SoftBank announced that it completed the deployment of SRv6 (Segment Routing IPv6), a technology that allows simple and extensible networks, into its commercial network.
SoftBank also announced that in April 2022 it started to implement network slicing using a new feature of SRv6, “SRv6 Flex-Algo.” Network slicing is a key component of 5G, and SoftBank is aiming for the early adoption of this feature in its commercial network.
SRv6 Flex-Algo is a new feature of SRv6 that dynamically creates slices, called Algo, over the IP network. Packets from each service are forwarded to appropriate slices according to their identifiers, which makes it possible to steer traffic according to their respective service requirements. Combined with 5G, Flex-Algo enables a network to meet the needs of a variety of services.
Existing technologies made steering traffic over an IP network a complex task, allowing only limited extensibility but requiring complex operations. In SRv6 Flex-Algo, the IP network automatically generates slices which makes it possible to operate and extend network slices at ease. Identifiers in the 5G network such as 5QI (5G QoS Identifier) and NSSAI (Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) can be used in combination with Flex-Algo to provide network slices that fulfill SLAs (Service Level Agreements) rapidly and at a low cost.
SoftBank aims to implement end-to-end slicing to applications hosted on MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) servers, using SRv6 Flex-Algo with the newly developed SRv6 MUP*2 (Segment Routing IPv6 Mobile User Plane), linking together IP network slices with 5G slices that 5G users connect to.
SoftBank will use the latest technologies such as SRv6 and SRv6 MUP to optimize and enhance its network to be able to add advanced functionalities. As a leading operator in network technology, SoftBank will participate in standardization activities of SRv6 to actively propose new technology ideas.
