A Comprehensive Analysis of Classical RAN and Cloud RAN Architectures in Wireless Communication Networks
Nadeem, Haider (2024)
2024
Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-05-31
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202405306467
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202405306467
Tiivistelmä
Classical Radio Access Network (RAN) used to be the main method for controlling the radio access portion of a cellular network but now a new technology called Cloud RAN (C-RAN) has been recently introduced by telecom service providers, which includes pooling the baseband processing from several cells into a single area that several remote radio units (RRU) can access. Contrarily, Classical RAN employs a distributed architecture in which each cell’s site-local baseband processing is carried out.
This research review-based thesis sets out to examine and compare the capabilities and traits of Cloud RAN and Classical RAN. The study commences by giving an outline of the development of cellular networks and then goes into detailing RAN architecture. The literature review investigates the advantages and disadvantages of both C-RAN and Classical RAN architecture and how well-suited each is to different applications. The study, then, delves into a comparative analysis of the two technologies, by comparing the research work that has been already done for these RAN architectures by comparing the key factors like energy efficiency, scalability, and latency of C-RAN and Classical RAN by using the findings of many research papers and experimental evaluations. The study also investigates how these two would perform under different deployment scenarios.
Ultimately this thesis concludes that the classical RAN was the foundation for mobile communication however, this architecture of the mobile networks had limited scalability and flexibility which laid the ground for the emergence of new technologies like Cloud RAN. Although Cloud RAN offers some possible advantages in terms of resource pooling and virtualization, it must grapple with daunting challenges like, fronthaul capacity, synchronization, and security. More research is required to assess the influence of Cloud RAN on network behaviour, power consumption, and the technical underpinnings of this type of system in general. It is also important to improve research in these areas and incorporate new technologies like Open RAN (O-RAN) for practical and envisioned future wireless communication networks, which should be efficient, flexible, and responsive
This research review-based thesis sets out to examine and compare the capabilities and traits of Cloud RAN and Classical RAN. The study commences by giving an outline of the development of cellular networks and then goes into detailing RAN architecture. The literature review investigates the advantages and disadvantages of both C-RAN and Classical RAN architecture and how well-suited each is to different applications. The study, then, delves into a comparative analysis of the two technologies, by comparing the research work that has been already done for these RAN architectures by comparing the key factors like energy efficiency, scalability, and latency of C-RAN and Classical RAN by using the findings of many research papers and experimental evaluations. The study also investigates how these two would perform under different deployment scenarios.
Ultimately this thesis concludes that the classical RAN was the foundation for mobile communication however, this architecture of the mobile networks had limited scalability and flexibility which laid the ground for the emergence of new technologies like Cloud RAN. Although Cloud RAN offers some possible advantages in terms of resource pooling and virtualization, it must grapple with daunting challenges like, fronthaul capacity, synchronization, and security. More research is required to assess the influence of Cloud RAN on network behaviour, power consumption, and the technical underpinnings of this type of system in general. It is also important to improve research in these areas and incorporate new technologies like Open RAN (O-RAN) for practical and envisioned future wireless communication networks, which should be efficient, flexible, and responsive