AgentVisor: Agent-Based Network Hypervisor for Autonomic Network Virtualization

Abstract

A network hypervisor is a novel solution for network virtualization that allows the dynamic creation of virtual networks to facilitate independent business solutions to numerous tenants over a shared network infrastructure. This article proposes an agent-based network hypervisor (AgentVisor) architecture that virtualizes controller agents, separated from tenants' controllers to support high levels of adaptation, automation and autonomy of virtual software-defined networking networks (vSDNs). The controller agents enable closed control loop automation of systematic data collection, data-driven decision-making and autonomic control actions for monitoring, configuration and fault handling of vSDNs without intervention of tenants' controllers in a cloud/edge environment. The controller agent also offers an extended northbound interface with tenants' controllers to support policy and intelligence management based on artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Through controller agent virtualization, the proposed AgentVisor architecture enables a multiagent system of autonomic vSDNs that facilitate independent business solutions for different markets over a shared infrastructure for fifth generation (5G) vision and beyond.