Providing strong 5G mobile network slice isolation for highly sensitive third-party services

Abstract

Future 5G mobile networks are expected to support network slicing, i.e. multiple virtual networks running on a common infrastructure. A virtual network, called network slice, may be created to support a specific communication service type, such as massive machine-type communication, or even a specific application, for example one single Internet of Things (IoT) application. Network slices may be created by an organization like a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and rented out to 3rd-party organizations like enterprises. A prerequisite for running a highly sensitive service in a network slice is full isolation of the slice against all other users of the common network infrastructure. An industry vertical renting a slice for an Industry 4.0 application may even require isolation against the organizations providing the network infrastructure. In this paper, we introduce different novel provisioning models for 3rd-party slices and discuss their isolation properties. We conclude that network slices relying solely on common infrastructure cannot meet highest isolation requirements. We therefore introduce new network architecture deployment models which include 3rd-party-owned network infrastructure, and show how they can be used by 3rd-parties to implement highly secure mobile communication services.