converged network optimization. SDN enabled BestNet network optimization. A PoC comprising SDN...

AtlantTICAtlantic Research Center for Information and Communication Technologies

BestNet:SDN enabled

converged network optimization.A PoC comprising SDN enabled terminals, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and LTE

access networks.


Background

• Smartphones and tablets have several wireless access technologies available. However, terminals are just considered as leaf nodes with a single network interface.

• Users and operators are using Wi-Fi to offload cellular connections, especially in areas with high connectivity demand. Current solutions just configure terminals to connect to a list of Wi-Fi APs.

• Network operators have enough information to determine and predict the “best interfaces and networks” at every moment.

• If we transform the terminals into SDN routers managed by the network, it will be possible to alter routes without interrupting applications.


Solution (I)• We will show how a LTE network can be optimized by allowing the network to

handle terminal connections directly, using an approach for which we have been granted a USPTO patent (publication number US20170093722 A1).

• We include SDN agents in users’ terminals. They are connected to a SDN controller, which centralizes certain decisions that were the exclusive responsibility of end terminals, such as access network selection and traffic steering through multiple interfaces.

• This way, the “Network” can decide the best interface and access network at each

moment to satisfy users’ needs and optimize the use of the network.

• Such decisions remain transparent for end users and applications. They only see that they can maintain the connection completely operative without any interruption.


Solution (II)In our demo we show how a terminal is commanded by the controller to switch between two Wireless Access Points without losing session continuity, or even to use both interfaces simultaneously.

The LTE network (created with OpenAirInterface and LimeSDR) is used to control the user terminal and also to transmit user data.


Architecture of the solution (I)LTE networkOAI EPC and eNodeB are running in two separate PCs connected to a LimeSDR device.

Ethernet networkJust a L2 switch connected to one Laptop and to the Gateway PC.

Wireless networkTwo SDN enabled Wireless Access Points.


Architecture of the solution (II)Controller/ProfilerThe SDN Controller sends forwarding rules to the elements of the system following orders from the Profiler, which makes decisions based on the information received from the UEs.

GatewayWorks as a router and is also used as an Application Server in the tests.


Architecture of the solution (III)WebRTC serverAn external WebRTC server is used to demonstrate the operation of the system.


Test I – Traffic Steering (I)

• This test shows how the Controller can select the interface used by UEs to transmit the information.

• Alice establishes two iPerf connections with the Application Server, and the SDN Controller decides which interface should be used (or even decides to use the two simultaneously).

• Since we are using iPerf, the interface transmits at its maximum capacity thus, when both iPerf instances are routed through the same interface, the total bandwidth between them is shared.


Test I – Traffic Steering (II)The test starts with 2 traffic flows using the Ethernet interface.


Test I – Traffic Steering (III)The “controller” (core of the network) orders the terminal to redirect one of the flows to the Wi-Fi interface. Both interfaces are used simultaneously at their maximum capacity.


Test I – Traffic Steering (IV)The “controller” orders the terminal to route also the second flow through the Wi-Fi network. Now it is being shared by both flows.


Test II - Session Continuity with iPerf (I)

• This test shows how the connection is maintained at an application level.

• An iPerf test session continues working even when we are using different access networks to connect the UE and the server.


Test II - Session Continuity with iPerf (II)A TCP iPerf test is launched between Alice and the Application Server.

Alice's traffic goes through SDN-WAP-01.


Test II - Session Continuity with iPerf (III) The SDN controller in the core of the network decides to use a different Wireless Network.

Then the controller commands Alice to redirect the traffic to the LTE interface during the switching process, in order to keep the session open.


Test II - Session Continuity with iPerf (IV)The connection through SDN-WAP-02 is established.

Then, the controller commands Alice to use again the Wi-Fi interface


Test III - Session Continuity with WebRTC (I)

• This test shows how the connection is maintained at an application level in the same way that the one with iPerf but, in this case, with a real application.

• A videoconference, using an external WebRTC server, continues working even when different access networks are used to connect the UEs and the WebRTC server.


Test III - Session Continuity with WebRTC (II)

Alice and Bob set up a video conference call using a web application.

Alice's video streaming goes through SDN-WAP-02.


Test III - Session Continuity with WebRTC (III)

The SDN controller in the core of the network decides to change the interface that Alice should use.

The controller redirects the traffic to the LTE interface during the switching process to keep the session open.


Test III - Session Continuity with WebRTC (IV)

The connection through SDN-WAP-01 is established.

Then, the controller commands Alice to use again the Wi-Fi interface


Hardware and software used

• 2x Laptops Dell XPS 13 with Ubuntu 14.04; used for Alice and Bob.• 2x PCs Intel core i7 with 16GB of RAM; 1x 1Gbps NIC with Ubuntu 16.04; working as

SDN-WAPs• 3x 8 ports 1 Gbps L2 switches• 1x Intel Xeon E5-2407 with 64GB of RAM; 4x 1Gbps NICs; with Ubuntu 16.04;

working as a Gateway • 1x Intel Core i5 with 8 GB of RAM; 1x 1Gbps NIC; with Ubuntu 16.04; working as the

Controller/Profiler• 1x Intel Core i7 with 16 GB of RAM; 2x 1 Gbps NICs; with Ubuntu 16.04; running the

Open Air Interface EPC core.• 1x Intel Core i7 with 16 GB of RAM; 1x 1 Gbps NICs; with Ubuntu 16.04; running the

Open Air Interface eNodeB.• 1x LimeSDR with Aluminum Kit USB3 Software Defined Radio attached to the OAI

eNodeB.


Hardware and software used

• OpenAirInterface EPC core network.• OpenAirInterface eNodeB lte-softmodem.• OpenDayLight for the SDN controller implemented in Apache Karaf OSGi Platform.• MySQL Server for the Profiler database.• Oracle Java 8 platform for the implementation of the client daemons.• WebRTC for the videostreaming.• iPerf for the throughput test.• Grafana with InfluxDB for the presentation of measurements.• Wireshark for development.


Plans for the Future

• Improve stability and robustness of the system.• Implementat the clients in an Android phone/tablet.• Continue developing the SDN Wi-Fi Access Point in a commercial router.• Continue developing the Profiler. In this demo, we command the terminals

manually, but in the future, an automatic system (the Profiler) will collect statistics and calculate the routes to optimize the network. Furthermore, It will predict the resources needed by users and will route the traffic accordingly.

• Integrate also the Edge Computing and Network Slicing paradigms in this demonstration. Move Network Functions or Applications near the end user when necessary (in order to improve latency, use less network resources, etc.)

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