Wireless Network Virtualization Research Articles

Performance Tradeoff of MVNOs in OFDMA-Based Virtualized Wireless Networks

In this paper, we analyze the tradeoff between the profits gained by mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based virtualized wireless networks (VWNs). In this respect, MVNOs rent the network resources from a mobile network operator (MNO) to create virtual resources based on allocated rates and the cost due to allocated transmit powers in two different strategies: resource-based isolation strategy and rate-based isolation strategy. In resource-based isolation strategy, it is assumed that the whole bandwidth in each base station is divided equally between MVNOs whereas in rate-based isolation strategy, the whole bandwidth in each base station is allocated dynamically between MVNOs. We then formulate a multi-objective optimization problem (MOOP) to show the tradeoff between the maximum profit of each MVNO. To solve the formulated MOOP, we adopt the weighted Tchebycheff approach, which can provide the complete Pareto optimal region for nonconvex problems. Thus, by developing such formulation, we will be able to find the best profit gained by MVNOs. We also employ monotonic optimization to obtain the global optimal solutions of the non-convex problems by applying polyblock outer approximation algorithm. Our numerical results show the importance of the aforementioned tradeoffs and confirm that the proposed geometric programming (GP) based algorithm achieves excellent performance as compared to the monotonic method.

Advanced Co-Simulation Platform for UAV Simulations Under Virtual Wireless Network Environments

In this paper, we propose an advanced co-simulation platform that performs the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) simulation and the wireless network simulation concurrently. As UAV-based applications become more advanced and complicated and the commands and data transmitted between UAV and ground control station significantly increase, it is vital to safely and robustly transmit the packets carrying commands and data in a wireless network environment. However, the conventional UAV simulation platforms do not take into account the wireless network conditions encountered in the real-world flight so they cannot sufficiently simulate packet transmission. To address this issue, co-simulation platforms have been developed to verify UAV-based applications under a virtual wireless network environment. However, they still cannot effectively support the co-simulation needed to develop the UAV-based applications. In this paper, we have derived a list of improvements to the conventional co-simulation platform based on analysis of the conventional ones. Based on these improvements, we have developed an advanced co-simulation platform consisting of a UAV simulation part, a wireless network simulation part, and an integration part. In this platform, a two-channel approach was introduced to parallelize the synchronization required for performing the UAV simulation and the wireless network simulation simultaneously. The experimental results carried out on three test scenarios demonstrate that the proposed platform accurately performs co-simulation by efficient interoperation of its three parts and by remarkable reduction of the processing time delay, and that it is extendible due to its modularized software architecture.

A multi-Mobile Agent and optimal itinerary planning-based data aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks

Due to the energy constraints in Sensor Nodes (SN) and to increase energy efficiency in Data Aggregation (DA) approaches, Wireless Sensor nodes (WSN) requires a suitable network’s life cycle. In order to address the energy efficiency, a new system model is proposed for competent Data Aggregation (DA), and Data processing (DP) mechanism with the amalgamation of Mobile Agent (MA) in WSN intended towards collaborative signal systematized with information processing. Furthermore, with the expansion of Mobile Agent (MA) centred WSN, unique resource-efficient potentials for Data Aggregation (DA) and Data processing (DP) applications are identified. In the proposed system model, a single Mobile Agent (MA) is employed for data processing. Hence the MA-centred paradigm’s fundamental difficulty is determining the best route for agent traversal. Henceforth, using the Brownian Motion-Based Flower Pollination Algorithm (BMFPA), a new multi-MA-centred optimal itinerary planning strategy for performing data aggregation in WSN is proposed. Further, the proposed approach uses Fitness based Fuzzy C-Means (FFCM) for cluster creation and Cluster Head (CH) selection. Crossover Mutation based Firefly Algorithm (CM-FFA) is used. Moreover, the proposed model uses optimal itinerary planning-based Brownian Motion-Based Flower Pollination Algorithm (BMFPA) for MA migration and Data Gathering (DG) in WSN. Finally, after data gathering, the proposed model, the mobile Agent collects the information and communicates it to the base station or sink based on various applications scenarios. The system model’s investigation outcomes evidently exhibit that the proposed work competently performs well than prevailing algorithms for Data Gathering (DG) in WSN. Furthermore, the proposed model method can be fully utilized in a virtual wireless network’s scenario.

An Analysis of Requirements, Opportunities, and Challenges of Wireless Network Virtualization

Wireless network virtualization (WNV) has piqued interest of academic and industrial researchers as one of most important technology in cellular network communication. With de coupling networks function of co-occurring virtual network, it is regarded as a pioneer in achieving efficient resource use with reduced operational and capital costs. It allows for the rapid arrangement

An Analysis of Wireless Network Virtualisation

The overall expenses of constructing and managing a wireless network might be significantly reduced thanks to wireless network virtualization, which enables for the generalization and exchange of radio spectrum design and assets. By isolating a segment of the system, wireless network virtualization could simplify things to migrate to updated goods or techniques. Regardless of

Research on wireless network virtualization positioning technology based on next-generation agile IoT technology

Research on wireless network virtualization positioning technology based on next-generation agile IoT technology

Learning-Based Prediction and Proactive Uplink Retransmission for Wireless Virtual Reality Network

Wireless Virtual Reality (VR) users are able to enjoy immersive experience from anywhere at anytime. However, providing full spherical VR video with high quality under limited VR interaction latency is challenging. If the viewpoint of the VR user can be predicted in advance, only the required viewpoint is needed to be rendered and delivered, which can reduce the VR interaction latency. Therefore, in this paper, we use offline and online learning algorithms to predict viewpoint of the VR user using real VR dataset. For the offline learning algorithm, the trained learning model is directly used to predict the viewpoint of VR users in continuous time slots. While for the online learning algorithm, based on the VR user&#x0027;s actual viewpoint delivered through uplink transmission, we compare it with the predicted viewpoint and update the parameters and input viewpoints of the online learning algorithm to further improve the prediction accuracy. To guarantee the reliability of the uplink transmission, we integrate the Proactive retransmission scheme into our proposed online learning algorithm. Simulation results show that our proposed online learning algorithm for uplink wireless VR network with the proactive retransmission scheme only exhibits about 5<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\%$</tex-math></inline-formula> prediction error.

WiNE-Tap: Wireless LAN emulator with wireless network TAP devices

Conventional real-time wireless network emulators interact with physical network systems using wired LAN (Ethernet) virtualization technology, such as a TUN/TAP device, but they lack the capability of emulating the low-layer (data link sublayer and below) behavior of wireless network systems. For instance, a wireless device in ETSI ITS-G5 vehicular network systems adaptively changes its transmission power depending on the received signal strength, but existing wireless network emulators are incapable of simulating such behavior because they have no means of conveying transmission power information to the surrounding wireless devices in a virtual space. In addition, the implementations of existing network emulators vary even if they support the same network protocols and network configuration, and they rarely support multiple network simulators. The implementation of the network emulators limits the usability of network emulation because network simulators differ widely in the accuracy of their results. This paper proposes a wireless network emulation module called WiNE-Tap, which is implemented as a virtual wireless network device, to address these issues. WiNE-Tap runs in the Linux kernel space, allowing the underlying Linux system and a network simulator to exchange Linux kernel events and simulation events, such as frame transmission/reception and transmission power/RSSI changes, transparently to the user. This implementation allows the emulation of the adaptive behavior of wireless network low layers, as well as the use of any wireless network simulator. In this paper, we evacuate the performance of WiNE-Tap using Linux implementation with consideration of the simulation of radio propagation and network modes’ mobility. Some techniques for improving the timing accuracy of wireless network emulation are also described.

Dynamic Resource Allocation Strategy in Mobile Edge Cloud Computing Environment

With the development of the mobile Internet, smart mobile terminals have become an indispensable tool for people's lives and mobile applications are becoming more and more powerful. This research mainly discusses the dynamic resource allocation strategy of the mobile edge cloud computing environment. The physical resource layer in the network model is responsible for providing specific resources that are actually available, such as hardware resources, computing resources, storage resources, mainly including base stations, mobile edge computing servers, spectrum, power, and other communications of different infrastructure vendor basic components of the system. The functions of the virtual machine monitor include resource virtualization and resource management. As an important component of wireless network virtualization, virtual machine monitors are usually deployed in physical base stations to provide physical resources and to consider the connection between the virtual machine stations. The business of the business cache model is an application that is requested by users running on the mobile edge computing server or cloud at the base station. The computing task scheduling in the mobile edge environment can be classified as a wireless interaction model. This model captures the user throughput in cellular network interaction. The physical layer channel access strategy (CDMA) allows all mobile users to efficiently share the same spectrum resources at the same time. When the preference coefficient for task energy consumption varies between 0.35–0.55 and 0.65–1, the superior range of maximum system efficiency achieved by RAOM accounts for 55% of the entire range. This research contributes to the reasonable allocation of resources, and the mobile edge computing model improves the fairness of users with a lower transmission cost.

Bioreactor for the cultivation of Arthrospira platensis under controlled conditions

A vertical flat-type bioreactor consisting of transparent polyethylene (food safe) was constructed, which is characterized by a flexible design and allows the adjustment of a light path of 1 cm – 8.5 cm and a working volume of 1.5 l – 4 l. To characterize the performance of the bioreactor, cultivation experiments were performed with the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (AP). The growth was assessed continuously by monitoring optical density and intermittently by measuring the dry weight of the AP biomass. An on-line measurement technique for estimating biomass production rate in a photosynthetic microalgae culture was developed. The oxygen produced by AP in the culture medium was flushed out sparging using a mixture of air and CO2 (1%). Factors which might influence the AP growth were monitored: pH, temperature, oxygen concentration and the filling level were corrected automatically to compensate evaporation losses. As an example, the huge influence of the light intensity on the AP growth was tested. The increase of the photon flux density of 15 to 1200μmol/(l · d) led to a 22-fold increase of the productivity and a 3.1-fold shorter doubling time. Using an online measurement technique - together with the control of the growth process via a wireless local area network (WLAN) router and virtual private network - allows monitoring the growth of Arthrospira platensis remotely.

Resources Allocation and Sharing in Wireless Virtual Networks

Resources Allocation and Sharing in Wireless Virtual Networks

Game theory-based attack and defense analysis in virtual wireless networks with jammers and eavesdroppers

Dynamic spectrum sharing and cognitive radio networks were proposed to enhance the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum utilization. However, there are several challenges to realize them in real systems, such as sensing uncertainty causing issues to licensed users, business models for licensed service providers. Wireless virtualization is regarded as a technology that leverages service level agreements to sublease unused or underutilized RF spectrum that addresses aforementioned issues and helps to significantly enhance the utilization of the RF spectrum, offer improved coverage and capacity of networks, enhance network security and reduce energy consumption. With wireless virtualization, wireless networks' physical substrate is shared and reconfigured dynamically between virtual wireless networks through Mobile Virtual Network Operations (MVNOs). Wireless virtualization with dynamic configurable features of Wireless Infrastructure Providers (WIPs), virtualized wireless networks are vulnerable to a multitude of attacks, including jamming attacks and eavesdropping attacks. This paper investigates a means of defense through the employment of coalition game theory when jammers try to degrade the signal quality of legitimate users, and eavesdroppers aim to reduce secrecy rates. Specifically, we consider a virtual wireless network where MVNO users' job is to improve their Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) while the jammers target to collectively enhance their Jammer Received Signal Strength (JRSS), and an eavesdropper's goal is to reduce the overall secrecy rate. Numerical results have demonstrated that the proposed game strategies are effective (in terms of data rate, secrecy rate and latency) against such attackers compared to the traditional approaches.

Scalable Service-Driven Database-Enabled Wireless Network Virtualization for Robust RF Sharing

Wireless virtualization has emerged as one of the efficient ways to overcome numerous wireless networking challenges such as resource sharing by allowing multiple concurrent virtual wireless networks having run on shared physical wireless infrastructure. Spectrum sharing in wireless networks focuses on increasing the usage efficiency of radio frequency (RF) spectrum with its increasing demand. To reduce uncertainties that accompany the spectrum sharing process caused by RF sensing, database-based spectrum sharing allows opportunistic spectrum access through occupancy information query of a spectrum database. In this article, we propose a 2-level hierarchical spectrum allocation framework for multiple service-based virtual networks (VN) by leasing wireless resources from Wireless Infrastructure Providers (WIPs). The framework leverages the software defined network (SDN)-enabled virtualization where network parameters are configured based on the operating environment on the fly. This article focuses on the competition between multiple VNs to get best RF channels to serve their users while eliminating the need for one-to-one contracts between VNs and WIPs. We develop a mathematical model for the spectrum allocation scheme which allows heterogeneous network configurations with better economic benefit. Using network segments formed based on available sharable resources, the allocation scheme is localized which makes the scalability of this scheme possible. A trust-based security mechanism is also proposed for early detection and prevention of security attacks to maintain the availability attribute of the resource allocation process. Simulation results show that spectrum sharing is efficient, and assures service availability to perceived legitimate VN users.

Energy-Efficient Multivariate Privacy-Aware RF Spectrum Reservation in Wireless Virtualization for Wireless Internet of Things

Next generation communication systems are expected to be heterogeneous and to have varying Quality of Service (QoS) requirements for different Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Wireless virtualization is regarded as an emerging technology capable of handling the ever growing resource demands by those heterogeneous IoT applications and systems by enabling wireless resource sharing through slicing. Scarce wireless resources and expensive physical infrastructure are leased to business units. The business units do not own the infrastructure, but rather gain access through a subleasing process. However, due to the lack of efficient management of wireless resources, energy efficiency of the physical infrastructure cannot be guaranteed. A viable solution to this problem is to anticipate resource needs and proactively implement energy efficient measures to ensure QoS requirements of users are met using a reservation scheme. Previous spectrum reservation approaches do not consider energy efficiency in the reservation process. In this paper, we present an adaptive resource reservation scheme for wireless network virtualization. The proposed scheme relies on an informed estimate of resource needs by a combination of aggregated event data from multiple contributors, and prediction based on previous allocation data. We present a Privacy aware Aggregation Model (PrivAgg) that relies on the truthfulness of contributors by providing secure enrollment and communication. We also present a prediction algorithm, Volume and Bandwidth-conditioned Spectrum Selective Moving Average (VBSSMA), that enforces a multivariate filter for the allocation history in order to increase the accuracy of prediction. We evaluate the performance of the reservation scheme and algorithms using theoretical analysis and numerical results from extensive simulations. Numerical results over multiple configurations for the weight of the aggregator and predictor components shows that VBSSMA results in up to 27% less allocation cost and 4% less error than existing Volume-conditioned Spectrum Selective Moving Average reservation approach.

A Load-Balanced Re-Embedding Scheme for Wireless Network Virtualization

In wireless network virtualization processes, load imbalance in substrate nodes and substrate links may significantly reduce the number of virtual network requests served by a substrate network. In addition, load imbalance also impairs resource utilization and increases embedding cost of the virtual networks. To tackle these issues, this work proposes a re-embedding scheme for virtual node (RSVN). Based on the load condition of a substrate network, RSVN first determines whether to start re-embedding procedure or not, and then selects proper re-embedded virtual nodes according to their re-embedding factors. Next, RSVN re-embeds the selected virtual nodes to balance the loads of a wireless substrate network. The extensive simulation results showed that RSVN improves the acceptance ratio of virtual network requests, increases the resource utilization of substrate networks, and reduces the average embedding cost of the entire virtual networks.

Resource Allocation in Virtualized CoMP-NOMA HetNets: Multi-Connectivity for Joint Transmission

In this work, we design a generalized joint transmission coordinated multi-point (JT-CoMP)-non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) model for a virtualized multi-infrastructure network. In this model, all users benefit from multiple joint transmissions of CoMP thanks to the multi-connectivity opportunity provided by wireless network virtualization (WNV) in multi-infrastructure networks. The NOMA protocol in CoMP results in an unlimited NOMA clustering (UNC) scheme, where the order of each NOMA cluster is the maximum possible value. We show that UNC results in maximum successful interference cancellation (SIC) complexity at users. In this regard, we propose a limited NOMA clustering (LNC) scheme, where the SIC is performed to only a subset of users. We formulate the problem of joint power allocation and user association for the UNC and LNC schemes. Then, one globally and one locally optimal solution are proposed for each problem based on mixed-integer monotonic optimization and sequential programming, respectively. Numerical assessments reveal that WNV and LNC improves users sum-rate and reduces users SIC complexity by up to 35% and 46% compared to the non-virtualized CoMP-NOMA system and UNC model, respectively. Therefore, the proposed algorithms are suitable candidates for the implementation on open and intelligent radio access networks.

Cyclic Three-Sided Matching Game Inspired Wireless Network Virtualization

Wireless network virtualization is basically the abstraction, isolation, and sharing of wireless resources among different entities. Consequently, virtualization provides great flexibility and higher network efficiency, and enables easier migration to new technologies in wireless networks. Traditionally, a wireless network virtualization controller manages the virtual resources (including radio resources and infrastructure resources) known as slices which are available to the Service Providers (SPs). The SPs then allocate their purchased resources to serve their subscribed mobile users. Such a centralized allocation decouples the Quality-of-Service (QoS) management by the SPs from the virtual resource management by the controller. In this paper, we propose a matching based wireless network virtualization resource allocation mechanism: a distributed three-sided (3D) matching between radio resources, physical infrastructure and mobile users. The Restricted Three-sided Matching with Size and Cyclic preference model (R-TMSC) is implemented to obtain a stable solution. Simulation results show that our proposed spectrum-oriented and user-oriented algorithms outperform the traditional resource allocation schemes. The spectrum-oriented algorithm enhances the user throughput and the system performance, within a lesser run time. Furthermore, for an increasing number of users, the proposed algorithms serve more users than traditional methods.

Decentralized Blockchain-Based Dynamic Spectrum Acquisition for Wireless Downlink Communications

Wireless network virtualization is a promising solution to improve spectrum efficiency. For a wireless downlink communication system with multiple mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), we propose a decentralized blockchain-based dynamic spectrum acquisition scheme. Our proposed scheme aims to minimize the sum transmit power at all MVNOs while satisfying the average data transmission rate thresholds. For each MVNO, the required wireless spectrum to provide customized services to the mobile users (MUs) is predicted using the half-range Gauss-Hermite quadrature. Based on the predicted values, all the MVNOs carry out a blockchain-based distributed alternative direction method of multipliers to obtain the global optimal solution to the aforementioned sum transmit power minimization problem. To examine the effectiveness of our proposed scheme, with known system parameters, we also theoretically derive the semi-closed-form solution to the actually required sum transmit power minimization problem subject to data transmission rate constraints. Simulation results illustrate that our proposed dynamic spectrum acquisition scheme achieves almost the same minimum sum power as the non-causal scheme, which assumes the number of active MUs in all cells and all the channels are known non-causally for the optimal dynamic spectrum allocation.

On the evolution of infrastructure sharing in mobile networks: A survey

Infrastructure sharing for mobile networks has been a prolific research topic for more than three decades now. The key driver for Mobile Network Operators to share their network infrastructure is cost reduction. Spectrum sharing is often studied alongside infrastructure sharing although on its own it is a vast research topic outside the scope of this survey. Instead, in this survey we aim to provide a complete picture of infrastructure sharing both over time and in terms of research branches that have stemmed from it such as performance evaluation, resource management etc. We also put an emphasis on the relation between infrastructure sharing and the decoupling of infrastructure from services, wireless network virtualization and multi-tenancy in 5G networks. Such a relation reflects the evolution of infrastructure sharing over time and how it has become a commercial reality in the context of 5G.

Lifetime-Priority-Driven Resource Allocation for WNV-Based Internet of Things

Resources allocation efficiently of wireless network virtualization (WNV) in Internet of Things (IoT) has become a key challenge owing to the conflict between the limited capacity of physical resources and the massive virtual resources requests. Focusing on time-frequency resource allocation in WNV-based IoT, this article proposes a dynamic resource allocation algorithm based on the lifetime priority (LP-DRA) of virtual network requests (VNRs). First, LP-DRA investigates the continuity of physical time-frequency resource blocks by the Karnaugh map approach, then calculates the reallocation impact factor (RIF) of existing virtual networks (VNs), and reallocates the time-frequency resources to the VN with the largest RIF. Finally, the resources are preferentially allocated to the VNs with shorter lifetimes. The performance of LP-DRA is compared with the static resource allocation algorithm and the greedy dynamic resource allocation algorithm. The simulation results show that LP-DRA can utilize physical resources more effectively, improve the acceptance rate of VNRs, and increase the revenue of the physical network.