On-demand Trial Networks over 6G-SANDBOX infrastructure
Pedro Merino, Bruno García, Carlos Andreo, David Artuñedo Guillen, Jesus Macias · 2024
The transition from 5G to 6G technologies needs comprehensive experimental infrastructure to serve as early placeholders for validation of 6G Technologies as Proof of Concepts. Such infrastructure is vital for demonstrating the benefits of these technologies in terms of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Value Indicators (KVIs), employing a repeatable and automatable testing methodology. However, the prohibitive cost of constructing proprietary testbeds for validation poses a significant challenge for many institutions. This underscores the imperative for shared, cost-effective experimental infrastructure that is accessible under reasonable conditions and capable of continuous upgrades to accommodate evolving 6G innovations.Addressing this challenge, the 6G-SANDBOX project offers a solution through the design and implementation of a testing facility that automates the processes of definition, deployment, and experimentation with ad-hoc end-to-end networks. Within this framework, Trial Networks are fully manageable and configurable mobile end-to-end networks created to support one or several experiments by multiple users over a shared infrastructure. The primary advantage of the 6G-SANDBOX approach lies in its automation and orchestration capabilities, specifically the zero-touch provisioning of secure, low-cost experimental testbeds and the capability to repeat experiments as needed. This empowers experimenters of various profiles to conduct short to long-term experimentation campaigns with low investment.