud-native software, an operator that adopts 5G core technologies requires a suitable set of tools that can flexibly deploy and manage the complex software that 5G core entails. This is because a 5G core network has multiple software components, such as the user plane function (UPF), requiring their own set of configurations and actions to perform software lifecycle management operations. Whilst automation can help manage a cloud-native 5G core with ease, enterprises do not necessarily have the know-how to operate automation software and manage a dozen complex scripts.
What is Charmed Aether SD-Core?
Charmed Aether SD-Core addresses the challenges faced by enterprises that want to deploy and operate their private 5G networks with ease. It provides simple interfaces and removes the need for the necessary know-how on how to operate a private 5G core network.
Thanks to Canonical’s Juju orchestration engine, it is straightforward to deploy and run a 5G core network. All the complexity is managed by software operators, meaning that an IT admin at an enterprise can deploy and manage it with a simple set of CLI commands and an intuitive graphical user interface. Supported by Canonical’s proven software automation and orchestration engine Juju, which operates a wide range of open source products today, Charmed Aether SD-Core brings simplicity for private 5G for anyone.
Perfect for a diverse set of edge computing use cases powered by a 5G core network
You can deploy Charmed Aether SD-Core as all-in-one on a single Kubernetes cluster, or as a distributed core with its control and user planes running separately on multiple clouds. Such separation enables a central 5G control plane, whereas the user plane is hosted as multiple separate instances at the network’s edge locations. This capability is excellent for an enterprise with multiple sites, each of which benefiting from hosting their own data processing at the edge, for on-site edge computing applications.
See Charmed Aether SD-Core in action at Ubuntu Summit 2024
Charmed Aether SD-Core is fully automated and easily consumable by anyone who has a CNCF compliant Kubernetes running, such as Canonical Kubernetes. At this year’s Ubuntu Summit, we will demonstrate it on COTS hardware on-site, along with a software-defined radio with an open source radio stack. This will showcase how one can leverage open source in telecommunications to build an end to end 5G network on equipment they can run anywhere.
“We are excited about this live demonstration of Charmed Aether SD-Core which combines Aether SD-Core, a scalable open source cloud native mobile core for Private 5G deployments with Canonical’s powerful orchestration engine,” said Larry Peterson, Aether TST Chair. “Charmed Aether SD-Core simplifies the operation of a Private 5G, enabling enterprises to efficiently host their own edge applications.”
Run your private 5G core network at a lower cost
You may be a software developer working on a new application that could benefit from 5G, or a telecom specialist or network engineer building a new system that needs mobile connectivity. You may be a member of technical staff at an enterprise, looking into deploying and testing available open source solutions for a cost-effective private mobile network.
Whatever your reason for exploring private 5G networks, Charmed Aether SD-Core is a free open source software that is available as beta. We have documentation pages providing you with tutorials and how-to guides that will help you on your way to cloud-native private 5G. You can test Charmed Aether SD-Core with open source radio and user equipment (UE) software simulators already, but check your country’s regulations and see if you can get a shared spectrum license for research and development purposes. Most agencies already support this at a very low cost today.
If you are curious about 5G and would like to test Charmed Aether SD-Core on your own CNCF compliant Kubernetes, such as Canonical Kubernetes, you can deploy and try it today and give us your feedback.
Check out this article published in RCR Wireless News to for an overview about the Aether SMaRT-5G initiative. This project has been building a series of PoCs that demonstrate progressively advanced energy savings techniques on both Open-RAN and traditional RAN architectures. The phased series of PoCs is to progressively deliver power usage models, APIs and open-source software, with the goal of accelerating MNO adoption and industry impact. The team has demonstrated two SMaRT-5G PoCs in the recent past. The first was at Fyuz in October 2023 and the second took place at the NTIA-hosted RIC forum in March 2024. The key collaborators of these PoCs were Rimedo Labs, Tietoevry, Intel Labs, Viavi Solutions and i14y Labs. More PoCs are on the way.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)is supporting the SMaRT-5G initiative with a research grant through their Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF).
“The demo setup with desktop PCs running a disaggregated 5G private mobile network. Our live installation also showcased the ability to deploy the 5G PMN as disaggregated components. This included the control and user plane separation (CUPS) capability of Charmed Aether SD-Core.”
