Abstract
This work considers how network slicing can use the network architecture Cloud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN) as an enabler for the required prerequisite network virtualization. Specifically this work looks at a segment of the C-RAN architecture called the fronthaul network. The fronthaul network required for network slicing needs to be able to dynamically assign capacity where it is needed. Deploying a fronthaul network faces a trade-off between fronthaul bitrate, flexibility, and complexity of the local equipment close to the user. This work relates the challenges currently faced in C-RAN research to the network requirements in network slicing. It also shows how using a packet-switched fronthaul for network slicing will bring great advantages and enable the use of different functional splits, while the price to pay is a minor decrease in fronthaul length due to latency constraints.
Highlights
Emerging technologies paving the way towards the generation, 5G, mobile networks include the very promising concept of network slicing
In a physical network used for network slicing, one network has to carry the traffic from several logical networks, each having very different requirements to the physical network
Considering the primary 5G drivers from [3], Extreme Mobile Broadband (eMBB) will benefit from a variable bitrate on the fronthaul link; as enormous amounts of data needs to be transmitted at peak times, it will benefit from a large amount of centralized processing, for a more efficient allocation of resources. Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC) has relaxed bitrate requirements; it will benefit from a simple Distributed Unit (DU) for easy deployment and maintenance. Ultrareliable Machine-Type Communication (uMTC) has very strict requirements to the latency, and thereby it requires a network with good traffic management and flexible resource allocation in the fronthaul network for faster transmission, and it will benefit from a centralized MAC scheduler
Summary
Emerging technologies paving the way towards the generation, 5G, mobile networks include the very promising concept of network slicing. (iii) Ultrareliable Machine-Type Communication (uMTC) will support use cases like “autonomous vehicle control” requiring latency below 5 ms and 99.999% availability and reliability [3]. These examples show how different the requirements can be, to different slices within network slicing. Network slicing requires a virtualization of the network to be able to run several logical networks on top of the physical network [4].
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