II-NEW: Scalable Software Defined Radio Network Testbed for Hybrid Measurement and Emulation

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Recent advancements in wireless network protocols offer opportunities in new research areas including algorithm design, spectrum optimization, throughput maximization, and wireless security. Each time wireless technologies evolve, additional testing and certification steps are required, and, in most cases, several rounds of such verification are needed. These steps are crucial to ensure the final product is indeed ready for public use. Wireless protocol and algorithm developers leverage highly-customizable software defined radio (SDR) nodes to create and improve their design. Although SDRs offer an ideal environment for testing using point-to-point wireless links, they incur an increased overhead to the user for when a large-scale network measurements involving multiple radios are required. At present, there does not exist, a remotely accessible testbed that would allow users to customize SDR applications and test their radios with controllable radio propagation (emulated, simulated, and over-the-air) channels. The testbed resulting from this project will achieve this goal, and in doing so, establish Drexel University as a leader in cybersecurity and telecommunication systems research. Upon completion of the project, the equipment will be locally and remotely shared with faculty, staff, and students in the research community for educational purposes. The testbed will consist of Ettus USRP SDR nodes (i.e. N210, X310) connected to an RFNest 16-port Wireless Channel Emulator from Intelligent Automation, Inc., which offers capabilities of providing highly controlled wireless environments for repeatable experiments. A hardware infrastructure will be developed to distribute radio frequency and timing cabling as well as to install these nodes on a ceiling scaffolding grid structure in Drexel's new laboratory space. A software infrastructure will be developed to allow for researchers to utilize the testbed for customized experiments involving emulated, simulated, and over-the-air wireless channels, where this unique combination of features have never been offered before. This infrastructure will require custom application programming interfaces (for interfacing with the SDRs, RFNest, host computers, and switches) and remote access interfaces (web GUI, ssh) to allow users to upload their custom hardware and software designs. By leveraging existing software platforms, the project will offer sophisticated experiment setup, measurement and data management tools as well as emulated network options. To add to the unique features of the testbed, Drexel's software defined communications (SDC) testbed, which offers on-the-fly scalability, will be ported to X310s and made available as a part of the project.