SDN meets SDR in self-organizing networks: fitting the pieces of network management

LTE self-organizing networks (SONs) automate several management mechanisms related to network planning, configuration, and optimization, which require network programmability at both the control plane and data plane. This requirement is a design target shared by software defined networking (SDN) and software defined radio (SDR) paradigms, which are intended to achieve open programmable and reconfigurable networks. Hence, the convergence of the programmable- control-plane nature of SDN with the programmable-data-plane nature of SDR into an SON-based architecture will complement and enhance their respective scopes. We propose an SON-based management framework that leverages programmable control and data planes, and emphasizes the need for an open and extensible protocol interface that combines the main features of current protocols such as OpenFlow, MIH, and XMPP.