Network Slice Control via Common Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing network slice technology faces significant challenges due to the high processing burden on control devices, which limits the scalability and practicality of network slice management, especially as the number of network slices increases.
Innovation Solution
The proposed method involves a control device that communicates with forwarding devices using a common control channel, where control information for multiple network slices is sent in a single packet, allowing forwarding devices to determine the relevant information for each slice, thereby reducing the processing load on the control device and eliminating the need for separate control channels for each slice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate control channels are established for each network slice, then control information can be delivered accurately to specific slices, but the processing burden and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate control channels into a single common control channel. Control information for multiple network slices is packaged together in one control packet and transmitted through this common channel. The forwarding device then extracts and processes the relevant control information for each specific network slice based on identification information within the packet. This merging approach reduces the number of control channels and decreases control device processing burden while maintaining accurate delivery of control information to the appropriate slices.
2Device complexity
If a common control channel is used for multiple network slices, then device complexity is reduced, but control information management becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control information within the common control packet by including specific identification information for each network slice. Each control information element is marked with identifiers (such as slice IDs or forwarding device identifiers) that enable the forwarding device to distinguish and extract the relevant portions for specific network slices. This segmentation approach allows multiple slices to share a common control channel while maintaining the ability to accurately identify and process control information for each individual slice.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a method for controlling a network slice, a forwarding device, a control device, and a communications system. The method includes: receiving, by a first forwarding device, a first control packet sent by a control device, where the first control packet carries N pieces of control information and N network slice identifiers, the N pieces of control information are in a one-to-one correspondence with the N network slice identifiers, and a network slice identifier i corresponding to control information i is an identifier of a network slice controlled by using the control information i, where i∈[1, N], and N≥1; determining, by the first forwarding device, M pieces of first control information from the N pieces of control information based on the N network slice identifiers, where the M pieces of first control information are in a one-to-one correspondence with M first network slices, and the M first network slices are borne on the first forwarding device, where M≥1; and controlling, by the first forwarding device, a first network slice j based on first control information j, where j∈[1, M]. This application can reduce processing burden of the control device.