A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for scaling of subscriber capacity in a cloud native radio access network (RAN). A processing capacity being assigned to one or more containers in a plurality of containers of a cloud native radio access network for providing communication to at least one user equipment in a plurality of user equipments is determined. The determined processing capacity is compared to at least one predetermined threshold in a plurality of predetermined thresholds. Based on the comparing a determination is made whether to change an assignment of the processing capacity.

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for scaling of subscriber capacity in a cloud native radio access network (RAN). A processing capacity being assigned to one or more containers in a plurality of containers of a cloud native radio access network for providing communication to at least one user equipment in a plurality of user equipments is determined. The determined processing capacity is compared to at least one predetermined threshold in a plurality of predetermined thresholds. Based on the comparing a determination is made whether to change an assignment of the processing capacity.

There is provided a method for a fifth generation network. The method is performed by a first network function (NF) node of a service consumer or a first service communication proxy (SCP) node that is configured to operate as an SCP between the first NF node and one or more second NF nodes of a service producer. A message is received (102) from a second network node. The message comprises an indication that a second NF node is under testing in the network. The indication signals that the second NF node is a candidate for selection when selecting at least one second NF node towards which network traffic is to be transmitted, and/or the message comprises load information for the second NF node and the indication signals that the load information is representative of a predefined amount of network traffic that the second NF node is required to receive.

There is provided a method for a fifth generation network. The method is performed by a first network function (NF) node of a service consumer or a first service communication proxy (SCP) node that is configured to operate as an SCP between the first NF node and one or more second NF nodes of a service producer. A message is received (102) from a second network node. The message comprises an indication that a second NF node is under testing in the network. The indication signals that the second NF node is a candidate for selection when selecting at least one second NF node towards which network traffic is to be transmitted, and/or the message comprises load information for the second NF node and the indication signals that the load information is representative of a predefined amount of network traffic that the second NF node is required to receive.

In one example method, a first network node transmits a first control message, which indicates a set of candidate mobile edge computing (MEC) hosts, a client device, and network performance boundaries for selection of a MEC host, to a second network node. The first network node receives a second control message, which indicates a subset of the set of candidate MEC hosts and performance of a fastest path from the client device to each candidate MEC host in the subset of candidate MEC hosts, and probabilities of the client device entering a coverage area of the each candidate MEC host, from the second network node. The first network node transmits a third control message indicating a selected MEC host to the second network node. The second network node selects a user plane function (UPF) for traffic steering to the selected MEC host based on the third control message.

Techniques for upgrading virtual appliances in a hybrid cloud computing system are provided. In one embodiment, virtual appliances are upgraded by deploying the upgraded appliances in both a data center and a cloud, configuring the upgraded appliances to have the same IP addresses as original appliances, and disconnecting the original appliances from networks to which they are connected and connecting the upgraded appliances to those networks via the same ports previously used by the original appliances. In another embodiment, upgraded appliances are deployed in the data center and the cloud, but configured with new IP addresses that are different from those of the original appliances, and connections are switched from those of the original appliances to new connections with the new IP addresses. Embodiments disclosed herein permit virtual appliances to be upgraded or replaced with relatively little downtime so as to help minimize disruptions to existing traffic flows.

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed to manage network slices. An example apparatus includes interface circuitry to acquire network information, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor circuit to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to reserve first network slices to satisfy service level objectives (SLOs) corresponding to first nodes, reserve second network slices to satisfy SLOs corresponding to second nodes, and reconfigure the first network slices to accept network communications from the second nodes when the network communications from the second nodes exceed a performance metric threshold.

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed to manage network slices. An example apparatus includes interface circuitry to acquire network information, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor circuit to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to reserve first network slices to satisfy service level objectives (SLOs) corresponding to first nodes, reserve second network slices to satisfy SLOs corresponding to second nodes, and reconfigure the first network slices to accept network communications from the second nodes when the network communications from the second nodes exceed a performance metric threshold.

A front-haul controller for a network coupling a BBU and an RRH that exchanges RF analog signals with a supported UE. The network comprises a plurality of nodes coupled by variable bit-rate network communications links. The BBU exchanges packets of frequency-domain samples with the RRH along the network. The front-haul controller monitors information about wireless spectrum occupancy at the RRH and at least one spectrum occupancy threshold and varies a bit-rate of the network link in accordance therewith. The front-haul controller can proactively adjust the bit-rate and/or the threshold during periods associated with at least one event that may impact the spectrum occupancy. The network link can be a FlexE, SONET, DWDM, LAG and/or ECMP link.

Embodiments herein relate to sidelink communication between nodes, Aspects of the sidelink communication, in accordance with embodiments herein, may include one or more of resource selection, congestion control, and resource signaling. Specific embodiments may relate to use of at least one priority level during the sidelink communication. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.