AutoRAN: Automated and Zero-Touch Open RAN Systems

Modern cellular networks adopt a software-based and disaggregated approach to support diverse requirements and mission-critical reliability needs. While softwarization introduces flexibility, it also increases the complexity of the network architectures, which calls for robust automation frameworks that can deliver efficient and fully-autonomous configuration, scalability, and multi-vendor integration. This paper presents AutoRAN, an automated, intent-driven framework for zero-touch provisioning of open, programmable cellular networks. Leveraging cloud-native principles, AutoRAN employs virtualization, declarative infrastructure-as-code templates, and disaggregated micro-services to abstract physical resources and protocol stacks. Its orchestration engine integrates Large Language Models (LLMs) to translate high-level intents into machine-readable configurations, enabling closed-loop control via telemetry-driven observability. Implemented on a multi-architecture OpenShift cluster with heterogeneous compute (x86/ARM CPUs, NVIDIA GPUs) and multi-vendor Radio Access Network (RAN) hardware (Foxconn, NI), AutoRAN automates deployment of O-RANcompliant stacks-including OpenAirInterface, NVIDIA ARC RAN, Open5GS core, and O-RAN Software Community (OSC) RIC components-using Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Experimental results demonstrate that AutoRAN is capable of deploying an end-toend Private 5G network in less than 60 seconds with 1.6 Gbps throughput, validating its ability to streamline configuration, accelerate testing, and reduce manual intervention with similar performance than non cloud-based implementations. With its novel LLM-assisted intent translation mechanism, and performanceoptimized automation workflow for multi-vendor environments, AutoRAN has the potential of advancing the robustness of nextgeneration cellular supply chains through reproducible, intentbased provisioning across public and private deployments.