Future RAN Architecture: SD-RAN Through a General-Purpose Processing Platform

Abstract

Abstract-In this article, we identify and study the potential of an integrated deployment solution for energy efficient cellular networks combining the strengths of two very active currently research themes: software defined radio access networks (SD-RAN) and decoupled signaling and data transmissions, or beyond cellular green generation (BCG2) architecture, for enhanced energy efficiency. While SD-RAN envisions a decoupled centralized control plane and data forwarding plane for flexible control, the BCG2 architecture calls for decoupling coverage from capacity and coverage is provided through always-on low-power signaling node for a larger geographical area; capacity is catered by various on-demand data nodes for maximum energy efficiency. In this paper, we identify that a combined approach bringing in both specifications together can, not only achieve greater benefits, but also facilitates the faster realization of both technologies. We propose the idea and design of a signaling controller which acts as a signaling node to provide always-on coverage, consuming low power, and at the same time also hosts the control plane functions for the SD-RAN through a general purpose processing platform. Phantom cell concept is also a similar idea where a normal macro cell provides interference control to densely deployed small cells, although, our initial results show that the integrated architecture has much greater potential of energy savings in comparison to phantom cells.

Control-Data Separation Architecture for Cellular Radio Access Networks: A Survey and Outlook

“…Aligned with this trend, the SDN suggests a centralised controller to enable control decisions to be taken based on a wider view of network status and parameters [14]. In other words, the SDN and the CDSA have the same physical realisation: moving towards a centralised CP [15]. SDN and CDSA are closely related concepts in the sense.…”

“…The authors of [15] integrate the SDN concept with the BCG 2 architecture, and they argue that the CDSA requires redesigning current network hardware components. Thus the SDN is seen as an enabling technology that could allow a feasible and cost-efficient CDSA implementation.…”

Resource allocation in a generalized LTE air interface virtualization framework exploiting user behavior

“…Its main task is resource management on the air interface. For example, signaling controller can regulate data BSs activation/deactivation through interface X3 [15]. In night time, about 85 % traffic reduction is predicted compared with peak-load time [16].…”

“…Algorithm 2 Power allocation algorithm 1: Initialization: 2: Set maximum tolerance ε 3: Initialize optimal EE q 1 = 0 and iteration index l = 1 4: repeat 5: For a given q l , the InP solves the problem in (15) and obtain the power allocation P l 6:…”

Software-defined hyper-cellular architecture for green and elastic wireless access

“…In fact, recent studies have begun to investigate the integration of these perspectives [5], [10]. However, the problems of how to combine the three perspectives into a converged architecture and how to realize the architecture in practice remain unclear.…”