Requirements for the Non-RT RIC project
Find detailed description of what Non-RT RIC is on this page.
The NONRTRIC project (and the O-RAN Non-RealTime RIC function) can be considered from a number of different viewpoints. This page presents some of these views:
Scope 1: A1 Controller (Mediator, Endpoint)
Southbound: Provide termination point for A1 interface(s) - REST endpoint for messages to/from Near-RealTime RIC
Northbound: Provide a more generic interface for A1 operations - provide interface to rApps, without the need for A1 message generation, addressing, coordination, mediation, etc.
O1 interfaces do not terminate in NONRTRIC function (but may terminate in same controller host/instance)
Scope 2: Coordinate/Host A1 Policy Management Services
Map high level RAN goal/intent directives to finely-scoped A1 Policies towards individual Near-RT RIC instances
Informed by observed RAN context (provided over O1 via OAM functions), and other external context (via other SMO functions)
Dynamically coordinate life cycles of A1 Policies in individual Near-RT RICs as contexts change
Scope 3: Coordinate ML/AI Models - In RAN (“E2 nodes” & Near-RT RICs) and NONRTRIC (future)
Acts as model-training host
May act as model-inference host (others: Near-RT RICs, “E2 nodes”)
Dynamically coordinate ML/AI model lifecycle management (e.g. re-train, re-deploy, etc)
Models are (always?) deployed over O1 interface
Scope 4: Enrichment Data Coordinator
Additional context that is unavailable to Near-RT RICs (e.g. RAN data, SMO context, External context)
Dynamically coordinate access and pass data to appropriate Near-RT RICs (e.g. for use in ML/AI model inference)
Scope 5: rApp Host & rApp Coordinator
rApps may act as, or form part of, NONRTRIC- or SMO-level applications
rApps, via rApp host function, may consume many other services - some from the NONRTRIC platform, some from the SMO platform, and some from other rApps
Dynamically coordinate rApp lifecycle management
Scope 6: Provide R1 interface for rApps
rApps may only consume services over the R1 interface (from NONRTRIC platform, or from SMO platform, or from other rApps)
Platform services and services optionally provided by rApps must be exposed over the R1 Interface
These services may be “standardized” R1 services or R1 extensions (some may be proprietary)