Design and Implementation of Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) using OMNET++ Platform
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Abstract
For fast data rates, commercial 5G wireless communication systems are in use. However, for 5G, the challenge lies in the expansive use of smart devices and the need for ultra-reliable and low-latency communication in Internet of Everything (IoE) services. The data rates achieved in 5G are too low for this exponential increase in traffic and, as such, there is the need for 6G network technologies that can enable this. Cloud Radio Access Network (Cloud-RAN) is one such network that has been proposed for B5G services. In this work, it is proposed to develop and test a C-RAN on the OMNET++ simulator. In this network setup, the BBUs are separated from the RRHs, and the baseband processing tasks are completed in the cloud for cost-effectiveness. Simulations were done on Simu5G for the RRH and user part, and iCanCloud for cloud-based BBUs. Results demonstrate that considerable improvements of up to 30% in energy consumption, 45% in the efficiency of use of resources, and low latency of less than 10ms, as well as stable throughput performance for different user loads, were achieved. Results validate that the implementation of C-RAN can improve efficiency and scalability. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the proposed C-RAN architecture is a viable and impactful solution to meet the growing demands of future wireless networks.
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