Using Aerial and Vehicular NFV Infrastructures to Agilely Create Vertical Services

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Telecommunications

Background:

• 5G communication enables complex networking scenarios by integrating diverse vertical ecosystems.
• Network Function Virtualization (NFV) allows dynamic resource allocation.
• Integrating heterogeneous mobile networks (FANETs, VANETs) into a single NFV framework presents challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an NFV-based framework for flexible and cost-effective deployment of vertical services.
• To integrate small unmanned aerial vehicles (SUAVs) forming FANETs with vehicles forming VANETs.
• To demonstrate the framework's potential using a public safety use case.

Main Methods:

• Developed an NFV-based framework integrating FANETs and VANETs.
• Implemented a distributed VNF configuration function utilizing a publish-subscribe model.
• Analyzed network service deployment delays within the proposed framework.

Main Results:

• The proposed framework supports flexible integration of heterogeneous mobile environments.
• A public safety use case illustrates the framework's applicability.
• Significant reduction in network service deployment times was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The NFV-based framework effectively integrates FANETs and VANETs for diverse vertical services.
• Distributed VNF configuration using a publish-subscribe model is key to reducing deployment delays.
• This approach enhances the efficiency and flexibility of mobile network service deployment.