Complexity in Future Networks (A. Manzalini)

Gruppo Telecom Italia
Why We Have to Embrace Complexity for Reliability, Availability
and Serviceability of Future Networks and 5G
Emerging Technology Reliability Roundtable 2017
Bologna, 3 July 2017 – in conjunction with IEEE Netsoft
Antonio Manzalini, PhD

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The decoupling of software architectures from hardware infrastructure (SDN) and the virtualization of
resources and functions (NFV) are opening several new and intertwined challenges for future networks:
one of them is “Complexity”, a systemic challenge.
In fact, future 5G infrastructures will assume the form of extended and distributed execution and
communication environments—from fog resources (up to the smart things and terminals) to edge- (e.g.,
network points of presence and small/medium-sized data centers), to cloud computing (e.g., big data
centers) and across a transparent and pervasive fixed-radio connectivity.
On top of the 5G infrastructures will reverberate a boom of network, cloud services and user
applications, enabling a scenario of Everything -as-a-service, where everything will be an instrument to
provide and consume ICT services and data. So, Future Networks and 5G will be like Complex Systems of
Systems.
It is a commonplace conclusion in sciences today that higher order phenomena cannot be directly
derived from lower order systems: emerging properties and dominant characteristics in complex
systems come from the interactions between its entities, rather than from the properties of a single
entity in isolation. It is argued that Complexity management should be embraced for meeting the
requirements of Reliability, Availability and Serviceability of Future Networks and 5G.
Antonio Manzalini - Technological Scouting, Trend Analysis & Future Center
Abstract

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“Why Software Is Eating the World”
Marc Andreessen coined his famous
sentence “Why Software Is Eating the
World” in The Wall Street Journal six years
ago.
Today, the idea that “every company needs
to become a software company” is
considered almost unavoidable to be
efficient, effective and able to compete in
such a dynamic market.
Since 2007 concepts such as Programmable
networks and Software networking were
discussed in Research… …Software is eating the Telecoms

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SOFTWARIZATION: a systemic transformation
A number of techno-economic drivers are steering the evolution of current network and
service platforms towards Future Networks and 5G
Among these techno-economic drivers, there are:
 diffusion of ultra-broadband,
 technology advances in chipsets and IT hardware and tumbling costs,
 new emerging network paradigms (SDN, NFV),
 evolution of Cloud Computing towards Edge and Fog Computing,
 growing availability of Open Source software,
 more and more advances terminals, smart things, etc…
The combined effect of these drivers are creating the condition for a “perfect storm”
transforming – systemically – Telecoms’ infrastructures and related biz.

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Software Defined Networks
SDN: separation of software (e.g., control plane) from hardware (e.g. data plane, packets
forwarding) and execution of the control software on dedicated IT resource local or even in the
Cloud/Edge (i.e., not necessarily in the node).
Source: GSMA

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Network Function Virtualization
Virtualization of network functions (e.g. middle-boxes) and the optimised dynamic allocation
and execution (e.g., general purpose hardware of Cloud – Edge or even Fog Computing).
Source: GSMA

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SOFTWARIZATION: a systemic transformation

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Softwarization will enable IoT ecosystems
Softwarization is transforming – for the fist time – the Telecommunication
infrastructures in a “continuum” of virtual resources, functions and services
which are extended from the terminals up to the Clouds.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140705094524-10816248-forget-cloud-computing-fog-computing-is-the-new-hype

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Softwarization will enable Industrial Internet and Industry 4.0 ecosystems
http://goldberg.berkeley.edu/cloud-robotics/
 What if robots and automation
systems were not limited by onboard
computation, memory, or software?
 Rather than viewing automated machines
as isolated systems with limited
computation and memory, to view them
connected to the Cloud to create a a global
network system embedded into the reality.
 Potential impacts in the "Internet of
Things", "Smarter Planet", "Industrial
Internet", and "Industry 4.0."
Cloud Computing

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Softwarization will exploit computational intelligence everywhere
Softwarization will allow developing very flexible and
programmable infrastructures for:
• sensing, collecting and storing (even locally, in the
Edge/Fog resource and even devices) massive data sets
(through sensors, terminals, smart things, intelligent
machines);
• moving sets of data or code (through high bandwidth and
ultra-low low latency connections) where it is more
convenient (execution of virtual functions and services );
• elaborating (DL, ML, Industrial mathematics…) big data
(Cloud and Edge/Fog Computing) to infer decisions for
actuating/controlling local actions (pervasive machines).
…it’s about exploiting computational intelligence everywhere!
Source: definition of computational inteligence -
Engelbrecht (2007)
Adaptive mechanisms to enable or facilitate
intelligent behaviours in complex and changing
environments

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Softwarization will enable several ecosystems

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LOGO PARTNER
Softwarization will exploit computational intelligence everywhere

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Complexity is becoming systemic challenge for future networks:
 In the future we are not managing closed equipment but intertwined software processes (e.g.,
two orders of magnitude more and much more dynamic);
 Computational intelligence will be everywhere
Future networks will assume the form of extended and distributed execution and
communication environments, based on a “continuum” of virtual functions and resources:
 …from fog resources (up to the smart things and terminals) to edge- (e.g., network points of
presence and small/medium-sized data centers), to cloud computing (e.g., big data centers)
and across a transparent and pervasive fixed-radio connectivity;
 a sheer number of apps/services (e.g., from network to cloud services up to Users’
applications) will on top of such infrastructures.
Complexity: the property of any intelligent system

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Robustness vs Complexity
Softwarization creates the need of different ways to design networks and services

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Complexity will be a property of Future Networks and 5G
Lower Bound of Complexity
(static, brittle, predictable performance)
Upper Bound of Complexity
(flexible, unpredictable performance)
How “taming” this Complexity ?
…or better how extracting “simplicity” out of it
How taming the complexity ?
”constraints that deconstraint”

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A Network Operating System will create ”constraints that deconstraint”

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5G: much more than 4G + 1…
Source: http://5g-ppp.eu/about-us/ Source: NGMN 5G White Paper (enabling technologies)

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5G: much more than 4G + 1…
In fact, 5G is not just an increase of bandwidth, better performance and improved reliability:
5G will be become a sort of "nervous system" of Digital Society, capable of bringing
computational intelligence everywhere to create new services

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Conclusions
Software is eating Telecommunications;
future networks and 5G will be Pervasive Software
Environment;
this “softwarization” will bring a new wave of computational
intelligence everywhere;
complexity will be a property of future networks and 5G, as it
is for any “intelligent” system;
the Network Operating System will set those “constraints
capable of de-constraining”, i.e. will allow extracting that
simplicity (in terms of abstractions) required for Reliability,
Availability and Serviceability of future networks and 5G.

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E-mail antonio.manzalini@telecomitalia.it
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-manzalini-ph-d-0b690b5/
Twitter https://twitter.com/a_manzalini
Blog http://ieee-sdn.blogspot.it/
Thanks !

Complexity in Future Networks (A. Manzalini)

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