What Are The Components of 5G Core?

5GC, better known as 5G Core, is a vital part of a modern telecom network. Its main role is to streamline different control plan functions and manage a plethora of data. The core accumulates traffic from various sources and provides crucial services to users. Among other things, it also ensures full safety for everyone.
In this article, we’ll explain the importance of having a quality 5G Core network solution. We’ll also take a deeper dive into its main components, analyzing their importance for the network.

5G Core Basics

Without 5G Core, communication within a network would be impossible. The core manages numerous functions for 5G, including authorization, authentication, and data management.
Nowadays, most telecom providers use NSA (non-standalone) configuration for their daily operations. This type of configuration expands upon the existing 4G infrastructure by adding advanced 5G NR. For most providers, NSA configuration is the only option, given that the 5G infrastructure is still underdeveloped.
On the other hand, SA or standalone configuration utilizes a newly developed, advanced infrastructure that includes 5G radio access technology. Compared to NSA, SA is much more advanced in terms of performance, although it requires a hefty initial investment.

5G Vs. 4G

The introduction of 5G represents a major breakthrough for the telecommunications industry, but also for all users. Unlike the previous technology, 5GC is able to support much bigger loads. It offers much higher speed with minimal downtime, which makes it excellent for various commercial and public purposes.
To make things even better, 5G is vital for modern devices. It allows us to use IoT equipment, ensuring that numerous devices can communicate with each other within a small geographic space. This is a major step forward compared to 4G, which exhibited connectivity issues during concerts, sports games, and other massive events.
5G Core utilizes a much higher radio frequency than its counterparts. Together with the millimeter-wave spectrum, these networks are able to serve numerous devices. Nowadays, we use the technology for smart cars, sophisticated medical and manufacturing equipment, and much more.
Although 5G is much more advanced than the past generations of mobile networks, it’s still not widespread enough. Introducing new infrastructure takes time and, more importantly, a lot of money. This is why a lot of operators are still dependent on the past 4G systems.

5 Main Components of 5G Core

Most experts define the core as the central station for all network operations. Through its numerous components and functions, the 5GC is able to address various requests and provide excellent service to users.
Check out the main parts of the core and how they help:

AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function)

With AMF, the core is able to manage all connections within a network. It segregates between different devices while performing specific mobility management actions. The access and ability management function acts as a main entry point for all connections, whether they’re inbound or outbound.

NF Repository Function

This function is used to list all network functions. It also creates a repository of user profiles, all with their personal data, according to the services these people are using. Through the NF repository function, the core is able to remain proactive in updating different data.

AUSF (Authentication Server Function)

The main role of this function is to authenticate SIM cards. As such, it is a vital component of the network, controlling access and usage of each person.

NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function)

As the name indicates, this function is responsible for slicing within a network. The core uses it to select different slicing instances. It also establishes the assistance information during allowed slice selection. Among others, NSSF has the role of configuring slices allowing AMF to provide assistance to user user equipment.

Control Framework

The control framework includes several different services in PCF (Policy Control Function), UDM (Unified Data Management), AF (Application Function), and SMF (Session Management Function). All these functions cooperate with each other to manage network behavior and introduce vital policies.

5G and Network Slicing

Virtualization technology has brought about numerous changes to the digital world. Among others, it has allowed 5G Core to utilize slicing. By splitting a 5G network into smaller, logical networks (slices), we’re able to cater to different use cases.
Each slice can be modified to fulfill the requirements of different devices, users, and apps. For example, depending on your needs, you might want to create a slice that focuses on speed. Other users and devices might put emphasis on security, while others will try to eliminate downtime.
By utilizing this concept, we’re able to customize different services to enhance user satisfaction. Within a slice, a network administrator has full purview of resources and can utilize them any way he sees fit.

Using 5GC for Business Purposes

As you could presume, 5GC is quite a complex technology, especially if we take into account all these unique components. Luckily, the engineers have done their best to simplify the 5G core and make it more accessible to casual users.
The recent improvements to LAN tech have made it possible for companies to create fully private networks. They can store all their operations on the cloud and modify network speed and other features for their specific needs.
The best solutions come in the form of plug-and-play hardware as well as simplified virtualized software. Today, companies don’t have to rely on generalized services provided by their local operators. Instead, they can utilize customized systems to achieve higher agility and scale operation as required.

Conclusion

In just a few short years, 5G technology and its underlying core have completely changed how we perceive telecommunications. These modern solutions made it possible to customize networks and create slices for specific user requirements.
With 5GC, you can gain access to a modern, sophisticated network. You can get the maximum internet speed and reliability regardless of your location.