Abstract: The present disclosure provides measures for analytics control. Such measures exemplarily comprise receiving, from a network entity consuming analytics, an analytics demand including an input data identifier indicative of input data on the basis of which said analytics are to be performed, obtaining the input data based on the input data identifier, performing said analytics on the basis of said input data, and providing, to said network entity consuming analytics, a result of said analytics.

Abstract: There are provided measures for optimized data storage in mobile network scenarios. Such measures exemplarily comprise transmitting a data storage request requesting storage of data, said data storage request including conveyed information and an indicator indicative of a degree of involvement of generative models in said conveyed information which represents said data, and receiving a data storage acknowledge response.

Abstract: An apparatus, in a model training related network element, is provided, the apparatus comprising: at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving a monitoring correlation identifier, subscribing to analytics related information provided by an analytics network element from a storage network element based on the received monitoring correlation identifier, retrieving the analytics related information provided by the analytics network element from the storage network element, and calculating the accuracy of the analytics based on the retrieved analytics related information.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to receive, at an analytics producer, a request for analytics, from an analytics consumer, wherein the request comprises a first time period, TA, determine a second time period, DS for an expected time to provide the requested analytics at the analytics producer, provide the analytics based on the request in a third time period, TD, determine, based on TA, DS and TD, which of at least one of a plurality of parameters is met and increment a counter for the determined parameter.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating an edge computing system in which edge application servers (EASs) are provided by application service providers (ASPs) for deployment in edge data network (EDNs). The method includes receiving, from each of a plurality of the ASPs, a respective deployment request for a respective EAS, each respective deployment request including software image information for the respective EAS. The method further includes assigning, to each of the plurality of the ASPs from which a respective deployment request is received, a set of at least one application management privilege, and receiving EAS lifecycle management requests issued by one or more of the ASPs from which a respective deployment request is received. The EAS lifecycle management requests specify lifecycle management operations to be performed for respective EASs. The method additionally includes performing the lifecycle management operations for the respective EASs in response to the EAS lifecycle management requests.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating an edge computing system in which edge application servers (EASs) are provided by application service providers (ASPs) for deployment in edge data network (EDNs). The method includes receiving, from each of a plurality of the ASPs, a respective deployment request for a respective EAS, each respective deployment request including software image information for the respective EAS. The method further includes assigning, to each of the plurality of the ASPs from which a respective deployment request is received, a set of at least one application management privilege, and receiving EAS lifecycle management requests issued by one or more of the ASPs from which a respective deployment request is received. The EAS lifecycle management requests specify lifecycle management operations to be performed for respective EASs. The method additionally includes performing the lifecycle management operations for the respective EASs in response to the EAS lifecycle management requests.

Abstract: A technique, comprising: creating at a management plane of a communication network a register of services and/or a register of producers of services in the communication network; and based on at least one of the registers, providing to a consumer information about one or more producers providing services associated with one or more service attributes indicated by the consumer and/or information about one or more services associated with one or more service attributes indicated by the consumer.

Abstract: A method performed by a first edge computing entity that is configured to provide supporting functions for serving an application includes performing retrieval and discovery procedures. The retrieval procedure is performed by: sending, to an edge entity configured for registration of one or more edge computing entities, a request to retrieve an address of a second edge computing entity that is configured to provide supporting functions for serving a further application; and receiving, from the edge entity, a response to the request to retrieve the address of the second edge computing entity including the address of the second edge computing entity. The discovery procedure is performed by: sending, to the second edge computing entity, a discovery request for discovering information for accessing the further application; and receiving, from the second edge computing entity, a discovery response including discovered information for accessing the further application.

Abstract: A method for operating a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system in which tenant applications are provided by MEC tenants for deployment on MEC hosts of the MEC system. The method includes receiving, from each of a plurality of MEC tenants, an application package, the application package including application software be installed at one or more of the MEC hosts of the MEC system, the application software corresponding to a tenant application of the tenant applications. The method further includes assigning, to each of the plurality of MEC tenants, a set of at least one application management privilege, and receiving application operation requests issued by MEC tenants. The application operation requests specify operations to be performed for the tenant applications. The method additionally includes pre-validating, using the sets of at least one application management privilege assigned to the plurality of MEC tenants, the application operation requests.

Abstract: A method for operating an SDN-based mobile communication system is provided. The system provides a control plane function that possesses information from an access network about location and/or proximity of devices and information about rules and/or policies for setting up sessions for the devices. The system includes a mobile network having a control plane and a data plane, with a network controller being implemented therebetween. The method includes: upon a particular device's request for session establishment, receiving, via signaling and at the control plane, device related information; based on the device related information that is received via the signaling, performing, at the control plane, selection of an abstract data plane node or a group of abstract data plane nodes; and providing, at the control plane, the selected abstract data plane node or the selected group of abstract data plane nodes to the network controller.

Abstract: A method for operating a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system includes establishing, between two or more MEC providers, an agreement that defines mutual access policies that specify which MEC platforms and which MEC applications and/or services running on the MEC platforms are allowed to be exposed among each other and/or to other tenants. The MEC platforms are provisioned with appropriate configurations in accordance with the access policies of the agreement. A discovery process is executed for discovering a MEC platform within a MEC stack of another tenant and a communication link is established with the other tenant's MEC platform.

Abstract: A method provides location information within a mobile network with beamforming characteristics. The mobile network includes at least one access point or base station that includes a beamforming module. The method includes tracing and maintaining user terminals' location information in a location service deployed in the mobile network, providing the location information of a user's terminal from the location service to the beamforming module of the at least one access point or base station in order to assist beamforming and association between the user's terminal and the at least one access point or base station, and providing the location information of the user's terminal from the at least one access point or base station to the location service in order to populate, update, and/or refine a location information base of the location service.

Abstract: A method for enabling (virtualized) application functions ((V)AFs) to associate to underlying (virtualized) network functions ((V)NFs) is provided in a Network Function Virtualization (NFV) environment in which a lifecycle management (LCM) of the (V)AFs and its associations with the underlying (V)NFs and resources are managed by the NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) system. A service request is validated by an NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) parsing an (V)AF Descriptor ((V)AFD) file within an (V)AF catalogue. An (V)AF Record ((V)AFR) instance is created having information useable to maintain a state and one or more associations of the respective (V)AF. The NFVO, in cooperation with a Virtualized Network Function Manager (VNFM), Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) and an underlying network controller of the NFV MANO system, establishes the association between the respective (V)AF and the respective underlying (V)NF(s) using the (V)AFD.

Abstract: A method for operating an SDN-based mobile communication system is provided. The system provides a control plane function that possesses information from an access network about location and/or proximity of devices and information about rules and/or policies for setting up sessions for the devices. The system includes a mobile network having a control plane and a data plane, with a network controller being implemented therebetween. The method includes: upon a particular device's request for session establishment, receiving, via signaling and at the control plane, device related information; based on the device related information that is received via the signaling, performing, at the control plane, selection of an abstract data plane node or a group of abstract data plane nodes; and providing, at the control plane, the selected abstract data plane node or the selected group of abstract data plane nodes to the network controller.

Abstract: A method provides location information within a mobile network with beamforming characteristics. The mobile network includes at least one access point or base station that includes a beamforming module. The method includes tracing and maintaining user terminals' location information in a location service deployed in the mobile network, providing the location information of a user's terminal from the location service to the beamforming module of the at least one access point or base station in order to assist beamforming and association between the user's terminal and the at least one access point or base station, and providing the location information of the user's terminal from the at least one access point or base station to the location service in order to populate, update, and/or refine a location information base of the location service.

Abstract: A method for managing and orchestrating virtual application functions jointly with virtual network functions is done through a single management and orchestration (MANO) framework within a network. The method includes creating, by a system for (virtual) application function and virtual network function management and orchestration, at least one service or service chain that considers or comprises at least one (virtual) network application and/or at least one virtual network function. A virtual application function (VAF) entity is provided as a container for network applications together with a VAF manager (VAFM) for the VAF.

Abstract: A method for operating an SDN-based mobile communication system, which includes a mobile network having a control plane and a data plane, with a network controller being implemented therebetween, includes: providing a control plane function that possesses information from an access network about location and/or proximity of devices and information about rules and/or policies for setting up sessions for the devices; and the network controller, by collaborative operations with the control plane function, selecting one or multiple data plane nodes that are, based on a particular device's request for session establishment, suitable to act as policy enforcement points for enforcing rules in the data plane that are for enabling connectivity for the particular device.

Abstract: A method for operating a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system includes establishing, between two or more MEC providers, an agreement that defines mutual access policies that specify which MEC platforms and which MEC applications and/or services running on the MEC platforms are allowed to be exposed among each other and/or to other tenants. The MEC platforms are provisioned with appropriate configurations in accordance with the access policies of the agreement. A discovery process is executed for discovering a MEC platform within a MEC stack of another tenant and a communication link is established with the other tenant's MEC platform.

Abstract: A method for operating a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system in which tenant applications are provided by MEC tenants for deployment on MEC hosts of the MEC system. The method includes receiving, from each of a plurality of MEC tenants, an application package, the application package including application software be installed at one or more of the MEC hosts of the MEC system, the application software corresponding to a tenant application of the tenant applications. The method further includes assigning, to each of the plurality of MEC tenants, a set of at least one application management privilege, and receiving application operation requests issued by MEC tenants. The application operation requests specify operations to be performed for the tenant applications. The method additionally includes pre-validating, using the sets of at least one application management privilege assigned to the plurality of MEC tenants, the application operation requests.

Abstract: A method for operating, by an MEC operator, a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system in which applications are provided by MEC tenants for deployment on MEC hosts of the MEC system and in which various levels of privileges are provided by the MEC operator to the MEC tenants. The method includes assigning, by an MEC broker, privileges to the MEC tenants; initiating, by the MEC broker via interactions with one or more of an MEC Orchestrator, an MEC platform manager, and a user app LCM proxy, operations. The operations can include one or more of application package on-boarding, application instance installation on selected MEC hosts, application provisioning, through configuration of appropriate parameters, and application life-cycle management operations including one or more of bootstrapping, termination, migration, scaling. The method further includes pre-validating, using the privileges provided to the MEC tenants, operation requests issued by the MEC tenants.