Modeling Guaranteed Delay of Virtualized Wireless Networks Using Network Calculus

Wireless network virtualization is an emerging technology that logically divides a wireless network element, such as a base station (BS), into multiple slices with each slice serving as a standalone virtual BS. In such a way, one physical mobile wireless network can be partitioned into multiple virtual networks each operating as an independent wireless network. Wireless virtual networks, as composed of these virtual BSs, need to provide quality of service (QoS) to mobile end user services. One such key QoS parameter is network delay, in particular upper bound delay. This paper presents a delay model for such a wireless virtual network. This delay model considers resources (in particular queues) of both physical nodes and virtual nodes and provides a realistic modelling of the delay behaviours of wireless virtual networks. Network calculus, which usually provides finer insight into a system, is utilized to fulfil the modelling task. The numerical results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed model. The model is useful for both off-line network planning and online network admission control.