Scalable RAN Virtualization in Multi-Tenant LTE-A Heterogeneous Networks (Extended version)

TL;DR

This paper introduces the RENEV algorithm for scalable RAN virtualization in LTE-A HetNets, enabling dynamic resource slicing and transfer among heterogeneous base stations to improve throughput and handle traffic variations.

Contribution

The paper presents the RENEV algorithm, a novel resource negotiation scheme for RAN virtualization in LTE-A HetNets, compatible with existing architectures and enhancing performance.

Findings

RENEV improves network throughput and resource utilization.

The signaling overhead of RENEV is manageable.

RENEV is scalable for various small cell deployments.

Abstract

Cellular communications are evolving to facilitate the current and expected increasing needs of Quality of Service (QoS), high data rates and diversity of offered services. Towards this direction, Radio Access Network (RAN) virtualization aims at providing solutions of mapping virtual network elements onto radio resources of the existing physical network. This paper proposes the Resources nEgotiation for NEtwork Virtualization (RENEV) algorithm, suitable for application in Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) in Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) environments, consisting of a macro evolved NodeB (eNB) overlaid with small cells. By exploiting Radio Resource Management (RRM) principles, RENEV achieves slicing and on demand delivery of resources. Leveraging the multi-tenancy approach, radio resources are transferred in terms of physical radio Resource Blocks (RBs) among multiple heterogeneous base stations, interconnected via the X2 interface. The main target is to deal with traffic variations in geographical dimension. All signaling design considerations under the current Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) LTE-A architecture are also investigated. Analytical studies and simulation experiments are conducted to evaluate RENEV in terms of network's throughput as well as its additional signaling overhead. Moreover we show that RENEV can be applied independently on top of already proposed schemes for RAN virtualization to improve their performance. The results indicate that significant merits are achieved both from network's and users' perspective as well as that it is a scalable solution for different number of small cells.