Two presentations showcasing recent results on in-depth research conducted on RAN energy savings will be presented at the upcoming O-RAN Alliance Face-to-Face Meeting taking place in Dallas, Texas on October 27-31, 2025.
Supported by funding from the NTIA, the O-RAN Energy Efficiency Research Project (under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund) is an initiative aimed at advancing sustainable, open, and data-driven approaches to next-generation wireless networks.
The presentations to be featured at the O-RAN Alliance Face-to-Face Meeting are:
“Energy Efficiency Testing and Power Modeling of O-RAN Radio Units”
This talk introduces a versatile testing and modeling framework developed under the POET (Platform for O-RAN Energy Efficiency Testing) initiative. This work delivers one of the most comprehensive open datasets to date on multi-vendor O-RU power measurements, coupled with a validated component-level energy model. Researchers analyzed how parameters such as MIMO configuration, traffic load, and RF power affect energy performance. The findings identify idle power and non-linear power amplifier efficiency as key determinants of network energy use and propose automated ETSI-based test methodologies to guide sustainable O-RAN deployment and energy optimization.
“Energy Efficiency Testing in a Commercial O-RAN System”
This talkextends insights on energy efficiency testing and power modeling of O-RAN radios to real-world operator environments. Through collaboration between the Rutgers/ONF/Aether NOFO-1 Test and Evaluation (T&E) R&D project and the ORCID T&E Lab, the team conducted end-to-end power measurements across a multi-sector, multi-band commercial O-RAN deployment. The results validate the energy test methodology and models. The data confirms that energy efficiency improves when CU/DU overheads are distributed across more RUs and cells, and that RF output power is a strong predictor of O-RU energy consumption. A newly developed multi-band O-RU power model, validated with field data, achieves sub-1% prediction error. The model can be parametrized with simple tests and offers a practical tool for test specification, operator benchmarking, and energy-savings optimization.
These presentations mark a major milestone in the NTIA-funded O-RAN Energy Efficiency Research Program, highlighting collaborative progress toward building sustainable, open, and data-driven RAN infrastructures. Together they demonstrate how rigorous testing, cross-vendor validation, and power modeling can drive actionable strategies for reducing network energy consumption while maintaining performance and interoperability across the O-RAN ecosystem.
Check out the O-RAN Alliance Face-to-Face Meeting October 27-31, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. Research results on innovative RAN energy efficiency conducted by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF)/Aether Project and Rutgers WINLAB, in collaboration with Keysight Technologies and ORCID Labs, will be presented in two separate talks by representatives from Rutgers WINLAB:
Energy Efficiency Testing and Power Modeling of O-RAN Radio Units | View Slides
Energy Efficiency Testing in a Commercial O-RAN System | View Slides
O-RAN F2F meetings offer an opportunity for collaboration across the global O-RAN community — including mobile network operators, vendors, academic and research institutions, government bodies, and more. Attendance is free for delegates from O-RAN Members and Participants, but registration is required.
Aether SMaRT-5G team successfully demonstrated proof-of-concept of a new energy saving solution with technology partners in Japan
As 5G networks grow, so do the challenges and the costs. Mobile operators are under pressure to not only deliver faster and more reliable connectivity but also to do it more efficiently. With energy costs rising and sustainability on everyone’s agenda, finding smarter, leaner ways to manage networks has become a priority.
At Aether SMaRT-5G, we’ve been working to meet that need. And today, we’re excited to share the results of a successful collaboration that proves you don’t need to wait for the full O-RAN stack to be operational to start reaping the benefits of intelligent automation.
Together with our technology partners in Japan, we’re excited to share the results of our proof-of-concept open sourced solution that demonstrates how traffic steering and energy savings can be achieved without using E2 or A1 interfaces, which are the key pillars of the O-RAN architecture.
Let’s break down what this means, why it matters, and what comes next.
The Problem: Complexity Slows Innovation
Open RAN architecture promises a flexible and automated network built on open interfaces and AI-powered applications. But the typical O-RAN architecture relies on multiple components such as Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), Non-Real-Time (Non-RT) RIC, Near-Real-Time (Near-RT) RIC, and associated open interfaces.
For operators still rolling out their O-RAN based infrastructure, this can be a heavy lift. Many, like Rakuten Mobile, are attempting to achieve the benefits of O-RAN, starting with Non-RT RIC and SMO while the interfaces around the Near-RT RIC are getting matured to be deployable. Without a Near-RT RIC, deploying advanced energy optimization with traffic steering has been difficult, until now. The performance cannot match the one provided by a Near-RT RIC and xApps, but the complexity tradeoff might be worth it.
The Breakthrough: Smarts Without the Stack
What if mobile network operators could start optimizing energy consumption with traffic management today, without waiting to deploy the full O-RAN stack?
That’s exactly what we set out to prove. And we did.
In a proof-of-concept demonstration with technology partners Tietoevry, Rimedo Labs, Intel Labs and VIAVI Solutions at Rakuten Mobile’s Yokosuka Telecom Research Park RIC research facility in Japan, we deployed two rApps, Traffic Steering (TS) (details here) and Energy Savings (ES), workingentirely through the O1 and Open Fronthaul M-Plane interfaces.
No E2. No A1. No Near-RT RIC.
The Results Speak for Themselves:
+9% network throughput improvement via smart load balancing
-9% energy consumption, with less than 1% impact on traffic
Operation of both rApps, without needing A1
Integration with open source SMO and Non-RT RIC platforms using only O1 interface
Why This Matters: Practical Automation, Now
This approach opens the door to real-world automation for operators at any stage of their O-RAN journey. Instead of waiting for all the pieces to be in place, they can start optimizing performance and energy consumption jointly today using lightweight O-RAN deployments.
This means:
Lower deployment complexity
Faster time to value
Better sustainability outcomes
A smoother path to full O-RAN architecture in the future
The Team Behind the Innovation
This breakthrough milestone was only possible thanks to a strong collaboration across an ecosystem that worked together to realize the vision:
Rakuten Mobile & Rakuten Symphony – Provided lab infrastructure and network requirements
Tietoevry – System Integration
Rimedo Labs – Developed the Traffic Steering rApp
Intel Labs – Developed the Energy Savings rApp
VIAVI Solutions – Provided commercial-grade RAN simulation and modeling
Aether SMaRT-5G / Linux Foundation – Led architecture, integration, and project oversight via open source platforms
Open Networking Foundation (ONF) – Utilizing the close tie between Aether SMaRT-5G and ONF, this project opened a pathway to field test and operationalize some of the results of the R&D project ONF has been carrying out in collaboration with Rutgers University, WINLAB.
The project has been focusing on innovative measurements and modeling of energy consumption in O-RAN, which has been made possible through a $2 million grant from the US government’s Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (PWSCIF), administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
What’s Next
We’re not stopping here. Deployment staging and phasing is already underway, and it will focus on production readiness for mobile operators, including:
Further deployment testing in mobile operator SMO and Non-RT RIC environments
Integration with real RAN hardware
Enhanced AI/ML algorithms using insights from the NTIA PWSCIF-funded R&D project
Full lifecycle testing in production-like environments
Our goal is to make this solution production-grade, scalable, and even smarter, delivering energy savings and performance gains at scale.
Open Source and Open Access
The best part? The work is open source and ready to explore. While the internals of the rApp algorithms remain proprietary, the full deployment framework, complete with Kubernetes and Docker configurations, simulators, and integration logic, is available in the project repository.
You can read our original announcement here or dive straight into the technical documentation to see how it works.
Final Thoughts: Less Stack, More Impact
This project proves that you don’t need the full O-RAN stack to make an impact. By working with a lightweight O-RAN deployment, we can accelerate the path to smarter, greener, open and more efficient networks.
If you’re an operator looking to optimize without overhauling, or a developer looking to contribute to meaningful, standards-based innovation, now is the time to get involved.
Want to connect or learn more? Learn more at aetherproject.org reach out to us at info@aetherproject.org
We are pleased to announce that a “Energy Efficiency Testing and Power Modeling of O-RAN Radio Units” paper has been selected for inclusion in the IEEE Future Networks World Forum 2025 taking place in Bangalore, India. The paper is co-authored by Aether’s Sarat Puthenpura and Alexandru Stancu, along with Zhuohuan Li, Prasanthi Maddala, N. K. Shankaranarayanan, Ivan Seskar, Rutgers University, WINLAB; and Christian Nunez Alvarez and Gregg Albrecht, Keysight Technologies.
The paper is scheduled to be presented by Zhuohuan Li as part of Technical Track 3: 5G and Future Network Trials, Experimental Results, Deployment Scenarios, Hardware and Test/Measurements.
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 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 virtual forum explores where Open RAN stands today—its technical and operational maturity, the role of AI and automation, performance at scale, and the path toward 6G integration. From monetization opportunities to energy efficiency and standardization, we’ll examine how the ecosystem is addressing today’s challenges and shaping the next phase of intelligent, open network evolution.
Sarat Puthenpura, Aether Chief Architect Aether SMaRT-5G Project, will be participating in a panel discussion “Energy Efficiency in Open RAN” along with Abbas Khan, Radio Boost Mobile; Chris Murphy, VIAVI Solutions; and Arun Handoo, Qualcomm Technologies.
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 virtual forum explores where Open RAN stands today—its technical and operational maturity, the role of AI and automation, performance at scale, and the path toward 6G integration. From monetization opportunities to energy efficiency and standardization, we’ll examine how the ecosystem is addressing today’s challenges and shaping the next phase of intelligent, open network evolution.