Joint Network Slicing, Routing, and In-Network Computing for Energy-Efficient 6G

TL;DR

This paper presents a joint approach to network slicing, routing, and in-network computing for energy-efficient 6G networks, introducing a heuristic algorithm that balances user acceptance and energy consumption.

Contribution

It formulates a comprehensive MILP model for joint resource allocation and proposes a novel heuristic algorithm, WF-JSRIN, to efficiently solve the complex problem.

Findings

WF-JSRIN achieves near-optimal solutions with reduced execution time.

The joint approach improves energy efficiency and resource utilization.

Compared to other methods, WF-JSRIN offers practical scalability.

Abstract

To address the evolving landscape of next-generation mobile networks, characterized by an increasing number of connected users, surging traffic demands, and the continuous emergence of new services, a novel communication paradigm is essential. One promising candidate is the integration of network slicing and in-network computing, offering resource isolation, deterministic networking, enhanced resource efficiency, network expansion, and energy conservation. Although prior research has explored resource allocation within network slicing, routing, and in-network computing independently, a comprehensive investigation into their joint approach has been lacking. This paper tackles the joint problem of network slicing, path selection, and the allocation of in-network and cloud computing resources, aiming to maximize the number of accepted users while minimizing energy consumption. First, we introduce a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation of the problem and analyze its complexity, proving that the problem is NP-hard. Next, a Water Filling-based Joint Slicing, Routing, and In-Network Computing (WF-JSRIN) heuristic algorithm is proposed to solve it. Finally, a comparative analysis was conducted among WF-JSRIN, a random allocation technique, and two optimal approaches, namely Opt-IN (utilizing in-network computation) and Opt-C (solely relying on cloud node resources). The results emphasize WF-JSRIN's efficiency in delivering highly efficient near-optimal solutions with significantly reduced execution times, solidifying its suitability for practical real-world applications.