ClearNET: Enhancing Transparency in Opaque Network Models Using Explainable AI (XAI) for Efficient Traffic Engineering

AI/ML has enhanced computer networking, aiding administrators in decision-making and automating tasks for optimized performance. Despite such advances in network automation, there remains limited trust in these uninterpretable models due to their inherent complexity. To this aim, eXplainable AI (XAI) has emerged as a critical area to demystify (deep) neural network models and to provide more transparent decision-making processes. While other fields have embraced XAI more prominently, the use of these techniques in computer network management remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we shed some light by presenting, an XAI-based approach designed to clarify the opaque nature of data-driven traffic engineering solutions in general, and efficient network telemetry, in particular. It does so by examining the intrinsic behavior of the adopted models, thereby reducing the volume of data needed for effective learning. Our extensive evaluation revealed how our approach not only reduces training time and overhead in network telemetry models but also maintains or improves model accuracy, leading, in turn, to more efficient and clear ML models for network management.