Virtualized heterogeneous 5G cloud-RAN deployment over redundant wireless links

Abstract

5G networks bring increased flexibility for the operator at different levels. On one side, RAN disaggregation based on the Cloud-RAN concept allows the instantiation of base stations in an area based on demand, whereas on the other side NFV-MANO orchestration brings effortless delivery of services deployed over distributed infrastructure. In this paper, we demonstrate a disaggregated heterogeneous CloudRAN, consisting of cellular and WiFi infrastructure, deployed through the Open Source MANO orchestrator in the distributed infrastructure of a testbed. Through a pair of mmWave and WiFi redundant links, we backhaul the RAN and in case of a broken link, seamlessly switch technologies without affecting the traffic delivered to the end-user. © 2019 IEEE.