10th EAI International Conference on Communications and Networking in China

Research Article

Software Defined Radio Access Network in 5G Mobile Network

  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/eai.15-8-2015.2260709,
        author={Ying Lu and Jie Zeng and Xin Su and Liping Rong and Chunping Yang and Xibin Xu},
        title={Software Defined Radio Access Network in 5G Mobile Network},
        proceedings={10th EAI International Conference on Communications and Networking in China},
        publisher={IEEE},
        proceedings_a={CHINACOM},
        year={2015},
        month={9},
        keywords={5g sdn openflow virtualization},
        doi={10.4108/eai.15-8-2015.2260709}
    }
    
  • Ying Lu
    Jie Zeng
    Xin Su
    Liping Rong
    Chunping Yang
    Xibin Xu
    Year: 2015
    Software Defined Radio Access Network in 5G Mobile Network
    CHINACOM
    IEEE
    DOI: 10.4108/eai.15-8-2015.2260709
Ying Lu1, Jie Zeng2,*, Xin Su2, Liping Rong2, Chunping Yang1, Xibin Xu2
  • 1: North China Electric Power University
  • 2: Tsinghua University
*Contact email: zengjie@tsinghua.edu.cn

Abstract

Mobile traffic is growing exponentially and various kinds of traffic are emerging. Current radio access network is hard to support new communication mechanisms due to their inflexibility. To meet these radical demands, a lot of researchers are working on redesigning radio access network with the introduction of new technologies. An emerging technology, Software Defined Networking (SDN), has shown great success in wired IP networks. In this paper, a Software Defined Radio Access Network (SDRAN) is proposed that extends the benefits of SDN into radio access network. Three key technologies are introduced in SDRAN: User Flow & Resource Flow, packet processing based on OpenFlow switch, Global Network View (GNV). Benefits are described in this paper. Challenges for realizing the SDRAN are also analyzed. The SDRAN virtualizes radio access network, making network sustainable, flexible and programmable.