A Path Towards Green Cellular Networks Leveraging SDN, NFV, and C-RAN

The rapid advancement of technology has led to an increasing demand for enhanced communication systems, particularly in the realm of cellular networks. With diverse applications such as real-time video streaming, online gaming, critical operations, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) services relying more on cellular connectivity, optimizing the cellular networks to meet evolving requirements while mitigating the associated power consumption challenges is crucial. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of initiatives undertaken by industry, academia, and researchers to reduce the power consumption of cellular network systems. Special emphasis is placed on emerging technologies like Software-Defined Networking (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV), and Cloud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN), which hold promise for reshaping cellular infrastructure. Additionally, the paper delves into the convergence challenges and solutions associated with SDN, NFV, and C-RAN. The paper proposes a novel cellular architecture grounded in SDN, NFV, and C-RAN paradigms. This proposed framework offers a blueprint for developing energy-efficient cellular networks capable of meeting the diverse demands of modern communication applications and able to reduce power consumption by approximately 40% to 50% with careful placement of virtual network functions.