Two papers on network management, entitled “Taming policy complexity: Model to execution” and “5G Networks Must Be Autonomic!” have been accepted for presentation at the IEEE/IFIP NOMS conference in Taipei. The first paper discusses a formal universal policy model for policy-based management that separates invariant parts from variant parts, while the second one presents a conceptual approach for modeling and achieving autonomic operations and management in 5G networks. Congratulations to the Ericsson ARCFIRE team!!

Abstract (Taming policy complexity: Model to execution)

Since the 1970’s it has been acknowledged that a complex system can be broken into (a) its invariant functional parts (mechanism), and (b) the externalized choices for how the system should behave (policy). Policy-based management’s main objective is to separate and externalize the decisions required by a system from the mechanisms provided by the system, and provide a way to define and evaluate these decisions. A few decades later, we have today a plethora of different policy models and even more policy languages – plus tooling – offering policy-based solutions for virtually any use case and scenario. However, policy-based management as a standalone domain has never been evaluated in terms of which parts are variant / invariant, i.e. which parts of policy-based management can be domain-, model-, language-, usecase-independent. In this paper, we introduce and define a formal universal policy model that does exactly that. The result is a model that can be used to design, implement, and deploy immutable policy infrastructure (engine and executor) being able to execute (virtually) any policy model.

Abstract (5G Networks must be Autonomic!)

5G networks will be the first real converged networks supporting a plethora of different services, each with their own requirements. A static best-effort approach is no longer sufficient. Extreme flexibility and dynamicity is required, yet costs must be drastically reduced. The only way that these conflicting goals can be achieved is with vastly increased automation in the provision and operation of our future 5G networks. In this paper we briefly discuss the facilitators, goals and challenges for 5G networks. We identify some of the places where automation is not just helpful, but is in fact required for 5G to become a reality. We go on to present a conceptual approach for modeling and achieving autonomic operations and management in 5G networks positioning modern policy-based management as a key enabler for autonomic 5G network management.