Abstract

The network slicing concept has occurred because of advancements in computing and the emergence of NFV technology. It enables the partition of a physical network into many logical networks, where each one provides tailored services for a certain application scenario. Such logically isolated networks represent flexible network entities, which can be customized for different use cases using the same physical infrastructure simultaneously. The main challenge in the slicing is related to the separation of the existing large monolithic network functions implemented on legacy hardware into multiple software-based modular network functionalities with variable granularity [218]. Legacy hardware is designed as cohesive devices and does not possess the flexibility required for network slicing. For this reason, it is necessary to provide solutions that can enable the seamless separation of network functions, such as the integration of virtualized instances into existing hardware. The successful transition to a sliced network architecture means allowing dynamic and efficient allocation of resources while preserving the functionality of legacy systems.