Big Data Caching for Networking: Moving from Cloud to Edge

In order to cope with the relentless data tsunami in $5G$ wireless networks, current approaches such as acquiring new spectrum, deploying more base stations (BSs) and increasing nodes in mobile packet core networks are becoming ineffective in terms of scalability, cost and flexibility. In this regard, context-aware $5$G networks with edge/cloud computing and exploitation of \emph{big data} analytics can yield significant gains to mobile operators. In this article, proactive content caching in $5$G wireless networks is investigated in which a big data-enabled architecture is proposed. In this practical architecture, vast amount of data is harnessed for content popularity estimation and strategic contents are cached at the BSs to achieve higher users' satisfaction and backhaul offloading. To validate the proposed solution, we consider a real-world case study where several hours of mobile data traffic is collected from a major telecom operator in Turkey and a big data-enabled analysis is carried out leveraging tools from machine learning. Based on the available information and storage capacity, numerical studies show that several gains are achieved both in terms of users' satisfaction and backhaul offloading. For example, in the case of $16$ BSs with $30\%$ of content ratings and $13$ Gbyte of storage size ($78\%$ of total library size), proactive caching yields $100\%$ of users' satisfaction and offloads $98\%$ of the backhaul.Comment: accepted for publication in IEEE Communications Magazine, Special Issue on Communications, Caching, and Computing for Content-Centric Mobile Network

Flows Reduction Scheme Using Two MPLS Tags in Software-Defined Network

This paper proposes a scheme to reduce the number of flow entries permanently stored in an OpenFlow switch and the number of configuration messages from a controller in a software-defined network (SDN). In an SDN, a flow table in an OpenFlow switch is used to instruct packets. The flow table consists of flow entries decided by the controller. A flow request is sent from the OpenFlow switch to the controller if the incoming packet does not match any flow entry in the flow table. The controller\u27s central processing unit may be overloaded to handle user requests, since the user requests for different data types have been rapidly increasing. As a result, flow configuration in switches is delayed. Moreover, the control plane may be flooded by configuration messages of those requests. A scheme to permanently keep the flow entries in the switch can reduce the number of requests. However, a large number of permanent flow entries is required. Other switch features may be degraded, since there is not enough memory in the flow table to implement those features. In the proposed scheme, switches in the network are divided into multiple regions. In order to guide packets from sources to destinations, the flow table incorporating the concept of two multiprotocol label switching tags is re-designed. One tag directs a packet from a source switch to an edge switch in the destination region. The other tag directs the packet from that edge switch to another switch in the same region. A mathematical model for the proposed scheme is formulated as an integer linear programming to determine a set of switches in each region so that the total number of permanent flow entries in the network can be minimized. The performance of the proposed scheme is analyzed. Moreover, the proposed scheme is implemented and demonstrated via Japanese Science Information Network 5

Analysis, design and experimental evaluation of connectivity management in heterogeneous wireless environments

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorThe future of network communications is mobile as many more users demand for ubiquitous connectivity. Wireless has become the primary access technology or even the only one, leading to an explosion in traffic demand. This challenges network providers to manage and configure new requirements without incrementing costs in the same amount. In addition to the growth in the use of mobile devices, there is a need to operate simultaneously different access technologies. As well, the great diversity of applications and the capabilities of mobile terminals makes possible for us to live in a hyper-connected world and offers new scenarios. This heterogeneity poses great challenges that need to be addressed to offer better performance and seamless experience to the final user. We need to orchestrate solutions to increase flexibility and empower interoperability. Connectivity management is handled from different angles. In the network stack, mobility is more easily handled by IP mobility protocols, since IP is the common layer between the different access technologies and the application diversity. From the end-user perspective, the connection manager is in charge of handling connectivity issues in mobile devices, but it is an unstandardized entity so its performance is heavily implementation-dependent. In this thesis we explore connectivity management from different angles. We study mobility protocols as they are part of our proposed solutions. In most of the cases we include an experimental evaluation of performance with 3G and IEEE 802.11 as the main technologies. We consider heterogeneous scenarios, with several access technologies where mobile devices have also several network interfaces. We evaluate how connectivity is handled as well as its influence in a handover. Based on the analysis of real traces from a cellular network, we confirm the suitability of more efficient mobility management. Moreover, we propose and evaluate three different solutions for providing mobility support in three different heterogeneous scenarios. We perform an experimental evaluation of a vehicular route optimization for network mobility, reporting on the challenges and lessons learned in such a complicated networking environment. We propose an architecture for supporting mobility and enhance handover in a passive optical network deployment. In addition, we design and deploy a mechanism for mobility management based on software-defined networking.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Ingeniería TelemáticaPresidente: Arturo Azcorra Saloña.- Secretario: Ramón Agüero Calvo.- Vocal: Daniel Nunes Coruj