Come learn about all aspects of test, measurement and quality of service on telecommunications networks.

On the road to 5G, centralized radio access network (C-RAN) architecture is a key stepping stone. C-RAN is the next logical evolution in fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) networks, or distributed RAN (D-RAN), and involves centralizing several baseband units (BBUs) in a location away from the towers and antennas, rather than collocating BBUs with the remote radio head (RRH) on the antenna site.

In this whiteboard video, we will explore 2 specific challenges of C-RAN networks, namely the attenuation issues induced by the long distance between the BBU and the RRH, and the interconnection problems – and finally how to solve them.  

This webinar will conclude with a live Q&A session!

Why C-RAN deployments will give you more headaches than D-RAN

One of the advantages of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) is the ability to modify the network on the fly. A closed feedback loop between the service assurance solution and the orchestration system enables network self-healing and self-optimization when providing mission critical services.  By identifying performance issues we can take immediate action to solve problems or improve service reliability, thus reducing mean time to repair (MTTR).

You need to ensure that the analysis is performed in real time.  Most service assurance solutions set real-time analytics as a goal.  Being such a key component of the service assurance solution, further analysis is required on how close to that goal the solution can reach.  There are many areas in this type of solution that demand attention: data collection, normalization, correlation, analysis, service-level impact, alerting and more.  Each element requires a specific set of strategies to optimize the time taken to make a determination.

Key questions you need to ask when defining real-time analytics include:  How many moving pieces do we have on the service assurance solution?  How many different vendors are involved?  How many data collection systems?  Do you need to transfer that data to a second service quality or service experience analytics solution before deciding you need to request a change from the orchestrator?  How does your system scale?  How many times do I need to manipulate the data to integrate it across multiple systems? Do you need to aggregate collected data at multiple levels before a decision is made?

In this webinar, and its associated whitepaper, we go deep into these aspects of how real-time analytics are crucial to enable closed-loop service assurance in your SDN or NFV solution.  The webinar will provide you with ideas on how to optimize your service assurance platform.

Enabling Closed Loop Assurance through Real Time Analytics

Network and service assurance remain a top priority for telecom operators, though views on what those assurance levels need to be in a virtualized environment remain in flux. 


This webinar will look at some of the challenges telecom operators and vendors are facing in terms of updating their assurance platforms in virtualized environments; how the view on what is needed in terms of assurance is changing due to virtualization; and provide an update on the development of assurance strategies from carriers and vendors.

What you will learn:

Insight into current challenges facing telecom operators as the move to update legacy network assurance platforms
How to existing networks can handle new, virtualized services like VoLTE and VoWi-Fi
Strategies telecom operators and vendors are using to handle those challenges

Assuring the virtualized networks of the future

The move from centralized to virtual radio access networks (RANs) is already happening, with baseband unit (BBU) virtualization moving many functions to software, paving the way for 5G and pre-5G LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). This webinar explores the market drivers and the technical challenges of the RAN transformation from fiber to the antenna (FTTA) to centralized RAN (C-RAN) and virtual RAN, the state of virtualized baseband unit (vBBU), the long-term evolution of fronthaul beyond the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) to packet-based transport, and testing requirements at the optical and protocol layers.

Key topics for discussion

5G characteristics and network drivers
Fronthaul architectures evolving from FTTA to centralized RAN to cloud RAN
Planning and performance requirements for cloud RAN
Integrating and testing fronthaul connectivity in backhaul/transport networks
Guidelines for optical testing in C-RAN and beyond
Answers to audience questions during live Q&A
Speakers

Richard Webb, Research Director, Mobile Backhaul and Small Cells, IHS
Yvon Rouault, Advisor, CTO Office, EXFO
Jean-Sébastien Tassé, Product Line Manager, Optical Business Unit, EXFO
Allen Tatara, Manager, Webinar Events, IHS (Moderator)

From Centralized RAN to Cloud RAN (hosted by IHS)

Network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) promise more flexibility and scalability in the network, including better bandwidth allocation and a more expedient response to application and resource requirements. Enabling agile services requires proper integration of service assurance tools with orchestration. This new reality creates the need for improved analytics capabilities that can derive insights from data collected from various sources within the network, providing the control plane with the information necessary to make optimal decisions. This webinar discusses how analytics tools with integrated service assurance are addressing new app and resource requirements in todays NFV and SDN world.

The Role of Analytics in an NFV and SDN World

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