Implementation aspects of self-healing functionality in long term evolution (LTE) networks

Abstract

In order to ensure stable and reliable network operations communication network and service providers have to intelligently manage their budgets. To support this task there is a need for automated network management. Such management includes self-configuration, self-optimization, self-healing, and self-protection making the networks more robust but also reducing the cost of their maintenance and support. In the paper we describe implementation aspects of the programmable management system that exhibits the self-* properties. Our approach will be demonstrated on self-healing use case in Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks. The development is carried out by the partners of the Celtic project COMMUNE. The underlying hypothesis for the carried work is that a key reason for the undeveloped state of cognitive self-x functionality in real operational environment is uncertainty. The classical approach, which does not address uncertainty, has been successfully applied to networks of limited scale, but it is not appropriate for the management of complex networks like LTE and the Future Internet.