Bring your own network — Design and implementation of a virtualized WiFi network

Abstract

This paper proposes virtualized WiFi network that can dynamically create a virtual Base Station (vBS) around the target mobile devices that offers dedicated base station resources for satisfying service-specific QoS and works as a gateway for a corresponding virtual network or slice. Specifically, the paper proposes (1) a technique to dynamically configure a vBS on top of multiple physical WiFi base stations by exploiting the features of OpenFlow, and (2) a technique of network-driven seamless handover between vBSs by forced association and authentication in advance at a target vBS. The paper also describes a detailed design and implementation of a physical WiFi base station which can organize a vBS, named virtualization capable WiFi Base Station (vcBS). As a prototype, two vcBSs and virtualization capable Base Stations Switch (vcBS-SW) to accommodate and centrally control those vcBSs are newly developed. The paper demonstrates a vBS can be dynamically configured on top of two vcBSs and the base station resource can be dynamically allocated to the vBS by assigning additional WiFi interfaces or frequency channels based on a resource allocation policy. The paper also demonstrates the proportion of SIP calls whose setup time exceed the threshold of 600ms can be reduced from 19.7% to 4.6%, when the SIP signaling traffic is served by a SIP-specific vBS. Finally the paper demonstrates that the prototype system can make seamless handover for a target device from common vBS to service-specific vBS in less than 65 ms without any packet drop.