Architecture for integrating vertical customer’s programmability control of network functions and connectivity in a slice-as-a-service schema

Abstract

Network slicing will permit offering to vertical customers tailored end-to-end logical networks in an on-demand fashion, on top of a common telecom infrastructure, achieving a Slices-as-a-Service (SlaaS) business model. This is possible due to the progressive introduction of network softwarization techniques, such as programmability and virtualization, into existing operational networks, enabling dynamic and flexible provision of slices. Those vertical customers could require the control not only of the network functions composing the end-to-end service, but also of the connectivity among them, e.g., for influencing the paths for steering traffic among function instances. However, this can be problematic since decisions from one vertical customer can collide with decisions from others. One aspect not yet sufficiently investigated is how to permit vertical customers to jointly control the service functions and the underlay connectivity, in such a way that could operate the allocated slice as if it was actually a dedicated network entirely for them. This paper explores some architectural proposition in this respect illustrated with some potential use cases and it provides an example of the provision of SlaaS for a vertical customer.

An Empirical Assessment of the Contribution of 5G in Vertical Industries: A Case for the Transportation Sector

“…5G turns its attention to new scenarios involving devices and the existing end-users, considering the necessary technological aspects for heterogeneous communication requirements and different scales of connected entities. This evolution allows vertical industries to improve not only obtained service performance but also their flexibility, considering different criteria such as latency, reliability, availability, resilience, and density, amongst others, using a single access technology at the last hop [5]. In order to achieve this, 5G had to procure evolutions not only at the radio transmission level or even the core network itself but also integrate key innovative architectural aspects, such as cloudification.…”

“…This objective is also pursued by other entities that address specific operational sectors, such as the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA 2 ), the Alliance of Industrial Internet (AII 3 ), and the Industry IoT Consortium (IIC 4 ). Additionally, research projects such as H2020 5G-enabled Growth in Vertical Industries (5GROWTH 5 ) aimed to pursue the technical and business validation of 5G technologies, creating the necessary infrastructure and technical facilities to support the required integration engineering of verticals for 5G up taking.…”

Packet Optical Transport Network Slicing with Hard and Soft Isolation

“…Each of these virtual routers is a router in its full sense, being able to host multiple VRFs and VSIs, or to be managed independently of the other virtual routers running in the same device. Virtual routers are thus administratively separated from each other, which means separate virtual routers can be assigned to different tenants, and each tenant can manage the virtual routers directly, without the need from the operator that owns the physical network to intervene intervene (e.g., following an approach similar to the one described in [17]).…”

Resource Abstractions in NFV Management and Orchestration: Experimental Evaluation

“…B OTH 5G and 6G solutions are defined to support technological solutions for seamlessly and automatically roll out distinct vertical services and applications (e.g., eHealth, automotive, media, Industry4.0) on a common and shared cloud/network infrastructure [1]. In this way, vertical industries become consumers of the resources and services offered by infrastructure owners [2]. A well-known concept in this context is the network slicing capability, where infrastructure operators virtualize their cloud/network stratum, and create partitions for the vertical customers [3].…”