Network entity and method for identifier allocating and/or mapping of network services

1. A network entity for identifier mapping in a mobile communication system being configured to comprise network slice instances and network subnet slice instances, comprising:

a processor and a memory storing executable instructions, the processor being configured to execute the executable instructions to:

receive a first identifier of a first network service;

generate a second identifier of a second network service; and

map the second identifier to the first identifier,

wherein one of the first identifier and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID);

wherein a mapping is required for a single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) from a user equipment, and the processor is further configured to:

generate a further identifier of a further network service; and

map the further identifier to the single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI), wherein the further network service is a service instance (NS) or a network slice instance (NSI) or network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

2. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send the second identifier to a second network entity for identifier mapping.

3. A network entity according to claim 2 , wherein the network entity is located on a first service layer and the second network entity is located on a second service layer, wherein the first service layer is an upper service layer or a lower service layer compared to the second service layer.

4. A network entity according to claim 2 , wherein the network entity is located on a first service layer and the second network entity is located on a second service layer, wherein the first service layer and the second service layer are on a same level.

5. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is a network service instance ID (NS-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID), or

the first identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice subnet instance ID (NSSI-ID).

6. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is a network slice subnet instance ID (NSSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID), or the first identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network service instance ID (NS-ID).

7. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein the network entity is attached to a network management function, and wherein the network management function is responsible to manage the same service layer as the network entity.

8. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein the network entity is a NSMF or NSSMF.

9. A network entity according to claim 4 , wherein one of the first service layer and the second service layer is: a service layer, a network slice instance layer, or a network slice subnet instance layer in a management function architecture.

10. A network entity according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first network service and the second network service includes: a 5G communication service, a network slice instance (NSI), or a network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

11. A method performed by a network entity for identifier mapping in a mobile communication system being configured to comprise network slice instances and network subnet slice instances, comprising:

receiving a first identifier of a first network service,

generating a second identifier of a second network service, and

mapping the second identifier to the first identifier;

wherein one of the first identifier and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID);

wherein a mapping is required for a single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) from a user equipment, and the method further comprises:

generating a further identifier of a further network service; and

mapping the further identifier to the single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI), wherein the further network service is a service instance (NS) or a network slice instance (NSI) or network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

12. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

sending the second identifier to a second network entity for identifier mapping.

13. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the network entity is located on a first service layer and the second network entity is located on a second service layer; and

wherein the first network service layer is an upper service layer or a lower service layer compared to the second service layer.

14. A method according to claim 11 ,

wherein the first identifier is a network service ID (NS-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID), or the first identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice subnet instance ID (NSSI-ID).

15. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the first identifier is a network slice subnet instance ID (NSSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID), or the first identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID) and the second identifier is a network service instance ID (NS-ID).

16. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the network entity is attached to a network management function, and wherein the network management function is assigned to the same service layer as the network entity.

17. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the method is performed by a NSMF or a NSSMF.

18. A method according to claim 11 , wherein one of the first network service and the second network service includes: a 5G communication service, a network slice instance (NSI), a network slice subnet instance (NSSI).

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a processor of a network entity in a mobile communication system configured with network slice instances and network subnet slice instances, causes the network entity to perform the following steps:

receiving a first identifier of a first network service,

generating a second identifier of a second network service, and

mapping the second identifier to the first identifier;

wherein one of the first identifier and the second identifier is a network slice instance ID (NSI-ID);

wherein a mapping is required for a single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) from a user equipment, and the program code causes the network entity to perform further steps of:

generating a further identifier of a further network service; and

mapping the further identifier to the single network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI), wherein the further network service is a service instance (NS) or a network slice instance (NSI) or network slice subnet instance (NSSI).