As communication networks become increasingly distributed, heterogeneous and software-driven, operating them manually is becoming impractical. Future 6G infrastructures will span terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, cloud-edge resources and multiple radio access technologies, requiring orchestration platforms capable of understanding high-level service objectives and autonomously coordinating resources across diverse technology domains.
Within the UNITY-6G project, researchers from Poznań University of Technology (PUT) are helping to address this challenge through an Inter-Domain Management & Orchestration (IDMO) framework that moves network management beyond traditional configuration-based approaches towards intent-driven automation.
Watch the demonstration above to see how UNITY-6G is helping shape the autonomous orchestration capabilities that will underpin Europe’s future 6G networks.
Moving beyond conventional orchestration
Today’s orchestration systems are largely designed to automate predefined workflows within individual network domains. However, future 6G services will increasingly depend on coordinated management across cloud infrastructure, transport networks and radio access technologies, where manual intervention quickly becomes a bottleneck.
The UNITY-6G demonstration showcases an orchestration framework that accepts service requests through an intent-based interface before autonomously coordinating multiple network domains through a common management architecture. Using an Amarisoft Core and Radio Access Network (RAN) together with software-defined radio technology, the system automatically provisions network resources and deploys a live mobile service without requiring manual configuration of the underlying infrastructure.
Rather than orchestrating isolated network functions, the framework coordinates the complete service lifecycle—from deployment and monitoring to adaptation and termination—through a unified orchestration layer.
Demonstrating autonomous resilience
Beyond automated deployment, the demonstration also highlights one of the defining characteristics of AI-native 6G networks: autonomous resilience.
To simulate an unexpected network disruption, the active 4G cell is deliberately taken offline while a live video service is running. Instead of requiring operator intervention, the orchestration platform continuously monitors the network state, detects the service degradation, removes the failed deployment and automatically provisions a replacement 5G cell, restoring service continuity with minimal interruption.
This closed-loop management capability demonstrates how future networks could become increasingly self-managing, reducing operational complexity while improving reliability for mission-critical and industrial applications.
Enabling the next generation of intelligent networks
For telecommunications operators, cloud providers and industrial stakeholders, autonomous inter-domain orchestration offers a pathway towards operating increasingly complex infrastructures with greater efficiency and lower operational costs. For vertical sectors adopting private 5G and future 6G networks, it promises faster service deployment, improved resilience and reduced reliance on manual network management.
The demonstration represents an important step towards the UNITY-6G vision of AI-native, intent-based network management, where distributed intelligence enables communication infrastructures to continuously adapt to changing conditions while maintaining service performance across heterogeneous environments.
