5G network concepts

Multiple NFs come together to make the 5G System (5GS). Each of these NFs has a designated function and is connected to one or more other NFs to provide its services or consume services provided by another NF.

5G almost entirely ushers in the adaptation of virtualized infrastructure. The NFs have been designed to operate over Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and are no longer complicated or expensive. These NFs are therefore virtualized. They can be virtual machine-based or use microservices-based or bare-metal-based software capable of running microservices directly, bypassing the need for a VM. The 3GPP standards on 5G have been written keeping this microservices-based virtualized infrastructure in mind. Hence, 5G completes the cycle of telecom virtualization that started with 4G and comes full circle with 5G.

3GPP has defined each of these connections between any two NFs, as shown by the reference point architecture diagram in Figure 2.3. Each of...