# Key Technologies in the Context of Future Networks: Operational and Management Requirements
## 3 Research Overview  
Future Mobile Networks require customizable, efficient and scalable network infrastructures in order to meet the new user needs and the exponentially-increasing traffic demands, while decreasing the capital and operational expenditures. The SDN concept has been introduced in a broad range of fields, such as QoS, data centers, mobile and optical networks, security, network virtualization, among others [17]. As an instance, Google was one of the first enterprises to incorporate the SDN concept to communicate their internal Datacenter-WAN. Furthermore, there are some projects that allow SDN experimentation by offering scalable testbed infrastructures with research purposes, such as Geant, GENI, Ofelia, Felix, among others [20]. Figure 3: Trends in Future Networks. In particular, the integration of SDN or NFV with mobile networks includes the deployment of virtualized base stations and core components (Long Term Evolution-LTE) [21], energy efficiency experimentation on WiFi networks, the optimization of very dense and heterogeneous wireless networks [22], etc. The next generation of mobile networks could take advantage of the combination of key-enabled technologies to enhance the following areas: (i) the development of radio access (high speed, spectrum efficiency, high mobility, high availability); (ii) improvements in core networks (QoS support, aggregated processes, network slicing, cloud deployment) and (iii) the management and orchestration process (customization of user needs, dynamic allocation of resources, energy efficiency mechanism, manage a big amount of data) [5; 9; 23]. Different standard organizations leverage the adoption of SDN and NFV concepts in their infrastructures. These organizations have presented the challenges, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and possible use cases in order to cover the above-mentioned areas. As an instance, Open Networking Foundation (ONF) [24] promotes the adoption of SDN and defines a wide range of use cases, such as inter-cell interference management, virtual customer edge, network virtualization or data center optimization. Meanwhile, NFV is an initiative of ETSI and telecommunication providers, which proposes the virtualization of the traditional network functions. ETSI-NFV defines nine general use cases [25], such as NFV Infrastructure as a Service (NFVlaaS), VNF Forwarding Graph (VNF-FG), etc. In the scope of mobile networks, NFV promotes the virtualization of Mobile Core Networks and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), the virtualization of a mobile base station, the virtualization of the home environment and the virtualization of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). In the meantime, some open source projects led by the research community have emerged to provide an open environment to test with SDN, NFV and cloud computing, such as OpenNFV (SDN and NFV) [26], Floodlight (OpenFlow and OpenStack support) [27], OpenDaylight (SDN, NFV and OpenStack) [28], among others. Regarding mobile networks, industry manufacturers, telecommunication operators, and related stakeholders are working on the definition of requirements, standardization, regulation and development of future mobile systems, such as 5G-PPP (5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership) and Next Generation Mobile Network initiative (NGMN). The 5G-PPP [29] proposes solutions, standards and infrastructures to allow the ubiquitous 5G communication. For its part, the NGMN [4] will expect to provide 5G solutions by 2020, within eight general use cases: broadband access in dense areas, broadband access everywhere, high user mobility, massive Internet of Things, extreme real-time communication, lifeline communication, ultra-reliable communication and broadcast-like services. The most outstanding efforts have been made in the 5G research field. A wide range of projects or initiatives will expect to cover the needs of future mobile users. These worldwide initiatives encompass global regions of Asia, Europe and the Americas.