Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Fifth generation (5G) wireless networks promise dramatic improvements on several fronts over current 4G networks. Our industrial partner for this project, Cisco, is the world leader in enterprise networking and this project has as its objectives to understand how 5G will impact enterprise networking, as well as how to integrate and configure 5G networks for enterprise settings. Enterprise networking customers and deployments are diverse, e.g., from hospitals, to office buildings, to campuses or factories. Thus, in enterprise settings the application requirements, e.g., high-rate low-latency (for virtual reality or critical applications) to very low rate (for some Internet of Things applications) are also diverse, and ensuring the delivery of consistent application specific Quality of Experience is paramount. As these requirements are a significant break from what can be achieved through incremental improvements, achieving the promise of 5G enterprise networking will require a dramatic rethink of wireless networks. Thus, key to achieving the goals of 5G in enterprise settings is to take a holistic view with respect to co-located networks including coexistence/coordination and resource sharing/allocation.From a scientific point of view, the project will provide new insights and understanding in wireless networking. From a technical point of view, the project will provide our industrial partner with critical knowledge of 5G and know-how to integrate 5G networks for seamless operation in enterprise networks. From an academic perspective, the project will deepen a cross-layer collaboration between the three co-PIs, resulting in an innovative graduate research program in 5G cross-layer design. The project will thus contribute to Cisco's enterprise networking products, as well as train several graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in advanced 5G networking and provide critical HQP talent for Canada's ICT industry.