Automated Network Slice Deployment With Modular Segment Templates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing and building network slices in Next Generation mobile networks is a labor-intensive process, and determining which transport domains to orchestrate, manage, and control to meet specific customer requirements is complicated.
Innovation Solution
A slice planning tool that automates the network slice deployment process by using preconfigured templates and customer inputs to design and assemble end-to-end slice designs, incorporating features like slice planning tool, parameter forms database, design system interface, and deployment system to orchestrate network functions and transport domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If network slicing is implemented to increase network efficiency and performance, then network capacity and data transfer rates improve, but the complexity of designing and building network slices increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network slice design process into distinct modular components: transport domain identification, network function selection, parameter configuration, and deployment orchestration. Each component is handled separately through automated workflows, reducing the complexity of managing the overall slice design while maintaining high network efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary automated system that mediates between customer requirements and network slice implementation. This system includes tools for automatic slice design, transport domain identification, and deployment orchestration, which translate high-level requirements into detailed technical configurations without manual intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network slices are customized to meet specific customer requirements, then service adaptability improves, but manual labor and deployment time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining transport domain templates, network function catalogs, and parameter configurations that can be automatically selected and applied during slice deployment. This preparation of standardized components in advance enables rapid customization without manual labor, reducing deployment time while maintaining adaptability to customer requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes to enable flexible customization of network slices. By allowing dynamic adjustment of slice parameters (bandwidth, latency, capacity) through automated workflows and customer input forms, the system can rapidly adapt to different customer requirements without manual reconfiguration, significantly reducing deployment time.
3Reliability
If multiple transport domains are orchestrated to meet customer parameters, then network performance optimization improves, but the complexity of managing and controlling transport domains increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal transport domain identification mechanism that can handle multiple transport domains (fronthaul, midhaul, backhaul) through a single automated workflow. The system universally applies the same identification and selection process across different domain types, reducing management complexity while optimizing network performance across all transport layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where customer parameters and performance requirements are continuously monitored and fed back into the slice design and transport domain selection process. This automated feedback loop enables the system to dynamically adjust transport domain configurations to meet performance targets without manual intervention, simplifying management while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods described herein enable automation of network slice deployments. A network device stores a group of preconfigured templates for different slice segments of a data transport network and identifies customer parameters for a slice. The network device retrieves a first template that satisfies the customer parameters for a first slice segment and generates a first segment design for the slice. The network device retrieves a second template that supports the first segment design and customer parameters for a second slice segment and generates at least one second segment design for the slice. The network device assembles an end-to-end slice design using the first segment design and the at least one second segment design and forwards the end-to-end slice design to a deployment system for the data transport network.