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VirtRAN: An SDN/NFV-Based Framework for 5G RAN Slicing

  • Review Article
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Journal of the Indian Institute of Science Aims and scope

Abstract

The upcoming Fifth Generation (5G) mobile network aims to support a wide variety of services. In addition to the four standardized service use cases, network operators are also looking for the ability to deploy newer services in shorter timescales to quickly monetize the 5G network. This has resulted in the emergence of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) as key technologies for designing the 5G networks. In this paper, we provide a survey of some of the promising SDN/NFV-based architectures for the Radio Access Network (RAN) and highlight how these architectures can be utilized to support features like network virtualization and slicing. We also identify the gaps which need to be addressed by these proposals to be able to support the 5G network capabilities and list a few considerations for slicing the 5G RAN. Finally, we propose Virtualized RAN (VirtRAN), a recursive SDN/NFV-based architectural framework for RAN, which addresses some of these gaps and can be used to support features like network slicing and user mobility management in 5G networks in an efficient manner.

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Abbreviations

3G:

Third Generation

3GPP:

Third-Generation Partnership Project

4G:

Fourth Generation

5G:

Fifth Generation

AMF:

Access and Mobility Function

AP:

Access Point

API:

Application Programming Interface

ARPU:

Average Revenue Per User

AUSF:

Authentication Server Function

CAPEX:

CApital Expenditures

CAPWAP:

Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points

CU:

Centralized Unit

DU:

Distributed Unit

E1AP:

E1 Application Protocol

eICIC:

enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC)

eMBB:

enhanced Mobile Broadband

eNB:

eNodeB

ETSI:

European Telecommunications Standards Institute

F1AP:

F1 Application Protocol

GBR:

Guaranteed Bit Rate

gNB:

gNodeB

gNB-CU:

gNB-Centralized Unit

gNB-CU-CP:

gNB-CU Control Plane

gNB-CU-DP:

gNB-CU Data Plane

gNB-DUs:

gNB-Distributed Units

GPRS:

General Packet Radio Service

IBM:

International Business Machines Corporation

IETF:

Internet Engineering Task Force

IP:

Internet Protocol Marc

LTE:

Long-Term Evolution

LVAP:

Lightweight Virtual Access Point

m-NBI:

middleware-North Bound Interface

m-SBI:

middleware-South Bound Interface

MAC:

Medium Access Control

mMTC:

massive Machine Type Communications

multi-RAT:

multiple-Radio Access Technology

N3IWF:

Non 3GPP Interworking Function

NFV:

Network Function Virtualization

NR:

New Radio

ns-3:

Network Simulator -3

NSSAI:

Network Slice Selection Assistance Information

ONF:

Open Networking Foundation

PDCP:

Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PGW:

Packet Gateway

PGW-c:

Packet Gateway-control plane

PGW-u:

Packet Gateway-user plane

PRB:

Physical Resource Block

QoE:

Quality of Experience

QoS:

Quality of Service

RAN:

Radio Access Network

RB:

Resource Block

REST:

Representational State Transfer

RIC:

Radio Interface Controller

RLC:

Radio Link Control

RRC:

Radio Resource Control

RRM:

Radio Resource Management

RT:

Real Time

SD-RAN:

Software-Defined-RAN

SDAP:

Service Data Adaptation Protocol

SDN:

Software-Defined Networking

SDOs:

Standard Development Organizations

SGW:

Serving Gateway

SGW-c:

Serving Gateway-control plane

SGW-u:

Serving Gateway-user plane

SMF:

Session Management Function

SNMP:

Simple Network Management Protocol

SON:

Self Organizing Network

SSID:

Service Set IDentifier

UE:

User Equipment

UPF:

User Plane Function

URLLC:

Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications

V2X:

Vehicle to Everything

vBS:

virtual Base Station

VirtRAN:

Virtualized RAN

VL:

Virtualization Layer

VM:

Virtual Machine

VRB:

Virtual Resource Block

VRG:

Virtual Resource Group

VSF:

Virtual Subsystem Function

WiMAX:

Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access

WLAN:

Wireless Local Area Network

WRAN:

Wireless Regional Area Network

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Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Government of India as part of the indigenous 5G Test Bed project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India

    Akshatha Nayak Manjeshwar, Pranav Jha, Abhay Karandikar & Prasanna Chaporkar

  2. Indian Institute Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, India

    Abhay Karandikar

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  1. Akshatha Nayak Manjeshwar
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  2. Pranav Jha
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  4. Prasanna Chaporkar
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Correspondence to Abhay Karandikar.

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Nayak Manjeshwar, A., Jha, P., Karandikar, A. et al. VirtRAN: An SDN/NFV-Based Framework for 5G RAN Slicing. J Indian Inst Sci 100, 409–434 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-020-00160-x

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