Software Defined Monitoring (SDM) for 5G mobile backhaul networks

Abstract

Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) concepts [1], [2]. These concepts can also be used to overcome the limitations of the legacy monitoring systems.In this paper, we highlight the limitations of legacy monitoring systems in present mobile backhual networks. Then, we propose a novel Software Defined Monitoring (SDM) architecture to overcome these limitations in 5G networks. We propose necessary modifications to Software Defined Mobile Network (SDMN) architecture to implement the SDM framework. We also present specific opportunities, vulnerabilities as well as challenges related to SDM. Finally, we implement the proposed SDM architecture on a testbed to verify its feasibility.The rest of this paper is organized as follows, Section II discusses the limitations of legacy monitoring techniques and how SDN/NFV features can be used to solve these limitations. Section III presents the proposed SDM architecture and its key components. The experiment results and the expected advantages of SDM are discussed in Sections IV and V respectively. Section VI describes different challenges of SDM while Section VII concludes the article. II. LIMITATIONS OF CURRENT MONITORING TECHNIQUESThe legacy monitoring systems have a number of limitations, such as high complexity which makes them difficult to deploy and maintain, high provisioning and operational costs due to the distributed infrastructure. The currently used vendor-specific monitoring systems come with hardwired operational logic in their firmwares, this means that changes in such legacy monitoring system either require complex configurations or changes in the firmware. As a result, these systems lack flexibility and cannot cope with the dynamic changes in network conditions [3], [4].Traditional networks comprise many autonomous chunks of networked systems where a change in some parameters can induce undesirable effects on the overall network state. Moreover, there is no global visibility of the network state in current networks. This leads to localized decision-making at multiple points in the network. Hence, synchronizing a huge number of monitoring decisions is a daunting task for both network management and monitoring systems. Autonomous perimeter-based security policies further complicate deploying Abstract-Software Defined Network (SDN) is an advanced approach to designing dynamic, manageable, cost-effective, and adaptable network architectures. SDN will play a key role as an enabler for 5G and future networks. Transferring network monitoring functions to a software entity working in conjunction with configurable hardware accelerators through a scheme called Software Defined Monitoring (SDM) is one promising way to attain the dynamism necessary for the monitoring of the next generation-networks. In this paper, we propose a novel SDM architecture for future mobile backhual networks. As an SDN solution, the proposed architecture provides more granular and dynamic network management functions through its programmable interface, centralized con...

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