Fraunhofer FOKUS investigates how 5G/6G network functions can operate across a distributed Telco-Edge-Cloud continuum. Open6GCore combines cloud-native deployment with flexible placement of network functions and services across local edge, regional and cloud infrastructure.
A particular focus is the Transport-Cloud-Core Data Plane Continuum: processing and forwarding functions can be distributed across the network, while traffic is dynamically steered according to service requirements, function placement and current transport conditions.
Open6GCore also supports high-capacity, resource-efficient user-plane processing, including accelerated packet processing with eBPF/XDP, and research on horizontal scaling through multiple distributed data-plane instances. Traffic distribution can use mechanisms such as SRv6-based steering, GTP-U load balancing, and programmable flow distribution.
Research Topics
- Cloud-native and distributed 5G/6G networks
- Telco-Edge-Cloud convergence
- Dynamic function placement and migration
- Transport-Cloud-Core Data Plane Continuum
- High-capacity and resource-efficient user plane
- Horizontal data-plane scaling
- SRv6 and programmable traffic steering
- GTP-U load balancing
- Cloud-edge federation and orchestration
- Automated lifecycle management
Open6GCore provides a programmable mobile network environment for jointly investigating function placement, traffic steering, scaling and distributed execution across core, transport, edge and cloud.
| © Fraunhofer FOKUS