Intent-driven Management: A Comparative Evaluation of 3GPP, TMF and O-RAN Standards

Standardization, which defines functionalities and interfaces, is a critical aspect for driving the industry alignment required for B5G networks. It is often the case that a topic, discussed in different standard developing organizations (SDOs), is specified and implemented differently. This can lead to confusion and uncertainty about which SDO or standards to follow or which aspects of a particular SDO to embrace. Intentdriven management, which is a key aspect in management and automation of next generation mobile networks, is such a topic that is currently being discussed in multiple SDOs, including 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) Alliance and TM Forum (TMF). This article provides an analysis of the 3GPP, TMF and O-RAN perspectives on the standardization of intent-driven management, including its fundamentals and evolution towards the future. We also identify several key areas and issues for further exploration to accelerate the adoption of intent-driven management in the industry.