Why Virtualization is Essential for 5G

Francis ChowVP & GM, Communications Business UnitNovember 16, 2015

What’s Hot?

2

20102015

Evolution of Wireless Technology

3

1G• 1st

Generation Wireless Network

• Basic voice• NMT, AMPS

2G• 2nd

Generation Wireless Network

• Mobile voice quality

• Coverage and Capacity

• First digital standards [GSM, CDMA]

3G• 3rd

Generation Wireless Network

• Voice plus some data [Multimedia, Text, Internet]

• First Mobile Broadband [WCDMA, CMDA-2000, TDSCDMA]

4G• 4th

Generation Wireless Network

• Designed for data

• IP based protocols [Voice over IP]

• True mobile broadband

• Heterogeneous Network [FDD-LTE, TD-LTE]

2.4kbps

64kbps

2Mbps

100Mbps

1984 1991 2002 2010

Speed& Coverage

Time

5GVoice

Data

Vertically integrated applications

Traditional Wireless Cellular Network

4

• OPEX dominates expenses− Power bill− Site acquisition/renting costs increasing

• Insufficient Flexibility and Scalability− Overprovision capacity to handle load dynamics

• Office vs Residential area/time

− Proprietary Custom solution• Unable to support diverse application services

− Challenge to launch different network configurations• Self-Organizing Networks, New Spectrum & Access Technologies

Processing Loadidle

utilized

RRU

BBU

Source: China Mobile

5G Vision

5

• Massive capacity and massive connectivity − 100x connected device with 100x user data rates

• Efficient use of spectrum and network resource to reduce Total-Cost-of-Ownership

• Flexible and scalable infrastructure to enable value added services

Requirements to Realize 5G vision

6

• Enhance Network Smartness− Smart capacity/spectrum allocation− Application awareness− Coordinated communication

• Enable Telecom Cloud− Move cloud to mobile edge− Ultra Low-latency and high bandwidth − Hardware Platform Standardization

Network Efficiency

Capacity Increase

User Experience

Network Virtualization

Market Creation

Business Model

Not Only Any Time, Any Where … But also Any Thing, Any Service …

Figure source:: ZTE

Evolution to Centralized RAN

7

• Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN) with pooled baseband− Site Reduction− Lower Cooling cost

• Coordinated processing− Lower Blocking Rate− Improve capacity

RRU

RRU

RRU

RRU

BBU Pool

Cloud RAN

8

• Virtualized Cloud-RAN− Generic hardware platform− Network Virtualization − Load Balance − Multiple Radio Access Technologies

• New service enablement− Location-based services− “Zero” latency provision

• Virtualized function support− Seamless upgrades− Processing resource reuse when idle

RRU

RRU

RRU

RRU

BBU Servers

Processing Load

UHD Video Steam Location Service Low Latency App

9

Layer 2/3Core

PHY LayerFEC5G

LTE-ULayer 2/3

CorePHY Layer

PHY + FECRRU

RRU

RRU

RRU

Cloud RAN

• Virtualized Cloud-RAN− Generic hardware platform− Network Virtualization − Load Balance − Multiple Radio Access Technologies

• New service enablement− Location-based services− “Zero” latency provision

• Virtualized function support− Seamless upgrades− Processing resource reuse when idle

10

Layer 2/3Core

PHY + FECGaming

5GLTE-U

LTE-IoTAugmented

RealityLocation Services

RRU

RRU

RRU

RRU

Cloud RAN

• Virtualized Cloud-RAN− Generic hardware platform− Network Virtualization − Load Balance − Multiple Radio Access Technologies

• New service enablement− Location-based services− “Zero” latency provision

• Virtualized function support− Seamless upgrades− Processing resource reuse when idle

Cloud-RAN Architecture

11

• CPU Elements− Multiple radio access technology

stacks and protocols

− New application services

− Control and monitor interfaces

• FPGA Elements − Acceleration for real-time function

− Switching for scalable load-balancing

− Peripherals for high bandwidth

interfaces/ connections L1 Accelerator

VM

VM

VM

FPGA

External

connectivity

External

connectivity

CPU

VM

Hypervisor

Interconnect

Interconnect

Priority Management

Switch

L2/3 AcceleratorVideo/Security Accelerator Other Services

Accelerator

2G/3G Service

SW Stack

LTE-IoTService

SW Stack

5GService

SW Stack

Low LatencyServices

CDNCache

Other Services

CloudM vEPC

Sell spare processing capacity

Lease additional capacity

Virtualized RAN Example

• Centralized Processing Capability− Traffic and Load-balancing− Network optimization

• Virtualized Processing− Reuse or resell unused capacity− Value-added (e.g. location based) services

• Low-cost radio end-points− Independent processing for each end-point

improves capacity over traditional DAS− Connectivity with fiber, radio fronthaul or

Ethernet

Load

ing

M T W T F Sa Su

New local capacity design Total

Levi StadiumConvention Center

Great America

V-CRAN Data Center

Conventional local capacity design

Infrastructure Business Model

Service Provider

Site and Infrastructure

RAN Hardware

RAN Software

Network Optimization

Value Add Services

Network

Operator

Traditional

OEM

• Current business model is dominated by large incumbents

• Limited opportunity for disruption

Service Provider

Site and Infrastructure

RAN Hardware

RAN Software

Network Optimization

Value Add Services

Enhanced Network Operator

Infrastructure Business Model

Virtualized Cloud-RAN enables new business models• Expanded Operator

Capability− Value-added services

− Hardware access for network/application optimization

Service Provider

Site and Infrastructure

RAN Hardware

RAN Software

Network Optimization

Value Add Services

Traditional

OEM

Infrastructure Business Model

Virtualized Cloud-RAN enables new business models• Expanded Operator

Capability• Enlarged OEM

Scope− Value-added services

Service Provider

Site and Infrastructure

RAN Hardware

RAN Software

Network Optimization

Value Add Services

SoftwareProvider

Infrastructure Business Model

Virtualized Cloud-RAN enables new business models• Expanded Operator

Capability• Enlarged OEM Scope• New Entrants

− Data Center Providers to enable RAN hardware

− New-style OEM with hardware-agnostic, software solution

− Vertical market applications migrate to new software providers

Summary

17

• 5G means smartness, efficiency and business model disruption

• Virtualized CRAN provides an effective solution for 5G

• CPU and FPGA reprogrammable acceleration enables 5G vision

Thank You