6 MDA in management loop

28.1043GPPManagement and orchestrationManagement Data Analytics (MDA)Release 17TS

Tools: ARFCN - Frequency Conversion for 5G NR/LTE/UMTS/GSM

6.1 MDA role in the management loop

Intelligence in Analytics, played by MDA, in the management loop which can be open loop (operator controlled) or closed loop (autonomous) [1] as shown in Figure 6.1-1, generates value by processing and analysis of management and network data, where AI and ML techniques may be utilized (see TS 28.105 [24]).

Figure 6.1-1: Analytics in management loop

The management loop constitutes number of elements including the analytics, and these are briefly described below:

Observation: The observation of the managed networks and services. It involves monitoring and collection of events, status and performance of the managed networks and services, and providing the observed/collected data.

Analytics: The data analytics for the managed networks and services. MDA plays the role of Analytics in the management loop. It prepares, processes and analyses the observed/collected data or time series of the observed/collected data related to the managed networks and services. MDA reports may contain root cause analysis of ongoing issues, predictions of potential issues and corresponding relevant causes and recommended actions for preventions, and/or prediction of network and/or service demands.

Decision: The decision making for the management actions for the managed networks and services. The management actions are decided based on the analytics reports (provided by MDA) and other management data (e.g. historical decisions made previously) if necessary. The decision may be made by the consumer of MDAS (in the closed management control loop), or by a human operator (in the case of open management loop). The decision may include e.g. what actions to take, and when to take the actions.

Execution: The execution of the management actions according to the decisions. During the execution step, the actions are carried out to the managed networks and services, and the reports (e.g. notifications, logs) of the executed actions are provided.

6.2 MDA role in the management loop for service assurance

MDA represents Analytics roles in the management control loop for communications service assurance [3]. The management and control of resources used by a communication service and the assurance of this communication service level agreements (e.g. per SLS) is provided by the management control loop involving different management services produced by the management system, which includes management data analytics service (MDAS, or MDA MnS). The MDAS (MDA MnS) may be produced based on a combination of information including e.g. the user quality of service experience, network performance and network resource utilization analysis and the SLS.

The MDAS complements other services in the management loop in order to perform SLS communication service assurance. Prior to operation phase, the MDA role in the management control loop is to prepare, process and analyse the data related to the managed communication service, in order to provide the analytics output (analytics report) which may include prediction and feasibility checks of network resource requirements to meet the SLS.

During the operation phase, the MDA can identify ongoing issues impacting the performance of the communication service per the SLS and identify in advance potential risks that would cause potential failure and/or performance degradation. The MDA can also predict the network and service demand to maintain delivery of communication service per the contracted SLS.

6.3 MDA role in cross-domain service assurance

Cross-domain MDA may base its analysis on the outputs from one or multiple single-domain MDA including analytics output and other input data (e.g. PM, alarm notifications, etc.). To facilitate service assurance the cross-domain MDA may adopt output from one or multiple single-domain MDA. Figure 6.3-1 shows the simplest case, where a cross-domain MDA incorporates the results of single-domain MDA(s).

Figure 6.3-1 Cross-domain MDA based on single-domain MDA

Figure 6.3-2 shows the case where a cross-domain MDA incorporates the results of single-domain MDA(s) which are embedded within single-domain control loop service(s). Service assurance control loop may be conducted at single-domain bases where MDA role is assumed by analytics. The cross-domain MDA may further leverage the output from one or multiple single-domain control loops for its analytics for the e2e service assurance.

Cross domain MDA

Analytics

Single domain control loop service

Analytics

Execution

Observation

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Domain-level analysis

Figure 6.3-2: Cross-domain MDA based on single-domain control loop service

Figure 6.3-3 shows the case where a cross-domain MDA is part of a cross-domain control loop service. Also in this case, cross-domain MDA incorporates the results of single-domain MDA(s). Service assurance control loop may be conducted at the cross-domain level in which the MDA role is assumed by analytics. The cross-domain control loop may adopt output from one or multiple single-domain MDA(s) for the e2e service assurance.

Cross domain control service

Analytics

Execution

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Single domain MDA

Analytics

Domain-level analysis

Figure 6.3-3: Cross-domain control loop service based on single-domain MDA(s)

Figure 6.3-4 shows another case where a cross-domain MDA is part of a cross-domain control service. In this case, cross-domain MDA incorporates the results of single-domain MDA(s) which are embedded within single-domain control loop service(s). Service assurance control loop may be conducted at both levels where MDA role is assumed by analytics, i.e. at the cross-domain and single-domain. The cross-domain MDA may adopt output from one or multiple single-domain MDA(s) for the e2e service assurance.

Cross domain control loop service

Analytics

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Observation

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Single domain control loop service

Analytics

Execution

Observation

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Domain-level analysis

Figure 6.3-4: Cross-domain control loop service based on single-domain control loop service(s)