The advent of 5G technology is transforming telecommunications, giving people and industry incredible capabilities. Thanks to research advances, 5G could offer speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second in the future. This far exceeds his 4G. Not only does this speed enable ultra-fast downloads, but the low 1ms latency is ideal for real-time applications such as remote surgery and augmented and virtual reality. 5G’s ability to connect up to one million devices per square kilometer is also accelerating the development of the Internet of Things (IoT).
IoT refers to a network of interconnected devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items that incorporate sensors, software, and network connectivity. These IoT devices can collect and exchange data, allowing them to interact, communicate, and perform tasks autonomously, often increasing efficiency and providing valuable insights for a variety of applications. These capabilities hold promise for the future of smart cities, homes, and industrial automation.
The 5G revolution is just around the corner, full of potential for innovation and transformation, but first companies like Rogers are investing in research and development to support a made-in-Canada 5G ecosystem.
Dr. Raouf Boutaba, professor and director of the Cheriton School of Computer Science, and his team are collaborating with Rogers to examine various 5G-related pilot projects, namely 5G slicing.
“Slicing involves leveraging virtualization technology to generate multiple different networks that coexist on the same physical infrastructure. Each of these virtual networks, called 5G slices, has different performance and security implications. They will remain isolated from each other to prevent any interference that could cause them,” says Butaba. .
Additionally, each 5G slice will support specific services in line with the three main service categories that 5G networks promise to deliver, including high-bandwidth services, IoT connectivity, and ultra-reliable low-latency communications. Customized.
Traditionally, providing these services required deploying separate networks, an expensive and complex task. This is where network slicing comes in, allowing these services to coexist cost-effectively on the same physical network while maintaining the quality of service expected in each category.
Butava and his team are working to enhance Rogers’ 5G network with slicing capabilities in both the 5G core network and the access network.
“Our approach leverages machine learning and data-driven algorithms to ensure intelligent resource allocation, scaling, and admission control for different types of services,” says Boutaba. “We demonstrated this for Rogers and demonstrated the adaptability of his 5G slices to demanding applications such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and cloud gaming, meaning that he could reduce his network resources based on application demand. We showed you how to optimize it.”
Boutaba’s previous expertise in network virtualization laid the foundation for the team’s work on 5G slicing. However, the unique characteristics of 5G technology pose new challenges and questions that require further research.
One of its projects, called Monarch, is a monitoring architecture focused on slice-level key performance indicators. Monarch aggregates network metrics, provides slice-level performance insights, and enables you to make resource allocation decisions using the intelligent resource management algorithms you create.
The research team’s innovative algorithms have received recognition, and several of their publications have won best paper awards at the Network Operations Management Symposium (NOMS), an international conference in the field.
To validate the development, the team established a 5G lab testbed with help from Rogers to conduct experiments and fine-tune the algorithms. The next phase will involve working with Rogers and other companies to deploy a wireless private network in the lab, moving from an open source project to a production software and hardware stack. The ultimate goal is to port their solution to Rogers’ 5G production network.
As research progresses and knowledge is shared between Rogers and Waterloo, this collaboration promises to transform Canada’s communications landscape and make 5G slicing a reality. This partnership between academia and industry exemplifies the potential for cutting-edge research to shape the future of technology and connectivity.
The partnership between Rogers and the Butava team is a testament to the innovative spirit and potential of Canadian research in global industry. Cutting-edge research into 5G network slicing continues and is expected to shape the way we experience connectivity in the digital age.
