Virtualized Wireless Infrastructure
Sachin Katti
Assistant Professor, EE & CS
Stanford University
What does it take to…..
Open the wireless infrastructure
so users can choose any free
spectrum, any network, or many
networks, any time?
2
AT&T
3G
Sprint
WiMAX
Any network….
3
AT&T
3G
Sprint
WiMAX
Many networks….
4
What does it take to
give users choice?
5
Wish List
1. Instantaneous contracts with any physical
network, independent of its owner or radio
technology
2. A network-independent way to choose a
network, and to control mobility
6
Design Choice
1. Establish my own instantaneous contracts
and control the network (hard), or
1. Delegate to an entity in the infrastructure
– A service provider
– My own agent
Conceptually the same; we start by delegating
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Requirement
Technical
– Radio-independent control layer
– A method for a service provider to control my
flows on my behalf
Business
– An incentive for infrastructure owners to open
access to service providers
8
“AT&T”
Billing,
Mobility
New Service
Network OS
“Vodafone”
New Service
Billing,
Mobility
New Service
Network OS
Feature
Feature
Network OS
Network OS
“Slicing” Layer
OpenFlow
Switch
OpenFlow
Switch
OpenFlow
Switch
OpenFlow
BS
OpenFlow
AP
Consequences
Radio-independent control layer
– Service provider controls user flows
– Easy handover between physical networks
– Can use several networks simultaneously
– Service innovation by service providers
A method to share the physical infrastructure
– Isolation between service providers
– Short-term or long-term lease of rights-of-way
10
AT&T
Service Layer: Authentication, Billing,
Mobility Management, Routing, …
Network Layer: Wireline Network
Radio Network: Spectrum, Radios
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Separating the service
from the network
Service Layer: Authentication, Billing,
Mobility Management, Routing, …
Separation/Virtualization
Network Layer: Wireline Network
Radio Network: Spectrum, Radios
12
Service provider controls a slice
across physical networks
Service
“AT&T”
Service
Service
Service
Network
Network
Network
Separation/Virtualization
Network
Radio Network: Spectrum, Radios
13