An Overview of Obstacles in 5G Backhaul and Latest Studies

5G, the upcoming cellular generation, addresses data rate demands and facilitates the Internet of Things. While research focuses on radio challenges, including network densification and advanced features, a new bottleneck emerges: backhaul. This survey explores the 5G backhaul paradigm, critiques existing solutions, and proposes a consolidated framework. This study presents two backhaul frameworks aimed at optimizing energy consumption in different network environments. The first framework, EMMA (Energy Management for Software Switch Networks), focuses on SDN/NFV-based integrated backhaul/fronthaul transport networks, targeting efficient power consumption monitoring and device power state optimization. The EMMA prototype, deployed in the 5TONIC laboratory, leverages Lagopus software switches and an OpenDaylight SDN controller to dynamically regulate power states based on traffic load. Functional validation demonstrates significant improvements in service provisioning time. The second framework addresses energy optimization in mmWave meshed networks overlaid on LTE macro cells, crucial for dense urban scenarios. The Energy Management for Meshed Access (EMMA) algorithm intelligently controls mmWave node activation to reduce energy consumption while maintaining user connectivity. System-level simulations reveal substantial energy-saving potential, particularly with the network- centric approach, which prioritizes energy efficiency without compromising user experience.