1NG-RAN Network – Functional Architecture
1.1. Functional architecture NSA/SA
Unlike previous generations of mobile networks, the deployment of 5G does not require the simultaneous implementation of the 5G core network (5GC) and the NG-RAN (Next-Generation Radio Access Network).
NSA (Non-Standalone Access) and SA (Standalone Access) are two 5G network models:
- – SA is a completely new core service-based architecture: each radio node is autonomously controlled by the 5G core network. A service-based architecture delivers services as a set of NFs (Network Functions). NFs in the 5G core network are cloud native;
- – NSA relies either on the 4G core network or on the 5G core network. NSA anchors the control signaling to the core network through a radio MN (Master Node). The MN is either a 4G radio node or a 5G radio node. The MN controls an SN (Secondary Node) (4G radio node or 5G radio node) according to the DC (Dual Connectivity) mechanism.
The 5G-SA architecture requires the deployment of a 5G core network connected to the NG-RAN.
The 5G-NSA architecture and the 5G-SA architecture were introduced in Release 15 of the 3GPP standard.
The 5G-NSA configuration implements the MR-DC (Multi Radio Dual Connectivity) architecture.
Figure 1.1. Deployment in the SA mode
Dual connectivity involves two RAN nodes, i.e. master node (MN) and secondary nodes (SN) which has the following features: ...
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