The dichotomy of distributed and centralized control: METRO-HAUL, when control planes collide for 5G networks

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges of automating 5G service provisioning over complex, heterogeneous infrastructures and introduces the METRO-HAUL initiative's approach to developing an orchestration platform leveraging Transport SDN principles.

Contribution

It presents the METRO-HAUL project's approach to integrating control plane paradigms for 5G network automation and resource orchestration.

Findings

Development of an orchestration platform extending existing approaches

Integration of Transport SDN principles for 5G service automation

Enhanced resource and service management in heterogeneous networks

Abstract

Automating the provisioning of 5G services, deployed over a heterogeneous infrastructure (in terms of domains, technologies, and management platforms), remains a complex task, yet driven by the constant need to provide end-to-end connections at network slices at reducing costs and service deployment time. At the same time, such services are increasingly conceived around interconnected functions and require allocation of computing, storage, and networking resources. The METRO-HAUL 5G research initiative acknowledges the need for automation and strives to develop an orchestration platform for services and resources that extends, integrates, and builds on top of existing approaches, macroscopically adopting Transport Software Defined Networking principles, and leveraging the programmability and open control of Transport SDN.