SLICE MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND SLICE MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20200137678A1
• Filed: 02/15/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: KATSUMATA, Yuki, IWASHINA, Shigeru, YAMADA, Akira, SHIMOJOU, Takuya
• Application Number:
  US16/495,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20200137678A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

A network operating device is disclosed that serves as a slice management device and assigns a service to slices that are virtual networks generated on a network infrastructure. The slices are being arranged in a plurality of stages of a communication path along which communication is performed between a user equipment as a user terminal and a service server providing the service. The network operating device includes an information acquiring unit that acquires a slice setting request including a service requirement, a slice setting policy determining unit that determines a slice setting policy for setting slices, and a slice setting unit that performs a process relating to the settings of the slices in the plurality of stages on the basis of the setting policy.

Claims

1. A slice management device assigning a service using a virtual network to slices that are virtual networks generated on a network infrastructure,

the slices being arranged in a plurality of stages of a communication path along which communication is performed between a user terminal using the service and a service server providing the service,

the slice management device comprising:

an information acquiring unit that acquires a slice setting request including a service requirement that is a requirement of a function or performance in a service provided using the virtual network;

a slice setting policy determining unit that determines a setting policy for setting slices which satisfy the service requirement as the slices of the plurality of stages on the basis of results of comparison of costs calculated in accordance with settings of the slices of the plurality of stages; and

a slice setting unit that performs a process relating to the settings of the slices in the plurality of stages on the basis of the setting policy determined by the slice setting policy determining unit.

2. The slice management device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case in which the service requirement is satisfied, and the cost is lower in a case in which the service is assigned to an existing slice in any one of the plurality of stages than in a case in which a slice is newly generated, the slice setting policy determining unit uses the existing slice.

3. The slice management device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case in which the service requirement is satisfied, and the cost is lower in a case in which the service is assigned to an existing slice by extending resources of the existing slice in any one of the plurality of stages than in a case in which a slice is newly generated, the slice setting policy determining unit uses the existing slice by extending the resources of the existing slice.

4. A slice management method using a slice management device assigning a service using a virtual network to slices that are virtual networks generated on a network infrastructure,

the slices being arranged in a plurality of stages of a communication path along which communication is performed between a user terminal using the service and a service server providing the service,

the slice management method comprising:

an information acquiring step of acquiring a slice setting request including a service requirement that is a requirement of a function or performance in a service provided using the virtual network;

a slice setting policy determining step of determining a setting policy for setting slices which satisfy the service requirement as the slices of the plurality of stages on the basis of results of comparison of costs calculated in accordance with settings of the slices of the plurality of stages; and

a slice setting step of performing a process relating to the settings of the slices of the plurality of stages on the basis of the setting policy determined in the slice setting policy determining step.