The xApp Store: A Framework for xApp Onboarding and Deployment in O-RAN (To Appear)

Abstract

Telephone networks are increasingly embracing soft- ware technologies in their operation and control, similar to what has powered the growth of the cloud. This is most recently seen in the radio access network (RAN). This new software- based approach sees the RAN now controlled by software applications known as xApps, and opens the door to third party development of xApps bringing diversity to the ecosystem, similar to mobile phone apps. This model aligns strongly to the controllers in the ITU-T architecture for autonomous networks, and provides a pathway towards autonomous operation in the RAN. Unfortunately, no marketplace to host or supply xApps currently exists.
This work describes our experiences in leveraging open-source O-RAN implementations to design and develop an xApp store.