Chapter 13 : NFV and SDN for fronthaul based systems

The trend to enable virtualisation of mobile core network functions through softwarisation is driven by recent efforts in improving the flexibility and configuration of the network in order to meet the requirements of a wide and dynamic array of new services. The focus on improving network configuration rises because traditional network deployments require the replacement of hardware equipment when upgrading network functionalities or modifying network architectures, which results in high capital and operation expenditures (CAPEX and OPEX, respectively). In the design of 5G, flexibility is one of the key drivers as it supports the heterogeneous requirements of all 5G applications, and enables multiple network embodiments within one single network deployment.