An Intelligent SDN Framework Based on QoE Predictions for Load Balancing in C-RAN

The rapid growth of the Internet and technological advances are forcing mobile operators to increasingly invest in network infrastructures. C-RAN and SDN are regarded as enabling technologies that can overcome the limitations faced by operators, by reducing costs, increasing scalability, and paving the way for the next generation of 5G cellular networks. In this paper, an architectural solution based on SDN and computational intelligence is proposed for C-RAN, which can adjust BBU-RRH mapping through network load balancing rules by predicting subjective and objective QoE metrics for UHD video streaming. The simulation results achieved gains between 59% and 129%, in scenarios without activating a new BBU and scenarios that involve activating a new BBU, respectively.