5G Network Slice Brokering: A Distributed Blockchain-based Market

In this paper, we study the business ecosystem around 5G network slice brokering, where a dynamic mechanism conducts multiple trades among resource providers and the network operators, to dynamically provision slices (e.g., in the order of minutes). Then we address a significant and realistic scenario, where there is a lack of trust between market players. This typically occurs when the central slice broker has conflicting interests (e.g., being simultaneously infrastructure provider and virtual operator). We propose a distributed market design, leveraging smart contracts technology, where the brokering mechanism is operated and validated by all of the parties involved. In addition, we use blockchain technology to enable a manipulation-proof record-keeping system, where a record is accepted into the ledger only when all the parties have reached a consensus to do so. We deploy a realistic blockchain application/network hosted on the cloud-based Hyperledger Fabric framework. Finally, we investigate the performance of the blockchain-based slice brokering market in terms of transaction latency, throughput and computing intensity. Our results show that the proposed market could support 100 auction transactions per second with a latency below one second, which would add no considerable delay even to a highly dynamic slicing market mechanism.