3 minute read

Xantaro Deutschland, the NVL Group with shipyard locations in both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea and the Universities of Augsburg and Emden/Leer are jointly running the research project “Middleware für automatisierte Verwendung von Edge-Ressourcen in Campus-Netzwerken” of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK)). The aim is the application-oriented development of management software for 5G technology in enterprise campus networks.

A reliable, comprehensive and powerful network is the basis for digitization. 5G, the fifth generation of the global mobile communications standard, now enables new possibilities for production sites and facilities, logistics systems and other relevant economic areas by wireless, high-capacity and secure networking. In order to support the utilization of the innovative communication technology, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) pushes the joint development and testing of application-related solutions for private 5G networks by a funding program for participants from business and research.

The flagship project “Campus OS” started in the beginning of 2022 and is supplemented by six satellite projects focusing on industry-specific solutions for 5G campus networks in different fields of application. In this context, Xantaro Deutschland, the NVL Group and the two universities of Augsburg and Emden/Leer form the consortium of project “MAVERIC” for the development of a middleware solution for the automated utilization of edge resources in campus networks. The official project start was April 1st, 2022; the joint kick-off meeting takes place on April 7th in Hamburg.

Demands on and through modern 5G technology

Although Germany is one of the pioneers in the use of private 5G frequencies for so-called “campus networks”, the number of private 5G licenses allocated by the Federal Network Agency has been manageable so far. A reason for this is that even if the possibilities of the carrier-grade technology are extremely versatile in theory, implementation, subsequent operation and management of the resources of an owned 5G campus network require specialist knowledge and technological know-how.

In addition, industrial applications such as the NVL shipyard association cause additional challenges: large shipyards at several locations, ship areas made of metal and mobility during different construction phases and the associated changing Internet/WAN connections via satellite, radio link, fiber optics, etc. form the framework parameters for the campus network.

Project MAVERIC: Technology development for the management of 5G campus networks

Together with Xantaro as a specialist in network technology and the universities of Augsburg and Emden/Leer, NVL is therefore validating the utilization of 5G technology under difficult conditions as part of the MAVERIC research project using the example of their shipbuilding environment. The focus is on the development of solutions for edge computing and the intelligent management of connections to the Internet/WAN as well as of 5G campus networks in general. The goal is the development of a middleware platform that enables companies to operate their own networks and applications independently.

The BMWK funding program “Campus networks based on 5G communication technology – testing and implementation of campus networks from both the provider’s and user’s perspective”

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) promotes the development of cutting-edge digital technologies in and for Germany as part of various technology programs. Against the background of the government’s declared goal of taking an international leading role as a technology provider for everything to do with 5G and the perspective successor 6G, the topic of 5G campus networks is a funding priority. Thereby, BMWK is driving the increased implementation of public 5G-based networks as well as the expansion and utilization of private 5G campus networks for the economy. For further information visit the BMWI website.

Updated: