Demo: FlexRAN - A software-defined RAN platform

Although SDN is considered as one of the key technologies behind the impending 5G evolution of mobile networks, the opportunity of reaping its bene€ts is largely still untapped on the Radio Access Network (RAN) side due to the lack of a soo/ooware-de€ned RAN (SD-RAN) platform. In this work we demonstrate the capabilities of FlexRAN, an open-source SD-RAN platform developed to €ll this void. FlexRAN separates the RAN control and data planes with a custom-tailored southbound API. Besides it features a hierarchical control plane architecture that enables programmability, NLGexible and dynamic control function placement (allowing di,erent degrees of coordination within and among base stations) and real-time control. Virtualized control functions and control delegation are two key features in FlexRAN that makes these capabilities possible. OEis demo illustrates the capabilities and the performance of FlexRAN based on a prototype implementation, while its applicability is highlighted through a Mobile Edge Computing use case, where it acts as an enabler of a video bitrate adaptation application based on the radio conditions at the network edge.