Multi-agent reinforcement learning for intent-based service assurance in cellular networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a multi-agent reinforcement learning approach for intent-based service management in cellular networks, enabling scalable, model-free, and cooperative KPI optimization amid conflicting intents.

Contribution

It presents a novel MARL-based method that manages conflicting intents and promotes cooperation without system modeling, improving scalability and performance in telecom networks.

Findings

Effective KPI optimization in network emulation

Ability to prioritize KPIs under resource constraints

Successful handling of conflicting intents

Abstract

Recently, intent-based management has received good attention in telecom networks owing to stringent performance requirements for many of the use cases. Several approaches in the literature employ traditional closed-loop driven methods to fulfill the intents on the KPIs. However, these methods consider every closed-loop independent of each other which degrades the combined performance. Also, such existing methods are not easily scalable. Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) techniques have shown significant promise in many areas in which traditional closed-loop control falls short, typically for complex coordination and conflict management among loops. In this work, we propose a method based on MARL to achieve intent-based management without the need for knowing a model of the underlying system. Moreover, when there are conflicting intents, the MARL agents can implicitly incentivize the loops to cooperate and promote trade-offs, without human interaction, by prioritizing the important KPIs. Experiments have been performed on a network emulator for optimizing KPIs of three services. Results obtained demonstrate that the proposed system performs quite well and is able to fulfill all existing intents when there are enough resources or prioritize the KPIs when resources are scarce.