Vodafone partnered with tech research center i2CAT Foundation for this development
Vodafone and tech research center i2CAT Foundation announced that they will take advantage of the improved automation offered by Open-RAN to jointly build a multi-vendor management system to fix faults and respond to cyber threats faster, the telco said in a release.
Vodafone noted that O-RAN promotes enhanced innovation through the introduction of new features and services by enabling the use of software and hardware from multiple vendors. This approach also paves the way for greater use of automated and virtualization techniques, replacing manual tasks associated with traditional networks, according to the carrier.
Combining i2CAT’s research and development in new digital technologies with Vodafone’s advanced engineering expertise at its innovation center in Málaga, the pair will use machine learning techniques to effectively manage and analyze multi-vendor O-RAN network logs. Vodafone noted that these logs provide vital information, such as successful login or failed access attempts, that can be used to enhance security and detect threats.
The new system will provide Vodafone with a unified multi-vendor dashboard to respond to and control O-RAN events over a wide geographical area, thus supporting the company’s aim of having 30% of its masts across Europe using O-RAN technology by 2030.
Also, the management system’s benefits include reducing operational costs by automating the processing and analysis of multi-vendor logs; strengthening security by being able to quickly detect and mitigate threats across different suppliers; and simplifying compliance with appropriate regulations and industry standards, the European telco added.
Francisco Martin, head of O-RAN at Vodafone, said: “Vodafone’s partnership with i2CAT supports our aim to provide ultra-secure and reliable software-driven networks that can be upgraded or patched in an instant. It will enable us to automate more manual tasks associated with traditional networks to respond even faster to fluctuations in demand, manage energy consumption more effectively, launch new features quicker and keep ahead of the ever-changing threat landscape.”
Meanwhile, Ana Moliner, i2CAT’s director of innovation business development for the private sector, noted that this partnership combines i2CAT’s R&D expertise with Vodafone’s knowledge of new infrastructure deployment and its global reach, accelerating the creation and adoption of new solutions and products. “Together, we can explore new frontiers in digital connectivity, create new use cases in emerging sectors and contribute to society’s advancement towards a more connected and innovative future.”
The initial focus for Vodafone and i2CAT is on the design of a security information and event management system (SIEM) — a system that flags potential security threats like unauthorized access, denial-of-service attacks or man-in-the-middle interceptions.
Vodafone and i2CAT will test the ability to differentiate the diverse types of logs received, classify them and manage them according to the specific threat. The intention is then to integrate the SIEM with the main Open RAN components, such as the RAN Intelligence Controller (RIC).
The results of this collaborative project, named Holistic ORAN Logging & Metrics Security Shield (HOLMES), will be shared with the O-RAN Alliance.
