VIMENO: A Virtual Wireless Mesh Network Architecture for Operators

Network virtualization is one of the key concepts of the Future Internet. However, the use of virtualization techniques in wireless mesh networks has thus far not been adequately studied. In this paper we describe VIMENO: a Virtual wireless Mesh Network architecture for Operators, i. e., the first virtualization-enabled wireless mesh network architecture designed for operators. In the proposed architecture, virtualization is used to divide the mesh resources governed by a single mesh network operator among multiple virtual network operators. The advantage of this outsourcing approach is that each virtual network operator can focus on providing a service to its end-users, leaving the network administration to the mesh network operator. This leads to the lowering of the operating expenditure of virtual network operators and allows tailoring of each virtual network to individual operator and service requirements.