Network slicing for 5G with SDN/NFV: Concepts, architectures and challenges

The fifth generation of mobile communications is anticipated to open up innovation opportunities for new industries such as vertical markets. However, these verticals originate myriad use cases with diverging requirements that future 5G networks have to efficiently support. Network slicing may be a natural solution to simultaneously accommodate over a common network infrastructure the wide range of services that vertical-specific use cases will demand. In this article, we present the network slicing concept, with a particular focus on its application to 5G systems. We start by summarizing the key aspects that enable the realization of so-called network slices. Then, we give a brief overview on the SDN architecture proposed by the ONF and show that it provides tools to support slicing. We argue that although such architecture paves the way for network slicing implementation, it lacks some essential capabilities that can be supplied by NFV. Hence, we analyze a proposal from the ETSI to incorporate the capabilities of SDN into the NFV architecture. Additionally, we present an example scenario that combines SDN and NFV technologies to address the realization of network slices. Finally, we summarize the open research issues with the purpose of motivating new advances in this field

5G-CLARITY Deliverable D2.3 Primary System Architecture Evaluation

The present deliverable provides an initial evaluation of the key features of the 5G-CLARITY system architecture reported in [2] so that its main merits and limitations can be outlined. The activities carried out in this deliverable include: • Identification of components and features from the system architecture that will take part in the overall system evaluation. • The modelling of selected components and features, relying on theoretical analysis adopting both analytical and numerical models. • Definition of an evaluation plan, to specify the use case-based scenarios that will be used for the system architecture evaluation. For each scenario, this plan provides information of what the evaluation pursues and how it will be done, indicating: i) the selected components and features, together with their developed models; ii) the system level specification, by integrating individual models into end-to-end models that allows characterizing/profiling the scenario; and iii) the simulation and optimisation tools to be used for scenario evaluation. • System architecture evaluation execution, by validating the developed end-to-end models with the selected simulation and optimisation tools. This allows assessment of 5G-CLARITY system architecture through representative use cases, indicating clear benefits with respect to the relevant state-of-the-art as well as associated trade-offs. The outcomes from this first evaluation will be used to provide inputs to the work in WP3 and WP4, and to introduce necessary refinements in the final version of the 5G-CLARITY system architecture, to be published in the upcoming deliverable 5G-CLARITY D2.4