Abstract
Network slicing is a fundamental feature of 5G systems to partition a single network into a number of segregated logical networks, each optimized for a particular type of service or dedicated to a particular customer or application. The realization of network slicing is particularly challenging in the Radio Access Network (RAN) part, where multiple slices can be multiplexed over the same radio channel and Radio Resource Management (RRM) functions shall be used to split the cell radio resources and achieve the expected behaviour per slice. In this context, this paper describes the key design and implementation aspects of a Software-Defined RAN (SD-RAN) experimental testbed with slicing support. The testbed has been designed consistently with the slicing capabilities and related management framework established by 3GPP in Release 15. The testbed is used to demonstrate the provisioning of RAN slices (e.g., preparation, commissioning, and activation phases) and the operation of the implemented RRM functionality for slice-aware admission control and scheduling.
Highlights
We analysed in [9] the Radio Access Network (RAN) slicing problem in a multicell network in order to show how Radio Resource Management (RRM) functionalities can be used to properly share the radio resources, and we developed in [10] a set of vendor-agnostic configuration descriptors intended to characterize the features, policies, and resources to be put in place across the radio protocol layers
This paper has presented a Software-Defined RAN (SD-RAN) testbed that proves the feasibility and showcases the operation of (1) management services for the provisioning of RAN slices and (2) sliceaware/multicell scope RRM functions used to split the radio resources between RAN slices based on configurable RRM policy descriptors
As a plausible realization of the RRMPolicy attribute included in the 3GPP information models, a template with a set of L3 and L2 descriptors has been proposed in this paper for a fine-grained specification of the RRM policy per slice at both cell and multicell levels
Summary
System architecture and functional aspects to support network slicing in 5G Core Network (5GC) and Generation RAN (NG-RAN) have already been defined in the first release of the 5G normative specifications approved by 3GPP (e.g., network slice identifiers, procedures and functions for network slice selection, etc.) [3, 4]. More focused on a 5G RAN; [12] proposes the notion of an on-demand capacity broker that allows a RAN provider to allocate a portion of network capacity for a particular time period, while [13] provides some insight on the need to extend current RAN management frameworks to support network slicing [1] and gives an extensive overview of related use cases Further progressing on this topic, a functional framework for the management of network slicing for a NG-RAN infrastructure was introduced in [14], detailing the functional components, interfaces, and information models that shall be in place, together with a discussion on the complexity of automating the RAN provisioning process.
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