Oracle unveils 5G cloud-native network analytics suite

Oracle has introduced a range of communications services that it believes can drive innovation with insights from trusted data and enriched analytics.

The cloud-native Oracle Network Analytics Suite combines network function data with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to help operators make more informed, automated decisions around the performance and stability of their entire 5G network core.

The first offering in the suite, Oracle Communications Network Data Analytics Function, is available now, and allows users to identify anomalies that can cause “catastrophic” network function failures and impact customer service.

Based on cloud-native computing foundation principles and supporting 3GPP standards, the Network Data Analytics Function is a containerised microservices-based architecture managed by Kubernetes. It acts as a data and analytics repository with standard interfaces and is said to be able to share information that can support use cases across an entire 5G network.

The offering aggregates historical and real-time data such as control-signalling measurements, the state of network functions, congestion and quality of service in one dashboard.

By applying machine learning, predictive analytics and AI to this data, Oracle said service providers can better understand how their 5G core is performing and make better decisions around any actions that need to be taken. This enables carriers to streamline operations and network planning based on insights generated from current, predicted, and even simulated events in their network.

Ultimately, Oracle assures that with the offering, communications service providers (CSPs) can build automation into applications to monitor and audit software components. This will support anomaly detection to avoid events such as network function failure, which could result in degradation of network quality.

The offering can also support network monetisation with data and insight sharing to third-party developers to create new services.

“Communications service providers are challenged by the levels of complexity that new technology brings to light,” said Karl Whitelock, research vice-president of CSP operations and monetisation at IDC. “Building a competitive advantage requires not only effective operations management, but advanced insight concerning network behaviour.”

Andrew Morawski, senior-vice president and general manager at Oracle Communications, added: “Driving innovation with insights from trusted data and enriched analytics is not only critical to compete in today’s marketplace, but game-changing in the way service providers can achieve greater cost-efficiency, improve quality of service and carve out new revenue streams.”