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Table 5 Description of non-5G element

From: Beyond private 5G networks: applications, architectures, operator models and technological enablers

Non-5G element

Description

Application

There exists a plethora of different applications, which can be offloaded to a MEC platform. In the industrial domain, such applications range from simple data collection and database systems to control logic functions of controllers to more complex systems, such as manufacturing execution systems or even enterprise resource planning software. Depending on the type of the application, the MEC platform is either deeply integrated with the 5G System and located close to a machine or production line, or it provides computing capabilities for a large number of machines, sensors etc., that can even span across multiple factories

MEC Platform

The purpose of the edge-computing platform is to carry applications and connect telecom operators’ network equipment, and thus telecom operators usually own the edge-computing platform. Owners of the edge-computing platform must maintain the network connectivity and assist in generating applications of the platform

User Plane Data

User plane is responsible for the transfer of user data, such as voice or application data through the access stratum

Wide Area Network (WAN) Infrastructure

A WAN is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area for the primary purpose of computer networking. WAN infrastructure may be privately owned or leased as a service from a third-party service provider, such as a telecommunications carrier, internet service provider, private IP network operator or cable company. For operator models, in which multiple stakeholders are involved carrying out OAM tasks remotely, the WAN infrastructure plays a significant role, e.g., regarding availability of the entire distributed system

Shop Floor

A shop floor is the area of a factory, machine shop, etc., where people work on machines, or the space in a retail establishment where goods are sold to consumers

Shop Floor Plan

The map of the factory including information about physical objects, such as machines, walls, production lines, etc.

Enterprise Network IT

An enterprise IT network is the backbone for facilitating an organization’s communications and consists of physical and virtual networks and protocols that serve the dual purpose of connecting all users, computers and devices throughout departments on a local area network to applications in the data center and cloud as well as facilitating access to network data and analytics. These information networks can include local area networks, WANs, intranets and extranets. The enterprise network IT plays an important role regarding the deployment and integration of a private 5G network, especially with respect to IT security

Third-party Cloud Platform

It is a third-party company platform proposing the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale

Enterprise operations and maintenance (OAM) Systems

Enterprise OAM systems plans and executes activities such as operating the system, or monitoring system performance. Such systems become important, when existing network infrastructures converge with the private 5G infrastructure

Enterprise Personnel and/or End Device Database

It corresponds to the database of enterprise personnel to provide them access or to end device such as computers, robots, machines, cameras, etc.

Power Supply

The power supply is a hardware component or network that supplies power to electrical devices. The plan of the enterprise power grid will also be necessary to deploy powered devices of private 5G Networks