There is no one-size-fits-all solution to enterprise networking. Different businesses, even different operations within a business, will have different latency, bandwidth and security requirements depending on the applications or services that they are running. But there is one technology that can deliver the flexibility to cater to these different needs and empower businesses to do more, and that is network slicing.
One of the key capabilities of 5G, network slicing makes use of network virtualisation technology to create multiple logical networks on top of a common shared physical network. Because each slice is logically separate, the traffic from one does not interfere with that of another. A network slice managed in isolation with resources such as spectrum and bandwidth adjusted to the requirements of the particular application that it supports.
From a performance perspective, dedicating a network slice to an application or service eliminates competing demand for resources from other processes, thereby improving speed and latency. Network slices can also be created to support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), which aims at maximising the network speeds and data rates and guarantees reliable, ultra-high speed data connections for applications that require it.
Network slicing enables greater flexibility and agility in business operations. Unlike traditional connectivity solutions where dedicated networks have to be deployed to cater to specific use cases, the slices can be configured as required without having to set up a new network. By allowing service requirements for various use cases to be hosted over a single network, it also reduces infrastructure costs and optimises the use of underlying hardware resources to meet latency, connectivity, speed, and capacity requirements.
In terms of security, network slicing makes the overall infrastructure more resilient to cyberattacks because breaches can be contained in one slice and prevented from affecting other parts of the network. This ensures that having multiple services within one network does not increase the vulnerability of the network as a whole. The same applies to the robustness of the overall network, as overload or failure in one slice will not affect other slices.
Additional security measures can also be added to particular slices that handle more critical applications, and priority access given to certain functions and devices. For example, sensitive data can be sent over different segments of the network with more stringent security policies to safeguard privacy.
These capabilities empower businesses to create new use cases and revenue opportunities and also to reduce operational costs by tailoring network slices for specific tasks.
A compelling illustration are the use cases relate to the Internet of Things (IoT) - the network of physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies, enabling them to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet.
Network slicing is a game changer for IoT. It enables enterprises to leverage 5G to support a multitude of connected devices with the desired trade-offs between speed, latency, and cost, delivering faster, more stable and more secure connectivity that advances the possibilities of IoT.
In Industrial IoT for example, massive machine-to-machine connections are required to support automation on the factory floor. These involve multiple connections with varying latency and bandwidth. With 5G network slicing, businesses will be able to provide a dedicated and contained network to fully control and support critical IoT applications that power real-time automated factory systems without the need for expensive and time-consuming cabling. The ability to quickly make changes and configure a network slice to support different use cases and services also enables the business to transform its factory lines to produce different goods and seize new revenue opportunities as they arise.
In other IoT use cases, ultra-low latency network slices play a key role in enabling time-sensitive applications such as the management of autonomous vehicles (AV) which typically requires latency of under 5 milliseconds to operate safely. With network slicing, businesses are also able to implement more stringent security policies in the AV slice to prevent attackers from hacking into the system and endangering passengers.
New revenue opportunities can also be created by packaging multiple network slices into a single product or business bundle for customers with multiple requirements. For example, passengers in an AV may need a high bandwidth slice for infotainment and an ultra-reliable and low latency slice for assisted driving.
The many other possibilities with network slicing include the creation of ultra-low latency slices for augmented and virtual reality applications, and remote surgery applications where robots perform high-risk operations controlled by expert surgeons in another part of the world. Ultra-reliable slices with priority access can also be created to support emergency services during large events without impacting consumer networks, which may already be congested or at full capacity.
These examples barely scratch the surface of what can be achieved with 5G. With the next-generation mobile networking technology, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination. Network slicing helps transform these possibilities into reality.
Speak to us to find out more about network slicing.
