{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4415274443","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452","title":"Towards xApp Conflict Evaluation with Explainable Machine Learning and Causal Inference in O-RAN","display_name":"Towards xApp Conflict Evaluation with Explainable Machine Learning and Causal Inference in O-RAN","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-11-10","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4415274443","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2025 IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software-Defined Networking (NFV-SDN)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["arxiv","crossref","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13031","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5101471982","display_name":"Pragya Sharma","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3256-6427"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I859038795","display_name":"Virginia Tech","ror":"https://ror.org/02smfhw86","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Pragya Sharma","raw_affiliation_strings":["Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5113291967","display_name":"Shihua Sun","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I859038795","display_name":"Virginia Tech","ror":"https://ror.org/02smfhw86","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shihua Sun","raw_affiliation_strings":["Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5061328754","display_name":"Shachi Deshpande","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","display_name":"Cornell University","ror":"https://ror.org/05bnh6r87","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shachi Deshpande","raw_affiliation_strings":["Cornell University,Department of Computer Science,USA"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Cornell University,Department of Computer Science,USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5041500780","display_name":"Angelos Stavrou","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9888-0592"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I859038795","display_name":"Virginia Tech","ror":"https://ror.org/02smfhw86","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Angelos Stavrou","raw_affiliation_strings":["Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5100664241","display_name":"Haining Wang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9665-7511"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I859038795","display_name":"Virginia Tech","ror":"https://ror.org/02smfhw86","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Haining Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Virginia Tech,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":5,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5101471982"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I859038795"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.14778516,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":"1","last_page":"7"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.9488999843597412,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.9488999843597412,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12127","display_name":"Software System Performance and Reliability","score":0.9358999729156494,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12026","display_name":"Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)","score":0.9314000010490417,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-inference","display_name":"Causal inference","score":0.8120999932289124},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.6987000107765198},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-model","display_name":"Causal model","score":0.5778999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/key","display_name":"Key (lock)","score":0.5701000094413757},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/directed-acyclic-graph","display_name":"Directed acyclic graph","score":0.5364000201225281},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-deployment","display_name":"Software deployment","score":0.4544000029563904},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/graph","display_name":"Graph","score":0.4253000020980835}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158600405","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054566","display_name":"Causal inference","level":2,"score":0.8120999932289124},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.6987000107765198},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6729000210762024},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.669700026512146},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.6403999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.5778999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.5701000094413757},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C74197172","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1195339","display_name":"Directed acyclic graph","level":2,"score":0.5364000201225281},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105339364","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2297740","display_name":"Software deployment","level":2,"score":0.4544000029563904},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C132525143","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141488","display_name":"Graph","level":2,"score":0.4253000020980835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775924081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55608371","display_name":"Control (management)","level":2,"score":0.4041999876499176},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C155108698","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1231081","display_name":"Randomized experiment","level":2,"score":0.34940001368522644},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21711469","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1194317","display_name":"Conflict resolution","level":2,"score":0.33660000562667847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108583219","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q197536","display_name":"Deep learning","level":2,"score":0.28130000829696655},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C175154964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380077","display_name":"Task analysis","level":3,"score":0.26429998874664307},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C146380142","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1137726","display_name":"Directed graph","level":2,"score":0.26269999146461487},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33724603","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q812540","display_name":"Bayesian network","level":2,"score":0.26080000400543213}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":4,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/nfv-sdn66355.2025.11349452","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2025 IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software-Defined Networking (NFV-SDN)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2510.13031","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.13031","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13031","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4393918464","display_name":"ArXiv.org","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2510.13031","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"publisher-specific-oa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/publisher-specific-oa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2510.13031","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.13031","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2510.13031","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.13031","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13031","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4393918464","display_name":"ArXiv.org","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G2608412073","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"CNS-2317829","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","funder_display_name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G5328810990","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"HR001120C0154","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306078","funder_display_name":"U.S. Department of Defense"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G6245401638","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"HR001120C0154","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320332180","funder_display_name":"Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G8579238389","display_name":"Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Small: Investigation of Naming Space Hijacking Threat and Its Defense","funder_award_id":"2317829","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","funder_display_name":"National Science Foundation"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","display_name":"National Science Foundation","ror":"https://ror.org/021nxhr62"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306078","display_name":"U.S. Department of Defense","ror":"https://ror.org/0447fe631"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320332180","display_name":"Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency","ror":"https://ror.org/02caytj08"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320332815","display_name":"Advanced Research Projects Agency","ror":"https://ror.org/02caytj08"}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":14,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W7084076481","https://openalex.org/W4400944250","https://openalex.org/W4290997040","https://openalex.org/W4285794073","https://openalex.org/W4416421529","https://openalex.org/W4410227044","https://openalex.org/W2143891888","https://openalex.org/W3160537436","https://openalex.org/W4411996973","https://openalex.org/W4386248947","https://openalex.org/W4375928965","https://openalex.org/W4410536786","https://openalex.org/W4365790147","https://openalex.org/W4391305428"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"The":[0],"Open":[1],"Radio":[2],"Access":[3],"Network":[4],"(O-RAN)":[5],"architecture":[6],"enables":[7],"a":[8,53,107],"flexible,":[9],"vendor-neutral":[10],"deployment":[11],"of":[12,33,119,121],"5G":[13],"networks":[14],"by":[15],"disaggregating":[16],"base":[17],"station":[18],"components":[19],"and":[20,64,77,102,136,152,159],"supporting":[21],"third-party":[22],"xApps":[23,35],"for":[24,55],"near":[25],"real-time":[26],"RAN":[27,73],"control.":[28],"However,":[29],"the":[30,69,96,116],"concurrent":[31],"operation":[32],"multiple":[34],"can":[36],"lead":[37],"to":[38,67,90],"conflicting":[39],"control":[40],"actions,":[41],"which":[42],"may":[43],"cause":[44],"network":[45,145],"performance":[46],"degradation.":[47],"In":[48],"this":[49],"work,":[50],"we":[51],"propose":[52],"framework":[54],"xApp":[56,166],"conflict":[57,161],"management":[58],"that":[59,93],"combines":[60],"explainable":[61],"machine":[62],"learning":[63],"causal":[65,70,108,117],"inference":[66],"evaluate":[68],"relationships":[71],"between":[72],"Control":[74],"Parameters":[75],"(RCPs)":[76],"Key":[78],"Performance":[79],"Indicators":[80],"(KPIs).":[81],"We":[82,113],"use":[83],"model":[84],"explainability":[85],"tools":[86],"such":[87,130],"as":[88,106,131],"SHAP":[89],"identify":[91],"RCPs":[92,123],"jointly":[94],"affect":[95],"same":[97],"KPI,":[98],"signaling":[99],"potential":[100],"conflicts,":[101],"represent":[103],"these":[104,122],"interactions":[105],"Directed":[109],"Acyclic":[110],"Graph":[111],"(DAG).":[112],"then":[114],"estimate":[115],"impact":[118],"each":[120],"on":[124],"their":[125,154],"associated":[126],"KPIs":[127],"using":[128],"metrics":[129],"Average":[132,138],"Treatment":[133,139],"Effect":[134,140],"(ATE)":[135],"Conditional":[137],"(CATE).":[141],"This":[142],"approach":[143],"offers":[144],"operators":[146],"guided":[147],"insights":[148],"into":[149],"identifying":[150],"conflicts":[151],"quantifying":[153],"impacts,":[155],"enabling":[156],"more":[157],"informed":[158],"effective":[160],"resolution":[162],"strategies":[163],"across":[164],"diverse":[165],"deployments.":[167]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-04-23T09:07:50.710637","created_date":"2025-10-17T00:00:00"}
