Rimedo Labs Integrated the TS xApp with VMware Distributed RIC and Won the rAppathon
Rimedo Labs integrated a Traffic Steering xApp into the VMware Distributed RIC (Near-RT RIC). Rimedo’s Policy-Controlled Traffic Steering xApp running on the VMware Distributed RIC incorporates both service and mobility load balancing to avoid congestion, improve user experience and make the network more energy efficient. Rimedo’s xApp was the winner of the inaugural rAppathon RIC application developer competition hosted by VMware and Intel at MWC 2023.
Rimedo Labs Integrated the Load-Balancing and Service-Based Traffic Steering xApp (TS-xApp) with VMware Distributed RIC and Won the rAppathon at MWC23.
Rimedo Labs Policy-controlled xApp, powered by VMware Distributed RIC, helps CSPs by providing service-based and load-balancing-focused traffic steering. Using internal intelligence and following the policies specified via the A1 interface, the Rimedo Labs xApp can simultaneously distribute the load between network nodes and offload specific traffic to dedicated cells (e.g., some cells may have caching enabled for video services, or lower latency or larger buffers). Thanks to Rimedo Labs Policy-controlled xApp supported by the VMware Distributed RIC, CSPs can optimize resource utilization to build more balanced, resilient, and energy-efficient networks, while guaranteeing customer experience.
Rimedo Labs Traffic Steering xApp at VMware and Intel rAppathon
Rimedo’s xApp was the winner of the inaugural rAppathon RIC application developer competition hosted by VMware and Intel at MWC 2023. A panel of expert judges selected the xApp ahead of six other competing applications as the one that delivered the greatest business and network impact, showed the most innovation, and delivered greater levels of sustainability.
During the VMware and Intel Corporation rAppathon at MWC2023 Rimedo Labs showcased a Traffic Steering xApp to enable Intelligent and Flexible user-to-cell association.
Marcin Dryjanski of Rimedo Labs, said: „The rAppathon gives Rimedo Labs a high-profile platform to demonstrate the capabilities of our Policy-controlled and service-based Traffic Steering xApp to industry leaders. The TS-xApp allows per-user cell association, while at the same time keeping the network load balanced. Our collaboration with VMware shows how O-RAN architecture makes it possible for third-party developers to introduce innovative functionality into the RAN ecosystem.”
The rAppathon is a competition of leading xApp and rApp innovators who brought their cutting-edge applications to be judged by industry-leading customers and analysts.
The objective of the rAppathon will be to highlight the innovation that companies and developers are working on in the areas of xApps and rApps running on the VMware RAN Intelligent Controller.
rAppathon participants demonstrated their Apps in the VMware booth for the 4-day conference (Mobile World Congress). They made a pitch to the judges at a special event on Tuesday, February 28th, after which the winner was announced. The presentations were followed by a social evening attended by developers, analysts, media, and telecom operators.
The short video of the TS-xApp after the rAppathon: TS-xApp overview at MWC23
You can find more information about the event here: RAN Innovation in Action: Attend Our rAppathon at MWC Barcelona
Rimedo Labs Traffic Steering xApp
Rimedo Labs Policy-controlled xApp, powered by VMware Distributed RIC, helps CSPs by providing service-based and load-balancing-focused traffic steering. Using internal intelligence and following the policies specified via the A1 interface, the xApp can simultaneously distribute the load between network nodes and offload specific traffic to dedicated cells (e.g., some cells may have cache enabled for video services, or lower latency / larger buffers).
The key advantages of our xApp are the following:
- Our Traffic Steering algorithm addresses three aspects, i.e. per-UE cell association decisions, service-based steering, and load balancing. We incorporated all the mechanisms in a single xApp, which makes a smooth and joint decision considering multiple factors.
- The parameters of the xApp may be controlled automatically to modify load balancing or offloading enforcement to be more aggressive or smoother depending on the operator’s needs and the scenario.
- The xApp can cooperate with an energy-saving rApp through the A1 interface, to make sure that the users are moved to a coverage cell before switching off capacity boosters.
The technical specification of TS-xApp as integrated with VMware Distributed RIC is available at VMware – Rimedo Solution Brief
The demo video of the TS-xApp operation is available at Intelligent user-to-cell binding for network optimization || TS xApp at VMware dRIC (Demo)
About Rimedo Labs
Rimedo Labs specializes in providing high-quality consulting, implementation, and R&D services in the field of modern wireless systems currently focusing on Open RAN, 5G, and beyond. Rimedo Labs is an O-RAN software provider delivering customized xApps and rApps for RAN Intelligent Controllers.
We implement this through an individual and open approach to the client, constantly improving the team operationally and substantively, updating knowledge, and a unique combination of science and business applications. Rimedo Labs is a spin-off from the Poznan University of Technology, Poland from the Institute of Radiocommunications. In addition to the industrial and implementation projects using a licensed know-how solution in the field of effective allocation of resources in wireless networks.
For more information, please visit https://rimedolabs.com/
About VMware RIC Program
VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program at the Standard partnership level. Members of the TAP program collaborate with VMware to deliver innovative solutions for virtualization and cloud computing. The diversity and depth of the TAP ecosystem provides customers with the flexibility to choose a partner with the right expertise to satisfy their unique needs. With thousands of members worldwide, the VMware TAP program includes technology partners with the shared goal to bring the best expertise and business solutions for each unique customer environment.
Rimedo Resources on O-RAN, RIC, and xApps
1. Blog: Introduction to O-RAN: Concept and Entities
2. Blog: O-RAN Architecture, Nodes, and Interfaces
3. Blog: O-RAN near-Real-Time RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller)
4. Blog: xApp Implementation: O-RAN Traffic Steering Use Case
5. The O-RAN Whitepaper 2021 – Overview, Architecture and Use Cases
6. The O-RAN Whitepaper 2022 – RAN Intelligent Controller
7. The O-RAN Whitepaper 2023 – Energy Efficiency in O-RAN
You can download Rimedo Labs’ Open RAN xApp portfolio here.
Is this solution trialed with an operator practically? Any results?
Thanks for the question. This xApp is currently being tested and PoC’d within several projects, e.g., at O-RAN Plugfest Fall 2023 with Keysight RICtest, and will be part of the NTIA RIC forum in a consortium of Juniper, Keysight, Airhop and Vodafone.