Wireless Network Slicing: A Survey

Dheyab Salman Ibrahim

, Hassan Hadi Salih

and Israa Mishkhal

College of Information Technology, University of Babylon, Hilla, Iraq

College of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Diyala, Diyala, Iraq

College of Science University of Diyala, Diyala, Iraq

Keywords: 5G, SDN, NFV, Network S, Edge Computing.

Abstract: Network slicing has developed as a method to deal with the difficult management of these future nets. These

methods splits the wireless network into solitary virtual slices below specific managing, needs. Wireless

network slicing is good method to solving the problems of quickly growing needs in mobile data services

associated to 5G cellular networks. In this study we survey the studies that focused on the network slicing,

architecture, motivations and challenges. Also give definition for some concepts that enable Slice process

such as software defined network (SDN), Wireless Network Virtualization (WNV), Network Function

Virtualization (NFV) and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) which can support 5G networks. We highlight the

future research directions regarding network softwarization and slicing using SDN and NFV in 5G networks.

1 INTRODUCTION

New digital changes allowed by developing

technologies: “Edge computing”, “cloud computing”,

“network function virtualization” (NFV), “Internet of

Things” (IoT), and “software-defined networking”

(SDN), that are consider smart services for

consumers. Smart services need more and more

connectivity. Network slicing enables connectivity

for the smart services with diverse requirements via

multiple logical networks over the top of the physical

network infrastructure as show figure1 (latif and

ibrar, 2020). With high consumption of services, the

demand of high-quality services from customers

require important change for administer networks. To

understand this idea in 5G network, the physical

network must be divided into several virtual parts of

network with different sizes and structures that

provides dissimilar kinds of services. Softwarization

is defined by using SDN and NFV in 5G networks

that are predictable to give more control and

management for resources of network (Alcardo, et al.,

2020). Network slice (NS) is a whole virtual network

with sharing computing, storing and infrastructure of

network. (loe, 2020).. Fifth-Generation (5G) and

beyond networks can be provide many services with

different conditions. “Network slicing” is a major

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5911-9682

technique to enable 5G networks with many services

(Ibrahim et al., 2018). Each one slice with

heterogeneous communication network has special

task that related a set of operation metrics (Xuemin,

2017). “5G” architecture, generally recognized as

“network slicing”. “5G” networks are necessary work

with/ emerging “heterogeneity” services,

performance (Wireless Networks, 2020). This

technique involves dividing the network into slices

with set of resources. But this splitting is needs to

NFV and SDN technologies. Slicing allow these

functions mostly by SDN, NFV, edge computing

(Saleh, et al., 2017). Newly, the “Wireless Network

Virtualization” (WNV) idea has played to achieve

reducing operational costs (Mishkhal. et al., 2019)

Virtualization is every shape as splitting set of

resources, and giving it to customers (Marcos , et al.,

2019) and (Davit , et al., 2019).

Network slicing has been defined by various

standard development organizations in numerous

ways. Network slicing refers to all the attempts of

enabling availability of the networks-as-a-service

according to user demands. Network slicing can be

enabled mainly by NFV, SDN, cloud computing, and

edge computing (Asma, et al., 2018). NFV offers the

use of generic hardware for cost efficient

implementations of network functions, while SDN

enables separation of the control plane from the data

plane to offer efficient and flexible resource

management. Therefore, NFV and SDN-based

network slicing can be considered as an indispensable

networking technology for fifth-generation (5G) (S.-

M.Ahsan et al., 2019).

Figure 1: An overview of network slicing in enabling smart

services.

“Network slicing” will perform significant task in

improving the flexibility for the existing networks

and for cellular networks in the future. With the

“network slicing”, the physical of the “cellular

network” is separated in several virtual networks also

called “slice” with has heterogeneous abilities. Then,

each “slice” operated to perform the tasks for the end

user (Hashem, S. H. (2015). The slicing is building

the virtual network that may permit flexible and

powerful capability to making several “logical

networks” on upper the physical infrastructure as

explained in Figure 2. Slicing for networks supported

by NFV and SDN to making of “slices” of different

types of applications (Alcardo et al., 2020). A “slice”

is a logical sub network from physical network to

provide particular service such as services of

“Internet of Things” (IoT). By “logical network”

achieving several goals such as: availability,

reliability, capacity, efficiency, and latency. The

network contains of three elements: “core network”,

“transport network”, and “radio access network”

(Ioannis et al., 2020).

In this study we give introduction for the slicing

technique. Other sections of the study are structured

in the following: Section (2) we presented the relation

between 5G and “network slicing technique”. Section

(3) explain the concepts (WNV, SDN MEC and NFV)

that are enablers for the execution of slicing. In

section (4) shows the archi tecture based on slicing

Figure 2: Network Slicing.

technique. Section (5) discussion some the

motivations for applying slicing technique within

wireless field. Section (6) presented some challenges

that are faced for implementing network slicing

techniques. In (7) lastly, we give some concluding

and future works.

2 5G AND SLICING

Increasing use of multimedia facilities, more needs of

services with high-quality by clients initiated major

challenge. So, to provide more control for networks

we use some concepts: partitioning networks,

separate control, planning, management properties

for service. The professionals in networks consider

the 5G as next generation of the future networks. To

achieve this idea, sliding network in many virtual

networks in different volumes. Network

softwarization is a method that includes using for

manage services. Network softwarization goals to

provide 5G services with better performance and

lower cost. “Softwarization” use SDN and NFV for

networks in 5G to more control and management for

resources (NAJMUL et al., 2017). Three new

concepts: fundamental for the wireless slicing

purpose.

1. SDN: a method used to carry flexible

programmable 5G networks can be able best

controlling services. SDN creates a virtualized

control plane. Basic defined for “SDN” is

isolated data from control planes, and move

control to a central position. SDN Enabler for

Slicing: “sliced” wireless network is a difficult to

using and management, SDN is the crucial tool

for enabling this task. Show figure 3 (Nadia et

al., 2017).

2. NFV: making Network Functions (NFs) can be

simply used and allocated dynamically. It

performs network functions (virtual functions) in

virtual machines on servers to provide flexible

and scalable networks (Saleh et al., 2019). Basic

Figure 3: General architecture of network slicing.

defined for NFV is decoupling of “functions”

from the “devices” through running. “NFV”

Enabler of “Slicing”, It enable creation and

management to perform their functions. NFV is

the virtualization of network functions (e.g.,

Fire- walls, TCP optimizers) on top of

commodity hardware devices. NFV envisages

the instantiation of VNFs on commodity

hardware (Xenofon et al., 2020).

3. MEC: “Mobile Edge computing” is technology

that permits developing “5G” services via

provide capabilities of cloud close the user

equipment to solving basic challenges for

“traditional cloud”, for example latency and

vulnerable in security. Mobile cloud computing

(MCC), as an integration of cloud computing and

mobile computing, has provided considerable

capabilities to mobile devices and empowered

them with storage, computation, and energy

resources offered by the centralized cloud. The

main purpose of MEC is to address the

challenges that are hailed from MCC systems.

MEC empowers MCC by deploying cloud

resources, e.g., storage and processing capacity,

to the edge within the radio access network

(RAN). This provides the end-user with swift and

powerful computing, energy efficiency, storage

capacity, mobility, location, and context

awareness support (Saleh, H H 2019). Show

figure 4. (a) and (b).

Figure 4: Present cloud computing (a) without edge.

(b) with edge.

3 NETWORK SLICING

ARCHITECTURE

This unit gives the general architecture of network

slicing. Because several challenges, the next-

generation wireless networks NGWN architecture

must have the some properties: Flexible and scalable.

Open and modularized, to support modified slices

(Mishkhal, et al. 2020). The main working parts and

relatives for matching to the architecture in Figure 4.

Figure 5: 1 Slicing in next-generation wireless networks

(NGWNs) (Alcardo Alex Barakabitze, et al., 2019).

The centralized SDN controller is responsible for

“slice”. The infrastructure include all physical

network that consist some parts: “RAN nodes”,

devices, “transport network”, “storage”, and

“computing nodes”. A control plane summarizes the

“logical network” behaviours that “control slice”. The

“service plane” consist services for each vertical

market that slices are “designed”. Overall NGMN

architecture is split into three layers: infrastructure

resource, business enablement and business

application (Zbigniew et al., 2018).

4 DISCUSSION

The key aim of this paper is to provide a latest idea of

the network slicing, definitions, architecture,

motivation, challenges. This study analyses main

concepts that enabler network slicing by surveying

previous studies on this topic. This study display

several advantages of slicing technique to support 5G

smart networks. A number of researchers concerned

the basic requirements for 5G networks such as SDN,

NFV, and MEC technologies that much research

lacks an impaired organization, which leads to;

inappropriate research activities. A number of

research has been conducted on wireless networking

of networks from a primary perspective, while other

research has focused on developing 5G capabilities.

This paper gives a clear research framework and

management complex networks as 5G networks, so

this provides researchers with important research

ideas related to challenges and solutions in this field.

This study gives students and academics various

directions for choosing a topic related to network

slicing with enabler techniques (Saleh H. H., 2018).

5 MOTIVATION

Slicing for network consider as an architecture for

virtual network via operating the similar rules for

“SDN” and “NFV” for static networks. Several

reasons for applying “slicing” technique within

wireless area (Saleh H. H., 2020).

1. Heterogeneous Services: Many different

services and devices working in wireless networks,

so, slicing becomes good method to separate different

requirements concurrently. On sharing resources,

slicing will allow to find best features of “QoS”.

2. Network Management: Manage unlike

applications can be done via slice technique. It is

permit to split setting for the networks “edge-to-edge”

and describe tasks for each situation. Slicing deliver

flexibility through helping with “NFV” and “SDN”.

3. Infrastructure Sharing: Any slice can be applied

using different worker. Slicing can help the

management and give separation among different

workers.

4. Flexibility for New Services: Network slicing

will support give novel events with same costs. This

can let deliver service that 5G needs to do.

6 CHALLENGES

Biggest challenges is actually understanding how to

generate those slices and then manage, identifying

these slices. 5G networks have large challenges than

earlier versions of mobile networks. Large

requirements addressed to be suited for the entire

network includes bandwidth, latency. This is the idea

of dividing a real network into multiple logical

networks (Saleh, H. H., 2019). The following some

challenges that are faced network slicing with 5G

generation:

• Technology Agnostic Solutions: The big

challenge to find a method can perform

allocation for resource and separation wireless

network into several slices freely. This may be

difficult when splitting a heterogeneous network

into slices.

• Dynamics and Time Limitations: The existing

parameters for transmission on the slicing

techniques are differs over time dynamically,

many standards of wireless choice the greatest

transmission parameters for the existing

conditions.

• Real Deployments: With wireless area, achieving

a real employment is essential for the estimate of

solutions. Using slice technique can share many

“BSs or Aps” to get novel problems for example

the interference among slices.

• User Mobility: Mobility of users is a specific

attribute of wireless networks which produces

new problems to “slicing”. Wireless networks

deals with managing of user mobility and try to

find and handle the location of the user.

• Compatibility: Well-matched with New

Technologies is also big challenge because

increasing needs of future wireless networks.

• Security: Main characters of “slicing” is the

abstraction, when the “slice” is seen as whole

network. The elasticity bring large threats to

wireless networks (Saleh et al., 2020).

7 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Conclusions.

In this study, we present new technologies that

enabling IoT-based smart environments via network

slicing, requirements, and challenges. We concluded

that network slicing is absolutely necessary to enable

a wide variety of 5G and beyond systems. Network

slicing is important enabling method to change the

existing cities to smart system that uses new

technologies in order to enhancing our life. We need

control for network traffic via good management

using “network slicing” that divided complex

network within several virtual networks. Each piece

created needs different service. “Slicing” is model of

architecture as “virtual network” based on concepts

for “SDN” and “NFV”. In this study we try to give

survey for 5G networks and big problems faced them

and present the solutions for these problems such as

network slicing, SDN, NFV and MEC (Saleh et al.,

2020).

B. Future Recommendations.

Our key recommendations for future research are as

follows: “5G networks” offer wide diversity of smart

services. So, several restrictions are faced it from

heterogeneous Internet of Everything (IoE) services.

For example, high-reliable and low latency

communication in “5G” networks. The problems that

affected of “5G” research actions. The “slicing” is a

main technology to support 5G networks. Three-

dimensional (3D) cellular networks includes user

devices and BSs that may be support of “6G” cellular

networks. So, it is recommended to use slicing for

“3D cellular networks”.

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