Towards Simple, Efficient, and Centralized Log Monitoring, and Analysis of 5G Core Cloud-Native Network Functions
Cloudification of 5G Network Functions is the desired implementation strategy for 5G systems. However, running core network services as independent Cloud-Native Network Functions present log management and troubleshooting challenges. Accessing logs directly via individual containers running these services is not an elegant approach. Centralizing these logs is an efficient strategy. However, 5G Cloud-Native Network Functions on container orchestration platforms produce multi-tier logs packed with unwanted extra data. This information is difficult to interpret and analyse. This paper proposes a framework that implements a centralized log capturing, monitoring, and analysis tool on a 5G network running a cloud-native 5G core, a virtualized gNodeB, and user equipment. We then parse these log messages to remove irrelevant information. Based on the results, centralizing logs simplifies the management and troubleshooting of 5G core Cloud-Native Network Functions. Furthermore, parsing these logs to extract meaningful information is essential for analytics, troubleshooting, fault management, automation, and intelligence.