An experimental evaluation of dynamic virtualized networking resource control on an Evolved mobile core network: A new approach to reducing massive traffic congestion after a devastating disaster

After a large-scale disaster such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, mobile networks will face a massive number of call attempts for voice communication, which makes it difficult for them to maintain mobile services. In this paper, we propose a new approach to reducing massive traffic congestion under such circumstances and describe the results of an empirical study performed on large-scale evaluation facilities. Use of an architecture that utilizes a virtualization platform (e.g. Hypervisor) allows the reallocation of resources for service control systems as necessary and the resulting system is capable of adapting to service demand deviations. By using this capability, we explore the case wherein packet service resources are reduced to allow their reassignment to voice service. To evaluate the proposal, a 3GPP-compliant IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) system running on a virtualization platform were developed with associated networking systems and control and management systems. The evaluation assumes a situation in which the overall system supports 500 thousand customers and the level of congestion similar to that observed in the disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The result shows that 1) voice service capacity increased more than 5 times compared to normal and 2) the reallocation was completed within about 30 minutes.