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The purpose of Public Cloud Edge Interface (PCEI) Blueprint family is to specify a set of open APIs for enabling Multi-Domain Interworking Inter-working across functional domains that provide Edge capabilities/applications and require close cooperation between the Mobile Edge, the Public Cloud Core and Edge as well as , the 3rd-Party Edge functions as well as the underlying infrastructure functions such as Data Centers and Networks. The high-level relationships between the functional domains is shown in the figure below:
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The PCEI Intent Layer. An optional component of the PCEI Architecture responsible for providing the users of PCEI a way to express and communicate their intended functional, performance and service requirements.
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The PCEI working group identified the following use cases and capabilities for the Blueprint development:
PCEI Interface Reference Points
P1 – User Intent. Provides ability for User/Customer to specify PCEI access and functional requirements E.g. Type of Access, Performance, Connectivity, Location, Topology
P2 – Interface between PCEI and Mobile Network. Provides ability to accept requests from MNO for PCEI service and request MNO to provide 4G/5G access to PCEI customers. E.g. Network Slicing, LBO.
P2' - Interface between PCEI and the MNO Core Functions such as UPF, SMF. In case of a UPF the P2' interface can be used to configure the parameters responsible for interfacing the UPF and the virtual/contextual configuration structures within the UPF with the PCC/PCE and 3PE resources by way of the L1-L3 Interconnection layer. The P2' interface implies the availability of standard or well specified UPF provisioning models provided by MNOs.
P3 – Interface between PCEI and Compute Hardware Orchestrator for distributed MNO functions (e.g. non-MNO locations). Provides ability for PCEI to trigger orchestration of appropriate HW resources for MNO User Plane and other appropriate functions. May be triggered through P2 by MNO
P4 – Interface between PCEI and Interconnection Fabric. Provides ability to request and orchestrate network connectivity and performance KPIs between MNO UPF, Cloud Core and Edge resources (including 3rd Party Edge)
P5 – Interface between PCEI and 3rd Party Edge Functions (e.g. NFV). Provides ability to access Edge APIs exposed by 3rd Party Edge Functions (e.g. deployment of NFVs and Edge Processing workloads)
P6 – Interface between PCEI and Edge Compute Hardware Orchestrator. Provides ability for PCEI to trigger orchestration of appropriate HW resources for Edge Compute functions including Public Cloud Edge and 3rd party Edge.
P7 – Interface between PCEI and Public Cloud Edge Functions (may be part of P8). Provides ability to access APIs to deploy Public Cloud Edge functions/Instances (may be done through P8)
P8 - Interface between PCEI and Public Cloud Core Functions (may include control over Public Cloud Edge functions). Provides ability to access Public Cloud APIs including ability to deploy Public Cloud edge functions.
P9 - Interface between PCEI and the NFVI layer of the 3PE Domain. P9 may be used If a MNO chooses to expose the NFVI layer to PCEI.
Use Cases
The PCEI working group identified the following use cases and capabilities for the Blueprint development:
- Traffic Steering/UPF Distribution/Shunting capability -- distributing User Plane Functions in appropriate Data Center Facilities on qualified compute hardware for Traffic Steering/UPF Distribution/Shunting capability -- distributing User Plane Functions in appropriate Data Center Facilities on qualified compute hardware for routing the traffic to desired applications and network/processing functions/applications.
- Local Break-Out (LBO) – Examples: video traffic offload, low latency services, roaming optimization.
- Location Services -- location of a specific UE, or identification of UEs within a geographical area, facilitation of server-side application workload distribution based on UE and infrastructure resource location.
- QoS acceleration/extension – provide low latency, high throughput for Edge applications. Example: provide continuity for QoS provisioned for subscribers in the MNO domain, across the interconnection/networking domain for end-to-end QoS functionality.
- Network Slicing provisioning and management - providing continuity for network slices instantiated in the MNO domain, across the Public Cloud Core/Edge as well as the 3Rd-Party Edge domains, offering dedicated resources specifically tailored for application and functional needs (e.g. security) needs.
- Mobile Hybrid/Multi-Cloud Access - provide multi-MNO, multi-Cloud, multi-MEC access for mobile devices (including IoT) and Edge services/applications
- Enterprise Wireless WAN access - provide high-speed Fixed Wireless Access to enterprises with ability to interconnect to Public Cloud and 3rd-Party Edge Functions, including the Network Functions such as SD-WAN.
- Distributed Online/Cloud Gaming.
- Authentication – provided as service enablement (e.g., two-factor authentication) used by most OTT service providers
- Security – provided as service enablement (e.g., firewall service insertion)
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