Abstract
Achieving the fifth-generation (5G) vision will introduce new technology innovations and substantial changes in delivering cutting-edge applications and services in current mobile and cellular networks. The Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) concept emerged as one of the most compelling architectures to meet the requirements of the 5G vision. In essence, C-RAN provides an advanced mobile network architecture which can leverage challenging features such as network resource slicing, statistical multiplexing, energy efficiency, and high capacity. The realization of C-RAN is achieved by innovative technologies such as the software-defined networking (SDN) and the network function virtualization (NFV). While SDN technology brings the separation of the control and data planes in the playground, supporting thus advanced traffic engineering techniques such as load balancing, the NFV concept offers high flexibility by allowing network resource sharing in a dynamic way. Although SDN and NFV have many advantages, a number of challenges have to be addressed before the commercial deployment of 5G implementation. In addition, C-RAN introduces a new layer in the mobile network, denoted as the fronthaul, which is adopted from the recent research efforts in the fiber-wireless (Fi-Wi) paradigm. As the fronthaul defines a link between a baseband unit (BBU) and a remote radio unit (RRU), various technologies can be used for this purpose such as optical fibers and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) radios. In this way, several challenges are highlighted which depend on the technology used. In the light of the aforementioned remarks, this paper compiles a list of challenges and open issues of the emerging technologies that realize the C-RAN concept. Moreover, comparative insights between the current and future state of the C-RAN concept are discussed. Trends and advances of those technologies are also examined towards shedding light on the proliferation of 5G through the C-RAN concept.
Highlights
Mobile networks are rapidly evolving while the industry is struggling to keep up with the rising demand of connectivity, data rates, capacity, and bandwidth
Concepts such as cloud computing and virtualization technologies are of paramount importance [2–4] since they are deemed as candidate enablers for the new Radio Access Network (RAN) technologies
2 Background This section is devoted to presenting the background of the four main technologies behind Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN), namely the software-defined networking (SDN) concept, the network function virtualization (NFV) technology, the network virtualization and slicing, and the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) [12] which is the most widely used fronthaul interface in the C-RAN architecture
Summary
Mobile networks are rapidly evolving while the industry is struggling to keep up with the rising demand of connectivity, data rates, capacity, and bandwidth. As legacy Radio Access Network (RAN) is becoming expensive and inadequate in satisfying the demands of future mobile trends, mobile operators are faced with the challenge of devising new RAN architectures. Concepts such as cloud computing and virtualization technologies are of paramount importance [2–4] since they are deemed as candidate enablers for the new RAN technologies. In C-RAN, operators can deploy mobile networks more rapidly using different access technologies while sharing the same infrastructure To this end, the deployment cost is reduced, the network resources are effectively utilized, and the maintenance cost is low.
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