Master Thesis: Benchmarking Cloud-Native Networking Solutions

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About this opportunity

As a market leader in mobile network solutions, Ericsson is building the next generation of cloud-native Packet Core. The network functions run as microservices on Kubernetes and rely on a variety of networking approaches, ranging from traditional Linux kernel networking to user-space packet processing with DPDK and SR-IOV. Each approach involves different trade-offs in terms of throughput, latency, CPU usage, and operational complexity. Choosing the right solution for a given workload requires reliable data, yet no comprehensive benchmark currently exists that compares these networking stacks under equivalent, controlled conditions.

This thesis aims to address this gap by evaluating the performance of different networking solutions used in Ericsson’s cloud-native Packet Core. The project offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of high-performance, cloud-native mobile networks through practical experimentation and systems-level analysis.

The thesis is suitable for two students and corresponds to 30 higher education credits per student. The position is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a preferred start date in January 2027.

What you will do

This thesis will systematically benchmark the networking solutions used in Ericsson's cloud-native Packet Core. The scope is intentionally broad and includes:

• Investigating the networking stacks used in production, including Linux kernel networking, SR-IOV, and DPDK.
• Investigating I/O mechanisms and their trade-offs, such as sendmsg/recvmsg, sendmmsg/recvmmsg, and io_uring.
• Investigating Kubernetes networking topologies, including containers within the same pod, pods on the same worker node, and pods across different worker nodes.
• Investigating CNI plugins and the performance impact of network policy enforcement.
• Measuring throughput (pps/bps), latency, CPU usage, and system call overhead.
• Analyzing the results and evaluating the suitability of each networking solution for different workload profiles.

The thesis will conclude with a presentation of the results at an Ericsson technology forum.

The skills you bring

• Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Interest in high-performance networking and cloud-native technologies.
• Basic programming experience in C or C++.
• Familiarity with shell scripting.
• Experience using Linux through studies or personal projects.
• Basic understanding of socket programming.
• Willingness to learn and explore new networking technologies.

Meritorious

• Introductory knowledge of Kubernetes or containerization.
• Familiarity with DPDK or SR-IOV.
• Experience with networking projects through coursework or personal projects.

Why join Ericsson?At Ericsson, you´ll have an outstanding opportunity. The chance to use your skills and imagination to push the boundaries of what´s possible. To build solutions never seen before to some of the world’s toughest problems. You´ll be challenged, but you won’t be alone. You´ll be joining a team of diverse innovators, all driven to go beyond the status quo to craft what comes next.

What happens once you apply?Click Here to find all you need to know about what our typical hiring process looks like.Encouraging a diverse and inclusive organization is core to our values at Ericsson, that's why we champion it in everything we do. We truly believe that by collaborating with people with different experiences we drive innovation, which is essential for our future growth. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply and realize their full potential as part of our Ericsson team. Ericsson is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. learn more.

Primary country and city: Sweden (SE) || Göteborg