Functions and Applications of Automatic Integration Center

The digital transformation of virtualization integration is a systematic change triggered by information technologies, and its core path is to build new capabilities through new digital integration tools. ZTE has developed an auto integration center (AIC) that can be interconnected to the lower asset layer of the digital platform and collaborates with the upper orchestration layer of the digital platform. AIC also introduces the pipeline operations to form a fully automatic tool chain and empower end-to-end continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).

AIC Overview

AIC supports an end-to-end electronic workflow of environment deployment and service commissioning, outputs digital assets in each step to form a digital closed loop, and becomes a powerful tool for digital integration. A full view of AIC is shown in Fig. 1.

• Intelligent design—iDevise

In the integration planning phase, the component iDevise can be used to plan and design data in the DC according to the hardware, bearer, virtual layer and VNF, and directly output LLD files needed for final deployment. It provides template-based design, supports hierarchical design, adopts the minimum input principle, and supports parameter verification. The design files can be imported into the automatic deployment tool iDeploy for automatic deployment and accumulated onto the asset layer as digital assets.

• Efficient deployment—iDeploy

In the deployment and implementation phase, the LLD files, version files, and necessary VNF plug-ins are imported to implement end-to-end automatic deployment. This improves deployment efficiency, reduces technical barriers, and significantly shortens the construction period. iDeploy supports multi-layer end-to-end automatic 'one-click' deployment, automatic check of the environment before deployment, one-click rollback, and one-step retry.

• Batch configuration—iConfig

AIC provides the functional component iConfig to implement automatic configuration of VNF NE data. Its application scenarios are as follows: After instantiation of VNF NEs, the iConfig function is used to configure first call or commercial office data. The LLD data deployed in the NEs can be imported into iDeploy at the same time. After the deployment of the NEs, continuous office data configuration can be carried out. The configuration scenarios supported by LLD can be expanded, so that iConfig can be used for capacity expansion in the O&M phase.

• Test as a service—iTest

iTest is a full-scenario end-to-end automatic test platform based on the TaaS concept, covering the full lifecycle scenario of VNF networks such as pre-commercial test, commissioning test, and O&M test. The iTest system consists of a terminal dial-up test APP, the cloud, a client, and an iSimulator. Diverse tools are used to test the functions, performance, and security of the VNF networks to meet the hierarchical tests of the network devices, cloud platform, MANO, and VNF NEs as well as the verification of real services.

AIC Solution

AIC can implement various digital integration tasks to meet the needs of the integration scenarios, including automatic software/hardware integration, automatic deployment of an all-in-one (AIO) environment, automatic service configuration, and automatic tests.

• Automatic hardware integration

Automatic hardware integration involves three fields: server field (configuration of server addresses and host names), network field (configuration of network devices and switches), and check field (check of devices and connections).

Automatic hardware integration is based on the 'pipeline diagram' and driven by scenarios. It completes data modeling of various hardware resource pools through LLD, and generates the corresponding model parameters. iDevise integrates the LLD data of each field uniformly and outputs the final version of LLD to meet the requirements of full-scenario resource pool deployment. The whole process is executed automatically without manual intervention.

• Automatic software integration

In accordance with the operators' networking and configuration specifications, AIC automatically integrates software of general resource pools. The key areas it supports include automatic configuration of network devices such as TOR, EOR and DCGW, automatic deployment of the cloud platform and automatic interconnection with storage backends, automatic deployment of CEPH storage, and automatic deployment of MANO, EMS and VNF.

Software integration basically covers the deployment and configuration in all fields and adapts to the networking requirements of different operators, which can meet the differentiated needs of markets in China and abroad.

• Automatic deployment of AIO environment

A variety of AIO solutions are developed to meet different 5G application scenarios. The solutions require faster commissioning and deployment. Based on the AIO networking solutions, AIC can implement automatic commissioning and deployment from hardware, network, virtual infrastructure management (VIM), management and orchestration (MANO), to virtualized network function (VNF). Currently, the main AIO scenarios AIC supports include AIO i5GC, AIO dedicated U-plane, AIO L-type iMEC edge cloud, and AIO cloud-network cabinet iCube.

• Automated service configuration

After instantiation, AIC needs to configure office data for core network NEs to make the first call/first download (FC/FD). After the FC/FD is completed, it is necessary to clear the old data and configure commercial office data. iConfig supports automatic configuration of office data of core network NEs, and configures commercial office data efficiently and normatively.

• Automated service test

After completing the NE deployment and service configuration in a virtualization network, AIC can use real UEs for dial-up test or use a simulation tool to quickly verify the service.

—Dial-up test on real UEs: AIC can create a dial-up test task on the cloud, and trigger the service tests in one-key mode on the mobile UEs, such as data service, VoLTE, VoNR, SMS, MMS, and 5G messaging.

—Simulation test: AIC can use a simulation tool to test the functions and performance of virtualization network hardware, network devices, cloud platform, and NEs. This tool supports out-of-the-box, reducing complex network interconnection configuration.

The digital transformation of virtualization integration is divided into four phases: informatization, automation, digitalization and intelligentization. As an execution capability in the digital integration platform, AIC will continue to evolve to be platform-based and intelligent, helping operators have complete end-to-end capabilities of digital integration service.