Network Slicing for TSN-Based Transport Networks

• Main Authors: Sushmit Bhattacharjee, Kostas Katsalis, Osama Arouk, Robert Schmidt, Tongtong Wang, Xueli An, Thomas Bauschert, Navid Nikaein
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 2021-01-01
• Series: IEEE Access
• Subjects: DetNet; Ethernet; 5G; IEEE TSN; mobile network; network slicing
• Online Access: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9410215/

In this work, we present and analyze methods and mechanisms for interconnecting a network slice control and management system of the mobile network, with an IEEE Time-Sensitive Network (TSN) control plane. IEEE TSN is gaining momentum as a key technology that is able to provide network service guarantees for Ethernet-based communications. Although Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) have been thoroughly investigated in 5G, incorporating TSN technologies in the Transport Network is expected to unleash the potential of end-to-end deterministic communications, especially in industrial environments and time-critical applications like factory automation.</p><p>We elaborate on the concepts of a TSN-aware Xhaul network, present a novel architecture, and describe a set of amendments required in order to enable network slicing. With the devised approach, a slice-aware TSN-enabled transport network can be controlled and managed in an end-to-end orchestrated way. Implementation experience and evaluation results are reported using TSN-enabled prototype devices, OpenAirInterface (OAI), and JOX slice orchestrator.