Understanding the LTE network nodes, protocols, and features supported in ns-3
ns-3 LTE module implementation considers the following broad architecture for simulations. We can understand it in two major parts, as shown in Figure 7.1:
Figure 7.1 – ns-3 LTE architecture implementation supporting nodes and their interfaces
The first part is the ns-3 implementation of the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) and its functions. It mainly deals with LTE spectrum management, LTE base stations, evolved Node B (eNB) and its protocols, LTE mobile terminals, and user equipment (UE) and its protocols. The second part is the ns-3 implementation of the LTE EPC network. It mainly deals with EPC’s major network components such as Mobility Management Entity (MME), the Packet Gateway (P-GW), and Serving Gateway (S-GW), and their protocols.
ns-3 LTE implementation considers all major interfaces such as S1-U, S5, S1-AP, S11, and X2...