Automated Network Slice Onboarding via Service Builder Tool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual onboarding of network slices in cellular networks is time-consuming and prone to human error, particularly when creating and linking cross-domain bundles, which complicates the process of establishing end-to-end network slices.
Innovation Solution
An automated process for onboarding network slices that involves generating universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) for network slice bundles and service bundles, using a service builder tool to automatically register and relate network services, and creating relationships between them within a slice catalog, thereby streamlining the network slice design and deployment process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual onboarding process is used for network slices, then flexibility and control are maintained, but time consumption and human error increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service through the service builder tool, which automatically generates UUIDs, registers network services, and creates relationships without human intervention. The tool reads configuration files, parses network service references, and performs all onboarding operations autonomously, eliminating manual errors and reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring network slice parameters, service references, and relationship definitions in configuration files before actual onboarding. The service builder tool then automatically processes these pre-prepared configurations, ensuring accurate and rapid deployment without manual intervention during the critical onboarding phase.
2Productivity
If automated service builder tool is used, then onboarding time and labor are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service builder tool acts as an intermediary between the configuration files and the network slice management system. It automatically generates UUIDs, parses service references, and creates relationships, thereby simplifying the user interface while handling the complexity of automated onboarding processes internally. This mediator approach maintains high productivity without requiring users to directly manage complex automated operations.
3Loss of time
If manual creation of cross-domain bundles is performed, then precise control over relationships is achieved, but human error and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The service builder tool automatically creates and links cross-domain bundles by reading configuration files that specify network service references. It autonomously generates UUIDs for slice bundles and service bundles, parses the references, and establishes relationships in the slice catalog without human intervention, thereby eliminating manual errors and reducing time consumption simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes generating, by a processor, a network slice bundle universally unique identifier (slice_bundle_UUID) for a network slice bundle; and generating, by the processor, a slice catalog slice_bundle_UUID, based on the slice_bundle_UUID, for use by a slice catalog; parsing and locating in the slice catalog, by the processor, one or more stored network service bundle references, based on a network service UUID (NS_UUID) referenced in the network slice bundle; and creating, by the processor, a relationship between one or more stored network services in the slice catalog and the network slice bundle.