Software Defined Applications in Cellular and Optical Networks

TL;DR

This paper explores the integration of software defined networking in cellular and optical networks, proposing novel architectures and mechanisms to improve resource sharing, management, and performance in small cell and optical network deployments.

Contribution

It introduces a novel SDN-based backhaul architecture with Smart Gateways for small cells and surveys SDN applications in optical networks, including PHY split improvements and performance evaluations.

Findings

Smart Gateway architecture enhances small cell backhaul efficiency.

SDN management enables multi-operator interoperability.

PHY split improvements reduce fronthaul transmission rates.

Abstract

Small wireless cells have the potential to overcome bottlenecks in wireless access through the sharing of spectrum resources. A novel access backhaul network architecture based on a Smart Gateway (Sm-GW) between the small cell base stations, e.g., LTE eNBs, and the conventional backhaul gateways, e.g., LTE Servicing/Packet Gateways (S/P-GWs) has been introduced to address the bottleneck. The Sm-GW flexibly schedules uplink transmissions for the eNBs. Based on software defined networking (SDN) a management mechanism that allows multiple operator to flexibly inter-operate via multiple Sm-GWs with a multitude of small cells has been proposed. This dissertation also comprehensively survey the studies that examine the SDN paradigm in optical networks. Along with the PHY functional split improvements, the performance of Distributed Converged Cable Access Platform (DCCAP) in the cable architectures especially for the Remote-PHY and Remote-MACPHY nodes has been evaluated. In the PHY functional split, in addition to the re-use of infrastructure with a common FFT module for multiple technologies, a novel cross functional split interaction to cache the repetitive QAM symbols across time at the remote node to reduce the transmission rate requirement of the fronthaul link has been proposed.