Deploying and testing cellular networks is a complex task due to the multitude of components involved-from the core to the Radio Access Network (RAN) and the User Equipments (UEs) -- all of which require integration and constant monitoring. Interference and the inherent randomness of the wireless channel further complicate the issue, posing additional challenges for repeatable and consistent testing. Consequently, both private and public cellular systems still rely heavily on human intervention for operations such as network reconfiguration, performance monitoring, and conducting end-to-end drive tests. This reliance significantly slows the pace of innovation in cellular systems. To address these challenges, we introduce 5G-CT, an automation framework based on OpenShift and the GitOps workflow, capable of deploying a softwarized end-to-end 5G and O-RAN-compliant system in a matter of seconds. We have deployed 5G-CT to test the integration and performance of popular open-source cellular stacks, including OpenAirInterface (OAI), and have collected months of over-the-air testing results without the need for human intervention. 5G-CT brings cloud-native Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) to the RAN, effectively addressing the complexities associated with managing spectrum, radios, heterogeneous devices, and distributed components. Moreover, it provides much-needed automation and Continuous Testing (CT) for cellular networks.

翻译：部署和测试蜂窝网络是一项复杂任务，因其涉及从核心网到无线接入网（RAN）及用户设备（UE）的众多组件——所有这些都需要集成和持续监控。干扰与无线信道的固有随机性进一步加剧了问题，为可重复且一致的测试增添了额外挑战。因此，私有和公共蜂窝系统仍然严重依赖人工干预来执行网络重配置、性能监控及端到端路测等操作。这种依赖显著减缓了蜂窝系统的创新速度。为应对这些挑战，我们提出了5G-CT，一个基于OpenShift和GitOps工作流的自动化框架，能够在数秒内部署软件化的端到端5G及O-RAN兼容系统。我们已部署5G-CT来测试包括OpenAirInterface (OAI)在内的主流开源蜂窝协议栈的集成与性能，并在无需人工干预的情况下收集了数月的空中测试结果。5G-CT将云原生持续集成（CI）与持续交付（CD）引入RAN，有效解决了频谱管理、无线设备、异构设备及分布式组件相关的复杂性。此外，它为蜂窝网络提供了亟需的自动化与持续测试（CT）能力。