This document provides the results of the gap analysis of Hexa-X work package 5: “Architectural enablers for 6G”. In addition, the documents provide the general architectural direction for a possible 6G architecture. This includes identifying the necessary enablers (e.g., functions, algorithms, and enhancements) to support the new 6G architecture. Thereafter, the initial scope on the novel architectural enablers is described. These enablers allow an intelligent distributed network, new network topologies in a flexible way and enable an efficient deployment of future networks. The document also defines the research scope and the problems of the novel architectural enablers, to be further evaluated in the coming deliverables.

All authors: Riccardo Bassoli (TUD), Mårten Ericson (ERI), Frank H.P. Fitzek (TUD), Hannu Flinck (NOK), Mu He (NOK), Bahare Masood Khorsandi (NOK), Gerald Kunzmann (NOK), Petteri Pöyhönen (NOK), Janne Tuononen (NOK), Panagiotis Vlacheas (WINGS), Stefan Wänstedt (ERI), Gunnar Mildh (ERI), Merve Saimler (ERI), Mehdi S. H. Abad (ERI), Damiano Rapone (TIM), Miltiadis Filippou (INT), Markus Dominik Mueck (INT), Thomas Luetzenkirchen (INT), Giacomo Bernini (NXW), Elena Bucchianeri (NXW), Pekka Pirinen (OUL), Giovanni Nardini (UPI), Giovanni Stea (UPI), Amina Boubendir (ORA), Ignacio Labrador (ATO), Ricardo Marco (ATO)