Method for managing network slicing resources in communication system and apparatus for the same

1. An operation method of a first device in a communication system supporting network slicing, the operation method comprising:

configuring at least one network slice with network resources and functions of a core network (CN) and a radio access network (RAN);

receiving a first message requesting capacity planning of a first network slice instance (NSI) among the at least one network slice from a second device;

obtaining information required for the capacity planning;

transmitting a second message including the required information to a third device supporting a function of the capacity planning;

receiving a third message including a result of performing the capacity planning from the third device;

performing a reallocation operation or a modification operation of the first NSI based on the result of performing the capacity planning;

assigning the first NSI to user equipment (UE);

assigning a second NSI to the UE; and

sharing, by the first NSI and the second NSI, an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the communication system and a network slice selection function (NSSF) of the communication system, the AMF and the NSSF belonging to a common control plane of the communication system,

wherein when the capacity planning is performed, network resources and functions constituting the first NSI configured with the network resources and functions of the CN and the RAN are optimized by operations including at least one of determining a relocation of the first NSI, or scaling up or scaling down of the first NSI.

2. The operation method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking feasibility for the first NSI when the first message is received, wherein a result of checking the feasibility for the first NSI is included in the second message.

3. The operation method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

updating network capacity availability information based on a result of the reallocation operation or the modification operation of the first NSI; and

transmitting a fourth message including the updated network capacity availability information to the second device.

4. The operation method according to claim 1 , wherein

the first NSI a network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

5. The operation method according to claim 4 , wherein

the result of performing the capacity planning includes at least one of an indicator requesting reallocation of the first NSI, an indicator requesting modification of the first NSI, an indicator requesting reallocation of the NSSI, and an indicator requesting modification of the NSSI.

6. The operation method according to claim 1 , wherein the required information includes at least one of a topology, a capacity, a throughput, a packet loss rate, and a link delay of the first NSI.

7. The operation method according to claim 1 , wherein the first device is a device operating as a network slice management service provider (NSMS_P), the second device is a device operating as a network slice management service consumer (NSMS_C), and the third device is a device operating as a management service provider (MS_P).

8. A first device in a communication system supporting network slicing, the first device comprising a first element supporting a network slice management slice (NSMS) function, a second element supporting a capacity planning function, and a memory storing at least one instruction executed by the first element and the second element, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to:

configure at least one network slice with network resources and functions of a core network (CN) and a radio access network (RAN);

receive, by the first element, a first message requesting the capacity planning of a first network slice instance (NSI) among the at least one network slice from a second device;

obtain, by the first element, information required for the capacity planning;

transmit, by the first element, a second message including the required information to the second element;

perform, by the second element, the capacity planning for the first NSI based on the second message;

transmit, by the second element, a third message including a result of performing the capacity planning to the first element;

perform, by the first element, a reallocation operation or a modification operation of the first NSI based on the result of performing the capacity planning included in the third message;

assign the first NSI to user equipment (UE);

assign a second NSI to the UE; and

share, by the first NSI and the second NSI, an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the communication system and a network slice selection function (NSSF) of the communication system, the AMF and the NSSF belonging to a common control plane of the communication system,

wherein when the capacity planning is performed, network resources and functions constituting the first NSI configured with the network resources and functions of the CN and the RAN are optimized by operations including at least one of determining a relocation of the first NSI, or scaling up or scaling down of the first NSI.

9. The first device according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one instruction is further configured to check, by the first element, feasibility for the first NSI when the first message is received, wherein a result of checking the feasibility for the first NSI is included in the second message.

10. The first device according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one instruction is further configured to:

update, by the first element, network capacity availability information based on a result of the reallocation operation or the modification operation of the first NSI; and

transmit, by the first element, a fourth message including the updated network capacity availability information to the second device.

11. The first device according to claim 8 , wherein

the first NSI is a network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

12. The first device according to claim 11 , wherein the result of performing the capacity planning includes at least one of an indicator requesting reallocation of the first NSI, an indicator requesting modification of the first NSI, an indicator requesting reallocation of the NSSI, and an indicator requesting modification of the NSSI.

13. The first device according to claim 8 , wherein the required information includes at least one of a topology, a capacity, a throughput, a packet loss rate, and a link delay of the first NSI.

14. The first device according to claim 8 , wherein the first device is a device operating as a network slice management service provider (NSMS_P), and the second device is a device operating as a network slice management service consumer (NSMS_C).

15. The operation method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

by the NSSF,

selecting a target NSI based on at least one of a serving mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), an over-the-top (OTT) provider, a location of the UE, and a time window; and

supporting a slice-level service mapping operation for single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).