Leveraging SDN for The 5G Networks: Trends, Prospects and Challenges (original) (raw)
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Cellular network technologies have evolved to support the ever-increasing wireless data traffic, which results from the rapidly-evolving Internet and widely-adopted cloud applications over wireless networks. However, hardware-based designs, which rely on closed and inflexible architectures of current cellular systems, make a typical 10-year cycle for a new generation of wireless networks to be standardized and deployed. To overcome this limitation, the concept of software-defined networking (SDN) has been proposed to efficiently create centralized network abstraction with the provisioning of programmability over the entire network. Moreover, the complementary concept of network function virtualization (NFV) has been further proposed to effectively separate the abstraction of functionalities from the hardware by decoupling the data forwarding plane from the control plane. These two concepts provide cellular networks with the needed flexibility to evolve and adapt according to the ever-changing network context and introduce wireless software-defined networks (W-SDNs) for 5G cellular systems. Thus, there is an urgent need to study the fundamental architectural principles underlying a new generation of software-defined cellular network as well as the enabling technologies that supports and manages such emerging architecture. In this paper, first, the state-of-the-art W-SDNs solutions along with their associated NFV techniques are surveyed. Then, the key differences among these W-SDN solutions as well as their limitations are highlighted. To counter those limitations, SoftAir, a new SDN architecture for 5G cellular systems, is introduced. tural designs. Such inflexible hardware-based architectures typically lead to a 10-year cycle for a new generation of wireless networks to be standardized and deployed, impose significant challenges into adopting new wireless networking technologies to maximize the network capacity and coverage, and prevent the provision of truly-differentiated services able to adapt to increasingly growing, uneven, and highly variable traffic patterns. In particular, for 5G cellular system requirements, the ultra high capacity should have 1000-fold capacity/km 2 compared to LTE, the user-plane latency should be less than 1ms over the radio access network (RAN), and http://dx.
NFV and SDN—Key Technology Enablers for 5G Networks
IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, 2017
Communication networks are undergoing their next evolutionary step towards 5G. The 5G networks are envisioned to provide a flexible, scalable, agile and programmable network platform over which different services with varying requirements can be deployed and managed within strict performance bounds. In order to address these challenges a paradigm shift is taking place in the technologies that drive the networks, and thus their architecture. Innovative concepts and techniques are being developed to power the next generation mobile networks. At the heart of this development lie Network Function Virtualization and Software Defined Networking technologies, which are now recognized as being two of the key technology enablers for realizing 5G networks, and which have introduced a major change in the way network services are deployed and operated. For interested readers that are new to the field of SDN and NFV this paper provides an overview of both these technologies with reference to the 5G networks. Most importantly it describes how the two technologies complement each other and how they are expected to drive the networks of near future.
IEEE Access, 2017
Wireless network virtualization (WNV) has drawn attention from the researchers ranging from academia to industry as one of the significant technologies in the cellular network communication. It is considered as a pioneer to achieve effective resource utilization with decreased operating expenses (OPEX) and capital expenses (CAPEX) by decoupling the networks functionalities of coexisting virtual networks (VNs). It facilitates fast deployment of new services and novel technologies. WNV paradigm is in the early stages, and there is a large room for the research community to develop new architectures, systems, and applications. The availability of Software-defined networking (SDN) and cloud/centralized radio access network (C-RAN) steers up the hope for the WNV realization. This paper surveys WNV along with the recent developments in SDN and C-RAN technologies. Based on these technologies and WNV concepts, we identify the requirements and opportunities of future cellular networks. We then propose a general architectural framework for the WNV based on SDN. In-depth discussion of challenges and research issues as well as promising approaches for future networks communication improvements are also proposed. Finally, we give several promising candidates of future network services for residential customers and business customers.
5G-EmPOWER: A Software-Defined Networking Platform for 5G Radio Access Networks
IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, 2019
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is making their way into the fifth generation of mobile communications. For example, 3GPP is embracing the concept of Control-User Plane Separation (a cornerstone concept in SDN) in the 5G core and the Radio Access Network (RAN). In this paper we introduce a flexible, programmable, and open-source SDN platform for heterogeneous 5G RANs. The platform builds on an open protocol that abstracts the technology-dependent aspects of the radio access elements, allowing network programmers to deploy complex management tasks as policies on top of a programmable logically centralized controller. We implement the proposed solution as an extension to the 5G-EmPOWER platform and release the software stack (including the southbound protocol) under a permissive APACHE 2.0 License. Finally, the effectiveness of the platform is assessed through three reference use cases: active network slicing, mobility management, and load-balancing.
SDN Integrated 5G Network Architecture: A Review, Benefits and Challenges
Advances in Wireless and Mobile Communications, 2021
The scenario of modern day internet communication system has been changed drastically. Billions of hyper connected devices carrying huge amount of information on either side. Next generation devices are much of IoT enabled and automotive in nature demands much higher data speed with low latency. In addition, these modern tech shifts need such a network, which is much flexible, radio resource effective, dynamic, programmable and simplified in nature. Several exertion has been carried out to establish a next generation network architecture, which are operator centric. 5G technology deployment with full IP connectivity has been done in some countries but not flawless. Evolved Packet Core (EPC) associated with 3GPP release 15 has been orchestrated. In this context, we will inspect a decentralized 5G architecture, which is accredited with Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Virtualized Network Function (VNF). A cloud based distributed architecture with dispute is manifested. A comprehensive study of research work so far has been accumulated in the context of architecture, network management and functionality.
Software Defined Networking towards 5G Network
International Journal of Computational and Electronic Aspects in Engineering, 2023
With increased importance of mobile networks and their expected ability to be usercentric puts strain on the current mobile networks. To tackle this, 5G networks will be used which offers user-oriented operation at effective costs with excellent infrastructure capabilities which can deal with heavy network traffic. Along with this, 5G networks will be useful in varied fields-from business use cases to medical ones. SDN technology has certain components which can be integrated with the 5G network following proper analysis and after realizing its proper applicability. The 5G network coupled with SDN will bring out some outstanding innovations in the network and its infrastructure. Leveraging SDN and NFV architecture as well as technology to build effective 5G networks is highlighted in this paper. SDN simplifies the network complexity because of its existing framework which suits the network framework in discussion. This paper summarizes the different approaches taken to achieve the above said aim. The primary focus remains using SDN for 5G networks and utilizing related technologies to get the best result.
SoftAir: A software defined networking architecture for 5G wireless systems
Computer Networks, 2015
One of the main building blocks and major challenges for 5G cellular systems is the design of flexible network architectures which can be realized by the software defined networking paradigm. Existing commercial cellular systems rely on closed and inflexible hardware-based architectures both at the radio frontend and in the core network. These problems significantly delay the adoption and deployment of new standards, impose significant challenges in implementing and innovation of new techniques to maximize the network capacity and accordingly the coverage, and prevent provisioning of truly-differentiated services which are able to adapt to growing and uneven and highly variable traffic patterns. In this paper, a new softwaredefined architecture, called SoftAir, for next generation (5G) wireless systems, is introduced. Specifically, the novel ideas of network function cloudification and network virtualization are exploited to provide a scalable, flexible and resilient network architecture. Moreover, the essential enabling technologies to support and manage the proposed architecture are discussed in details, including fine-grained base station decomposition, seamless incorporation of Openflow, mobility-aware control traffic balancing, resource-efficient network virtualization, and distributed and collaborative traffic classification. Furthermore, the major benefits of SoftAir architecture with its enabling technologies are showcased by introducing software-defined traffic engineering solutions. The challenging issues for realizing SoftAir are also discussed in details.
5G mobile networks based on SDN concepts
International Journal of Engineering & Technology
With The rapid growth of mobile networks data and the emergence of the new services and applications, Mobile operators should provide a several solutions to cope with the challenges of the next 5G mobile networks and to reduce costs. For these reasons, SDN was proposed to be one of the key technology trends that will facilitate the required architectural agility needed in the next 5G mobile networks.Software Defined Networking (SDN) is the highly promising technology to provide innovation and enforce the main drivers in 5G mobile networks such as flexibility, suability, service–oriented management and to reduce costs by the softwarization of the 5G Core networks functions.Thus, there is an immediate need to study the fundamental architectural principles of SDN, and to analyze the integration and application scenarios of this architecture into the next 5G mobile networks. In this paper, we present a survey on the most relevant research works on SDN concepts and SDN integration in mob...
Software Defined Network-Based Management for Enhanced 5G Network Services
IEEE Access, 2020
Due to the fast development in communication technology and the emerging usage of Internet of Things (IoT) devices that produce a huge amount of data, the fifth generation (5G) mobile network is introduced to support this development. This mobile network can provide many advanced communication features in cellular phones. But unfortunately, this technology faces many challenges. One of its defective challenges is the management of a massive number of devices running different services, so Software Defined Network (SDN) is proposed as a key technology to overcome this drawback. SDN architecture provides higher flexibility, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency in 5G mobile networks. There are usually different architectures for the SDN control plane. We study some of these architectures, and we conciliate the usage of Logically Centralized-Physically Distributed (LC-PD) controller management architecture in 5G networks. This architecture enables providing higher throughput, and lower latency compared to other control plane architectures. In this paper, we focus on the demonstration that the LC-PD control plane architecture improves communication efficiency and the Quality of Services (QoS) of running internet services in the 5G mobile network. We use the Mininet-WIFI emulator in our simulation tests. Our conducted simulations show that employing the LC-PD control plane architecture in 5G networks enhances the QoS of Internet services compared to other SDN implementations. INDEX TERMS Software defined network, 5G networks, quality of service, network management, controller placement.
In the near future, i.e., beyond 4G, some of the prime objectives or demands that need to be addressed are increased capacity, improved data rate, decreased latency, and better quality of service. To meet these demands, drastic improvements need to be made in cellular network architecture. This paper presents the results of a detailed survey on the fifth generation (5G) cellular network architecture and some of the key emerging technologies that are helpful in improving the architecture and meeting the demands of users. In this detailed survey, the prime focus is on the 5G cellular network architecture, massive multiple input multiple output technology, and device-to-device communication (D2D). Along with this, some of the emerging technologies that are addressed in this paper include interference management, spectrum sharing with cognitive radio, ultra-dense networks, multi-radio access technology association, full duplex radios, millimeter wave solutions for 5G cellular networks, and cloud technologies for 5G radio access networks and software defined networks. In this paper, a general probable 5G cellular network architecture is proposed, which shows that D2D, small cell access points, network cloud, and the Internet of Things can be a part of 5G cellular network architecture. A detailed survey is included regarding current research projects being conducted in different countries by research groups and institutions that are working on 5G technologies.