Scaling the Network - Rise of the Thing

1. SCALING THE NETWORK
RISE OF THE “THING”
29/11/2013

2. Agenda
1.
The “Things”
2. Where do they fit in?
3. What should we prepare for
4. Adapting the Network Model
WE ARE
COMING

3. The Things and M2M
Varying Applications
– Consumer Electronics
– Automotive
– Energy
– Logistics
– Healthcare
– Advertising
– Retail
– Retail
The list goes on………..
ADVERTISE
HERE

4. Adding “Things” to the Existing Profiles
Increasing
Attached
High number
of connected
devices
IoT
– Higher overall numbers at
lower throughput
– Some applications exceed
traditional consumer usage
– Significant overlap between
usage Points, but at much
lower volumes
Areas of
significant
commonality
Smartphone
Fixed
M2M
MBB
Increasing
Throughput

5. A Varied Ecosystem already exists
– Varied profiles already
exist
– Consolidation of these
profiles create the overall
demand
– Future services should
have less unpredictability
as functions are more
specific
– However device numbers
increase significantly as
specialised functionality
increases

6. Comparative Traffic Profiles
– The less specific the segment the more variability in profile
– Specific devices will have predictable behaviour
– We understand these behaviours

7. Where will the Impact be?
Knowing the expected behaviour allows us to predict
based upon current behaviour where impact areas will
be.
Given the common discussed use cases, areas of focus
are:
– Registration and Authentication
– Signalling and Control plane
– Policy Control and Security
– Data Storage and monitoring

8. Registration and Identification
Additional Register Demands:
– Significant uplift in number of provisioned
devices
– Increases queries to HSS/HLR and load on
signalling too
– Registers will scale but cost is key
IP Addressing and Identity
– IPv6 is key to support growth
– IP Addresses are becoming a commodity
– What about identity?
REGISTERS

9. Signalling and Control Plane
Use Case Dependant
Drives Mobility:
•
Highly Mobile Use Cases e.g. Cars,
Freight
•
Increases handover signalling
Area Updates
Impact
Area
MME/SGSN
Spot the iOS update
Number of attached Devices :
•
Increased Edge and Core resource
•
Simultaneous Usage will cause peaks
•
e.g. software updates
RAN
Processing
Low Power Devices/Infrequent sessions:
•
Increases session set-up/teardown.
•
LTE bearers or PDP Contexts
•
Increases RAN signalling
•
Simultaneous Usage
PGW/GGSN
Telemetry - Peaking
Firewalls and
Policy

10. Security and Increased Flows
Multiple Flows to many points
Security and Policy Control is
significantly impacted:
−
−
Increased sessions = Increased processing
Processing larger number of smaller flows is
more intensive
ADVERTISE
HERE
ADVERTISE
HERE
Large Number of Flows
Common points in network will need to
be protected from spikes in
simultaneous traffic or attack
Policy control if implemented will
increase significantly
Common Control points such as in
MNO networks allow this to be
managed centrally
ADVERTISE
HERE

11. Big Data goes Huge?
Information will flow between more places
than ever before.
We need Intelligence to:
•
Predict Device Behaviour to accurately
dimension network and forecast growth
•
Support Network optimisation and
dimensioning
But what About Adding Value?
 Can we use this information to enhance
or provide value add services?
 Privacy questions must be answered
Are we ready to store this? Do we know
how effectively to use/process the
information? Do you have the organisation
structure?
BIG
DATA
HUGE
DATA

12. Adapting your Network Model
•
Challenge License Model
•
Unlink number of devices from licence
•
Flexible, should not be linked to customer type or a
specific metric
•
Embrace NFV
•
Commodity hardware with Network as software to
allow flex of resource
•
Prevents micromanagement of network elements
and scaling elements individually
•
Flexibility
Support Effective QoS
•
•
Traffic peaks will occur, how crucial are the
services you support, who takes priority?
Security and Policy Control
•
Consider what level of security for various
applications
•
Don’t assume it can just be “Open”
Understand your Customers

13. Summary
1.
Devices will exhibit behaviour we already see in higher volume
2. Challenge licencing and embrace Flexibility
3. Know your Customers – “Thing” is not enough

14. THANK YOU

15. BACKUP SLIDES

16. The Smartphone as the Hub?
For the consumer more information
will be available to manage their lives
Smartphones and tablets are
established as platforms to control and
consolidate
More “Things” will drive increased
flows
Will add to the increase of policy
control and the flow of information

17. Possible Security/Policy Modes of Operation
Network Supported Security
Internet
Model
Walled Garden
Application/Device Led Security
Application
Walled Garden
Walled Garden
Internet
Model
Application
Walled Garden
Application
Transport
Security &
Policy
3GPP Core
Access
•
•
Communication
possible within
walled garden
Network enforces
security rules and
policy
•
•
•
Any device can
•
communicate with
any other
Any device can
•
communicate with
any service
Security
rules/policies more
important
Network helps secure
access to
applications
Communication
between device only
possible via servers
e.g. whatsapp,
imessage, RCSe
•
•
•
•
Everything within
•
walled garden is
trusted
•
Does not prevent
from attacks of
•
devices of same type
Application or device
holds security
Core prevents comms
outside walled
garden
Open comms
•
between devices
Requires device led
security rules
•
Application requires
security
•
Devices can only
work with one
Application
Rule based upon hard
device configuration
Core prevents comms
outside walled
garden

18. Predicting Capacity Demand
Capacity Demands can be predicted if the
following is known:
• Quantity
We know quantities will be high. How high
depends upon your target market and Use
Cases
• Volume
Mixed volumes but primarily low volume
• Behaviour
Use case dependant
School
Finishing
time

19. 3GPP Based IoT Services
34.7m Registered vehicles
With Roaming
Haulage with Roaming across
borders
63.7m UK Population
Ease of International Roaming
26.3m households
Hubs to aggregate localised
solutions
63.7m Population
Personal Area network
Cats 19% of households
Dogs 25% of households
YES!