Research Platform for Software-Defined and Virtualized Wireless Networks

最近，软件定义网络（SDN）和网络虚拟化受到学术界和工业界的极大关注。与传统模式相比，软件定义和虚拟化无线网络实现了无线网络控制的直接可编程性和底层无线电频谱和基础设施的抽象化，简化了网络管理和配置，提高了频谱效率和能源效率，降低了资本支出（CapEx）和运营支出（OpEx），并促进了网络演进。包括ETSI和3GPP在内的多个标准化组织正在为第五代（5G）及以后的软件定义和虚拟化无线网络的实现铺平道路。尽管软件定义和虚拟化无线网络具有潜在的前景，但在软件定义和虚拟化无线网络的广泛部署成为现实之前，仍有一些重大的研究挑战有待解决。拟议的基础设施将提供一个实验平台，用于实施新的网络架构和协议，资源管理方案，以及在我们的NSERC战略伙伴关系项目资助中开发的跨层设计，题为未来软件定义和虚拟化无线网络的使能技术。这将使我们能够评估拟议计划在实践中的可行性，以确保这些计划不仅稳健，而且切实可行。该平台还将为概念验证示范、技术转让和商业化提供手段。该平台将用于培养大量高素质的研究生和本科生人才，以满足加拿大不断增长的无线通信和网络行业的需求。

Recently, software-defined networking (SDN) and network virtualization have received tremendous interests from both academia and industry. Compared to traditional paradigms, software-defined and virtualized wireless networks enable direct programmability of wireless network controls and abstraction of the underlying radio spectrum and infrastructure, simplify network management and configuration, improve spectrum efficiency and energy efficiency, reduce the capital expenses (CapEx) and operation expenses (OpEx), and facilitate network evolution. Several standardization organizations, including ETSI and 3GPP, are paving the way for the realization of software-defined and virtualized wireless networks in the 5th generation (5G) and beyond. Despite the potential vision of software-defined and virtualized wireless networks, several significant research challenges remain to be addressed before widespread deployment of software-defined and virtualized wireless networks become practical. The proposed infrastructure will provide an experimentation platform for implementing the novel network architecture and protocols, resource management schemes, and cross-layer designs developed in our NSERC Strategic Partnership Grant for Projects, entitled Enabling Technologies for Future Software-defined and Virtualized Wireless Networks. It will enable us to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed schemes in practice to make sure that they are not only robust but also practical to implement. The platform will also provide the means for proof-of-concept demonstrations, technology transfer and commercialization. The platform will be used to train a large number of highly qualified personnel at the postgraduate and undergraduate level to serve the needs of the growing wireless communications and networks industry in Canada.