RIC Software Development Kit
Enable xApp to:
- Send messages
- Access R-NIB and database
- Talk to eNBs and gNBs
- Define life-cycle
- Report logs and status
Help developers:
- Generate skeleton codes
- Setup development and testing environments
- Package, distribute and onboard their xApp
RIC SDK Components
- Libraries, Interfaces and APIs
- Tools
- Documentation and Guides
- Code Samples
- Processes and Flows
ORAN Libraries, Interfaces and APIs
E2:
- Available E2SMs populated in R-NIB (in R5)
- xApp constructs E2AP/SM message contents and sends/receives via RMR
- RMR will route subscription requests to SubManager (for policy checking) and all messages to the correct E2T instance. (now)
- REST-based subscription API (in R5)
A1:
- Policy definition happens outside RIC
- xApp specifies supported policy types in xApp descriptor
- xApp receives policy instance creation/deletion via RMR
- Frameworks: ”register handler for A1” (now)
xApp O-RAN interfaces
O1-CM:
- Initial and updated configuration via K8s config map
- We believe this can be abstracted by the framework (xApp just registers a handler)
- Still open discussion in O-RAN WGs on how LCM should be done.
O1-PM/FM:
- xApp alarm api partially available in R4 (go only), stat api in R5.
- (for now) AT&T xApps use VES, Nokia xApps use Prometheus.
RAN Inventory Management
R-NIB:
- Inventory of RAN elements connected to the RIC
- Service models (SMs) supported by each RAN element
- …
Note: Load balanced connection management via replicated E2 Terms.
Other NIBs store UE-level metrics and aggregate metrics.