VIAVI Solutions, in collaboration with VMware, which was recently acquired by Broadcom, has announced advanced and additional capabilities of a joint testbed-as-a-service (TBaaS). VMware combined the VIAVI TeraVM RIC Test with the VMware radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) to create a digital twin for the evaluation and performance benchmarking of applications. TBaaS has been validated with multiple app vendors and consortiums, including at the i14y Lab, underscoring expanding industry demand due to its ability to speed deployment and agility, both of which are increasingly urgent in today’s network environments.
Digital twin modelling is based on artificial intelligence (AI) and enables new predictive capabilities. It is fast emerging as a vital solution to fortify increasingly complex networks. By creating a virtual model of a network in the lab, service providers can quickly and effectively model network behaviours and disruptions. TBaaS provides a cloud-based digital twin via a set of tools that enable communication service providers (CSPs) to streamline the evaluation of rApps and xApps prior to the selection of partners, continuous integration/continuous deployment efforts, deployment and secure operations in the network.
With TBaaS, RIC applications address the need for simulations using realistic data. VIAVI provides geolocation intelligence and xApps/rApps, with real RAN data over the VMware RIC platform. This allows a CSP to capture information once and emulate it with multiple other applications, reducing the overhead of repeatedly capturing, processing and transmitting data. In addition, the RAN Scenario Generator within the TeraVM RIC Test allows developers and operators to model scenarios in the lab, either prior to the launch or in environments where large volumes of real data are unavailable. Data captured can also be used for training AI/machine learning (ML) models.
