OPEN6GNET: A Learning and Experimentation Platform Based on Open-Source Solutions and Cloud-Native Approaches

Teaching networking technologies is one of the pillars of many bachelor programs in IT nowadays. In this context, some programs will also offer specific courses on Mobile Networks, covering their historical background to modern solutions, e.g., 5G Networks. To enable the development of the next generation of mobile networks, namely 6G, it is imperative to popularize experimentation with current 5G technologies. However, the 5G architecture was developed around a service-based approach, which makes the introduction of its main components and its interaction a challenge for the lecturers, students, and researchers joining the field. This paper presents an approach that relies on open-source tools and cloud-native principles to provide a low-cost platform for experimentation and a practical learning environment on 5G networks and architecture, aiming to foster research towards 6G. As a result, a set of tools, instructions, and guides were developed to allow students and newcomers to deploy 5G networks easily and inspect their components and interactions. The approach is to be applied in upcoming TUB AV lectures, and further studies should be conducted to make a qualitative analysis of the process.