Realizing Network Slices in IP/MPLS Networks

Realizing network slices may require the Service Provider to have the ability to partition a physical network into multiple logical networks of varying sizes, structures, and functions so that each slice can be dedicated to specific services or customers. Multiple network slices can be realized on the same network while ensuring slice elasticity in terms of network resource allocation. This document describes a scalable solution to realize network slicing in IP/MPLS networks by supporting multiple services on top of a single physical network by by requiring compliant domains and nodes to provide forwarding treatment (scheduling, drop policy, resource usage) based on slice identifiers.