Digital Twin Networks for Sustainable In-network Computing in Future 6G Networks

An emerging research trend on sixth generation systems is undoubtedly that linked to the development of Digital Twins of 6G networks. These network’s Twins can contribute to a smarter management of the physical network, which is increasingly oriented towards sustainability and guarantee of targets expressed in terms of KVIs (key value indicators) in addition to the traditional KPIs (key performance indicators). In this vein, this paper presents a reference architecture for a Digital Twin of a 6G system sensitive to sustainability issues and equipped with in-network computing capabilities. The main features and components are designed to be able to flexibly implement sustainable networking principles and respond to user intents based on sustainable KVIs. As a proof-of-concept, an example is shown of how the DT of a network can help implement and configure the offering of in-network AI services in a sustainable manner by making appropriate predictions of the evolution of the represented physical infrastructure.