Deployment and Testing of an Enterprise-Facing Private 5G Solution (Aether) in a VM-Based Environment

This thesis focuses on the deployment, testing, and optimization of Aether—an enterprise-facing, open-source private 5G solution—in a virtualized environment. The platform was deployed on virtual machines (VMs) to create a flexible and scalable testbed for 5G experiments. The project successfully implemented multiple blueprints, including the SD Core and Aether Management Platform, along with a runtime operations control system for continuous monitoring and management of network functions. Key research aspects include extensive testing of network functionalities. Using UERANSIM, a tool that simulates user equipment (UE) and network behaviors, the project carefully evaluated the registration process and the establishment of PDU (Protocol Data Unit) sessions. These tests validated critical signaling procedures, ensured proper connectivity, and confirmed accurate handling of session management and slice provisioning. Additionally, bandwidth assessments were performed and a new UPF slice with distinct quality-of-service parameters was deployed to observe system behavior under different conditions. One of the objectives of the experimental activity was to integrate practical deployment with teaching activities, enabling students to translate theoretical 5G concepts into hands-on experience. During deployment, challenges—such as route configurations between VMs involving multiple UPFs and monitoring issues related to session management—were carefully analyzed and resolved, thereby enhancing the platform and providing valuable troubleshooting insights for real-world 5G deployments