About VMware Distributed RIC

VMware Distributed RIC is a containerized or Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNFs) that serves as a platform for Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) to make their Radio Access Networks (RANs) programmable by third-party software applications. This allows CSPs to accelerate innovation in their networks, improve operational efficiency, and spectral efficiency and subscriber QoS.

VMware Distributed RIC is designed to be RAN vendor neutral and can support multi-RAN deployments. It is cloud native and can be deployed on any Kubernetes platform, VMware Telco Cloud Platform, or can be orchestrated by VMware Telco Cloud Automation. In addition, it can also be deployed on AWS Elastic Kubernetes Services.

VMware Distributed RIC also offers Software Development Kit (SDK) that third party developers can use to build intelligent RAN applications known as xApps for CSPs. It also includes VMware RIC Management System, an off-the-shelf Day-2 operations tool for CSPs to monitor, configure, and manage all instances of VMware Distributed RIC and VMware or third-party xApps in their network.

The VMware Distributed RIC is an implementation of the near-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (near-RT RIC) in the O-RAN Alliance reference architecture. The VMware Distributed RIC can be considered a control plane entity and hosts external RAN focused applications referred to as xApps that have control functions with response timing less than one second, typically on the order of tens of milliseconds.

For information about installing VMware Distributed RIC, see the VMware Distributed RIC Installation Guide.

For information about installing and operating the VMware RIC Management System, see the VMware RIC Management System Installation and Operations Guide.

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