5G Network Programmability Enabling Industry 4.0 Transformation

The 5G system aims at enabling innovative services of vertical industries by utilizing network programmability to its full extension. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has already established the foundations to provide third parties with 5G Core's capabilities by introducing the Common API Framework (CAPIF) and Service Enabler Layer Architecture (SEAL) on top of the services offered by the Network Exposure Function (NEF). However, a scalable, robust, and secure ecosystem should be set for the verticals that exploit those capabilities. In this context, cloud native approach is becoming a key enabler for that ecosystem, taking advantage of the inherent cloud-native characteristics of the 5G Service-Based Architecture (SBA). The chapter presents the capabilities that 5G provides to verticals as well as the ecosystem that is built around the exploitation of those capabilities. As a matter of better justification and exemplification, Industry 4.0 vertical is targeted while developments related to Vertical Application Enablers (VAEs) for the factory of the future are provided.