Network slicing and its challenges

 

With the rapid development of technology, network slicing has become a top priority. Smart approaches are to be made to set up a dedicated network chain for a particular type of business. For this, network slicing is the solution.

Network slicing is done by separating various electronic network slices concentrated on a unified physical network engaged on top of a shared physical infrastructure.

Each single network slice is for a different purpose, and due to improvements in bandwidth and latency, it can be easily implemented in a 5G environment. It’s an end-to-end logical approach to networking. Hence, it can be said that network slicing will revitalize ways of networking.

It can also detect and report network errors, making it fully automated. With the improvement of scalability, flexibility of network performance, better energy consumption, lower infrastructure costs and effective resource utilization, network slicing has become an important technical aspect of planning to choose 5G.

It has a function to use with IoT edge computing which will allow collaboration of computing and storage in one slice. 5G slicing can help connect and process data at the same time.

Slicing can help provide network services such as big data, ID management, platform security, dynamic charging, cloud storage, edge computing, localization and partner integration. With these advantages it has reach to many sectors; consumer, government, automotive, logistics, financial, entertainment, media, industry, health and wellness and many other areas.

CHALLENGES OF NETWORK SLICING

It is expected that network slicing will prepare for large scale IoT and low latency environments, however, many companies are looking for ways to increase productivity through new technologies.

But with the advent of the 5G era,because it also has it’s shortcomings and challenges, things will become more complicated. As slicing allows cross-border data transfer or exchange, this fact can lead to interference to another extent. Due to the sensitive access procedures, data leakage and piracy may occur. End-to-endmanagement seems to be task because it requires constant inspection. Business interoperability across multiple technology domains should be examined in order to ensure  smooth flow. In addition, a pricing strategy will be proposed to utilize OSS/BSS which can help guide the operation of many business models from multiple sources. One of the main problem is the organizational challenges posed by slicing. It can only survive or work effectively in a vertical organization but it is difficult to deal within a platform structure. Moreover, with such progress, it is difficult to keep up with the pace of network slicing due to the need for edge computing resources.