# Cloud-Enabled Deployment of 5G Core Network with Analytics Features
## 4 The Testbed
### Slicing Configuration
Figure 4 presents the throughput achieved during the testbed experiments. The experiment was conducted using iPerf3, which operates in a client-server architecture. In this setup, an additional VM serves as the server, while the UE acts as the client. Traffic is transmitted in both directions between the machines using TCP as the transport protocol, with a datagram size of 128 KB. The achieved results are satisfactory; however, it is important to note that all resources were dedicated to this single session. ## 6 Extension for Analytics of 5G Deployment

Common open-source implementations of the 5G Core Network include a sufficient number of NFs to meet the specification of Release 16 [21]. However, 5G cloud-based deployments in a virtualized environment with support for network slicing may require additional functions [21]. The NEF, Application Function (AF), Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF), and NetWork Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) are not implemented. Figure 4: Throughput achieved by one UE in a testbed. Figure 3: End-to-end latency in the user plane of the 5G network. Due to the absence of certain NFs, some procedures defined for 5G systems cannot be executed. Therefore, supplementing Open5 GS with one of these missing network functions would greatly benefit the community and represent a significant contribution to the field of open-source 5G implementations. To develop a functional module, a solid foundation of essential services is necessary. After evaluating the dependencies between existing and planned NFs, it was determined that the NEF would be the most advantageous to implement. This is because many planned NFs depend on NEF services. The other unimplemented network functions were excluded as they either require NEF for their operation or would not provide useful services to the rest of Open5 GS NFs. The Network Exposure Function enables the external exposure of CP NFs capabilities to third-party applications, enhancing the flexibility and utility of 5G networks. These capabilities include monitoring, provisioning, and policy/charging functions [21]. The policy/charging capability is related to enforcing QoS policies and enabling charging for a UE in a 5G network. This involves direct interaction between the NEF and the PCF to forward policy and charging requests from external applications. The monitoring capability allows for the exposure of events related to UE mobility, reachability, or loss of connectivity. This feature enables the identification of emerging events and the network functions that generate them, allowing eligible external applications to access such events for purposes such as performing digital communication forensics [44]. The provisioning capability allows authorized external applications to provide 5G NFs with data related to a given UE, which can be used to influence UE behavior in the network. For instance, the NEF can change the Session Management data of a UE upon request from an external application. In our work, we developed an original extension to a widely used 5G core network implementation, creating a network function that mirrors the functionalities of the NEF. This extension is specifically designed to offer advanced analytics and AI-based optimization capabilities, aggregating 5G-related data to enhance network performance. These features are particularly valuable for cloud-based virtualized 5G network deployments, significantly contributing to the efficiency and functionality of modern 5G networks. In the following subsections, we verify the feasibility of implementing the NEF, considering the accessibility of other required network function services. We then explain the assumptions and design details of our quasi-NEF and present and discuss the implementation details of the proposed extension. Finally, we discuss the anticipated impact of the proposed extension. ### Verification of the Accessibility of Required NF Services

The first steps in delivering a NEF application are related to the EventExposure capability of Open5 GS.