SENSEFUL: An SDN-based joint access and backhaul coordination for Dense Wi-Fi Small Cells

Dense Small Cell networks are considered the most effective way to cope with the exponential increase in mobile traffic demand expected for the upcoming years and are one of the foundations of the future 5G. However, novel architectures are required to enable cost-efficient deployments of very dense outdoor Small Cell networks, complementing the coverage layer provided by macro-cells. In this regard, two important challenges need to be solved to make this vision a reality: i) increased traffic dynamics, which are translated into more frequent handovers, and ii) cost-efficient deployment of large number of Small Cells. In this paper we propose and evaluate SENSEFUL, an novel architecture addressing the two problems highlighted above: Software-Defined Networking (SDN) as the key technology to promote adaptability to a varying environment and provide efficient mobility solutions in the dense access layer, and novel wireless backhauling technologies where traditional wired connectivity does not meet cost/efficiency restrictions.