Benefits and Challenges of Cloud Technologies for 5G Architecture

Benefits and Challenges of Cloud Technologies for 5G Architecture This paper focuses on the practical implementation of a Cloud-RAN architecture in the context of future 5G systems, with particular emphasis on different aspects of the functional split between the cloudplatform and the radio access points. First, we provide a comprehensive overview of implementation aspects and how different hardware options impact the implementation of RAN functionality. We further discuss a virtualized infrastructure which may have a significant impact on how algorithms are implemented, how they interact with each other, and how they can be scaled within the RAN. We also analyze implementation constraints to be considered to provide backwards compatibility with 3GPP LTE; such constraints on the computing platforms result from the RAN requirements in terms of latency and throughput. Finally, the level of flexibility achievable by the proposed architecture is described from a practical point of view.