Enhancing O-RAN Based 5G Networks Through Network Slicing: A Comprehensive Framework

The 5G technology offers a wide array of services and use cases, each with distinct performance requirements, necessitating efficient resource allocation. Network slicing is presented as a solution to distribute resources effectively which requires slice reservation in both the Radio Access Network (RAN) and Core Network (CN). In this paper, we present a network slicing framework for an OpenRAN based 5G system that includes RAN and CN slicing. In this framework, A Management Data Analytics (MDA) Function, following 3GPP standards, is employed to create an MDA-API serving as the decision-making hub for CN slice deployment and execution. A crucial component, the policy-API, establishes different rules for different network functions of the core, guiding the MDA-API in informed decision-making for network slicing. The framework is built using Kubernetes and standardised APIs that are responsible for a scalable deployment of the core components and enabling data access through Prometheus, an event monitoring tool. Additionally, our approach leverages OpenRAN architecture to develop an xApp tailored for RAN slice management. This xApp dynamically allocates timeslots in the packet scheduling, prioritizing resources based on distinct user equipment (UE) requirements to optimize network performance for Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services.