Nephio is an open source project donated by Google and recently included as part of the Linux Foundation Networking projects umbrella. Its main objective is to facilitate the deployment and management of Network Applications (such as 5G) on large scale. This project allows Telecom companies to use well-known practices such as GitOps and Cloud-Native to onboard their applications.

1. Embracing GitOps
in Telecom with
Nephio
Victor Morales
Senior Staff Software Engineer -
Samsung

2. Victor Morales
• +19 yrs as a Software Engineer
• .NET, Java, python, Go
programmer
• OpenStack, OPNFV, ONAP,
Matter, Nephio and CNCF
contributor.
https://about.me/electrocucaracha

3. Agenda
● Telecom history and challenges
● LFN Landscape
● Nephio
● Demo

4. https://gsmcommunications.blogspot.com/2010/12/lte-interfaces-and-protocols.htm
https://www.telecomtutorial.info/post/introduction-to-nfv-network-
function-virtualization
Mobile
Wireless
Network

5. Specialized Network Appliances
A 5G non-standalone
Evolved Packet Core
for up to 50,000
subscribers can cost
anywhere from
$250,000 to $1.2
million
Software license fee
could cost between
$0.02 - $1.04 per
customer.

6. Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
● Standard Hardware
● Less complex
● Very flexible
● Reduced Power
● Lower CapEx
● Lower OpEx
● Test new apps
● Lower risk
● Reduced TTM
● Open Market to
Software suppliers
https://laptrinhx.com/bringing-network-function-virtualization-nfv-to-lte-2616292548/

7. 5G Core Network
https://openairinterface.org/oai-5g-core-network-project/

8. Deployments http://www.mexicocellular.com/mexico_coverage.shtml

9. LFN Landscape

11. Concepts

12. Configuration as Data
Instead of taking an imperative or
procedural approach, Kubernetes
relies on the notion of Configuration
as Data, taking a declarative
approach to deploying and
managing cloud infrastructure as
well as applications.
Every Kubernetes resource instance is
defined by Configuration as Data
expressed in YAML and JSON files.
https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/containers-kubernetes/understanding-configuration-as-data-in-kubernetes

13. Kubernetes Resource Model (KRM)
Declarative format
you use to talk to
the Kubernetes API.
Often, KRM is
expressed as YAML
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/developers-practitioners/build-platform-krm-part-1-whats-platform

14. Nephio project
https://docs.nephio.org/

15. It’s goal is to deliver carrier-grade,
simple, open, Kubernetes-based
cloud native intent automation and
common automation templates that
materially simplify the deployment
and management of multi-vendor
cloud infrastructure and network
functions across large scale edge
deployments.

17. Demo
https://github.com/electrocucaracha/nephio-pocs

18. Gitea Infra
Nephio Mgmt
Porch
MetalLB Nephio Operator
core01 mgmt
core01
ConfigSync
mgmt-
staging
Gitea
Cluster API
ConfigSync
local-path-provisioner
kindnet multus
oai-cp-operators

19. Questions?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/electrocucaracha
https://github.com/electrocucaracha/

20. Backup
Call for action

21. Current state ● End-to-End testing using
Free5GC NFs
● End-to-End testing using
OAI Core and OAI RAN
NFs.
● Non-production like
documentation.
● Cluster API Docker infra
packages utilized.
● ContainerLab tool used
to interconnect clusters.

22. Gitea Infra
Nephio Mgmt
Porch
MetalLB Nephio Operator
regional mgmt
regional
ConfigSync
mgmt-
staging
Gitea
Cluster API
ConfigSync
multus
edge01
edge01
ConfigSync
multus
Proposal
● Production-like testing and
documentation.
● Cluster API OpenStack infra packages.
● Agnostic KRM Cloud provider solution to
interconnect clusters.