Load balancing for a user-level virtualized 5G cloud-RAN (original) (raw)
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2018 26th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO), 2018
One of the main research directions for 5G mobile networks is resource virtualisation and slicing. Towards this goal, the Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architecture offers mobile operators a flexible and dynamic framework for managing resources and processing data. This paper proposes a dynamic allocation approach for processing resources in a C- RAN supported by the concept of Network Function Vitualisation (NFV). To achieve this objective, we virtualised the Baseband Unit (BBU) resources for Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network into a BBU pool supported by Linux Container (LXC) technology. We report on experiments conducted in the Iris testbed with high-definition video streaming by implementing Software-Defined Radio (SDR)-based LTE functionality with the virtualised BBU pool. Our results show a significant improvement in the quality of the video transmission with this dynamic allocation approach.
IsoRAN: Isolation and Scaling for 5G RANvia User-Level Data Plane Virtualization
ArXiv, 2020
5G presents a unique set of challenges for cellular network architecture. The architecture needs to be versatile in order to handle a variety of use cases. While network slicing has been proposed as a way to provide such versatility, it is also important to ensure that slices do not adversely interfere with each other. In other words, isolation among network slices is needed. Additionally, the large number of use cases also implies a large number of users, making it imperative that 5G architectures scale efficiently. In this paper we propose IsoRAN, which provides isolation and scaling along with the flexibility needed for 5G architecture. In IsoRAN, users are processed by daemon threads in the Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) architecture. Our design allows users from different use cases to be executed, in a distributed manner, on the most efficient hardware to ensure that the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are met while minimising power consumption. Our experiments show that Iso...
Benefits and Challenges of Cloud Technologies for 5G Architecture
2015 IEEE 81st Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC Spring), 2015
This paper focuses on the practical implementation of a Cloud-RAN architecture in the context of future 5G systems, with particular emphasis on different aspects of the functional split between the cloud platform and the radio access points. First, we provide a comprehensive overview of implementation aspects and how different hardware options impact the implementation of RAN functionality. We further discuss a virtualized infrastructure which may have a significant impact on how algorithms are implemented, how they interact with each other, and how they can be scaled within the RAN. We also analyze implementation constraints to be considered to provide backwards compatibility with 3GPP LTE; such constraints on the computing platforms result from the RAN requirements in terms of latency and throughput. Finally, the level of flexibility achievable by the proposed architecture is described from a practical point of view.
IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, 2014
C loud computing draws significant attention in the information technology (IT) community as it provides ubiquitous ondemand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources with minimum management effort. It gains also more impact on the communication technology (CT) community and is currently discussed as an enabler for flexible, cost-efficient and more powerful mobile network implementations. Although centralized baseband pools are already investigated for the radio access network (RAN) to allow for efficient resource usage and advanced multicell algorithms, these technologies still require dedicated hardware and do not offer the same characteristics as cloud-computing platforms, i.e., on-demand provisioning, virtualization, resource pooling, elasticity, service metering, and multitenancy. However, these properties of cloud computing are key enablers for future mobile communication systems characterized by an ultradense deployment of radio access points (RAPs) leading to severe multicell interference in combination with a significant increase of the number of access nodes and huge fluctuations of the rate requirements over time. In this article, we will explore the benefits that cloud computing offers for fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks and investigate the implications on the signal processing algorithms.
Virtualized Cloud Radio Access Network for 5G Transport
IEEE Communications Magazine, 2017
Current Radio Access Networks (RANs) need to evolve to handle diverse service requirements coming from the growing number of connected devices and increasing data rates for the upcoming 5G era. Incremental improvements on traditional distributed RANs cannot satisfy these requirements, so the novel and disruptive concept of cloud-RAN (CRAN) has been proposed to decouple digital units (DUs) and radio units (RUs) of base stations (BSs), and centralize DUs into a central office, where virtualization and cloud computing technologies are leveraged to move DUs in the "cloud". However, separating RUs and DUs requires low-latency and high-bandwidth connectivity links, called "fronthaul", as opposed to traditional backhaul links. Hence, design of the 5G transport network, i.e., the part of the network that carries mobile data traffic between BSs and the core network and data centers, is key to meet the new 5G mobile service requirements and effectively transport the fronthaul traffic. Today, consensus has not yet been achieved on how the fronthaul traffic will be transported between RUs and DUs, and how virtualization of network resources will occur from radio network segment to the centralized baseband processing units. In this article, we present a new 5G architecture called virtualized-CRAN (V-CRAN) moving towards a cell-less 5G network architecture. We leverage the concept of a "virtualized-BS" (V-BS) that can be optimally formed by exploiting several enabling technologies such as softwaredefined radio (SDR) and Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) Transmission/Reception. V-BS can be formed on a per-cell basis or peruser basis by allocating virtualized resources on demand. For the fronthaul solution, our approach exploits the passive optical network (PON), where a wavelength can be dynamically assigned and shared to form "virtualized" PON (VPON). Several use cases of V-CRAN are presented to show how network architecture evolution can enhance system throughput, energy efficiency, and mobility management.
Modelling and implementation of virtual radio resources management for 5G Cloud RAN
EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking
The virtualisation of Radio Access Networks (RANs) is one of the goals in designing 5G mobile networks. This paper aims at presenting a proof of concept for the virtualisation of radio resources using Open Air Interface (OAI), a software-based Long-Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB physical emulator. OAI was extended to support multi-tenancy, representing diverse Virtual mobile Network Operators (VNOs) with different Service Level Agreements (SLAs). A comprehensive analytical model for managing the virtual radio resources has been proposed, with two key parts: estimation of available radio resources and their allocation to different VNOs. The estimation is performed by the model, and the allocation is managed by OAI scheduling. Various scenarios and use cases are studied in this virtual RAN environment, network performance being evaluated for different situations, by varying guaranteed levels, serving weights, and used services. Results show that the proposed approach offers almost the same capacity to guaranteed VNOs regardless of other existing VNOs, experiencing at worst a degradation of 32% of its initial allocated data rate, without violation of the guaranteed data rate. The data rate allocated to best effort VNOs may decrease up to 7% of its initial value, which is acceptable, to guarantee other more demanding SLAs.
2014
C loud computing draws significant attention in the information technology (IT) community as it provides ubiquitous ondemand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources with minimum management effort. It gains also more impact on the communication technology (CT) community and is currently discussed as an enabler for flexible, cost-efficient and more powerful mobile network implementations. Although centralized baseband pools are already investigated for the radio access network (RAN) to allow for efficient resource usage and advanced multicell algorithms, these technologies still require dedicated hardware and do not offer the same characteristics as cloud-computing platforms, i.e., on-demand provisioning, virtualization, resource pooling, elasticity, service metering, and multitenancy. However, these properties of cloud computing are key enablers for future mobile communication systems characterized by an ultradense deployment of radio access points (RAPs) leading to severe multicell interference in combination with a significant increase of the number of access nodes and huge fluctuations of the rate requirements over time. In this article, we will explore the benefits that cloud computing offers for fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks and investigate the implications on the signal processing algorithms.
Dynamic Virtual Resource Allocation in Virtualized multi-RAT Cellular Networks
Wireless Personal Communications, 2017
The legacy wireless systems are designed to exploit static configuration and deployment, and cannot handle the discrepancies of the spatio-temporal traffic demand. Cloud RAN (C-RAN) is a novel flexible radio technology that utilizes the virtualization concepts and can efficiently address the static deployment of conventional wireless systems. The C-RAN also leverages high radio network flexibility by introducing the network function virtualization approach to wireless networks. This paper presents a novel C-RAN platform that virtualizes and operates with full GSM and LTE systems. The presented platform is solely based on open-source and off the shelf solutions, providing easy implementation, low cost and high scalability. The paper also introduces a novel dynamic resource allocation algorithm that facilitates the C-RAN's optimal performance in dynamic scenarios. The proposed algorithm is analyzed and validated on the presented C-RAN platform. The results of the performance analysis clearly show the advantages of the proposed dynamic resource allocation algorithm. Moreover, they prove the applicability of the C-RAN platform for variety of different scenarios.
MATEC Web of Conferences
Global data traffic explosion is expected to set stringent requirements for next generation networks in the next decades. Besides, very low latencies will have to be guaranteed for enabling new delay critical services. However, current Software Defined Networking (SDN) solutions have limitations in terms of separating both data and control planes among tenants/operators, and the capability to adapt to new or changing requirements. Moreover, some virtualization schemes do not ensure isolation of resources and do not guarantee bandwidth across the entities. While some others fail to provide flexibility to the slices to customize the resource allocation across the users. Therefore, novel SDN and virtualization techniques should be implemented to realize the upcoming 5G network that will facilitate at least efficient resource allocation and multi-tenancy among the plethora of different requirements.
On the Benefits of RAN Virtualisation in C-RAN Based Mobile Networks
2014 Third European Workshop on Software Defined Networks, 2014
With ever growing data traffic the traditional mobile network architecture is struggling to cope. Network densification using heterogeneous networks supported by Cloud-RAN is one of the core concepts in terms of physical resources. The system achieves increased capacity by reducing the number of devices (commonly refered to as user equipment-UE) connected to any individual cell. Cloud-RAN decouples the baseband processing from the radio units, allowing the processing power to be pooled at a central location thus reducing the required redundancy. The decoupling also supports innovation in many other RAN technologies by simplifying intercell coordination. While Cloud-RAN differs significantly from traditional base station architectures, interactions with the core network do not reflect these differences. We argue that there is a strong need for an intermediate stage that will reconcile the core network and Cloud-RAN. In this paper we propose a virtual network architecture for Cloud-RAN base stations that will allow us to present the core network with an abstracted view of the physical network. By logically grouping macro cells with collocated small cells we can provide the core network with a simplified overview, reducing signalling overhead. Meanwhile, low latency decisions, such as cell load balancing and interference management, can be made entirely within the Cloud-RAN base station. We present practical applications of the proposed scheme and assess its interoperability with other improvements to the wider infrastructure proposed in related works. The principles presented in this paper lend themselves to evolving key concepts and themes for future 5G networks and beyond.