Ultra-Low Latency (ULL) Networks: The IEEE TSN and IETF DetNet Standards and Related 5G ULL Research

TLDR

Industrial control and other applications demand ultra‑low latency, yet conventional packet networks only achieve tens of milliseconds, prompting IEEE TSN and IETF DetNet to provide link‑ and network‑layer support, respectively, and highlighting ULL’s critical role in the 5G access chain. This article offers an up‑to‑date comprehensive survey of the IEEE TSN and IETF DetNet standards and related research studies. The survey is organized by flow concept, flow synchronization, flow management, flow control, and flow integrity, and for 5G it is further divided into fronthaul, backhaul, and network‑management categories. We identify pitfalls and limitations in existing standards and research, and suggest that this survey provides a foundation for future enhancements to address them.

Abstract

Many network applications, e.g., industrial control, demand Ultra-Low Latency (ULL). However, traditional packet networks can only reduce the end-to-end latencies to the order of tens of milliseconds. The IEEE 802.1 Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) standard and related research studies have sought to provide link layer support for ULL networking, while the emerging IETF Deterministic Networking (DetNet) standards seek to provide the complementary network layer ULL support. This article provides an up-to-date comprehensive survey of the IEEE TSN and IETF DetNet standards and the related research studies. The survey of these standards and research studies is organized according to the main categories of flow concept, flow synchronization, flow management, flow control, and flow integrity. ULL networking mechanisms play a critical role in the emerging fifth generation (5G) network access chain from wireless devices via access, backhaul, and core networks. We survey the studies that specifically target the support of ULL in 5G networks, with the main categories of fronthaul, backhaul, and network management. Throughout, we identify the pitfalls and limitations of the existing standards and research studies. This survey can thus serve as a basis for the development of standards enhancements and future ULL research studies that address the identified pitfalls and limitations.