Browsing by Author "Ksentini, Adlen"

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"Anything as a Service" for 5G Mobile Systems
(2016-12) Taleb, Tarik; Ksentini, Adlen; Jäntti, Riku
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
5G network architecture and its functions are yet to be defined. However, it is generally agreed that cloud computing, network function virtualization (NFV), and software defined networking (SDN) will be key enabling technologies for 5G. Indeed, putting all these technologies together ensures several advantages in terms of network configuration flexibility, scalability, and elasticity, which are highly needed to fulfill the numerous requirements of 5G. Furthermore, 5G network management procedures should be as simple as possible, allowing network operators to orchestrate and manage the lifecycle of their virtual network infrastructures (VNIs) and the corresponding virtual network functions (VNFs), in a cognitive and programmable fashion. To this end, we introduce the concept of "Anything as a Service" (ANYaaS), which allows a network operator to create and orchestrate 5G services on demand and in a dynamic way. ANYaaS relies on the reference ETSI NFV architecture to orchestrate and manage important services such as mobile Content Delivery Network as a Service (CDNaaS), Traffic Offload as a Service (TOFaaS), and Machine Type Communications as a Service (MTCaaS). Ultimately, ANYaaS aims for enabling dynamic creation and management of mobile services through agile approaches that handle 5G network resources and services.
CDN Slicing over a Multi-Domain Edge Cloud
(2020-09-01) Taleb, Tarik; Frangoudis, P. A.; Benkacem, Ilias; Ksentini, Adlen
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
We present an architecture for the provision of video Content Delivery Network (CDN) functionality as a service over a multi-domain cloud. We introduce the concept of a CDN slice, that is, a CDN service instance which is created upon a content provider's request, is autonomously managed, and spans multiple potentially heterogeneous edge cloud infrastructures. Our design is tailored to a 5G mobile network context, building on its inherent programmability, management flexibility, and the availability of cloud resources at the mobile edge level, thus close to end users. We exploit Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) technologies, proposing a system which is aligned with the recent NFV and MEC standards. To deliver a Quality-of-Experience (QoE) optimized video service, we derive empirical models of video QoE as a function of service workload, which, coupled with multi-level service monitoring, drive our slice resource allocation and elastic management mechanisms. These management schemes feature autonomic compute resource scaling, and on-the-fly transcoding to adapt video bit-rate to the current network conditions. Their effectiveness is demonstrated via testbed experiments.
Coalitional Game for the Creation of Efficient Virtual Core Network Slices in 5G Mobile Systems
(2018-03-12) Bagaa, Miloud; Taleb, Tarik; Laghrissi, Abdelquoddouss; Ksentini, Adlen; Flinck, Hannu
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Many ongoing research activities relevant to 5G mobile systems concern the virtualization of the mobile core network, including the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) elements, aiming for system scalability, elasticity, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. Virtual EPC (vEPC)/5G Core will principally rely on some key technologies such as Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Cloud Computing; enabling the concept of Mobile Carrier Cloud. The key idea beneath this concept, known also as Core Network as a Service (CNaaS), consists in deploying virtual instances (i.e., Virtual Machines or containers) of key core network functions (i.e., Virtual Network Functions - VNF of 4G or 5G) such as the Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving GateWay (SGW), Packet Data network gateWay (PGW), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), and User Plane Functions (UPF) over a federated cloud. In this vein, an efficient VNF placement algorithm is highly needed to sustain Quality of Service (QoS) while reducing the deployment cost. Our contribution in this paper is two fold. First, we devise an algorithm that derives the optimal number of virtual instances of 4G (MME, SGW, PGW) or 5G (AMF, SMF and AUSF) core network elements to meet the requirements of a specific mobile traffic. Second, we propose an algorithm for the placement of these virtual instances over a federated cloud. While the first algorithm is based on Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP), the second is based on Coalition formation game, wherein the aim is to build coalitions of Cloud Networks (CNs) to host the virtual instances of the vEPC/5G Core elements. The obtained results clearly indicate the advantages of the proposed algorithms in ensuring QoS given a fixed cost for vEPC/5G Core deployment, while maximizing the profits of cloud operators.
Efficient Virtual Evolved Packet Core Deployment Across Multiple Cloud Domains
(2018) Bagaa, Miloud; Taleb, Tarik; Laghrissi, Abdelquoddouss; Ksentini, Adlen
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
Many ongoing research activities relevant to 5 G mobile systems concern the virtualization of the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) elements aiming for system scalability, elasticity, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. Virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) will principally rely on some key technologies, such as Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Cloud Computing, for enabling the concept of Mobile Carrier Cloud. The key idea beneath this concept, known also as EPC as a Service (EPCaaS), consists in deploying virtual instances (i.e., Virtual Machines or Containers) of key core network functions (i.e., Virtual Network Functions - VNF), such as the Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving GateWay (SGW), and Packet Data network gateWay (PGW) over a federated cloud. In this vein, an efficient VNF placement algorithm is highly needed to sustain the Quality of Service (QoS) while reducing the deployment cost. Our contribution, in this paper, is to devise an algorithm that derives the optimal number and locations of vEPC's virtual instances over the federated cloud. The proposed algorithm is based on coalition formation game, wherein the aim is to build optimal coalitions of Cloud Networks ( CN s) to host the virtual instances of the vEPC elements. The obtained results clearly indicate the advantages of the proposed algorithm in ensuring QoS given a fixed cost for vEPC deployment, while maximizing the profits of cloud operators.
Follow-Me Cloud: When Cloud Services Follow Mobile Users
(2019-04-01) Taleb, Tarik; Ksentini, Adlen; Frangoudis, Pantelis A.
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
The trend towards the cloudification of the 3GPP LTE mobile network architecture and the emergence of federated cloud infrastructures call for alternative service delivery strategies for improved user experience and efficient resource utilization. We propose Follow-Me Cloud (FMC), a design tailored to this environment, but with a broader applicability, which allows mobile users to always be connected via the optimal data anchor and mobility gateways, while cloud-based services follow them and are delivered via the optimal service point inside the cloud infrastructure. Follow-Me Cloud applies a Markov-decision-process-based algorithm for cost-effective performance-optimized service migration decisions, while two alternative schemes to ensure service continuity and disruption-free operation are proposed, based on either software defined networking technologies or the locator/identifier separation protocol. Numerical results from our analytic model for follow-me cloud, as well as testbed experiments with the two alternative follow-me cloud implementations we have developed, demonstrate quantitatively and qualitatively the advantages it can bring about.
Mobile Edge Computing Potential in Making Cities Smarter
(2017-03) Taleb, Tarik; Dutta, Sunny; Ksentini, Adlen; Iqbal, Muddesar; Flinck, Hannu
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
This article proposes an approach to enhance users' experience of video streaming in the context of smart cities. The proposed approach relies on the concept of MEC as a key factor in enhancing QoS. It sustains QoS by ensuring that applications/services follow the mobility of users, realizing the "Follow Me Edge" concept. The proposed scheme enforces an autonomic creation of MEC services to allow anywhere anytime data access with optimum QoE and reduced latency. Considering its application in smart city scenarios, the proposed scheme represents an important solution for reducing core network traffic and ensuring ultra-short latency through a smart MEC architecture capable of achieving the 1 ms latency dream for the upcoming 5G mobile systems.
Network Slicing & Softwarization: A Survey on Principles, Enabling Technologies & Solutions
(2018) Afolabi, Ibrahim; Taleb, Tarik; Samdanis, Konstantinos; Ksentini, Adlen; Flinck, Hannu
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Network slicing has been identified as the backbone of the rapidly evolving 5G technology. However, as its consolidation and standardization progress, there are no literatures that comprehensively discuss its key principles, enablers and research challenges. This paper elaborates network slicing from an end-to-end perspective detailing its historical heritage, principal concepts, enabling technologies and solutions as well as the current standardization efforts. In particular, it overviews the diverse use cases and network requirements of network slicing, the pre-slicing era, considering RAN sharing as well as the end-to-end orchestration and management, encompassing the radio access, transport network and the core network. This paper also provides details of specific slicing solutions for each part of the 5G system. Finally, this paper identifies a number of open research challenges and provides recommendations towards potential solutions.
Network Slicing-Based Customization of 5G Mobile Services
(2019-09-01) Afolabi, Ibrahim; Taleb, Tarik; Frangoudis, Pantelis A.; Bagaa, Miloud; Ksentini, Adlen
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Through network slicing, different requirements of different applications and services can be met. These requirements can be in terms of latency, bandwidth, mobility support, defining service area, and security. Through fine and dynamic tuning of network slices, services can have their delivery platforms constantly customized according to their changing needs. In this article, we present our implementation of an E2E network slice orchestration platform, evaluate its performance in terms of dynamic deployment of network slices in an E2E fashion, and discuss how its functionality can be enhanced to better customize the network slices according to the needs of their respective services.
On Enabling 5G Automotive Systems Using Follow Me Edge-Cloud Concept
(2018-06) Aissioui, Abdelkader; Ksentini, Adlen; Gueroui, Abdelhak; Taleb, Tarik
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
One of the key targets of the upcoming 5G system is to build a mobile network architecture that supports not only classical mobile broadband applications (i.e., Internet and IMS), but also vertical industry services, such as those of automotive systems, e-health, public safety, and smart grid. Vertical industry is known to have specific needs that cannot be sustained by the current cellular networks. More notably, automotive systems require strict quality of service in terms of ultrashort latency for vehicle-to-infrastructure/network (V2I/N) communications. In this paper, we introduce the Follow Me edge-Cloud (FMeC) concept, leveraging the mobile edge computing (MEC) architecture to sustain requirements of the 5G automotive systems. Assuming that automotive services are deployed on MEC entities, FMeC ensures low-latency access to these services by guaranteeing that vehicles (i.e., as well as user equipment on board vehicles) always connect to nearest automotive service. Besides the FMeC architecture, our contribution in this paper consists in presenting a projection of the FMeC solution on an automated driving use case that integrates automotive and Telco infrastructures, to realize the vision of future 5G automotive systems. We introduce the envisioned software defined networking/OpenFlow-based architecture and our mobility-aware framework based on a set of building blocks that permit achieving the automated driving requirements within 5G network. The evaluation results, obtained conjointly through theoretical analysis and computer simulation, show that our proposed solution outperforms baseline approaches in meeting the automated driving latency requirement and minimizing the incurred global cost.
On Supporting UAV Based Services in 5G and beyond Mobile Systems
(2021-07-05) Taleb, Tarik; Ksentini, Adlen; Hellaoui, Hamed; Bekkouche, Oussama
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
While Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are expected to introduce disruptive innovations in our society, it is foreseen that the used communication technology is the key factor that can unlock their potential. To this end, the upcoming generation of mobile networks, 5G-and-beyond, are envisioned to be the communication standards to support diverse UAV applications. This will also enable UAVs to benefit from the limitless progress achieved in mobile systems. To facilitate the support of UAV services in 5G-and-beyond networks, this article introduces a framework that links the mobile telecommunication domain to the UAV domain. The proposed framework reflects an operational view enabling UAV operators to prepare and deploy their applications over different 5G mobile telecommunication networks. Moreover, the framework allows UAV operators to customize mobile systems in accordance with the specifications of their target services and to constantly receive analytical and statistical data on their running applications. Furthermore, in order to ensure network services (dedicated to UAV applications) over heterogeneous mobile systems, this article also discusses the federation of 5G networks.
Supporting Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Services in 5G Networks: New High-Level Architecture Integrating 5G With U-Space
(2021-03) Si-Mohammed, Samir; Bouaziz, Maha; Hellaoui, Hamed; Bekkouche, Oussama; Ksentini, Adlen; Taleb, Tarik; Tomaszewski, Lechoslaw; Lutz, Thomas; Srinivasan, Gokul; Jarvet, Tanel; Montowtt, Orange
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
To provide efficient, safe, and secure access to the airspace, the European Union has launched a set of new services called U-space that allow for the support of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management and conflict prevention for flights in the airspace. These services are based on communication technology, which is expected to be the key enabler to unlock the underlying potential of UAV operations. In this regard, the 5G mobile network is envisioned to be the communication standard to support diverse UAV operations and applications. In this article, we propose a novel architecture that integrates 5G systems (5GSs) with U-space. The main aim consists of providing a reference design that demonstrates how 5G can support U-space services and shows the interactions among different stakeholders. Further, we introduce the 5G!Drones project, which relies on the proposed architecture to test UAV use-case scenarios on top of the 5G infrastructure.
Towards 5G network slicing over multiple-domains
(2017-11-01) Afolabi, Ibrahim; Ksentini, Adlen; Bagaa, Miloud; Taleb, Tarik; Corici, Marius; Nakao, Akihiro
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
One of the key objectives of 5G is to evolve the current mobile network architecture from "one-fit-all" design model to a more customized and dynamically scaling one that enables the deployment of parallel systems, tailored to the service requirements on top of a shared infrastructure. Indeed, the envisioned 5G services may require different needs in terms of capacity, latency, bandwidth, reliability and security, which cannot be efficiently sustained by the same network infrastructure. Coming to address these customization challenges, network softwarization expressed through Software Defined Networking (SDN) programmable network infrastructures, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) running network functions as software and cloud computing flexibility paradigms, is seen as a possible panacea to addressing the variations in the network requirements posed by the 5G use cases. This will enable network flexibility and programmability, allow the creation and lifecycle management of virtual network slices tailored to the needs of 5G verticals expressed in the form of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) for automotive, eHealth, massive IoT, massive multimedia broadband. In this vein, this paper introduces a potential 5G architecture that enables the orchestration, instantiation and management of end-to-end network slices over multiple administrative and technological domains. The architecture is described from both the management and the service perspective, underlining the common functionality as well as how the response to the diversified service requirements can be achieved through proper software network components development.