Research on Heterogeneous Networks

Enabling Secure 5G-WI-FI 6/6E Coexistence for Federal users

DHS issued a research solicitation supporting CISA’s efforts to investigate the coexistence, convergence, interoperability, and security implications for Fifth Generation (5G) and Wi-Fi 6/6 Extended (6E), and to explore how federal users may securely leverage these technologies within their networks. Palindrome Technologies proposed its Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) architecture that leverages private and public 5G, Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), and Wi-Fi 6/6E.

Palindrome’s HetNet architecture, focuses on enhancing Resiliency in mobile communications by addressing three core challenges associated with heterogeneous networks and specifically reliability, unified access and security, and intelligent policy management for device orchestration, as federal users utilize interoperable wireless network technologies that require consistent performance and security across domains, network technologies and public and private networks. 

The HetNet solution focuses on managing network access and user/device identity regardless of the radio access technology to which the UE is connecting. It is also designed to follow defined federal policies and requirements to adhere to use cases and needed quality of service characteristics. Palindrome proposes an enhanced protocol suite capable of controlling the underlying network and middleware orchestration. The solution makes use of containerized or virtualized management functions that can provide orchestration of the HetNet solution to address various federal policy constraints.

Palindrome’s approach also demonstrates the potential interoperability between radio access technologies through mobility management to address handovers, user identity, authentication, and privacy. Mobility is addressed partially in the management functions and partly in the protocol stack. The enhanced stack provides users control over what wireless technologies they are connecting to. The management function captures information about the identity of the user, location, signaling and data flows between handoffs, as well as interfacing with the enhanced mobility protocol stack.