UMU, and more specifically the Dept. of Information and Communications Engineering of the Computer Science Faculty provides gaia lab, a laboratory for experimentation in 5G and B5G technologies.
virtualization infrastructure
gaia lab comprises three different main sites: ATICA, PLEIADES and GAIA. These three data centers provide the virtualization and backhaul infrastructure for wireless connectivity, including a self-managed 5G infrastructure that allows experimentation in different fields. The cloud platform hosts core network components, as well as SDN, NFV and MEC deployments. The virtualization capabilities are supported by Proxmox and OpenStack solutions, adding up to more than 1500 CPUs and almost 15 TB of RAM. OSM and Kubernetes are available to enable dynamic and real-time orchestration and distributed computing.
wired network equipment
gaia lab counts with a network infrastructure based on SONiC NOS, featuring high availability, 100 Gbps links between sites and 25/40 Gbps links within the sites, as well as smaller deployments around the university campus. The network backhaul is supported by PTP to ensure timely and precise experimentation, and it is built on programmable networking technologies such as OpenFlow and P4. GAIA 5G also implements small sites equipped with realistic traffic injectors, emulators and impairment generators for low-TRL experimentation with disruptive technologies.
features
wireless connectivity
3GPP
gaia lab provides 5G SA network access through SDR technology. The infrastructure includes ETTUS B210 and ETTUS N310 devices for experimentation, along with additional SDR options such as BladeSDR boards. These SDR platforms are supported by dedicated computing resources: the B210 units are paired with 8-core computers with 16 GB RAM, while the N310 devices operate alongside a 16-core server based on AMD EPYC 7302P with 32 GB RAM, enabling advanced and flexible experimentation scenarios.
5G SA provision is delivered through a combination of closed-source and open-source implementations, primarily based on Amarisoft, Open5GS, Nokia, OAI and srsRAN. The outdoor campus-wide 5G network is composed of several gNBs distributed across different buildings, including indoor locations. The campus infrastructure is complemented by Amarisoft Callbox and Simbox units, enabling comprehensive in-lab experimentation.
IoT
gaia lab also features LoRaWAN capabilities operating in the 868 MHz band. The current infrastructure relies on two Kerlink iStation gateways located at the center of the campus. These gateways are connected to a self-deployed LoRaWAN Network Server (ChirpStack), while the received data is also forwarded to The Things Network servers. Future plans include the deployment of an additional gateway to achieve full coverage of the Espinardo campus and extend coverage to the wider Murcia area. Additionally, NB-IoT integration through external providers is foreseen as part of the platform’s evolution.
C-ITSs
To complete the multi-access infrastructure, 5G / PC5 / C-ITS networking is available through dual-role RSU/OBU-capable devices, which also integrate 5G SA connectivity. The lab also features Cohda MK6 OBU/RSU units supporting 5G / PC5 / C-ITS and 802.11 / DSRC connectivity.
These units can be deployed across the Espinardo campus on demand for vehicular experimentation, fully integrated into the existing infrastructure.
features
multi-access Espinardo Campus infrastructure
With all these devices and technologies integrated into a single multi-access heterogeneous network, the infrastructure map of the Espinardo campus is presented below.
5G coverage map
The simulated and subsequently experimentally validated 5G coverage plan of the two deployed sites is approximately as illustrated in the following image.
LoRaWAN coverage map
Once the three LoRaWAN gateways are deployed, the expected coverage is illustrated below, based on simulations conducted using Radio Mobile Online ↗︎.
