IEEE/IFIP Network Operations and Management Symposium
25-29 April 2022 // Budapest, Hungary
Network and Service Management in the Era of Cloudification, Softwarization and Artificial Intelligence

Tutorials

All times listed are in Central European Summer Time (CEST)

MONDAY, 25 APRIL 2022

09:00-12:30

TU1: Getting ready for 6G Research - Understanding Technological Drivers towards 6G and emerging 6G Management Requirements

Room Boróka II

Speakers:
Thomas Magedanz, Technische Univerität Berlin, Germany
Marius Corici, Fraunhofer FOKUS Institute, Germany
 

Abstract: 6G research has just been started around the globe and there are many views on what 6G might be in 2030, when it will be commercially deployed. The presenters are strongly believing that 6G will be mainly driven by the evolution of 5G, e.g. extending the Open RAN driven RAN-Core convergence, moving to an end-to-end Service Based Architecture (SBA), extending the integration of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) while at the same time integrating new disruptive technologies, such as Terahertz and Quantum Key based communications.

It is assumed that software-based 6G infrastructures will be organic and highly dynamic in order meet the various application needs in terms of coverage, capacity, speed, mobility, resilience, security, etc. on the one hand as well as the global sustainability goals on the other. Envisaged 6G devices will be of high diversity, 6G networks must integrate various access and backhaul technologies, ranging from THz Base Stations up to Non-Terrestrial Networks, dynamically interworking with other 6G and legacy networks. Finally, different business and operation models will have to be supported considering the current emergence of private 5G campus networks in various business sectors in addition to the public operator networks. Hence, the agile and automated end-to-end management of 6G networks enabled by appropriate data and advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies will be of fundamental importance.

After an overview of 6G visons and its potential application domains, in preparation for the standardization of a 6G architecture, this tutorial provides in its second part a comprehensive overview of the current technologies, considered as high potential drivers for emerging 6G architectures. These include:

  • the increase capacity and the cost deduction of infrastructure elements, including RAN components, liberalizing the former carrier-grade network deployment, and bringing a large number of options for on-premises, non-public network deployments
  • software development paradigms such as web services, micro-services, distributed data bases and shared memory systems, distribute synchronization functionality and the equivalent protocols as well as to software related elements underlining specific technology advancements which can provide an outstanding added value compared to the current 5G core networks.
  • the usage of advanced real-time data acquisition and machine learning techniques used for understanding of QoS and mobility of the subscribers
  • the development of artificial intelligence advanced concepts for a holistic and integrated network management specifically customized for software networks.
  • the Continuous Development / Continuous Integration opportunities for a seamless software network management.

In the third part we present a high level preliminary 6G-ready software-based architecture considering the previously identified technology drivers and assuming a 5G evolution towards 6G. Within this flexible end-to-end network architecture, we will identify key points for generating meaningful data enabling an agile control and management of emerging 6G infrastructures. Specifically, the new architecture is designed to fully consider:

  • The re-consideration of mobility, QoS, authentication, authorization, and access control functionality in the new 6G context underlining the progress which has to be achieved until 6G
  • the core network functionality will be presented and assessed in the context of new deployments especially concentrating on the new use cases underlining the research activities which will have to be performed on the path towards a 6G system
  • the increase importance of integration of the user equipment protocol stack as part of the SBA as well as the very large impact on the architecture brought by considering dynamic heterogeneous backhaul technologies.
  • a careful assessment of the existing protocols and interfaces and the potential of innovation in the area of interface development
  • the underlining of the new flexibility needed to adapt to the use case needs both during deployment and through the runtime phase and the options to reach this flexibility at software level
  • the importance of properly granular system monitoring, data acquisition, data curation and data exchanges as fundamental technologies for extensive system automation

At the end of the tutorial the presenters will stress the importance of open technology testbeds for early prototyping and practical experimentation of new 6G networking concepts and technologies. Based on the practical experiences gained with the Fraunhofer FOKUS networking toolkits and testbeds, the presenters provide practical hints for setting up 6G-ready technology testbeds in the 2022/23 timeframe enabling solid 6G research for the upcoming 6G standardization (see also https://www.6g-ready.net/).

the tutorial is based on a fact finding in the course of editing the book “Shaping Future 6G Networks – Needs, Impacts, and Technologies”, E. Bertin, N. Crespi, T. Magedanz (Editors), published with IEEE/Wiley in December 2021 (see https://futurenetworks.ieee.org/tech-focus/other-future-networks-publications)

In addition, the tutorial contents is based on the first results and experiences gained within the German BMBF 6G Hub Open6GHub (https://www.open6ghub.de), in which Fraunhofer FOKUS is responsible for designing and developing a set of network control and management functions for a highly flexible and resilient core network enabling the early prototyping of innovative 6G infrastructures, inspired by the current discussions on RAN-Core convergence and network function disaggregation motivated by Open RAN.

You can find the presentation slides here: Tutorial Slides

Biographies:

Thomas MagedanzThomas Magedanz

Thomas Magedanz (PhD) has been professor at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, leading the chair for next generation networks (www.av.tu-berlin.de) since 2004. In addition, since 2003 he has been Director of the Business Unit Software-based Networks (NGNI) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS (www.fokus.fraunhofer.de/go/ngni) in Berlin. For 33 years Prof. Magedanz has been a globally recognized ICT expert, working in the convergence field of telecommunications, Internet and information technologies understanding both the technology domains and the international market demands. His interest is in software-based networks for different verticals, with a strong focus on public and non-public campus networks. His current interest is in the evolution from 5G to 6G. For more details look here: http://www.av.tu-berlin.de/menue/team/prof_dr_thomas_magedanz/

Marius CoriciMarius Corici

Marius Corici (Dr. Eng.) is a senior researcher at the Fraunhofer FOKUS Institute. He has received his Diploma-Engineer degree at the ― Politehnica University of Bucharest on Nomadic Satellite-Based VoIP Infrastructure. He joined the Next Generation Network Infrastructures (NGNI) competence center of Fraunhofer FOKUS Institute, later renamed as Software-based Networks Division. He has received his Doctoral Degree in 2013 on Self-Adaptable IP Control in Carrier Grade Mobile Operator Networks. Currently, he is the deputy head of the Software-based Networks business direction of Fraunhofer, leading the research and development teams for the Open5GCore (www.open5gcore.org) and NEMI (www.nemi-project.org) toolkits and acting as a research pathfinder for the evolution towards vertical sectors and customization of massive core networks as well as the design and specification of novel beyond-5G features and 6G architectures.  Furthermore, Marius Corici is acting as researcher at the Technische Universität Berlin and preparing the lectures on 5G as part of the department next generation networks (Architekturen der Vermittlungsknoten – AV) (www.av.tu-berlin.de).


MONDAY, 25 APRIL 2022

13:30-17:00

TU2: Theoretical and Practical Intelligent Behavioral Fingerprinting

Room Boróka II

Authors and Presenters:
Alberto Huertas1, University of Zurich UZH, Switzerland
Pedro M. Sánchez2, University of Murcia, Spain
Muriel Franco1, University of Zurich UZH, Switzerland
Authors:
Gérôme Bovet3, Thun, Switzerland
Gregorio Martínez2, University of Murcia, Spain
Burkhard Stiller1, University of Zurich UZH, Switzerland
 
1: Communication Systems Group CSG, Department of Informatics IfI, University of Zurich UZH, Switzerland
2: Department of Information and Communications Engineering, University of Murcia, Spain
3: Cyber-Defence Campus within armasuisse Science & Technology, Thun, Switzerland

 

Abstract: The Internet-of-Things (IoT) is strongly influencing the number of devices connected to the Internet. Nowadays, resource-constrained devices are used in many scenarios with particularities in terms of communications, data, and services. This heterogeneity increases the complexity of achieving one of their common challenges: optimizing their services' efficiency. Today, a thriving challenge in behavior data science lies in creating behavior patterns (fingerprints) of devices and networks to optimize their performance and detect potential concerns, especially cyberthreats, at early stages. This tutorial provides an overview of application scenarios, devices, data sources, and processing techniques considered in behavioral fingerprinting. After that, the tutorial provides a practical vision of fingerprinting through three research projects using heterogeneous devices, data sources, and processing techniques to achieve different objectives. After that, the audience will practice with a guided exercise focused on using unsupervised Machine Learning techniques to detect a cyberattack affecting an IoT device. Finally, a selected set of lessons learned within this dedicated area of security management is presented, and future trends of behavioral fingerprinting are outlined.

Biographies:

Dr. Alberto Huertas Celdrán

Dr. Alberto Huertas Celdrán received the MSc and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the University of Murcia, Spain. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Communication Systems Group CSG, Department of Informatics IfI at the University of Zurich UZH. His scientific interests include medical cyber-physical systems (MCPS), brain-computer interfaces (BCI), cybersecurity, data privacy, continuous authentication, semantic technology, context-aware systems, and computer networks.

Pedro Miguel Sánchez

Pedro Miguel Sánchez received the MSc degree in computer science from the University of Murcia, Spain. He is currently pursuing his PhD in computer science at University of Murcia. His research interests are focused on continuous authentication, networks, 5G, cybersecurity and the application of machine learning and deep learning to the previous fields.

Muriel Franco

Muriel Franco is a Junior Researcher and Ph.D. candidate in Informatics under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Burkhard Stiller at the University of Zürich UZH, Switzerland, within the Communication Systems Group CSG of the Department of Informatics IfI. Since September 2018, Muriel is working in Zürich on cybersecurity, economics, blockchains, and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), participating in and driving the Concordia H2020 project's Task 4.3 (Cybersecurity Economics) within a team of networking, security, and economic researchers. Besides that, Muriel is conducting, within the CSG, projects to analyze and visualize cyberattacks. At UZH, Muriel is the Teaching Assistant of the “Mobile Communication Systems” and “Protocols for Multimedia Communications” classes. Muriel holds an MSc (2017) in Computer Science from the Federal University of the Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, and obtained a BSc (2014) in Computer Science from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Brazil.

Dr. Gérôme Bovet

Dr. Gérôme Bovet is the head of data science for the Swiss Department of Defense, where he leads a research team and a portfolio of about 30 projects. His work focuses on Machine and Deep Learning approaches applied to cyber-defense use cases, with an emphasis on anomaly detection, adversarial and collaborative learning. He received his PhD in networks and systems from Telecom ParisTech, France, in 2015.

Prof. Dr. Gregorio Martínez Pérez

Prof. Dr. Gregorio Martínez Pérez is Full Professor in the Department of Information and Communications Engineering of the University of Murcia, Spain. His scientific activity is mainly devoted to cybersecurity and networking, also working on the design and autonomic monitoring of real-time and critical applications and systems. He is working on different national (14 in the last decade) and European IST research projects (11 in the last decade) related to these topics, being Principal Investigator in most of them. He has published 160+ papers in national and international conference proceedings, magazines and journals.

Prof. Dr. Burkhard Stiller

Prof. Dr. Burkhard Stiller received the Informatik-Diplom (MSc) degree in Computer Science and the Dr. rer.-nat. (PhD) degree from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1990 and 1994, respectively. He was with the Computer Lab, University of Cambridge, U.K, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, and the University of Federal Armed Forces Munich, Germany. Since 2004 he chairs the Communication Systems Group CSG, Department of Informatics IfI, University of Zürich UZH, Switzerland as a Full Professor. Besides being a member of the editorial board of the IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, Springer’s Journal of Network and Systems Management, and the KICS’ Journal of Communications and Networks, Burkhard is past Editor in-Chief of Elsevier’s Computer Networks journal. His main research interests are published in well over 300 research papers and include systems with a fully decentralized control (blockchains, clouds, peer-to-peer), network and service management (economic management), Internet-of-Things (security of constrained devices, LoRa), and telecommunication economics (charging and accounting).

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