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QoESoft: Dynamic Resource Management in Future Softwarised and Virtualized Networks

Dynamic Resource Management in Future Softwarized and Virtualized Networks
With the rise of advanced video and virtual experiences, such as 4K/8K streaming and virtual and augmented reality, companies providing internet and mobile services are confronted with the challenge of managing and optimising their offerings.

Future networks such as 5G/6G need to support different services such as 360° videos, video gaming, 4K/8K/12K with high quality. However, the management of dynamic network resources, including link capacity and bandwidth resources, poses a significant challenge in multimedia communication networks. 

In a paper authored by Ray Walshe (DCU), Andrew Hines (UCD), Alcardo Alex Barakabitz (UCD), and Is-Haka Mkwawa (University of Plymouth), a new approach is proposed to address concerns related to quality of experience for mobile/wireless network providers.

Network function virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) are considered as key technologies for network and service management in future softwarised networks. SDN offers an intelligent and adaptable approach to managing and enhancing information flow within a network, while NFV enables cost-effective efficiency in internet operations.This paper proposes a method that adopts SND control logic to implement a dynamic quality of experience aware resource management approach in future softwarised and virtualized networks. 

QoESoft is a network softwarisation plan for future networks that controls and manages emerging multimedia streaming services through a dynamic switch. This plan will enable internet service providers and mobile network operators to deliver high quality multimedia streaming services to their customers.

The QoESoft approach - which is among the first studies to examine dynamic quality of experience aware resource management mechanisms in future softwarised networks - overcomes the key QoE provisioning limitations in traditional networks such as:

  • It presents a dynamic QoE-aware resource management mechanism for managing multimedia streaming services such as standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) videos in future softwarized networks.
  • It introduced two important functions: the BandwidthPredictor and Reporting. The Reporting function tells us how well our video is playing. The BandwidthPredictor helps choose the best video quality based on how good your internet is.
  • It provides an evaluation of network strength to ensure a good user experience. It also provides companies with pricing models that maximise profit while offering an excellent experience for customers.

QoE-Aware Dynamic Resource Management in Future Softwarized and Virtualized Networks was published on IEEE.