Supporting high quality multimedia streaming on wireless devices poses several challenges compared to wired networks due to the high variance in network performance encountered in the mobile ...environment. Although rate adaptation is commonly used in multimedia applications to compensate for fluctuations in network performance, it is a reactive mechanism which is not aware of the frequently changing connectivity that may occur on mobile devices. This paper proposed a performance evaluation model for multimedia streaming applications that is aware of user mobility and network performance. We presented an example of mathematical solution to the model and demonstrated the functionality using common mobility and connectivity examples that may be found in an urban environment. The proposed model is evaluated based on this functionality and how it may be used to enhance application performance.
Network softwarization is a major paradigm shift, which enables programmable and flexible system operation in challenging use cases. In the fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks, the more advanced ...scenarios envision transfer of high-rate mission-critical traffic. Achieving end-to-end reliability of these stringent sessions requires support from multiple radio access technologies and calls for dynamic orchestration of resources across both radio access and core network segments. Emerging 5G systems can already offer network slicing, multi-connectivity, and end-to-end quality provisioning mechanisms for critical data transfers within a single software-controlled network. Whereas these individual enablers are already in active development, a holistic perspective on how to construct a unified, service-ready system as well as understand the implications of critical traffic on serving other user sessions is not yet available. Against this background, this paper first introduces a softwarized 5G architecture for end-to-end reliability of the mission-critical traffic. Then, a mathematical framework is contributed to model the process of critical session transfers in a softwarized 5G access network, and the corresponding impact on other user sessions is quantified. Finally, a prototype hardware implementation is completed to investigate the practical effects of supporting mission-critical data in a softwarized 5G core network, as well as substantiate the key system design choices.
In order to maintain seamless communication and quality of service (QoS) for mobile applications, a new and flexible mechanisms are needed. The first technique is the use of vertical handover to ...maintain QoS through multiple interfaces. Modern architectures use handover to move connections to a better network when required. The server localisation is the second facility that can be developed to move services closer to the user as they move around. In this paper, these two options are explored in detail. In addition, a reactive network slicing concept is introduced which is used as the measured service rate in the proposed system. Using this framework, mobile users can make decisions to select whether to stay connected using the current network, do a vertical handover to a neighbouring network or request that the service be migrated closer to the user. An analytical model is presented and a decision table developed to explore these options.
5G networks envisage to support a range of vertical industries, circumventing any potential barriers from converging various network technologies and administrative domains. Current solutions focus ...only on provisioning services within single administrative domains. There is also lack of standards for sustainable end-to-end multi-domain solutions that can use existing Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Management and Orchestration (MANO) systems. This is important to enable operators to collaborate and create innovative end-to-end services in a sustainable environment, where stakeholders can benefit without compromises. In this article, we present the 5GUK Exchange (5GUKEx), a novel hierarchical architecture to enable end-to-end orchestration with minimum overhead in complexity and performance while also allowing operators to maintain full control of their infrastructure. 5GUKEx allows operators to use their existing MANO systems for the single domain orchestration and build a multi-domain API based on standardized models exposed by service catalogues to coordinate the end-to-end service orchestration and interconnection. We built a prototype of the 5GUKEx and evaluated its performance through emulations showing that the 5GUKEx introduces minimum overhead. We also discuss the use-cases and trials using 5GUKEx in addition to the experiments focusing on the flexible nature of architecture, allowing us to use 5GUKEx to provide connectivity among multi domains over optical transport network.
Recent advances in mobile devices and network technologies have set new trends in the way we use computers and access networks. Cloud Computing, where processing and storage resources are residing on ...the network is one of these trends. The other is Mobile Computing, where mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are believed to replace personal computers by combining network connectivity, mobility, and software functionality. In the future, these devices are expected to seamlessly switch between different network providers using vertical handover mechanisms in order to maintain network connectivity at all times. This will enable mobile devices to access Cloud Services without interruption as users move around. Using current service delivery models, mobile devices moving from one geographical location to another will keep accessing those services from the local Cloud of their previous network, which might lead to moving a large volume of data over the Internet backbone over long distances. This scenario highlights the fact that user mobility will result in more congestion on the Internet. This will degrade the Quality of Service and by extension, the Quality of Experience offered by the services in the Cloud and especially multimedia services that have very tight temporal constraints in terms of bandwidth and jitter. We believe that a different approach is required to manage resources more efficiently, while improving the Quality of Service and Quality of Experience of mobile media services. This paper introduces a novel concept of Cloud-Based Mobile Media Service Delivery in which services run on localized public Clouds and are capable of populating other public Clouds in different geographical locations depending on service demands and network status. Using an analytical framework, this paper argues that as the demand for specific services increases in a location, it might be more efficient to move those services closer to that location. This will prevent the Internet backbone from experiencing high traffic loads due to multimedia streams and will offer service providers an automated resource allocation and management mechanism for their services.
The Cutting Edge of Computing Sardis, Antonia Bascam Fragkiskos
ITNow,
09/2024, Volume:
66, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Abstract People Consultant, Antonia Basca, and Cloud Transformation Architect, Fragkiskos Sardis, at KPMG offer an informative overview of edge computing and its benefits. They also explore what the ...technology might mean for sectors like the arts, construction and healthcare.
In recent years, mobile devices have evolved to support an amalgam of multimedia applications and content. However, the small size of these devices poses a limit the amount of local computing ...resources. The emergence of Cloud technology has set the ground for an era of task offloading for mobile devices and we are now seeing the deployment of applications that make more extensive use of Cloud processing as a means of augmenting the capabilities of mobiles. Mobile Cloud Computing is the term used to describe the convergence of these technologies towards applications and mechanisms that offload tasks from mobile devices to the Cloud. In order for mobile devices to access Cloud resources and successfully offload tasks there, a solution for constant and reliable connectivity is required. The proliferation of wireless technology ensures that networks are available almost everywhere in an urban environment and mobile devices can stay connected to a network at all times. However, user mobility is often the cause of intermittent connectivity that affects the performance of applications and ultimately degrades the user experience. 5th Generation Networks are introducing mechanisms that enable constant and reliable connectivity through seamless handovers between networks and provide the foundation for a tighter coupling between Cloud resources and mobiles. This convergence of technologies creates new challenges in the areas of traffic management and QoS provisioning. The constant connectivity to and reliance of mobile devices on Cloud resources have the potential of creating large traffic flows between networks. Furthermore, depending on the type of application generating the traffic flow, very strict QoS may be required from the networks as suboptimal performance may severely degrade an application’s functionality. In this thesis, I propose a new service delivery framework, centred on the convergence of Mobile Cloud Computing and 5G networks for the purpose of optimising service delivery in a mobile environment. The framework is used as a guideline for identifying different aspects of service delivery in a mobile environment and for providing a path for future research in this field. The focus of the thesis is placed on the service delivery mechanisms that are responsible for optimising the QoS and managing network traffic. I present a solution for managing traffic through dynamic service localisation according to user mobility and device connectivity. I implement a prototype of the solution in a virtualised environment as a proof of concept and demonstrate the functionality and results gathered from experimentation. Finally, I present a new approach to modelling network performance by taking into account user mobility. The model considers the overall performance of a persistent connection as the mobile node switches between different networks. Results from the model can be used to determine which networks will negatively affect application performance and what impact they will have for the duration of the user's movement. The proposed model is evaluated using an analytical approach.
In recent years, mobile devices have evolved to support an amalgam of multimedia applications and content. However, the small size of these devices poses a limit the amount of local computing ...resources. The emergence of Cloud technology has set the ground for an era of task offloading for mobile devices and we are now seeing the deployment of applications that make more extensive use of Cloud processing as a means of augmenting the capabilities of mobiles. Mobile Cloud Computing is the term used to describe the convergence of these technologies towards applications and mechanisms that offload tasks from mobile devices to the Cloud. In order for mobile devices to access Cloud resources and successfully offload tasks there, a solution for constant and reliable connectivity is required. The proliferation of wireless technology ensures that networks are available almost everywhere in an urban environment and mobile devices can stay connected to a network at all times. However, user mobility is often the cause of intermittent connectivity that affects the performance of applications and ultimately degrades the user experience. 5th Generation Networks are introducing mechanisms that enable constant and reliable connectivity through seamless handovers between networks and provide the foundation for a tighter coupling between Cloud resources and mobiles. This convergence of technologies creates new challenges in the areas of traffic management and QoS provisioning. The constant connectivity to and reliance of mobile devices on Cloud resources have the potential of creating large traffic flows between networks. Furthermore, depending on the type of application generating the traffic flow, very strict QoS may be required from the networks as suboptimal performance may severely degrade an application’s functionality. In this thesis, I propose a new service delivery framework, centred on the convergence of Mobile Cloud Computing and 5G networks for the purpose of optimising service delivery in a mobile environment. The framework is used as a guideline for identifying different aspects of service delivery in a mobile environment and for providing a path for future research in this field. The focus of the thesis is placed on the service delivery mechanisms that are responsible for optimising the QoS and managing network traffic. I present a solution for managing traffic through dynamic service localisation according to user mobility and device connectivity. I implement a prototype of the solution in a virtualised environment as a proof of concept and demonstrate the functionality and results gathered from experimentation. Finally, I present a new approach to modelling network performance by taking into account user mobility. The model considers the overall performance of a persistent connection as the mobile node switches between different networks. Results from the model can be used to determine which networks will negatively affect application performance and what impact they will have for the duration of the user's movement. The proposed model is evaluated using an analytical approach.
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