|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: What's new in Azure Private 5G Core? |
| 3 | +description: Discover what's new in Azure Private 5G Core |
| 4 | +author: b-branco |
| 5 | +ms.author: biancabranco |
| 6 | +ms.service: private-5g-core |
| 7 | +ms.topic: how-to |
| 8 | +ms.date: 10/24/2022 |
| 9 | +--- |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +# What's new in Azure Private 5G Core? |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +*Azure Private 5G Core* consists of two main components that interact with each other: |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +- **The Azure Private 5G Core service**, hosted in Azure - the management tools used to configure and monitor the deployment. Changes to the online service are available immediately. |
| 16 | +- **Packet core instances**, hosted on Azure Stack Edge devices - the complete set of 5G network functions that provide connectivity to mobile devices at an edge location. Changes to the packet core are only available after upgrading to a new software version. |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +To help you stay up to date with the latest developments, this article covers: |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +- New features, improvements and fixes for the online service. |
| 21 | +- New releases for the packet core, referencing the packet core release notes for further information. |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +This page is updated regularly with the latest developments in Azure Private 5G Core. <!-- TODO: maybe update with agreed update frequency --> |
| 24 | +<!-- In future: If you're looking for items older than six months, you can find them in Archive for What's new in Azure Private 5G Core. --> |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +## November 2022 |
| 28 | + |
| 29 | +### 2022-11-01 API |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +**Type:** New release |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +**Date available:** December 12, 2022 |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +The 2022-11-01 ARM API release introduces the ability to configure several upcoming Azure Private 5G Core features. From December 12, 2022-11-01 is the default API version for Azure Private 5G Core deployments. |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +If you use the Azure portal to manage your deployment and all your resources were created using the 2022-04-01-preview API, you don't need to do anything. Your portal will use the new API and any differences between the APIs are handled automatically. |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +If you use ARM templates and want to keep using your existing templates, follow [Upgrade your ARM templates to the 2022-11-01 API](#upgrade-your-arm-templates-to-the-2022-11-01-api) to upgrade your 2022-04-01-preview API templates to the 2022-11-01 API. |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +If you used an API version older than 2022-04-01-preview to create any of your resources, you need to take action to prevent them from becoming unmanageable. As soon as possible, delete these resources and redeploy them using the new 2022-11-01 API. You can redeploy the resources using the Azure portal or by upgrading your ARM templates as described in [Upgrade your ARM templates to the 2022-11-01 API](#upgrade-your-arm-templates-to-the-2022-11-01-api). These instructions may not be comprehensive for older templates. |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +#### Upgrade your ARM templates to the 2022-11-01 API |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +Make the following changes for each 2022-04-01-preview API template that you want to upgrade to the 2022-11-01 API. |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +1. In the **Packet Core Control Plane** resource: |
| 48 | + 1. Remove the field **properties.mobileNetwork**. |
| 49 | + 2. Add the new mandatory field **properties.sites**. This array must contain a reference to the site resource under which this control plane is being created. |
| 50 | + 3. Add the new mandatory field **properties.localDiagnosticsAccess.authenticationType**. This field is an enum governing how users of local diagnostics APIs will be authenticated. Set this to **Password**. |
| 51 | + 4. Update the field **properties.sku** according to the mapping in the following table. |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | + | 2022-04-01-preview API | 2022-11-01 API | |
| 54 | + |--|--| |
| 55 | + | EvaluationPackage | G0 | |
| 56 | + | FlagshipStarterPackage | G1 | |
| 57 | + | EdgeSite2GBPS | G2 | |
| 58 | + | EdgeSite3GBPS | G3 | |
| 59 | + | EdgeSite4GBPS | G4 | |
| 60 | + | MediumPackage | G5 | |
| 61 | + | LargePackage | G10 | |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +1. In the **Attached Data Network** resource, add the new mandatory field **properties.dnsAddresses** if one doesn't already exist. List your chosen DNS addresses in an array or provide an empty array if no DNS addresses are required. |
| 64 | +1. In the **Sites** resource, remove the field **properties.networkFunctions**. This field is now read-only and will be ignored if provided. |
| 65 | +1. Move the **Sites** resource above the **packetCoreControlPlanes** resource. This ensures that the resources are created in the required order. |
| 66 | + |
| 67 | +The following is a comparison of templates using the 2022-04-01-preview and the 2022-11-01 APIs. |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | +# [2022-04-01-preview API](#tab/2022-04-01-preview) |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +```json |
| 72 | +{ |
| 73 | + ... |
| 74 | + "resources": [ |
| 75 | + { |
| 76 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/mobileNetworks/sites", |
| 77 | + "apiVersion": "2022-04-01-preview", |
| 78 | + ... |
| 79 | + "properties": { |
| 80 | + "networkFunctions": [ |
| 81 | + { |
| 82 | + "id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes', parameters('siteID'))]" |
| 83 | + }, |
| 84 | + { |
| 85 | + "id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes/packetCoreDataPlanes', parameters('siteID'), parameters('siteID'))]" |
| 86 | + } |
| 87 | + ] |
| 88 | + }, |
| 89 | + ... |
| 90 | + }, |
| 91 | + { |
| 92 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes/packetCoreDataPlanes/attachedDataNetworks", |
| 93 | + "apiVersion": "2022-04-01-preview", |
| 94 | + ... |
| 95 | + "properties": { |
| 96 | + ... |
| 97 | + }, |
| 98 | + ... |
| 99 | + }, |
| 100 | + ... |
| 101 | + { |
| 102 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes", |
| 103 | + "apiVersion": "2022-04-01-preview", |
| 104 | + ... |
| 105 | + "properties": { |
| 106 | + "mobileNetwork": { |
| 107 | + "id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.MobileNetwork/mobileNetworks', parameters('existingMobileNetworkName'))]" |
| 108 | + }, |
| 109 | + "sku": "EvaluationPackage", |
| 110 | + ... |
| 111 | + } |
| 112 | + } |
| 113 | + ] |
| 114 | + } |
| 115 | +``` |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +# [2022-11-01 API](#tab/2022-11-01) |
| 118 | +```json |
| 119 | +{ |
| 120 | + ... |
| 121 | + "resources": [ |
| 122 | + { |
| 123 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/mobileNetworks/sites", |
| 124 | + "apiVersion": "2022-11-01", |
| 125 | + ... |
| 126 | + "properties": {}, |
| 127 | + ... |
| 128 | + }, |
| 129 | + { |
| 130 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes/packetCoreDataPlanes/attachedDataNetworks", |
| 131 | + "apiVersion": "2022-11-01", |
| 132 | + ... |
| 133 | + "properties": { |
| 134 | + ... |
| 135 | + "dnsAddresses": "[parameters('dnsAddresses')]" |
| 136 | + }, |
| 137 | + ... |
| 138 | + }, |
| 139 | + ... |
| 140 | + { |
| 141 | + "type": "Microsoft.MobileNetwork/packetCoreControlPlanes", |
| 142 | + "apiVersion": "2022-11-01", |
| 143 | + ... |
| 144 | + "properties": { |
| 145 | + "sites": "parameters('siteID')", |
| 146 | + "localDiagnosticsAccess": { |
| 147 | + "authenticationType": "Password" |
| 148 | + }, |
| 149 | + "sku": "G0", |
| 150 | + ... |
| 151 | + } |
| 152 | + } |
| 153 | + ] |
| 154 | + } |
| 155 | +``` |
| 156 | + |
| 157 | +--- |
| 158 | + |
| 159 | +### Multiple data networks |
| 160 | + |
| 161 | +**Type:** Feature |
| 162 | + |
| 163 | +**Date available:** December 5, 2022 |
| 164 | + |
| 165 | +You can now configure up to three Attached Data Networks for each Packet Core instead of one. To use this feature, you must upgrade to the 2211 packet core release. |
| 166 | + |
| 167 | +The operator can provision UEs as subscribed in one or more Data Networks and apply Data Network-specific policy and QoS, allowing UEs to use multiple Layer 3 uplink networks selected based on policy or UE preference. |
| 168 | + |
| 169 | +Each Data Network can have its own configuration for DNS, UE IP address pools, N6 IP configuration, and NAT. This concept also maps directly to 4G APNs. |
| 170 | + |
| 171 | +This feature has the following limitations: |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | +- Once more than a single Data Network is configured, further configuration changes require the packet core to be reinstalled. |
| 174 | + |
| 175 | +- VLAN separation of Data Networks is not supported. Only Layer 3 separation is supported (meaning you can't have overlapping IP address spaces across the Data Networks). |
| 176 | + |
| 177 | +- Metrics are not yet reported on a per-Data Network basis. |
| 178 | + |
| 179 | +To add data networks to an existing site, see [Modify the packet core instance in a site](modify-packet-core.md). To create a new site, see [Create a site](create-a-site.md). |
| 180 | + |
| 181 | +### Easier site deletion |
| 182 | + |
| 183 | +**Type:** Feature |
| 184 | + |
| 185 | +**Date available:** December 5, 2022 |
| 186 | + |
| 187 | +Previously, you had to delete all the ARM resources associated with a site before deleting the site resource. You can now delete a site and its associated resources in one step. See [Delete a site](delete-a-site.md). |
| 188 | + |
| 189 | +### Azure Stack Edge (ASE) version validation |
| 190 | + |
| 191 | +**Type:** Feature |
| 192 | + |
| 193 | +**Date available:** December 5, 2022 |
| 194 | + |
| 195 | +You can no longer choose a packet core version that is incompatible with your ASE version when installing or upgrading the packet core. The install or upgrade will be blocked and the portal will display an error message. This only applies when using the Azure portal. |
| 196 | + |
| 197 | + |
| 198 | +## October 2022 |
| 199 | + |
| 200 | +### Packet core 2210 |
| 201 | + |
| 202 | +**Type:** New release |
| 203 | + |
| 204 | +**Date available:** November 3, 2022 |
| 205 | + |
| 206 | +The 2210 release for the Azure Private 5G Core packet core is now available. For more information, see [Azure Private 5G Core 2210 release notes](azure-private-5g-core-release-notes-2210.md). |
| 207 | + |
| 208 | +### Enhanced AKS-HCI install on Azure Stack Edge (ASE) |
| 209 | + |
| 210 | +**Type:** New feature |
| 211 | + |
| 212 | +**Date available:** October 25, 2022 |
| 213 | + |
| 214 | +When deploying a site directly on an ASE device, you no longer need to specify the subnet mask and gateway information for the access and data networks. Instead, you'll only need to provide an Azure Stack Edge device and the names of the N2 (or S1-MME), N3 (or S1-U), and N6 (or SGi) interfaces that exist on the ASE. The subnet mask and gateway information will then be automatically collected from the linked ASE device. |
| 215 | + |
| 216 | +See [Collect the required information for a site](collect-required-information-for-a-site.md) for the information you need to collect to create a site following this enhancement. If your site is already deployed, you can link it to your ASE device by following [Modify the packet core instance in a site](modify-packet-core.md). |
| 217 | + |
| 218 | +### Customer Managed Keys (CMK) and managed identity |
| 219 | + |
| 220 | +**Type:** New feature |
| 221 | + |
| 222 | +**Date available:** October 18, 2022 |
| 223 | + |
| 224 | +In addition to the default Microsoft-Managed Keys (MMK), you can now use Customer Managed Keys (CMK) to encrypt data using your own key when [creating a SIM group](manage-sim-groups.md#create-a-sim-group) or when [deploying a private mobile network](how-to-guide-deploy-a-private-mobile-network-azure-portal.md#deploy-your-private-mobile-network). |
| 225 | + |
| 226 | +Once a SIM group is created, you can't change the encryption type. If you want to protect the existing SIMs' secrets with CMK, [delete their corresponding SIM groups](manage-sim-groups.md#delete-a-sim-group) and [recreate them](manage-sim-groups.md#create-a-sim-group) with CMK enabled. Once a SIM group that uses CMK is created, you can update the key used for encryption. |
| 227 | + |
| 228 | +For more information, see [Customer-managed key encryption at rest](security.md#customer-managed-key-encryption-at-rest). |
| 229 | + |
| 230 | +### Fixes and enhancements |
| 231 | + |
| 232 | +- October 5, 2022: Time to provision SIMs greatly reduced |
| 233 | +- October 11, 2022: Fixed bug that prevented the creation/update of ADN objects |
| 234 | + |
| 235 | +## Next steps |
| 236 | + |
| 237 | +- For more information on the packet core release you're using or plan to use, see the packet core release notes. |
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