Abstract

A seamless interworking between network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined networking (SDN) to orchestrate network services for the 5G systems is very fundamental for network slice creation. The orchestration of large scale network slices across multiple administrative as well as technological domains with heterogeneous resources and a distributed form of slice management can benefit from harnessing existing NFV orchestration (NFVO) solutions. In this regard, this article presents a network service orchestration and configuration convergence framework that is capable of providing a large scale network slicing solution for 5G network operators. Using this framework, 5G network operators can orchestrate and configure network slices directly from their infrastructure and that of credible registered slice providers who have resources for the orchestration of only a subset of the overall network slice. The framework is equipped with mechanisms that allow a distributed form of slice configuration and management.