MSc Thesis: Time Sensitive Networking on Open Radio Access Networks

Current 5G and future 6G cellular technologies rely on virtualization technologies, and virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRANs) are one of their major keystones. In order to make vRANs widely adopted and deployed by the telecommunication players, a new Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture has been proposed to allow for open, standardized interfaces and multi-vendor, interoperable components in the Radio Access Networks to enable truly flexible and virtualized deployments following the cloud-native principles. However virtualizing the RAN comes with challenges. In order to effectively achieve such virtualization levels, O-RAN must ensure that the network can be shared while keeping deterministic performance requirements, especially those interfaces that are time-critical. In this sense, Time Senstive Networking (TSN) stays as a promising approach to provide Ethernet-based vRANs fronthaul and midhaul networks with the ability of being shared by different traffic types, while ensuring deterministic performance for the time-critical flows.

The goal of this thesis will be to investigate, apply and verify different TSN-enabled approaches to guarantee that vRAN high-priority flows comply with their time-critical requirements on different O-RAN scenarios and use cases.

Who we are:

The i2CAT Foundation is a non-profit research and innovation center that promotes mission-driven R&D activities on advanced Internet architectures, applications, and services. More than 15 years of international research define our expertise in the fields of 5G, IoT,  VR,  and  Immersive  Technologies,  Cybersecurity,  Blockchain,  AI,  and  Digital  Social Innovation. The  center  partners  with  companies,  public  administration,  academia,  and  end-users   to leverage   this   knowledge   in   order   to   meet   real   social   and   business   challenges.

The greatest value of i2CAT is the talent of the people who make up our human team. We enjoy a team of people from more than 13 different nationalities and work every day to create and foster a work environment where we all feel comfortable creating, innovating and growing.

Want to know more? Visit our webpage! www.i2cat.net

What do we offer?

• Work from our offices or from home, whichever works best for you. We ask for two days in person at the office to coordinate with the rest of the team.
• This is a full time vacancy
• You will have a flexible work schedule so that you can reconcile your personal life with the professional one.
• Intensive hours every Friday of the year and every day in July and August
• Fix + variable salary
• Possibility of receiving part of your remuneration in kind (restaurant, transport, nursery or medical insurance)
• 25 working days of annual leave (the common 22 + 3 additional ones)
• You can access the UPC gym at a reduced price
• We have fruit in the office to promote a healthy lifestyle
• If you are interested, you can participate in events of your sector.
• You will work with a laptop. You can choose your work environment, Mac, Linux or Windows.
• You can ask us for training of your interest.
• We will work so that you have a career plan to promote your growth and development.

Where will you do it?

At i2CAT we already have an established telework policy for some time. You can work from home or from the office, whichever suits you best. We ask that you attend the office two days per week, one to stay connected with the team and the other one to establish relations.

If you decide to come to the office, we are located in Zona Universitària, next to the Campus Nord of the UPC, within a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment. It is a very well connected area (metro, tram, bus) with bars and restaurants around.

Our offices are designed with an open-office concept where everything is light and transparency (we do not have opaque rooms). We have a variety of workspaces so that you don't have to be at the same table all day.

i2CAT is an organization committed to equal opportunities. That is why we seek to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented, and therefore explicitly encourage the female collective to apply.

i2CAT is an organization committed to diversity and we seek to increase the number of people with disabilities in our team.

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