This book provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the art extended by mid- to long-term prospects of cognitive and autonomous network operation. Cognitive and autonomous in this context build two independent dimensions that enable the network to action based on information about its environment, and act independent of any external directions learning from its interactions and improve its responses. The key driver for the book is the need for autonomy in 5G imposed by new requirements due to virtualization of network functions. After a declaration of the need for cognitive autonomy in networks, a comprehensive background of the current position is provided. There follows an outline of the novel approaches, and a substantial description of application of tools for end-to-end cognition, namely configuration, operation, optimization and self-healing. The book ends with an outline describing the challenges of complete autonomy in networks.
Written by industry insiders working at the heart of the technology, this book serves as an essential reference for researchers, scientists and system engineers, plus standardization experts who are laying the foundations for next generation networks.
