Testbed for 5G Connected Artificial Intelligence on Virtualized Networks

Middleware implementation for RYU SDN Controller to manage switches in a C-RAN scenario

“…In this work, emphasis is given to the implemented middleware between the SDN controller API and the external applications, using Mininet as the framework for the emulated transport network topology. For mobile network functions deployment at RAN and core networks, it was used the Connected AI testbed proposed in [Nahum et al 2020]. The TNT architecture works as an extension to the Connected AI testbed.…”

“…In this figure, Mininet emulates the transport network of the backhaul connection, where all depicted switches are emulated. Each 5G network service is performed inside a Docker container and orchestrated with Kubernetes [Kubernetes 2021], using Calico as the container network interface as described in [Nahum et al 2020]. The machine that executes the Mininet software is responsible for implementing the topologies of switches and virtual hosts, managing the network backhaul using the developed middleware and executes the SDN controller.…”

“…We implemented virtual ethernet interfaces into the Mininet machine to create a link between its ethernet interface and the virtual interface of hosts and switches emulated in Mininet to enable bidirectional communication between them in a way similar to [Nahum et al 2020]. Once this link is created, a rule is applied to the BBU and core network containers forcing their traffic to be forwarded to the Mininet machine instead of making a direct communication as made by default.…”

“…One drawback of the method used to create links between the machines and the Mininet virtual hosts presented in [Nahum et al 2020] is its low flexibility, which hinders the definition of new emulated topologies since all of them should manually implement the links between the machines and virtual hosts. In this work, the implemented middleware is responsible for identifying any Mininet topology set by the user, and automatically creates these virtual links between the Mininet machine interface, configuring the forward rules at the containers and machines.…”

“…Targeting a low-cost platform to provide easier and more flexible transport network implementation in 5G testbeds, this work proposes the Transport Network Testbed (TNT), composed by an emulated transport network for both fronthaul and backhaul using the Mininet software and the implementation of a middleware to facilitate the route/flow control and the acquisition of information about the transport network through the RYU, that is a SDN controller to manage and control applications [Ryu 2021]. A related work used as a base for the creation of this middleware was [Nahum et al 2020]. There are many different SDN Controllers as Open Network Operation System (ONOS), OpenDay-Light (ODL), OpenKilda, Faucet, and RYU.…”