Online Reinforcement Learning of X-Haul Content Delivery Mode in Fog Radio Access Networks

We consider a Fog Radio Access Network (F-RAN) with a Base Band Unit (BBU) in the cloud and multiple cache-enabled enhanced Remote Radio Heads (eRRHs). The system aims at delivering contents on demand with minimal average latency from a time-varying library of popular contents. Information about uncached requested files can be transferred from the cloud to the eRRHs by following either backhaul or fronthaul modes. The backhaul mode transfers fractions of the requested files, while the fronthaul mode transmits quantized baseband samples as in Cloud-RAN (C-RAN). The backhaul mode allows the caches of the eRRHs to be updated, which may lower future delivery latencies. In contrast, the fronthaul mode enables cooperative C-RAN transmissions that may reduce the current delivery latency. Taking into account the trade-off between current and future delivery performance, this paper proposes an adaptive selection method between the two delivery modes to minimize the long-term delivery latency. Assuming an unknown and time-varying popularity model, the method is based on model-free Reinforcement Learning (RL). Numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed RL scheme.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Online Reinforcement Learning of X-Haul Content Delivery Mode in Fog Radio Access Networks

We consider a Fog Radio Access Network (F-RAN) with a Base Band Unit (BBU) in the cloud and multiple cache-enabled enhanced Remote Radio Heads (eRRHs). The system aims at delivering contents on demand with minimal average latency from a time-varying library of popular contents. Information about uncached requested files can be transferred from the cloud to the eRRHs by following either backhaul or fronthaul modes. The backhaul mode transfers fractions of the requested files, while the fronthaul mode transmits quantized baseband samples as in Cloud-RAN (C-RAN). The backhaul mode allows the caches of the eRRHs to be updated, which may lower future delivery latencies. In contrast, the fronthaul mode enables cooperative C-RAN transmissions that may reduce the current delivery latency. Taking into account the trade-off between current and future delivery performance, this paper proposes an adaptive selection method between the two delivery modes to minimize the long-term delivery latency. Assuming an unknown and time-varying popularity model, the method is based on model-free Reinforcement Learning (RL). Numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed RL scheme.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

A review on green caching strategies for next generation communication networks

© 2020 IEEE. In recent years, the ever-increasing demand for networking resources and energy, fueled by the unprecedented upsurge in Internet traffic, has been a cause for concern for many service providers. Content caching, which serves user requests locally, is deemed to be an enabling technology in addressing the challenges offered by the phenomenal growth in Internet traffic. Conventionally, content caching is considered as a viable solution to alleviate the backhaul pressure. However, recently, many studies have reported energy cost reductions contributed by content caching in cache-equipped networks. The hypothesis is that caching shortens content delivery distance and eventually achieves significant reduction in transmission energy consumption. This has motivated us to conduct this study and in this article, a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art green caching techniques is provided. This review paper extensively discusses contributions of the existing studies on green caching. In addition, the study explores different cache-equipped network types, solution methods, and application scenarios. We categorically present that the optimal selection of the caching nodes, smart resource management, popular content selection, and renewable energy integration can substantially improve energy efficiency of the cache-equipped systems. In addition, based on the comprehensive analysis, we also highlight some potential research ideas relevant to green content caching

The Cloud-to-Thing Continuum

The Internet of Things offers massive societal and economic opportunities while at the same time significant challenges, not least the delivery and management of the technical infrastructure underpinning it, the deluge of data generated from it, ensuring privacy and security, and capturing value from it. This Open Access Pivot explores these challenges, presenting the state of the art and future directions for research but also frameworks for making sense of this complex area. This book provides a variety of perspectives on how technology innovations such as fog, edge and dew computing, 5G networks, and distributed intelligence are making us rethink conventional cloud computing to support the Internet of Things. Much of this book focuses on technical aspects of the Internet of Things, however, clear methodologies for mapping the business value of the Internet of Things are still missing. We provide a value mapping framework for the Internet of Things to address this gap. While there is much hype about the Internet of Things, we have yet to reach the tipping point. As such, this book provides a timely entrée for higher education educators, researchers and students, industry and policy makers on the technologies that promise to reshape how society interacts and operates