Network slice management

Abstract

The described technology is generally directed towards network slice management. A mobile communications network can comprise multiple sub-networks, namely, as an access network, a transport network, and a core network. Access network resources can be managed according to the techniques provided herein to meet service level agreement (SLA) commitments associated with network slices. Furthermore, resources of any sub-network can be managed in a manner that accounts for constraints imposed by the other sub-networks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 identifying, by a network controller comprising a processor, a constraint associated with at least one of a group of sub-networks, the group of sub-networks comprising a transport sub-network and a core sub-network,   wherein the transport sub-network and the core sub-network are part of a network comprising the transport sub-network, the core sub-network, and an access sub-network; and   matching, by the network controller, an access sub-network resource, associated with the access sub-network and comprising a capability, to a use of the access sub-network resource in connection with a network slice enabled via the network,   wherein the matching is based on a network slice requirement associated with the network slice, the capability of the access sub-network resource, and the constraint associated with the at least one of the group of sub-networks.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matching comprises matching a group of access sub-network resources comprising a group of capabilities for use in connection with the network slice. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning, by the network controller, the access sub-network resource to the network slice. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network comprises multiple wireless access environments, and wherein the access sub-network resource comprises a resource usable for wireless access by a user equipment within a wireless access environment of the multiple wireless access environments. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network controller comprises a radio access network intelligent controller. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network slice requirement is associated with a user equipment, and wherein the method is performed in response to receiving a mobile communication from the user equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the capability of the access sub-network resource comprises a beam pattern of an antenna array. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constraint comprises an amount of expected delay associated with processing a communication associated with the network slice via the transport sub-network or the core sub-network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network slice requirement comprises a time requirement specifying a timing applicable to the network slice. 
     
     
         10 . A network controller, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 identifying a network slice requirement associated with a network slice; 
 identifying capabilities associated with access sub-network resources of sub-network resources comprising the access sub-network resources, transport sub-network resources, and core sub-network resources; 
 identifying a constraint associated with a sub-network resource of a group of the sub-network resources, the group of the sub-network resources comprising the transport sub-network resources and the core sub-network resources; and 
 determining a group of the capabilities associated with the access sub-network resources to satisfy the network slice requirement, wherein the group of the capabilities is determined based on the network slice requirement and the constraint. 
   
     
     
         11 . The network controller of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise assigning the group of the capabilities associated with the access sub-network resources to the network slice. 
     
     
         12 . The network controller of  claim 11 , wherein the network slice requirement is associated with a request from a user equipment, and wherein assigning the group of the capabilities associated with the access sub-network resources to the network slice is in response to receiving a mobile communication from the user equipment. 
     
     
         13 . The network controller of  claim 10 , wherein network slice requirement comprises a time applicable to the network slice. 
     
     
         14 . The network controller of  claim 10 , wherein the constraint comprises an amount of expected delay associated with processing a communication associated with the network slice as a result of using the transport sub-network resources and the core sub-network resources. 
     
     
         15 . The network controller of  claim 10 , wherein the network slice requirement comprises a service level agreement commitment associated with the network slice. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 determining a group of capabilities associated with access sub-network resources to satisfy a network slice specification, wherein the group of capabilities is determined based on a network slice specification and a constraint, wherein   the access sub-network resources are enabled via an access sub-network of a network comprising the access sub-network, a transport sub-network, and a core sub-network; and   the constraint is associated with the transport sub-network and the core sub-network; and   assigning the group of capabilities associated with the access sub-network resources to a network slice associated with the network slice specification.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining the group of capabilities comprises identifying a probability of the group of capabilities fulfilling the network slice specification in view of the constraint. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the network slice specification comprises a specification of a mobile communication time applicable to mobile communication by a mobile device to use the network slice, and wherein the group of capabilities is determined to have a higher probability of fulfilling the specification of the mobile communication time than at least one other group of capabilities of the access sub-network resources. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured for execution at a network automation platform device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the group of capabilities associated with the access sub-network resources comprises a defined beam pattern at an antenna array.