ARA Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD)

As a large-scale wireless testbed, ARA offers a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) capability that allows users to integrate and test their own devices on the platform. In other words, researchers can bring custom hardware (either developed as part of their work or used for measurements and experimental studies) and evaluate it within ARA. These devices can be tested in real-world rural environments or within ARA’s extensive indoor sandbox environment.

Because BYOD use cases can vary significantly, integration and testing require careful planning prior to execution. The following guidelines outline the recommended steps for utilizing ARA’s BYOD feature:

  1. Submit the ARA BYOD Request Form with details of your devices and the experiments you want to perform in ARA. The ARA team will respond with a proposed meeting schedule.

  2. Meet with the ARA team (online) for a detailed discussion on the feasibility of the requested experiments, a preliminary plan, and the associated logistics.

  3. Prepare a schedule for the experiments, taking into consideration the availability of both ARA support staff and the BYOD team. Allocate up to 25% additional time to account for unexpected situations or delays.

  4. Validate device functionality and software in a local or simulated environment prior to deployment at ARA.

  5. Prepare a detailed plan covering the process of bringing the devices to ARA, integrating them with ARA, and executing the experiments. The plan should include:

    • The devices being brought (including number and types)

    • The installation locations of the devices

    • The required accessories (Ethernet, fiber, and RF cables, connectors, etc.)

    • The experiments to be conducted with the devices

      • The required software, packaged in Docker containers

      • Automated experimentation using Jupyter Notebooks to reduce manual effort

      • A clear plan for logging experimental results and transferring data (e.g., to a cloud platform such as Dropbox)

    • Personnel planning:

      • In-person participation should be ensured when it is essential for the execution of the experiments. In cases where onsite presence is not required, remote participation is acceptable; however, team members must be available online for the entire duration of the experiments.

      • At least two to three members of the BYOD team should be familiar with conducting experiments within ARA

    • System and deployment requirements:

      • Ensure that all devices comply with ARA safety, power, and RF regulations

      • Clearly specify power requirements and network interfaces

      • Define expected resource usage (e.g., spectrum, compute, storage) to avoid conflicts

    • Risk and reliability planning:

      • Include a contingency or recovery plan in case of device failure or experiment disruption

  6. Ensure that all required user accounts and access permissions for ARA systems are requested and approved in advance.

    • Identify who requires access and at what level (e.g., administrative, user-level)

    • Do not share credentials between team members

    • Follow ARA security policies for authentication and access control

  7. Ensure that all data collected during the experiments complies with applicable data privacy and ethical guidelines.

    • Avoid collecting personally identifiable information (PII) unless explicitly approved

    • Define how experimental data will be stored, accessed, and shared

    • Use secure methods for data transfer and storage

  8. During experimentation, whether onsite or remote, the BYOD team must strictly follow the requirements and guidelines of the ARA team.

  9. After completion of the experiments, ensure proper cleanup and restoration.

    • Remove all BYOD equipment from the ARA site unless otherwise agreed

    • Restore any modified ARA configurations to their original state

    • Ensure no residual data or processes remain on ARA systems

    • Coordinate with the ARA team for proper shutdown and disconnection

Example BYOD Experiments

The following examples illustrate the types of BYOD experiments that can be conducted using ARA:

  1. Integration and Testing of NextG RAN: Researchers can bring next-generation radio access network (RAN) components, including custom Radio Units (RUs), advanced antenna systems (e.g., phased arrays), and experimental RF front-end designs, and integrate them with ARA’s infrastructure. These devices can be deployed on ARA towers or poles, while Distributed Units (DUs) and Centralized Units (CUs) can be hosted in outdoor ARA base station cabinets and connected to the ARA network; alternatively, ARA’s existing compute resources can be used to host DU/CU functionalities if only RUs are provided. Integration can also be performed within ARA’s comprehensive indoor sandbox environment, which includes 53 SDRs for controlled experimentation. The integrated setup can be accessed via the ARA experimentation workflow or the ARA jumpbox, enabling real-world evaluation of next-generation RAN architectures and end-to-end system behavior under rural deployment conditions. For more details on the ARA environment and context, visit the ARA-enabled research page, AraRAN Experiments, and AraHaul Experiments.

  2. Edge Device and Distributed Workload Evaluation: Researchers can bring custom edge devices, such as FLOTO-like systems or other embedded computing platforms, and integrate them with ARA’s wireless and edge infrastructure to evaluate distributed workloads. These devices can be deployed at UE locations or edge sites and connected to ARA’s network and compute resources. The setup enables experimentation with application performance over heterogeneous wireless access and x-haul links, including measurements of latency, throughput, and system responsiveness, as well as studying interactions between edge devices and ARA’s edge/cloud infrastructure in realistic rural environments.

  3. Custom IoT and Low-Power Radio Integration (e.g., LoRa-based Systems): Researchers can bring single-board computers (e.g., Raspberry Pi-class devices) along with low-power radios such as LoRa modules or sensor nodes and integrate them into ARA’s infrastructure. These devices can be hosted at UE sites using available ports and cabinet space and connected to the ARA network for backhaul and data collection. This setup enables evaluation of coverage, reliability, and scalability of low-power communication systems, as well as studying coexistence with other wireless technologies and collecting real-world sensing data in rural deployments.

If you have any questions, please contact us at e2@arawireless.org.