NSBchain: A Secure Blockchain Framework for Network Slicing Brokerage

With the advent of revolutionary technologies, such as virtualization and softwarization, a novel concept for 5G networks and beyond has been unveiled: Network Slicing. Initially driven by the research community, standardization bodies as 3GPP have embraced it as a promising solution to revolutionize the traditional mobile telecommunication market by enabling new business models opportunities. Network Slicing is envisioned to open up the telecom market to new players such as Industry Verticals, e.g. automotive, smart factories, e-health, etc. Given the large number of potential new business players, dubbed as network tenants, novel solutions are required to accommodate their needs in a cost-efficient and secure manner. In this paper, we propose NSBchain, a novel network slicing brokering (NSB) solution, which leverages on the widely adopted Blockchain technology to address the new business models needs beyond traditional network sharing agreements. NSBchain defines a new entity, the Intermediate Broker (IB), which enables Infrastructure Providers (InPs) to allocate network resources to IBs through smart contracts and IBs to assign and re-distribute their resources among tenants in a secure, automated and scalable manner. We conducted an extensive performance evaluation by means of an open-source blockchain platform that proves the feasibility of our proposed framework considering a large number of tenants and two different consensus algorithms

5G and Net Neutrality

Industry observers have raised the possibility that European network neutrality regulations may obstruct the deployment of 5G. To assess those claims, this Chapter describes the key technologies likely to be incorporated into 5G, including millimeter wave band radios, massive multiple input/multiple output (MIMO), ultra-densification, multiple radio access technologies (multi-RAT), and support for device-to-device (D2D) and machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity. It then reviews the business models likely to be associated with 5G, including network management through biasing and blanking, an emphasis on business-to-business (B2B) communications, and network function virtualization/network slicing. It then lays out the network neutrality regulations created by the EU in 2015 as well as the nonbinding interpretive guidelines issued by the Body of Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communication (BEREC) in 2016 and assesses how they will be applied to 5G. Network neutrality’s impact on 5G will likely to be determined by the way that the exceptions for reasonable traffic management and specialised services are interpreted. A broad interpretation should accommodate network slicing and other new business models needed to support the deployment of 5G, while a narrow interpretation could restrict innovation and investment

Machine Learning-based Orchestration Solutions for Future Slicing-Enabled Mobile Networks

The fifth generation mobile networks (5G) will incorporate novel technologies such as network programmability and virtualization enabled by Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) paradigms, which have recently attracted major interest from both academic and industrial stakeholders. Building on these concepts, Network Slicing raised as the main driver of a novel business model where mobile operators may open, i.e., “slice”, their infrastructure to new business players and offer independent, isolated and self-contained sets of network functions and physical/virtual resources tailored to specific services requirements. While Network Slicing has the potential to increase the revenue sources of service providers, it involves a number of technical challenges that must be carefully addressed. End-to-end (E2E) network slices encompass time and spectrum resources in the radio access network (RAN), transport resources on the fronthauling/backhauling links, and computing and storage resources at core and edge data centers. Additionally, the vertical service requirements’ heterogeneity (e.g., high throughput, low latency, high reliability) exacerbates the need for novel orchestration solutions able to manage end-to-end network slice resources across different domains, while satisfying stringent service level agreements and specific traffic requirements. An end-to-end network slicing orchestration solution shall i) admit network slice requests such that the overall system revenues are maximized, ii) provide the required resources across different network domains to fulfill the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) iii) dynamically adapt the resource allocation based on the real-time traffic load, endusers’ mobility and instantaneous wireless channel statistics. Certainly, a mobile network represents a fast-changing scenario characterized by complex spatio-temporal relationship connecting end-users’ traffic demand with social activities and economy. Legacy models that aim at providing dynamic resource allocation based on traditional traffic demand forecasting techniques fail to capture these important aspects. To close this gap, machine learning-aided solutions are quickly arising as promising technologies to sustain, in a scalable manner, the set of operations required by the network slicing context. How to implement such resource allocation schemes among slices, while trying to make the most efficient use of the networking resources composing the mobile infrastructure, are key problems underlying the network slicing paradigm, which will be addressed in this thesis

Mobile traffic forecasting for maximizing 5G network slicing resource utilization

IEEE INFOCOM 2017 - IEEE Conference on Computer CommunicationsAbstract. The emerging network slicing paradigm for 5G provides new business opportunities by enabling multi-tenancy support. At the same time, new technical challenges are introduced, as novel resource allocation algorithms are required to accommodate different business models. In particular, infrastructure providers need to implement radically new admission control policies to decide on network slices requests depending on their Service Level Agreements (SLA). When implementing such admission control policies, infrastructure providers may apply forecasting techniques in order to adjust the allocated slice resources so as to optimize the network utilization while meeting network slices' SLAs. This paper focuses on the design of three key network slicing building blocks responsible for (i) traffic analysis and prediction per network slice, (ii) admission control decisions for network slice requests, and (iii) adaptive correction of the forecasted load based on measured deviations. Our results show very substantial potential gains in terms of system utilization as well as a trade-off between conservative forecasting configurations versus more aggressive ones (higher gains, SLA risk)This work has been partially funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 671584 5GNORMA

Network slicing cost allocation model

Within the upcoming fifth generation (5G) mobile networks, a lot of emerging technologies, such as Software Defined Network (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and network slicing are proposed in order to leverage more flexibility, agility and cost-efficient deployment. These new networking paradigms are shaping not only the network architectures but will also affect the market structure and business case of the stakeholders involved. Due to its capability of splitting the physical network infrastructure into several isolated logical sub-networks, network slicing opens the network resources to vertical segments aiming at providing customized and more efficient end-to-end (E2E) services. While many standardization efforts within the 3GPP body have been made regarding the system architectural and functional features for the implementation of network slicing in 5G networks, techno-economic analysis of this concept is still at a very incipient stage. This paper initiates this techno-economic work by proposing a model that allocates the network cost to the different deployed slices, which can then later be used to price the different E2E services. This allocation is made from a network infrastructure provider perspective. To feed the proposed model with the required inputs, a resource allocation algorithm together with a 5G network function (NF) dimensioning model are also proposed. Results of the different models as well as the cost saving on the core network part resulting from the use of NFV are discussed as well

5GAuRA. D3.3: RAN Analytics Mechanisms and Performance Benchmarking of Video, Time Critical, and Social Applications

5GAuRA deliverable D3.3.This is the final deliverable of Work Package 3 (WP3) of the 5GAuRA project, providing a report on the project’s developments on the topics of Radio Access Network (RAN) analytics and application performance benchmarking. The focus of this deliverable is to extend and deepen the methods and results provided in the 5GAuRA deliverable D3.2 in the context of specific use scenarios of video, time critical, and social applications. In this respect, four major topics of WP3 of 5GAuRA – namely edge-cloud enhanced RAN architecture, machine learning assisted Random Access Channel (RACH) approach, Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) content caching, and active queue management – are put forward. Specifically, this document provides a detailed discussion on the service level agreement between tenant and service provider in the context of network slicing in Fifth Generation (5G) communication networks. Network slicing is considered as a key enabler to 5G communication system. Legacy telecommunication networks have been providing various services to all kinds of customers through a single network infrastructure. In contrast, by deploying network slicing, operators are now able to partition one network into individual slices, each with its own configuration and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. There are many applications across industry that open new business opportunities with new business models. Every application instance requires an independent slice with its own network functions and features, whereby every single slice needs an individual Service Level Agreement (SLA). In D3.3, we propose a comprehensive end-to-end structure of SLA between the tenant and the service provider of sliced 5G network, which balances the interests of both sides. The proposed SLA defines reliability, availability, and performance of delivered telecommunication services in order to ensure that right information is delivered to the right destination at right time, safely and securely. We also discuss the metrics of slicebased network SLA such as throughput, penalty, cost, revenue, profit, and QoS related metrics, which are, in the view of 5GAuRA, critical features of the agreement.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version