Project objectives
Project Scope
In the last few years wireless Metropolitan Area Networks increased momentum, due to the need to reach more and more user communities – in case isolated – by overcoming the cost barriers of wired technologies. This trend paved the way to the use of mainly proprietary solutions, some of them based on updated and empowered WiFi systems, others focused on point-to-point wireless connections based on RF technologies. This sub-optimal progression stimulated the relevant standardization bodies to work for the introduction of new open standards, facilitating large scale economies and wide market acceptance: in this context the IEEE 802.16 (also known as WirelessMAN) and the ETSI HiperMAN started to be defined and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) consortium was established to support certifications of the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard. In the meanwhile, most of the worldwide research initiatives started to focus on IP network architectures able to decouple the Application and Control Planes from the underlying Transport Plane. The main objective of these studies and developments is the seamless end-to-end integration of the various network technologies, and this is commonly achieved through special “convergence layers” in the most advanced network architectures. With respect to the Transport Plane, these convergence layers are able to cope with the different underlying technologies by means of special technology-dependent drivers; towards the Control Plane, they provide special functionalities for QoS/resource management, access authentication, L3 and L2 mobility, security, etc. The control mechanisms enabled by the entities in the “convergence layers” proved to enhance the network performance, both in terms of resource utilization/consumption and of endusers’ satisfaction, because they simplify the provisioning of the best network configuration for each incoming service request.

The WEIRD project aims to exploit and enhance the WiMAX technology in a convergence layer heterogeneous network architecture, in order to cope with future needs of research user communities and to build a test-beds allowing European research network GÈANT, GÈANT2 and relevant National Research Networks, to be reachable from isolated or remote areas.

Scientific and Technological objectives
The WEIRD project will implement and validate a research test-bed with the most advanced control and convergent layer entities as they are in the state of the art and will enhance them by integrating an improved version of the WiMAX technology.

This will provide the scientific community with an broadband access network based on the WiMAX technology and directly connected to GÈANT. In order to realize such a test-bed infrastructure to be smoothly integrated with GÈANT network and the NRENs, WEIRD must cope with the following technical objectives:

1. Enhancements to the WiMAX technology, which will mainly consist of:

Extensions of the convergence layer for the WiMAX support (WiMAX driver);
Enhancements of Data Link and PHY layers
QoS support both in license and license exempt bands;
Handover and access control mechanics at convergence layer for WiMAX.
Interoperability with mobility management;
Radio-over-fiber (RoF) techniques for massive and cost-effective WiMAX networkdeployment.

2. Enhancements to the IP network Control Plane, which will mainly consist of:

Study and simulations on optimum network planning, device configurations and physical layer enhancements for adaptive antenna systems, which can guarantee QoS in a scenario with competing and non cooperative networks transmitting into license exempt bands, both in LOS and Non LOS (NLOS) environments;

Definition of a set of guidelines and best-practices for the permanent deployment of the WEIRD architecture in GÈANT/GÈANT2 and the NRENs.

3. Supporting studies and deployment recommendations, which will mainly consist of:

Study and simulations on optimum network planning, device configurations and distributed Medium Access Control procedures, which can guarantee QoS in a scenario with competing and non cooperative networks transmitting into license exempt bands, both in LOS and Non LOS (NLOS) environments;

Definition of a set of guidelines and best-practices for the permanent deployment of the WEIRD architecture in GÈANT/GÈANT2 and the NRENs.

4. Assessment of scenarios. The scientific user communities partners of the project (Fire prevention department of UoC, Association OASI Maria SS., Vesuvio volcano monitoring scientific site, Icelandic meteorological office, Universities), will describe their user scenarios that will drive system requirements and specifications:

WiMAX as backhaul solution for research networks in remote areas;
Broadband access for fixed remote research sites for which the wired solutions are not costeffective;
Broadband access for nomadic personnel and aggregation systems collecting data from sensor equipments in impervious areas (e.g. a volcano);
Broadband access for extended research campus.
Broadband access for fire prevention;
Broadband access for medical personnel requiring high resolution medical information in nomadic emergency camps;
Broadband access for high resolution tele-engineering in remote or dangerous areas (e.g. wireless tele-robotics and/or tele-presence);

5. Validation of applications that the WEIRD convergent solution may offer including, among others:

Audio and Video over IP
o VoIP and Video conferencing and video streaming between scientific personnel;

Environmental Monitoring:
o Fire monitoring and volcano monitoring, which includes data and video streaming from sensor networks and cameras.

Telemedicine
o High resolution video and data streaming from medical instruments