Optimizing functional split of baseband processing on TWDM-PON based fronthaul network

Abstract

One of the major shortcomings of Centralized Radio Access Networks (C-RAN) is that the large capacity is required for fronthaul network between Remote Radio Heads (RRHs) and central office with baseband unit (BBU) pool. Possible solutions are to introduce lower-cost networking technology for fronthaul network, such as Time and Wavelength Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Network (TWDM-PON), and to introduce functional split, that moves some baseband processing functions to cell site to decrease the utilization of the fronthaul network. In this paper, we construct the mathematical model for selecting function split options of baseband processing to minimize the power consumption of TWDM-PON based fronthaul network. In detail, we formulate the optimization problem for minimizing the total power consumption of fronthaul network in terms of the capacity of TWDM-PON, the number of RRHs in each cell site, server resources, latency constraints, the amount of traffic from each RRH, physical/virtual server power consumption characteristics. Numerical examples are shown for confirming the correctness of the proposed model and for presenting the effect of resource enhancement methods on the capacity and energy efficiency of the system.