Orchestration and configuration of E2E network slices across 3GPP core network and ORAN

1. An apparatus for a New Radio (NR) network configured to operate as a network slice management function (NSMF), the apparatus comprising: memory and processing circuitry configured to:

receive a first AllocateNSI operation with attributes to allocate a network slice instance (NSI), the first AllocateNSI operation including an attributeListIn parameter that specifies network slice properties in a ServiceProfile to be supported by the NSI;

determine, in response to reception of the first AllocateNSI operation, that a new NSI is to be created rather than using an existing NSI; and

communicate with a network slice subnet management function (NSSMF) to create the new NSI, the new NSI including an open radio access network (O-RAN) central unit (O-CU), an O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU), and an O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to communicate with the NSSMF to create a network slice subnet instance (NSSI) that contains the O-CU and O-DU as virtual network functions (VNFs) and the O-RU as a physical network function (PNF).

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to:

determine that the new NSI is to contain a RAN network slice subnet instance (NSSI) and a core network (CN) NSSI; and

communicate with a radio access network (NSSMF (RAN)) of the NSSMF to create the RAN NSSI and a NSSMF for a core network (NSSMF (CN)) to create the CN NSSI.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to:

consume a second AllocateNssi operation provided by the NSSMF (RAN) to allocate the RAN NSSI;

consume a third AllocateNssi operation provided by the NSSMF (CN) to allocate the CN NSSI; and

receive a response from the NSSMF (RAN) and the NSSMF (CN) indicating that the RAN NSSI and CN NSSI, respectively, has been successfully created.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the response from the NSSMF (RAN) and the NSSMF (CN) each provides an NSSI identifier and NSSI-related attributes of the RAN NSSI and CN NSSI, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to:

allocate another NSSI that maps to the new NSI in response to consumption of the second and third AllocateNssi operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to:

create a Managed Object Instance (MOI) containing an NSSI Id that points to the other NSSI; and

respond to the first AllocateNSI operation indicating creation of the MOI.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the memory and processing circuitry are further configured to:

respond to the first AllocateNSI operation indicating that the NSI has been successfully created, an NSI identifier of the new NSI, and NSI-related attributes of the new NSI.

9. An apparatus of a New Radio (NR) network configured to operate as a network slice subnet management function (NSSMF), the apparatus comprising: memory and processing circuitry configured to:

receive, from a network slice management function (NSMF), an AllocateNSSI operation with attributes for a network slice subnet instance (NSSI);

determine, in response to reception of the AllocateNSSI operation, that a new NSSI is to be created rather than using an existing NSSI; and

create the new NSSI in response to a determination that the new NSSI is to be created, the new NSSI including, if the NSSMF is a radio access network (RAN) NSSMF: an open radio access network (O-RAN) central unit (O-CU), an O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU), and an O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU).

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein for the RAN NSSMF the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

create a Network Service Descriptor (NSD) that includes information for a Physical Network Function (PNF) and Virtual Network Functions (VNFs);

request, by providing the NSD, a network function virtualization (NFV) Orchestrator (NFVO) to upload the NSD and create a Network Service (NS) identifier based on the NSD;

receive a NS identifier response from the NFVO containing the NS identifier to indicate successful creation of the NS identifier;

request the NFVO instantiate a NS identified by the NS identifier; and

receive a NS response from the NFVO indicating successful creation of the NS identified by the NS identifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein for the RAN NSSMF the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

create, in response to reception of the NS response, a Managed Object Instance (MOI) containing information for the PNF and VNFs;

respond to the NSMF, after creation of the MOI, indicating success of creation of the new NSSI, an NSSI identifier of the new NSSI, and NSSI-related attributes of the new NSSI; and

send at least one notification to the NSMF to indicate creation of the MOI.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein for the RAN NSSMF the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

consume a modifyMOIAttributes operation to configure MOIs GNBCUCPFunction, GNBCUUPFunction, GNBDUFunction, and GNBRUFunction with information of the new NSSI.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein for the RAN NSSMF:

the O-RU is the PNF,

the VNFs include the O-DU and an O-CU control plane (O-CU-CP) and an O-CU user plane (O-CU-UP) of the O-CU, and

the NSD contains a Physical Network Function Descriptor (PNFD) for the PNF, a nested NSD identifier that contains NSD identifiers for the VNFs, and virtual links between the PNF and VNFs.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, if the NSSMF is a core network (CN) NSSMF:

the new NSSI includes a User Plane Function (UPF), an Access and Mobility Function (AMF), and a Session Management Function (SMF), and

the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

create a Network Service Descriptor (NSD) that includes information for Virtual Network Functions (VNFs);

request, by providing the NSD, a network function virtualization (NFV) Orchestrator (NFVO) to upload the NSD and create a Network Service (NS) identifier based on the NSD;

receive a NS identifier response from the NFVO containing the NS identifier to indicate successful creation of the NS identifier;

request the NFVO instantiate a NS identified by the NS identifier; and

receive a NS response from the NFVO indicating successful creation of the NS identified by the NS identifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein for the CN NSSMF:

the VNFs include the AMF, SMF and UPF, and

the NSD contains a Virtual Network Function Descriptor (VNFD) for the UPF, a nested NSD identifier that contains NSD identifiers for the AMF and SMF, and virtual links between the VNFs.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein for the CN NSSMF the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

create, in response to reception of the NS response, a Managed Object Instance (MOI) containing information for the VNFs;

respond to the NSMF, after creation of the MOI, indicating success of creation of the new NSSI, an NSSI identifier of the new NSSI, and NSSI-related attributes of the new NSSI; and

send at least one notification to the NSMF to indicate creation of the MOI.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein for the CN NSSMF the processing circuitry and memory are further configured to:

consume a modifyMOIAttributes operation to configure MOIs AMFFunction, SMFFunction, and UPFFunction with information of the new NSSI.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by a network slice management function (NSMF) for a New Radio (NR) network, the instructions when executed configure one or more processors to:

receive a first AllocateNSI operation with attributes to allocate a network slice instance (NSI), the first AllocateNSI operation including an attributeListln parameter that specifies network slice properties in a Service Profile to be supported by the NSI;

determine, in response to reception of the first AllocateNSI operation, that a new NSI is to be created rather than using an existing NSI, the new NSI containing a radio access network (RAN) network slice subnet instance (NSSI) and a core network (CN) NSSI; and

communicate with a RAN network slice subnet management function (NSSMF (RAN)) and a CN NSSMF (NSSMF (CN)) to create the new NSI, the new NSI comprising virtual network functions (VNFs) that include an open radio access network (O-RAN) central unit (O-CU) and an O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU), and a physical network function (PNF) that includes an O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU).

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions when executed further configure the one or more processors to:

consume a second AllocateNssi operation provided by the NSSMF (RAN) to allocate the RAN NSSI;

consume a third AllocateNssi operation provided by the NS SMF (CN) to allocate the CN NSSI; and

receive a response from the NS SMF (RAN) and the NSSMF (CN) indicating that the RAN NSSI and CN NSSI, respectively, has been successfully created.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions when executed further configure the one or more processors to:

allocate another NS SI that maps to the new NSI in response to consumption of the third AllocateNssi operation;

create a Managed Object Instance (MOI) containing an NSSI Id that points to the other NSSI;

respond to the first AllocateNSI operation indicating creation of the MOI; and

respond to the first AllocateNSI operation indicating that the NSI has been successfully created, an NSI identifier of the new NSI, and NSI-related attributes of the new NSI.