Description
A Virtualized Resource (VR) is a key concept within the 3GPP management framework, particularly for the management of virtualized network functions (VNFs) in a cloud-native environment. It represents a logical abstraction of a physical resource, such as a CPU core, a block of memory, a storage volume, or a virtual network interface card (vNIC). These abstractions are created and managed by a virtualization layer (e.g., a hypervisor or container runtime) on top of physical hardware. The 3GPP management system, defined in specifications like 28.520 (Management and Orchestration, MANO), interacts with VRs to allocate, monitor, and orchestrate them for the purpose of instantiating and scaling network functions.
The architecture involves several key entities. The Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) is responsible for controlling and managing the NFVI (Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure) compute, storage, and network resources. The VIM exposes these resources as VRs. The NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) and VNF Manager (VNFM) then use these VRs, described in a VNF Descriptor (VNFD), to deploy VNFs. A VNFD defines the VNF's requirements in terms of Virtualized Compute, Storage, and Network Resources (Vnfc, VnfStorage, VnfVirtualLink). During instantiation, the MANO system maps these requirements to available VRs on the infrastructure, creating the necessary virtual machines (VMs) or containers with the specified CPU, memory, and network connectivity.
VRs are dynamic and elastic. Their lifecycle (creation, modification, termination) is managed through standardized interfaces, such as the Or-Vi reference point between the NFVO and VIM. Monitoring of VR performance metrics (e.g., CPU utilization, memory usage, I/O rates) is also standardized, allowing the MANO system to perform automated scaling actions. For example, if a VNF experiences high load, the VNFM can request additional virtualized compute resources (more VRs) from the VIM via the NFVO, leading to the scaling out of the VNF instance. This abstraction is crucial for achieving the goals of NFV: hardware independence, efficient multi-tenancy, and agile service deployment.
Purpose & Motivation
The concept of the Virtualized Resource was introduced to address the limitations of traditional telecom networks built on proprietary, physical appliances. These appliances were tightly coupled to specific hardware, leading to long procurement and deployment cycles, inefficient resource utilization (often over-provisioned for peak capacity), and high operational costs. The shift towards Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), championed by industry forums like ETSI ISG NFV and adopted by 3GPP, required a standardized way to model and manage the software-based resources that would replace physical network functions.
The creation of the VR abstraction in 3GPP specifications, notably from Rel-13 onwards, provided this standardized model. It solved the problem of heterogeneity in cloud infrastructure by defining a common set of resource types (compute, storage, network) and their management interfaces, regardless of the underlying hypervisor (VMware, KVM, etc.) or hardware vendor. This allows network operators to deploy VNFs from different vendors on a common, shared pool of physical resources, enabling true multi-vendor interoperability and preventing vendor lock-in at the infrastructure layer. The VR model is the foundation for automation, elastic scaling, and the efficient "cloudification" of mobile networks, which are essential for supporting diverse 5G and beyond services with varying demands.
Classification
Detected Changes Across Releases
from 3GPP Change RequestsSpecific changes extracted from the „Change history“ tables of 3GPP specifications (49 CRs across 5 releases). Complements the general historical overview above with the evidence-based evolution of this function.
Studied in Rel-13, normative work from Rel-15.
In Release 15, the specification introduced clarifications and corrections for the management of specific radio resources, including the configuration and timing reference for CSI-RS resources and the configuration of pucch-ResourceCommon. These updates provided more precise control over logical resources owned by the RNC, such as channels and cells, ensuring the network can properly allocate and release user plane resources. Additionally, corrections were made to parameters like the PUCCH resource ID size and the maximum payload of PUCCH-ResourceSet to align with the radio resource control mechanisms.
- Findings and Conclusions from study on 3GPP codecs for VR audio TS 26.918CR0003
- Correction on the size of PUCCH resource ID TS 38.331CR0670
- Correction on indication for user plane resource release TS 38.331CR0750
- Clarification on CSI-RS resource configuration in MO TS 38.331CR1038
- Correction on configuration of pucch-ResourceCommon TS 38.331CR1097
- Clarification of timing reference for CSI-RS resources TS 38.331CR1111
+ 2 more changes
In Release 16, the enhancements for the Virtualized Resource (VR) function focused on improving Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics and video delivery. New operation points were defined for 8K VR 360 Video, and support was added for assessing simulator sickness as part of QoE. Furthermore, the specifications introduced updates for PSS VR metric support and provided corrections and refinements to the existing VR QoE metrics and video profiles.
- Operation Points for 8K VR 360 Video TS 26.118CR0006
- PSS VR Metric Support TS 26.234CR0229
- QoE Assessment of Simulator Sickness in VR TS 26.918CR0006
- VR QOE metrics updates TS 26.929CR0002
- 38331 CR for CSI-RS-ResourceConfigMobility TS 38.331CR2250
- Spatial positioning of the chroma samples for VR Video Profiles TS 26.118CR0009
+ 4 more changes
In Release 17, the new VR (Virtualized Resource) function introduced specific requirements for 5G operation, including support for 8K VR 360 video operation points and the addition of new VR measurements. Furthermore, enhancements were made to define spatial positioning for VR video profiles and to extend support for VR within the NR (New Radio) framework, ensuring these logical resources are adequately controlled and allocated within the network.
- Tethered VR requirement for 5G TS 22.261CR0405
- Operation Points for 8K VR 360 Video TS 26.118CR0007
- Adding VR measurements TS 28.404CR0006
- Update to include NR and adding VR TS 28.405CR0008
- VR requirement for 5G TS 22.261CR0419
- Spatial positioning of the chroma samples for VR Video Profiles TS 26.118CR0010
+ 8 more changes
In Release 18, the Virtualized Resource (VR) function was enhanced with the addition of Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics for its performance management. Furthermore, the release introduced specific handling procedures for resources related to Alternative S-NSSAIs and addressed corrections for the management of shared and dedicated SL-PRS resource pools. These updates refined the control and integrity of radio resources within the network resource model.
- Rel-18 CR TS28.406 Adding QoE Metrics for VR TS 28.406CR0001
- Resource handling for Alternative S-NSSAIs TS 38.300CR0816
- Co-configuration of random/partial-sensing resource selection and Co-Ex TS 38.331CR4976
- Correction to sidelinkUEInformation for SL-PRS shared resource pool TS 38.331CR5230
- Addition of missing need code in NZP-CSI-RS-Resource TS 38.331CR5274
- Correction on NW restriction for dedicated SL-PRS resource pool TS 38.331CR5104
+ 8 more changes
In Release 19, the Virtualized Resource (VR) function saw enhancements to its logical resource management procedures, specifically through the introduction of Scheduling Request (SR) resources within the LTM cell switch MAC Control Element. This provides more dynamic control over radio resource allocation. Additionally, the release simplified resource configuration by removing the request procedure for CSI-RS resource configuration specifically for Early CSI acquisition.
Explore further
Broader topics and technologies where VR plays a role.
Defining Specifications
3GPP specifications that define or reference VR, with the latest known release. Sourced from the 3GPP document catalog — see methodology.
| Specification | Title | Release |
|---|---|---|
| TR 21.905 vj00 | 3GPP Technical Terms and Definitions | Rel-19 |
| TS 22.261 vk30 | 5G System Service Requirements | Rel-20 |
| TR 22.804 vg30 | 5G Automation in Vertical Domains Study | Rel-16 |
| TR 22.873 vi00 | Technical Report on IMS Multimedia Telephony Service Enhancements | Rel-18 |
| TS 26.114 vj10 | IMS Multimedia Telephony Media Handling | Rel-19 |
| TS 26.118 vj00 | Virtual Reality Media Formats | Rel-19 |
| TS 26.119 vj00 | XR Media Capabilities for AR Devices | Rel-19 |
| TS 26.234 vj00 | 3GPP PSS Protocols and Codecs Specification | Rel-19 |
| TS 26.346 vj20 | MBMS User Services Media Codecs & Protocols | Rel-19 |
| TS 26.511 vj00 | 5G Media Streaming Profiles, Codecs & Formats | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.812 vi10 | Technical Report | Rel-18 |
| TS 26.818 vf00 | Audio Media Profiles Test Results for VR Streaming | Rel-15 |
| TS 26.841 vj00 | Study on Media Messaging Enhancements | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.857 vi00 | Technical Report on Media Service Enablers | Rel-18 |
| TR 26.862 vh00 | Immersive Teleconferencing & Telepresence for Remote Terminals | Rel-17 |
| TS 26.891 vg00 | Media Distribution Services in 5G System | Rel-16 |
| TR 26.918 vj00 | Virtual Reality Relevance Study for 3GPP | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.925 vj00 | Media Traffic Characteristics for 3GPP Networks | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.928 vj00 | Study on eXtended Reality (XR) in 5G | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.929 vj00 | QoE Metrics for VR Services Study | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.933 vj00 | Study on Diverse Audio Capturing System | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.956 vj01 | Beyond 2D Video Formats & Codecs Study | Rel-19 |
| TR 26.999 vj00 | VR Streaming Interoperability Test Material | Rel-19 |
| TS 28.404 vj00 | QoE Measurement Collection: Concepts & Requirements | Rel-19 |
| TS 28.405 vj40 | QoE Measurement Control & Configuration | Rel-19 |
| TS 28.406 vj00 | QoE measurement collection: info definition & transport | Rel-19 |
| TS 28.520 vj00 | PM for Virtualized Mobile Networks | Rel-19 |
| TS 32.401 vj00 | Performance Management Concept & Requirements | Rel-19 |
| TS 32.426 vj00 | EPC Performance Measurements Specification | Rel-19 |
| TS 32.842 vd10 | Management of Virtualized 3GPP Core Networks | Rel-13 |
| TS 38.300 vj00 | NG-RAN Overall Description | Rel-19 |
| TS 38.331 vj00 | NR Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification | Rel-19 |
| TR 38.835 vi01 | Technical Report on XR Enhancements for NR | Rel-18 |
| TR 38.838 vh00 | Study on XR Evaluations for NR | Rel-17 |
| TR 38.890 vh00 | NR QoE Management and Optimization | Rel-17 |