Software-defined and programmable networking is a key enabling technology to support 6G in achieving their promises of increased scalability and flexibility at a lower cost. Deep network programmability, that is the ability to program the network fabric both vertically (control and data plane) and horizontally (end to end), is expected to characterize the new generation of mobile networks (6G), towards supporting extreme performance requirements and service-specific operations.
To this end, enriching next-generation mobile networks with data plane programming capabilities can bring significant benefits with regards to network monitoring and telemetry analysis. In-band network telemetry (INT) can help correlate observed application/network performance degradation with network bottlenecks, short-lived congestion events, misconfigurations etc.
The objective of the PhD project, conducted in collaboration with Ericsson, the leading mobile communications equipment manufacturer, is to investigate network monitoring solutions for evolving 6G systems. Specifically, the candidate will investigate new approaches and technologies for dynamically collecting, intelligently aggregating (e.g., using ML-based techniques), processing and feeding the 6G system with monitoring information from heterogeneous infrastructure and application entities, to support its data-driven operation. Envisioned solutions should tailor monitoring accuracy to the dynamic system requirements and ensure scalability/performance.
The research is conducted within the scope of the
Future Network Services: the 6G flagship project for the Netherlands where 60 leading ICT businesses, mobile operators, semiconductor manufacturers and research institutions, have united to spearhead the development of specific aspects of 6G: Software antennas, AI-driven network software, and groundbreaking 6G applications.
You will be embedded in the MNS group. The group focuses its research on the fundamental architectural problems that arise from the interconnection of systems and of data flows. We look at the emerging architectures that can support the operations of the future Internet. More information can be found
here.
Within Ericsson Hungary, your work will be anchored to the team in Ericsson's Research Area Networks, which drives innovations towards 6G and the future network platform. Our local competence and expertise are in Radio Network (RAN) and Packet Core architectures and protocols, programmable networks, and network automation. More information is available
here.
Tasks and responsibilities: - focus on the development of a pervasive monitoring system for the 6G ecosystem (e.g., edge cloud infrastucture, applications etc.);
- investigate trade-offs between monitoring accuracy and utilization of system resources;
- develop appropriate proof of concept(s) to benchmark the performance or validate the applicability of proposed approaches;
- access a unique state-of-the-art testbed to also put theory to practice and be at the forefront of the Dutch 6G national ecosystem;
- become active in the research community and collaborate with other institutes and/or companies that are part of the project;
- publish and present work regularly at international conferences, workshops, and journals;
- assist in teaching activities (labs) and in supervising bachelor and master students.