Kube5GC: Kubernetes-Native Orchestration for 5G Core Network

Abstract

Telecommunications service providers face challenges such as rigid infrastructures, manual configuration, inefficient routing, and security risks, especially in 5G deployments. This paper presents Kube5GC, a Kubernetes-based framework for 5G Core network orchestration. Leveraging Kubernetes orchestration, NFV, and SDN, Kube5GC automates deployments, optimizes resource allocation, and manages network slices with efficiency. Architecture reduces operational complexity and costs through automated, secure, and scalable workflows. Kube5GC integrates CI/CD pipelines via GitOps, deploys containerized 5G functions using Open5GS, and enforces secure inter-service communication with robust secret management. During validation, the platform achieved rapid pod readiness, low latency encrypted traffic, and reliable operation under telecom workloads. Integrated observability with Prometheus, Grafana, and distributed tracing enables comprehensive monitoring of control and user plane metrics, while automated backup and policy-driven configuration management enhance operational resilience. These results confirm Kube5GC as an efficient, scalable, and secure orchestration platform for 5G Core networks in cloud-native environments.