A cloud native solution for service management and orchestration in next-generation networks

Next-generation cellular networks, 5G and beyond, demand unprecedented flexibility, openness, and programmability to overcome the limitations of monolithic, vendor-locked architectures that have characterized previous generations. The Open Radio Access Network paradigm and O-RAN Specifications from the O-RAN Alliance, promoting disaggregated, virtualized, and intelligent RANs, represent a key enabler of this transformation. However, practical adoption is hindered by significant operational challenges: excessive implementation complexity, limited observability, inadequate resource orchestration across heterogeneous cloud infrastructures, and the absence of operator-friendly management abstractions. This dissertation proposes a comprehensive cloud-native framework for Service Management and Orchestration in next-generation O-RAN networks. The framework is organized as a modular, layered architecture that addresses the complete RAN management. At its highest level of abstraction, an intent-based management layer allows operators to express desired outcomes as high-level intents, which are automatically translated into infrastructure operations and continuously assured through serverless workflows across the cloud continuum. This intent-driven control is sustained by three supporting layers. An observability layer provides composable, lightweight monitoring workflows that meet the stringent latency requirements of near-real-time control, feeding metrics to both operators and automated management loops. An orchestration layer handles infrastructure-agnostic deployment, optimized resource allocation across multi-tenant environments, and QoS-aware runtime management on the O-Cloud. A lifecycle management layer provides the foundation, supporting xApp development through simulation-based testing, reusable ML architectures, and progressive DevOps-enabled deployment strategies. All components are implemented with production-grade cloud-native technologies and validated on simulated, emulated, and real O-RAN testbeds, demonstrating measurable improvements in operational efficiency, deployment flexibility, and system observability.