Network Slicing in 5G: Survey and Challenges

TLDR

5G aims to support diverse verticals with varied performance needs, and network slicing—partitioning a single physical network into isolated logical networks—is central to achieving this goal. This article surveys the emerging field of 5G network slicing, presenting the first comprehensive overview to date. The authors review current state‑of‑the‑art slicing approaches and introduce a holistic framework for organizing and comparing existing work. Applying the framework, they assess the maturity of proposals and highlight several open research questions.

Abstract

5G is envisioned to be a multi-service network supporting a wide range of verticals with a diverse set of performance and service requirements. Slicing a single physical network into multiple isolated logical networks has emerged as a key to realizing this vision. This article is meant to act as a survey, the first to the authors' knowledge, on this topic of prime interest. We begin by reviewing the state of the art in 5G network slicing and present a framework for bringing together and discussing existing work in a holistic manner. Using this framework, we evaluate the maturity of current proposals and identify a number of open research questions.