Evoluzione delle Reti Mesh con Collegamenti Eterogenei ad Alta Velocità

Politecnico di MilanoAdvanced Network Technologies Laboratory

Evoluzione delle Reti Mesh con Collegamenti Eterogenei ad Alta Velocità

Antonio Capone

Roma, 2 Dicembre 2008

Politecnico di MilanoAdvanced Network Technologies Laboratory

The Evolution toward heterogeneous high speed mesh networking

Antonio Capone

Roma, 2 Dicembre 2008

Antonio Capone 3http://antlab.elet.polimi.it

Ad hoc Networks: myth and reality

Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET)

sourcedestinationrelay

relay

Huge research effort (~330.000 scientific papers published – source Google Scholar)

Only few real applications


“Sons” of ad hoc networks

Wireless SensorNetworks (WSN)

AD HOC

Wireless MeshNetworks (WMN)

Vehicular Area Networks(VANET)


The Evolution PathToward WMNs

The problem: In many applications creating a wired infrastructure for wireless access networks, like traditional WLAN WiFi, is not possible or too expensive

Ethernet

Solution:Replacing wired infrastructure with wireless links


The Evolution Path Toward WMNs (contd)

First possible solution: Wireless Distribution SystemManual configuration of wireless linksCan be used only with small size networks


The Evolution Path Toward WMNs (contd)

Wireless networks of point-to-point linksUse of point-to-point links based on traditional technologies (e.g. SDH) or low cost ones (WiFi, Hiperlan)Solution adopted by several WISPs and system integratorsTwo possible architectures:

Non-meshed topologiesMeshed topologies with IP based routing (e.g. OSPF)

Weaknesses:Very low flexibilityComplex configuration like with WANNo support for nomadic users


InternetInternet

The “true” Wireless MeshNetworks

Mesh routers (MRs) manage routing automatically based on ad hoc network technologiesDevices are flexible and self-configuringAll or a subset of MRsact as access points (Wi-Fi hot spot)Some devices are the gateways to the Internet

meshgateway

meshrouter

meshclient

Access LinkBackhaulGateway Link


Advantages of WMNs

Not only wireless access but also wireless infrastructureThe only viable solution in most of the application scenariosProbably the best in all cases under the cost/flexibility perspective

WMNs deployment

Ease up time-to-deploymentReduced CAPEX/OPEX


Applications

Large range of application scenarios where creating a wired infrastructure is not possible or cost effective

Municipal wireless networksTemporary networksIndustrial networksRetrofitsSurveillanceEnvironmental monitoringTraffic control


Evolution of WMN beyondWiFi MESH

The concept of mesh networking is not dependent on the communication technology adoptedIt is just based on the idea of creating a flexible and easy to use network that is able to self-configure and dynamically adapt to operation conditions


From traditional IP to mesh networking

The traditional IP technology is today the only one widely adopted in all portions of the network (core and access)Also IP is independent from the communication technologyBut the basic networking paradigm has been unchanged for 30 yearsA huge research effort is ongoing to design the new networking technologies for the Internet of the future

GENI

Internet of the Future


What is the Future Internet?

Courtesy of Dr. Arian ZwegersEuropean Commission


All wireless technologies are going ‘mesh’

Pervasive broadband applications require high capacity wireless networksSmall cells (100-200 m) with high transmission rate (100Mb/s-1Gb/s)The only viable option for creating this type of access networks is meshWiMax mesh mode has been recently standardized (802.16j)LTE relay mode is being considered by standardization committees


Mesh networking as a new paradigm for access networks

Are we really sure that single technology mesh networks are the solution?Also in mesh networks we have an access part and a backboneThe best technology for the access depends on several issues (terminal availability, frequency assignment policies, etc.)While for the backbone we can use all the communication technologies that allow us to provide high capacity links to the huge number of small access cells


Mesh networking as a new paradigm for access networks

Tradition IP networking is not really an option here due to the complexity of network deployment and configuration

Mesh networking is the new paradigm for pervasive, high speed, heterogeneous access network

Mesh networking is the new paradigm for pervasive, high speed, heterogeneous access network

It’s the only approach that can today overcome the obstacles that prevent the creation of large high capacity access networks that exploits the best transmission technologies availableMobility support to nomadic/mobile users as a distinguishing feature


New generation mesh devices

New mesh devices will be able to be equipped with a large number of different interfaces and will be able to dynamically adapt to the application scenario

Point-to-point wireless links

WiMax

LTE

Sensor networks

BPLC

Overlay virtual links

Ethernet

PON...

WiFi, Hiperlan, ... Access technology

(Today WiFi, tomorrow ??)


Experimental Projects in the Academic Labs

MIT RoofnetFirst experimental projectLow cost HWSoftware open-source

Other projectsGeorgiaTech BWN-MeshRice UniversityRutgers Winlab ORBITSUNY Stonybrook HyacinthMobiMESH PoliMI

Several academic projects have contributed to the commercial exploitation of the technology

http://pdos.lcs.mit.edu/roofnet/roofnet-weather.jpg


MobiMESH Project

Started by ANTLab, Politecnico di Milano in 2004Initial goal:

Create an experimental platform for testing innovative solutions for routing, mobility management, network configuration and management

Soon coupled with the goal of:Designing advanced mesh networking solutions and products for the marketThanks to the interest and support of VoiSmart

MobiMESH firstprototype


MobiMESH Project

MobiMESH is now a complete and innovative Wireless Mesh platformWe continue to work on new services and network architecturesThe evolution toward the new generation of mesh networking devices is already a reality in our labs


MobiMESHToday MobiMESH is also a spin-off company of Politecnico di Milano

Partner industriale e commerciale

MESH technology made in Italy

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Evoluzione delle Reti Mesh con Collegamenti Eterogenei ad Alta Velocità