A Pooling Prototype for the LTE MAC Layer Based on a GPP Platform

Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) is a trending concept for wireless communication, driven by the increase in mobile data traffic. C-RAN enables the pooling of baseband resources across multiple cell sites. This allows the mobile operator to save both CAPEX and OPEX by statistically multiplexing their baseband resources in response to real-time network demands. The pooling of baseband resources requires a new intelligent mechanism for resource management. In this paper, we propose a pooling system for the LTE MAC layer running on a General Purpose Processor (GPP) platform. The proposed pooling system includes an application-aware task controller that replaces the resource management functionality in the Operating System (OS). In this paper, we provide the experimental results of a pooling prototype running on a single server with an Intel multi-core processor. We show the achieved improvement in CPU utilization and power consumption within the pool. We also provide a detailed design for the application-aware task controller.