Mobile P2P in Cellular Mobile Networks: Architecture and Performance

Abstract

The telecommunication industry has recently seen two areas with very high growth rates: cellular networks, for example, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), and P2P (Peer-to-Peer) file-sharing applications. A combination of both might be highly attractive: a) for attracting new users; and b) for exploiting the potential of cellular broadband technologies. From a system’s perspective, architectures and performance figures of cellular mobile network applications and services that have edge-based intelligence (e.g,. P2P applications) are, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, less researched and many questions remain open. This chapter presents the design of MP2P (Mobile P2P) applications for cellular mobile networks by using the example of a MP2P content-distribution application. First, the incompatibilities between the P2P paradigm and properties of cellular mobile networks are identified. Then, a design methodology for MP2P applications for cellular mobile networks is proposed. The proposed method is based on a functional analysis of the two basic P2P functions, resource mediation and resource access control. The result is a hybrid P2P content-distribution architecture, which is enhanced by different operator-controlled infrastructure elements. The suggested architecture does not only overcome incompatibilities between P2P and cellular mobile communication systems, it also meets the functional needs and performance requirements of future P2P applications in cellular environments, while still largely preserves the user characteristics and efficiency of P2P systems. Finally, the performance enhancements by the architecture for the two basic P2P functions are investigated by comprehensive simulative and analytical performance evaluations.