Introduction to Digital Twin Technologies for Telco Networks

The growth of network types and scales and the increased demand on these networks require them to accommodate and adapt dynamically to operator needs. As a result, requirements are placing significant challenges for the deployment and operation of telco services for emerging network types, for 5G and beyond.  In addition, network operation and maintenance are becoming more intricate due to the higher complexity of the managed networks and the sophisticated benefits of applications and services they deliver. Providing management innovations in the technology selection, design, management and operation of telco services has become more challenging due to the high risk of interfering with existing services and the higher proof of concept costs if no reliable simulation platforms are available.

A Digital Twin is the real-time representation of a physical entity in the digital world. It has the characteristics of virtual-reality interrelation and real-time interaction, iterative operation and process optimization, entire life-cycle and comprehensive data-driven network infrastructure. A digital twin platform can be built to create a virtual image of physical network facilities. The main difference compared to traditional network management systems is the interactive virtual-real mapping and data-driven approach to building closed-loop network automation. Therefore, a digital twin network platform is more than an emulation platform or network simulator; it becomes symbiont with the deployed network resources. By using real-time interaction between the physical network and its digital twin, network designers will achieve simplified design for resilient networks that meet existing and emerging requirements. These network models can reflect optimal deployment strategies, potential congestion points, and failure scenarios before the network are compromised. 

Anyone working within Operators, Service Providers or Enterprises who require an introduction to Digital Twin.