End-to-end secure communications for privileged 5g network traffic

Abstract

Software-defined networking and network function virtualization constructs are leveraged across diverse portions of 5G network infrastructure including radio access network, mobile core, and wide area network to enable a security property to be implemented for a network slice from end-to-end to provide for strong logical and/or physical isolation of slice traffic from other network traffic. One or more network slice controllers are implemented in the 5G network that are interoperable as separate elements, or under centralized control, to enable the underlying diverse network infrastructure to be abstracted and virtualized so that infrastructure properties can be mapped across infrastructure types for the end-to-end slice. Network resources may be dynamically allocated based on real-time traffic demands to instantiate the end-to-end network slices on a customized basis to meet particular quality of service parameters for various traffic types, including privileged traffic that may be prioritized when resources become scarce and network congestion occurs.