Abstract: In some implementations, a first device may receive, from a second device, network function (NF) configuration information indicating that an NF instance is to be provisioned to support a combination of network slices. The NF configuration information may include first network slice information regarding the first network slice and second network slice information regarding the second network slice. The first device may obtain, from a data structure, first slice configuration information associated with the NF instance supporting the first network slice and second slice configuration information associated with the NF instance supporting the second network slice. The first device may generate configuration parameters to provision the NF instance to support the combination of network slices and provide the configuration parameters to cause the NF instance to be provisioned to support the combination of network slices.

Abstract: Systems and methods enable the provisioning of security as a service for network slices. A network device stores definitions of multiple security assurance levels for network slices based on security parameters of assets used in the network slices. The network device stores multiple network slice templates, wherein the multiple network slice templates have different security assurance levels, of the multiple security assurance levels, for a Network Service Descriptor (NSD). The network device receives a request for a network slice with a requested security assurance level, of the multiple security assurance levels, for the NSD, and deploys the network slice using one of the network slice templates that has a security assurance level that corresponds to the requested security assurance level. The network device monitors the security parameters of the assets of the network slice for changes to the security assurance level of the deployed network slice.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which a network analytics model service is provided. The service may include ingesting customized models and non-customized models by a network analytics device. The ingestion procedure may include receiving the model and model specification data. The service may include provisioning the model and registering the model for discovery by other network devices. The service may include specifying customized identifiers to be used prospective subscribing network devices for the analytics information. The service may also facilitate the use of the analytics information by the subscribing network devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for a network slice profile management within 5G network infrastructures and operating environments. The disclosed systems and methods can provide mechanisms for automatically selecting slice profiles for specific applications, user profiles and/or experience modes. The disclosed systems and methods involve the novel implementation of specifically designated slice profiles within an universal software radio peripheral (USRP), from which network traffic from a device can be designated via selected slice profiles from the USRP based on types of user profiles being leveraged for application sessions from the user's device.

Abstract: Systems and methods enable static analysis of Service Assurance Policies (SAPs) for conflict detection in design time and enable conflict resolution in runtime. Conflicts degrade network slice performance and can, in some cases, disable a network. According to one implementation, a network device stores, for a Service Design and Creation (SDC) function, a Unified Network Slice Assurance Template (UNSAT) with multiple SAPs for a network slice configuration. The UNSAT includes a functional block identifying a first SAP associated with a functional category of a network function, and a resource block identifying a second SAP associated with a resource category of network infrastructure. The network device performs, based on the multiple SAPs, design time conflict identification that detects when actions from the multiple SAPs that are associated with a same network function conflict with each other and provides a notification when the design time conflict identification identifies a conflict.

Abstract: Systems and methods enable static analysis of Service Assurance Policies (SAPs) for conflict detection in design time and enable conflict resolution in runtime. Conflicts degrade network slice performance and can, in some cases, disable a network. According to one implementation, a network device stores, for a Service Design and Creation (SDC) function, a Unified Network Slice Assurance Template (UNSAT) with multiple SAPs for a network slice configuration. The UNSAT includes a functional block identifying a first SAP associated with a functional category of a network function, and a resource block identifying a second SAP associated with a resource category of network infrastructure. The network device performs, based on the multiple SAPs, design time conflict identification that detects when actions from the multiple SAPs that are associated with a same network function conflict with each other and provides a notification when the design time conflict identification identifies a conflict.

Abstract: A system described herein may provide a technique for allocation and/or preemption of radio access network (“RAN”) resources in a wireless network based on Quality of Service (“QoS”)-related metrics associated with User Equipment (“UEs”) that are connected to, and/or are requesting connection to, a RAN. QoS-related metrics may include a network slice, a QoS Flow Identifier (“QFI”), other suitable metrics. A Slice-Based Priority (“SBP”) determine one or more priority (e.g., SBP) values for UEs connected to the one or more RANs, and/or for UEs requesting connection to such RANs. In addition to QoS-related metrics priority values may be determined based on RAN-related metrics, such as Allocation and Retention Priority (“ARP”) values associated with a UE. RANs may accordingly be able to allocate resources, accept or deny connection requests, and/or perform preemption based at least partly on slice-related QoS metrics, thus preserving end-to-end QoS parameters.

Abstract: A method and system is described that performs dynamic slice management for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Flight path information associated with a flight path of a UAV is used to determine a predicted optimal application and a predicted optimal network slice for use by the UAV at a location along the flight path. Information associated with the predicted optimal application and the predicted optimal network slice is transmitted to the UAV for use by the UAV at the location. The available network slices to the UAV may be updated based on the determined predicted optimal slice. The UAV may adjust its usage of applications and/or slices based on the information it receives associated with the predicted optimal application and the predicted optimal network slice.

Abstract: A device may include a processor configured to receive a request to establish a communication session or data flow for a user equipment (UE) device connected to a Radio Access Network (RAN). The processor may be further configured to obtain key performance indicators (KPI) information relating to one or more KPIs for a plurality of paths in a transport network used by the RAN to connect to a core network; determine a KPI requirement for the communication session or data flow to be established; select a path in the transport network based on the obtained KPI information and the determined KPI requirement; and establish the communication session or data flow in the transport network using the selected path.

Abstract: A system may include a Network Data Analytics Function device configured to receive information relating to a planned flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the planned flight path crosses areas serviced by a plurality of radio access networks; and generate a plurality of time slot predictions, wherein a time slot prediction specifies a time slot, a network slice, and a subscriber profile identifier. The system may further include an Access and Mobility Function device configured to generate a set of instructions based on the plurality of time slot predictions; and an Application Function device configured to provide the generated set of instructions to the UAV, wherein the instructions cause the UAV to select a particular network slice and a particular subscriber profile during a particular time slot of the flight path.

Abstract: A device associated with a network may receive a service profile for a network slice of the network, where the service profile includes one or more service characterizations of the network slice. The device may determine, based on thresholding rules and for each service characterization, whether the service characterization requires selection from a plurality of building blocks, to obtain a group of service characterizations requiring selection. The device may select, based on selection rules and for each service characterization of the group of service characterizations requiring selection, a building block from the plurality of building blocks, to obtain selected building blocks, where the selection rules map attributes of service characterizations to building blocks. The device may stack, based on stacking rules, the selected building blocks, to obtain a slice infrastructure for the network slice. The device may deploy the slice infrastructure for the network slice in the network.

Abstract: A system comprises one or more devices. The devices are configured to: receive a context associated with a flow of packets between a User Equipment device (UE) and a network slice in a wireless network; obtain one or more policy rules; apply the policy rules to the context and a model of a transport device to generate or update a map that assigns one or more contexts to queues within the transport device; and send the map to the transport device. The transport device is configured to: adjust parameters of the queues based on the map; shape traffic from each of the queues; schedule packets from the queues; and forward the scheduled packets.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium provide for provisioning network resources of multi-access edge computing (MEC) networks in support of an application service session for an end device; assigning an IP address to the end device for use in a first coverage area served by a first MEC network of the MEC networks; receiving, by a first application function (AF) device at the first MEC network, a session mobility notification for the end device with respect to the first coverage area and a second coverage area served by a second MEC network of the MEC networks; setting, responsive to the session mobility notification, an allotted time for relocating the application service session from the first MEC network to the second MEC network; and transferring, during the allotted time, application context corresponding to the relocated application service session to a second AF device at the second MEC network.

Abstract: A system described herein may register a particular radio access network (“RAN”)-based interface, such as a R1 interface, with a RAN, such as an Open-RAN (“O-RAN”). The system may further be associated with a particular Service-Based Interface (“SBI”) of a core network that includes a plurality of network functions (“NFs”), where each NF is associated with a respective SBI. The system may receive, via the particular SBI, a request for RAN information from one or more NFs of the core network, obtain the RAN information from the RAN via the particular interface, output the requested RAN information to the one or more NFs of the core network via the particular SBI. Associating the system with the SBI may be performed without modifying a Network Repository Function (“NRF”) of the core network.

Abstract: A system described herein may register a particular Service-Based Interface (“SBI”) with a core network (e.g., a Fifth Generation core (“5GC”)). The core network may maintain information associating the system with the particular SBI. The system may request core network information, associated with the core network, from the core network. The core network may provide the requested core network information to the device via the registered particular SBI. The system may provide the core network information, received via the particular SBI, to a radio access network (“RAN”), such as an Open-RAN (“O-RAN”), which may modify RAN configuration parameters based on the provided core network information. The system may also receive requests for RAN information from the core network via the SBI, may obtain the information from one or more elements of the RAN, and may provide the requested RAN information to the core network via the SBI.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which an application-based access control service is provided. The service assigns network slice priority values to network slices that are associated with an application or a portion of an application pertaining to end devices. The service calculates a network slice priority value to manage access barring based on a congestion level, and transmits the network slice priority value to end devices. End devices may determine whether access is permitted or not based on the network slice priority value and the assigned network slice priority values associated with the network slices. The service further provides access barring information to network devices of an access network that allows the network devices to reject connection requests and release existing connections. The access barring information may include a network slice priority value and/or network slice identifiers.

Abstract: A method and system is described that performs dynamic slice management for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Flight path information associated with a flight path of a UAV is used to determine a predicted optimal application and a predicted optimal network slice for use by the UAV at a location along the flight path. Information associated with the predicted optimal application and the predicted optimal network slice is transmitted to the UAV for use by the UAV at the location. The available network slices to the UAV may be updated based on the determined predicted optimal slice. The UAV may adjust its usage of applications and/or slices based on the information it receives associated with the predicted optimal application and the predicted optimal network slice.

Abstract: A device may receive network data identifying a topology of network devices of a network, quality of service (QoS) rules for user equipment (UEs) and application flows associated with the network, QoS profiles for a radio access network (RAN) of the network, and service data flow (SDF) templates. The device may process the network data, with a model, to calculate a network device service level agreement (SLA) score, for each of the network devices on a sliding window, to generate network device SLA scores, and may aggregate the network device SLA scores to generate an end-to-end SLA score on the sliding window. The device may generate QoS configuration data based on the end-to-end SLA score, and may implement the QoS configuration data.

Abstract: A system may include one or more devices that with processors. The processors are configured to: receive instructions to assemble a slice service design for a network using slice design components; store the slice service design; and receive a request to deploy a slice service specified by the slice service design. The processors may be configured to: deploy the slice service in subnets of the network; or deploy services defined by portions of the slice service design in some of the subnets of the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein provide life cycle management for physical network function (PNFs) via an orchestrator using PNF proxies. A network device in a service provider network receives a software package for a virtual network function (VNF) serving as PNF proxy for a type of PNF. The software package includes a proxy descriptor and external virtual links (VLs) for the type of PNF. The network device associates, an instance of the PNF proxy with an installed PNF, creates the instance of the PNF proxy as a VNF in a cloud platform, and provides a record of the created instance of the PNF proxy to an active inventory system.