Resource management in wireless heterogeneous networks (WHNs)

Resources, especially in wireless networking context, are considered to be scarce and deficient. Appropriate management of resources is crucial for efficient networks´ usage and users´ satisfaction. This paper elaborates on the resource management issues in Wireless Heterogeneous Networks (WHNs). It explains the market and business cases for wireless heterogeneity and reflects on the most common radio resource management frameworks envisioned today. Furthermore, the paper pinpoints and explains two network architectures, i.e. the RIWCoS and the ARAGORN architecture, designed to deal with resource management under various access technologies possible. The former one is specifically tailored to meet the demands of emergency situations, whereas the latter one introduces the notion of cognitive resource management and policy regulated networking. Finally, some ideas regarding the future work in this vibrant area will be elaborated.