on general purpose processors or server platforms. The DU hardware can be implemented using customized SoCs and/or hybrid platforms, which enable real-time processing of computationally intensive functions. With NFV infrastructure, system resources (including CU and DU) can be orchestrated and xliv Introduction and Background managed flexibly via MANO entity, SDN controller, and traditional operating and mainte- nance center, which can support operators' requirements for fast service rollout. In order to address the transport challenges among CU, DU, and RRU in 5G wireless sys- items, IEEE 1914 working group and Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) Forum 6 have independently specified new fronthaul interfaces. IEEE P1914.1 is developing the standard for packet-based fronthaul transport networks. It is defining an architecture for the transport of mobile fronthaul traffic (e.g., Ethernet- based), including user data traffic as well as management and control-plane traffic. The group is further defining the requirements for the fronthaul networks, including data rates, timing and synchronization, and QoS. The standard also analyzes functional parti- tioning schemes between the remote radio units and the baseband processing units with the goal of improving fronthaul link efficiency and interoperability on the transport level, and facilitating the realization of cooperative radio functions such as massive MIMO, and CoMP transmission and reception. IEEE P1914.3 standard specifies the encapsulation of the digitized complex-valued in- phase and quadrature radio signal components, and (vendor-) specific control informa- tion channels/flows into an encapsulated Ethernet frame payload field. The header for- mat for both structure-aware and structure-agnostic encapsulation of existing digitized radio transport formats have been specified. The structure-aware encapsulation is assumed to have detailed knowledge of the encapsulated digitized radio transport format content, whereas the structure-agnostic encapsulation is only a 