5G Network Slicing

Dr Moazzam Tiwana
 What is network slice?
●
Network Slice is a logical network serving a defined customer,
consisting of all required network resources configured together.
– Complete network within a provider
– Resources optimized for one use case
– Isolated but may share resources
– User experience it is as a separate
network
– On demand allocation of resources
 Example of Network Slicing In 5G
NSSF UDM
SMF NRF PCF DN1
Vo5G UPF
NRF

AMF SMF NRF PCF

eMBB UPF
DN2

AMF SMF NRF PCF

UPF DN3
eMBB
Network Slice Instance (NSI)
 Single Network Slice Selection Assistance
Information (S-NSSAI)
●
A Network Slice Instance (NSI) is identified by S-NSSAI

Slice/Service Type Slice Differentiator

(SST) (SD)
8-bit 24 bits

1 eMBB
2 URLLC
●
SD part is optional
●
used to differentiate between different Network
3 MIOT Slices used for different customers
4 V2X
5-127 Reserved
128-255 Operator Specific
Network Slice Subnet Instance (NSSI) In 5G
NSSI2
NSSF UDM
NSSI1 SMF NRF PCF DN1
NSSI5
UPF
NRF

AMF SMF NRF PCF

RAN UPF NSSI3
Slice 1 DN2

NSSI6
AMF SMF NRF PCF
UPF DN3
NSSI4
RAN
Slice 2 NSI1=NSSI5+NSSI1+NSSI2
NSI2=NSSI5+NSSI1+NSSI3
NSI3=NSSI6+NSSI4
 Network Slice Subnet Instance (NSSI)
●
A NSI is composed of one or multiple Network Slice Subnet
Instances (NSSIs)
●
A NSSI may contain one or multiple virtualized network functions.
●
A NSSI may
– consist NF(s) and other NSSI(s).
– be shared by two or more NSIs.
– May contain Core Network functions or Access Network functions, or
both
 Multiple Slices Support
●
At one time, maximum 8 slices can be assigned to a single UE
– This UE must support PDU sessions associated with these
slices
●
A common AMF instance supports all slices assigned to a UE
– But these slices can have separate SMF/UPF instances
●
a PDU Session is associated with only one S-NSSAI and
one DN (Data Network)
 Network Slice Instance (NSI) life cycle

Instantiation,
Configuration
Preparation and Activation Run-time phase Decommission
phase

A so called Network Slice Management Function (NSMF) oversees the

respective tasks of each phase,
 1. Preparation phase
●
Network Slice “blueprints” or “templates” lists necessary
attributes of Network slice
●
If an existing Network Slice template meets the customer
requirements,
– This template can be used as it is...
– Or it can be scaled to meet customer requirements,
●
In this case the preparation phase can be excluded,
Preparation
Design Pre-provision

Network environment
preparaton
 1. Preparation phase
●
If no suitable Network Slice template
– new one is designed using the customer requirements.
●
Newly designed template can be added to a catalogue of
Network Slice templates
●
So preparation phase is skipped/shortened for the next
customer with similar requirements.
Preparation
Design Onboarding

Network environment
preparation
 2. Instantiation, Configuration and Activation
phase
●
All resources shared/dedicated required by a NSI are created
(Instantiated) and configured,
●
actions to makes NSI active, e.g. diverting traffic to it,
provisioning databases

Instantiation, Configuration
and Activation phase

Instantiation/
Activation
Configuration
 3. Run-time phase
●
NSI is capable of traffic handling
●
Performance monitoring using Key Performance Indicators
(KPI) reporting
●
Supervision: NSI may need to be modified.
– NSI reconfiguration, NSI Capacity change, NSI topology change,
addition/deletion of NFs

Run-time phase

Supervision
Modification
Reporting
 4. Decommissioning phase
●
The decommissioning phase includes deactivation
●
the dedicated resources (e.g. NFs) assigned to this NSI are free
●
shared/dependent resources are reconfigured.
●
After decommissioning the NSI does not exist anymore.

Decommissioning

De-activation Termination
 Network slicing management model

●
CSMF converts the customer
Communication Communication Service
requirements to the network slice Service Management Function
Provider (CSMF)
related requirements
– network type,
Network slice
– network capacity, Provider
Network Slice
Management Function
– QoS requirements, etc. (NSMF)

Network slice Network Slice Subnet

Subnet Provider Management Function
(NSSMF)
 Network slicing management functions

●
CSMF provides network slice
Communication Communication Service
requirements to NSMF Service Management Function
●
NSMF manages the Network Slice Provider (CSMF)
Instance
●
NSMF converts the network slice Network slice Network Slice
related requirements to Provider Management Function
(NSMF)
network slice subnet
related requirements.
Network slice Network Slice Subnet
Subnet Provider Management Function
(NSSMF)
 Network slicing management functions

●
The NSSMF manages the NSSIs
Communication Communication Service
based on the network slice Service Management Function
Provider (CSMF)
subnet related requirements
received from the NSMF.
Network slice Network Slice
Provider Management Function
(NSMF)

Network slice Network Slice Subnet

Subnet Provider Management Function
(NSSMF)
Radio Access Network Slicing
CSMF

AI/ML NSMF
RAN Intelligent
Controller
RAN NSSMF
Monitor Control
CU Core Network
(mMTC) Slice (mMTC)
CU Core Network
(URLLC) Slice (URLLC)
CU Core Network
(eMBB) Slice (eMBB)

DU
 Slice Availability in the 5G Network
●
Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) is a set
of S-NSSAIs.
●
NSSAIs are managed at the
– Tracking area level in the 5G RAN
– Registration area level in 5GC
●
A given Registration Area (ie the list of Tracking Areas) shall
support a common set of slices
Signaling related to Slice Availability

NSSF

N22

AMF AMF

N2

Xn
 Signaling related to Slice Availability
●
Using OMC, the operator configures
– the NSSF about where Network Slices NSSF
are available in a 5G PLMN,
– the 5G gNBs about Network Slice
availability per TA level.
N22

AMF

N2
Xn
 Signaling related to Slice Availability
●
Over N2 interface: during N2 connection Setup/updation,
during RAN/AMF Configuration Update: NSSF
– gNB-->AMF about S-NSSAIs supported per TA
– AMF-->gNB about S-NSSAIs per PLMN ID supported by AMF
●
Over Xn interface: At Xn Setup and 5G RAN
N22
node Configuration Update
– gNBs exchange S-NSSAIs per TA. AMF

N2
Xn
gNB
 Signaling related to Slice Availability
●
Over N22 interface: At setup or change
– AMF-->NSSF about S-NSSAIs per TA. NSSF
– NSSF-->AMF about restricted restricted S-NSSAIs
per TA

N22

AMF

N2
Xn
 Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)

AMF and NSSF

Other NSSFs
Nnssf

Service Name Service Descriptions

Operations
Nnssf_NSSelection Get Return slices that should serve UE
Return a target AMF set
Return an NRF for a particular slice
Nnssf_NSSAIAvailability Update Update slice availability and AMF slice support in
Notify each TA
 Types of NSSAIs
●
Subscribed S-NSSAIs: Stored in the UDM
– 5GC uses this as a default when the UE doesn’t send a Requested
NSSAI
NRF

NSSF AUSF UDM UDR

AMF SMF PCF AF

Data
Network
 Types of NSSAIs
●
Configured S-NSSAIs: The serving PLMN may configure a UE
with 1 or more configured S-NSSAIs
– UE uses this as its default NSSAI
– Could be the same as the Subscribed S-NSSAI
– Stored by the UE per PLMN until a new Configured NSSAI is
received for the same PLMN.
 Types of NSSAIs
●
Requested S-NSSAIs: Contains up to eight S-NSSAIs that the UE
wants to register in serving PLMN during Registration procedures
●
Allowed S-NSSAIs: The value assigned by the 5GC & valid in a
Registration Area
●
Default configured S-NSSAIs: May be provided to the UE by the UDM
in the HPLMN, via the AMF
●
Rejected S-NSSAIs: Can be rejected in the Registration Area (or) for
the entire PLMN
– UE shouldn’t attempt this NSSAI again in that RA or in the PLMN
UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) information
●
5G allows the PCF to provide UE Route Selection Policy
(URSP) to UE via the AMF.
●
URSP consists of URSP rules
●
These rules indicate to UE how data shall be sent over the 5G
network,
– e.g., which PDU session, which DN, slice for a certain application.
– For a new app existing PDU session or a new one
AMF SMF PCF AF

Data
Network
UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) information
Rule Traffic Route Route Selection
Precedence descriptor Selection compnents
Descriptor
Precedence
1 Application 1 Network slice: S-NSSAI-a
Identifiers DNN: Internet
=App1 Access type preference: 3GPP

2 Network slice: S-NSSAI-b

Access type preference: non-
3GPP
…………. ……….. ……….. ………..
Lowest Match all 1 Network slice: S-NSSAI-c
DNN: Internet
 Requested S-NSSAI selection by UE
●
The UE decides which application it wants to enable.
●
UE uses URSP rules in order of priority to determine matched S-NSSAI
Rule Precedence Traffic descriptor Route Selection Route Selection compnents
Descriptor
Precedence
1 Application 1 Network slice: S-NSSAI-a
Identifiers DNN: Internet
=App1 Access type preference: 3GPP

2 Network slice: S-NSSAI-b

Access type preference: non-3GPP

…………. ……….. ……….. ………..

Lowest Match all 1 Network slice: S-NSSAI-c
DNN: Internet
 Requested S-NSSAI selection by UE
●
UE compared the matched S-NSSAI with following in current PLMN in
order of priority
– Rejected S-NSSAIs
– Allowed S-NSSAIs
– Configured S-NSSAIs
●
If macthed S-NSSAI not in above list, UE will select default configured
S-NSSAI
●
If no default S-NSSAI, UE does not include S-NSSAI in the
connection setup request
 Slice Aware Registration
AMF1 retrieves the UE subscriptio
gNB sends the requested Slice Data
selection
with based on operator
subscribed N-SSAIpolicy
S-NSSAI to AMF SLA with the HPLMN, the Network Slice
UDM
availability
UE sends the requested If AMF cannot serve the AMF
S-NSSAI(s) It will query NSSF for slice and AMF
Selection

AMF1 NSSF

Returns the selected S

Sends target AMF and the Registration And target AMF
Request message to UE AMF1 checks if it can serve
AMF1 forwards this information the requested S-NSSAI
with registration request to UE AMF2 Or the default S-NSSAI if
No S-NSSAI is provided
 Slice Aware PDU Session Handling
session establishment request
along with the allowed S-NSSAI UDM
UE initiates PDU Session Establishment
• Includes the Allowed S-NSSAI Retrieves Session
assigned during the registration Management
Subscription data,
If reqd
AMF SMF

PDU Session Establishment Accept message

AMF forwards the information SMF establishes the PDU session

To gNB and UE Secondary authentication/authorization
May be executed
Network slicing management functions
Communication Service Consumer (CSC)

Communication Service Provider (CSP)

Network Provider (NOP)

Network Slice Service Provider (NOP)

Virtual Infrastructure Service Provider

Physical Infrastructure Provider