Overview
Unlike previous generations, the 5G Core is designed to be 'cloud-native.' It uses a Service-Based Architecture (SBA) where network functions are implemented as modular software services that communicate over APIs.
Key Features
- Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS): Allows the user plane (data forwarding) to be moved closer to the edge for lower latency.
- Support for Network Slicing: The core is responsible for creating and managing the different network slices.
- Unified Data Management: A centralized database for all user information and policies.
Importance
The 5G Core is what enables the most advanced features of 5G, such as ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) and massive machine-type communication (mMTC).