An Analysis of Cloud Radio Access Network Availability using Redundancy

While moving towards next generation wireless technology, virtualization is a key pillar among major enablers. In addition to improved cost efficiency and less hardware dependency virtualization presents an enabler for improved network reliability including Radio Access Network (RAN) reliability by utilizing redundant virtual instances. This paper presents a framework for improved RAN availability. It describes the modes for utilizing redundancy in RAN and RAN self-healing procedures, i.e. steps taken to heal a faulty RAN VNF instance to bring into fully functional state again. In this respect the paper analyses different redundancy schemes through extensive simulations. Each scheme maps to specific set of requirement in terms of virtual resource requirement and resulting achieved availability of RAN. The novelty of the paper is in analysis on Quality of Service impact for different schemes during an event of failure within virtualized RAN. Using the presented approaches, stakeholders can accordingly tailor the network deployment in order to achieve specific set of service goals.