Service Function Chain Deployment Algorithm Based on Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning

Aiming at the rapid growth of network services,which leads to the problems of long service request processing time and high deployment cost in the deployment of network function virtualization service function chain(SFC)under 5G networks,this paper proposes a multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient optimization algorithm for SFC deployment(MADDPG-SD).Initially,an optimization model is devised to enhance the request acceptance rate,minimizing the latency and deploying the cost SFC is constructed for the network resource-constrained case.Subsequently,we model the dynamic problem as a Markov decision process(MDP),facilitating adaptation to the evolving states of network resources.Finally,by allocating SFCs to different agents and adopting a collaborative deployment strategy,each agent aims to maximize the request acceptance rate or minimize latency and costs.These agents learn strategies from historical data of virtual network functions in SFCs to guide server node selection,and achieve approximately optimal SFC deployment strategies through a cooperative framework of centralized training and distributed execution.Experimental simulation results indicate that the proposed method,while simultaneously meeting performance requirements and resource capacity constraints,has effectively increased the acceptance rate of requests compared to the comparative algorithms,reducing the end-to-end latency by 4.942%and the deployment cost by 8.045%.

Risk-Balanced Routing Strategy for Service Function Chains of Cyber-Physical Power System Considering Cross-Space Cascading Failure

Cyber-physical power system(CPPS)has significantly improved the operational efficiency of power systems.However,cross-space cascading failures may occur due to the coupling characteristics,which poses a great threat to the safety and reliability of CPPS,and there is an acute need to reduce the probability of these failures.Towards this end,this paper first proposes a cascading failure index to identify and quantify the importance of different information in the same class of communication services.On this basis,a joint improved risk-balanced service function chain routing strategy(SFC-RS)is proposed,which is modeled as a robust optimization problem and solved by column-and-constraint generation(C-CG)algorithm.Compared with the traditional shortest-path routing algorithm,the superiority of SFC-RS is verified in the IEEE 30-bus system.The results demonstrate that SFC-RS effectively mitigates the risk associated with information transmission in the network,enhances information transmission accessibility,and effectively limits communication disruption from becoming the cause of cross-space cascading failures.

Service Function Chain Migration in LEO Satellite Networks

With the advancements of software defined network(SDN)and network function virtualization(NFV),service function chain(SFC)placement becomes a crucial enabler for flexible resource scheduling in low earth orbit(LEO)satellite networks.While due to the scarcity of bandwidth resources and dynamic topology of LEO satellites,the static SFC placement schemes may cause performance degradation,resource waste and even service failure.In this paper,we consider migration and establish an online migration model,especially considering the dynamic topology.Given the scarcity of bandwidth resources,the model aims to maximize the total number of accepted SFCs while incurring as little bandwidth cost of SFC transmission and migration as possible.Due to its NP-hardness,we propose a heuristic minimized dynamic SFC migration(MDSM)algorithm that only triggers the migration procedure when new SFCs are rejected.Simulation results demonstrate that MDSM achieves a performance close to the upper bound with lower complexity.

AdaptNF: Adaptive service chain scheduling with stateless migration and NF consolidation

The combination of network function virtualization and software-defined networking allows various network functions to process flows according to their characteristics and requirements.Due to the highly dynamic nature of the workload,the network infrastructure needs to properly schedule the underlying resources in order to respond to workload changes in a timely manner.However,the existing NFV platform lacks a comprehensive solution for how to scale under workload variation,which may seriously hurt the overall system performance.To improve the scalability of the NFV platform and ensure consistent high performance under dynamic workloads,we propose AdaptNF,a novel NFV platform designed to support a combination of course-grained and fine-grained resource scheduling strategies.To deal with resource imbalance,which is the essential scheduling problem that leads to insufficient NFV performance,AdaptNF adopts a novel algorithm that can efficiently balance the workload among multiple network function instances through stateless flow migration.Our controlled experiments show that the AdaptNF scheme can optimize resource allocation and ensure outstanding performance after scaling.In terms of network throughput and latency,AdaptNF significantly improves the performance of the underlying NFV platform.

Dynamic Backup Sharing Scheme of Service Function Chains in NFV

Service function chains(SFC)mapping takes the responsibility for managing virtual network functions(VNFs).In SFC mapping,existing solutions duplicate VNFs with redundant instances to provide high availability in response to failures.However,as a compromise,these solutions result in high resource consumption due to device maintenance.In this paper,we propose a novel method named dynamic backup sharing(DBS)that allows SFCs to dynamically share backups to reduce resource consumption.DBS formulates the problem of sharing backups among different VNFs as an integer linear programming(ILP).Thereafter,we design a novel online algorithm based on dynamic programming to solve the problem.The experimental results indicate that DBS outperforms state-ofthe-art works by reducing resource consumption and improving the number of accepted requests.

Service Function Chain in Small Satellite-Based Software Defined Satellite Networks

Software Defined Satellite Networks(SDSN) are proposed to solve the problems in traditional satellite networks, such as time-consuming configuration and inflexible traffic scheduling. The emerging application of small satellite and research of SDSN make it possible for satellite networks to provide flexible network services. Service Function Chain(SFC) can satisfy this need. In this paper, we are motivated to investigate applying SFC in the small satellite-based SDSN for service delivery. We introduce the structure of the multi-layer constellation-based SDSN. Then, we describe two deployment patterns of SFC in SDSN, the Multi-Domain(MD) pattern and the Satellite Formation(SF) pattern. We propose two algorithms, SFP-MD, and SFP-SF, to calculate the Service Function Path(SFP). We implement the algorithms and conduct contrast experiments in our prototype. Finally, we summarize the applicable conditions of two deployment patterns according to the experimental results in terms of hops, delay, and packet loss rate.

Multi-Path Service Function Chaining for Mobile Surveillance of Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry is the pillar industry in some ethnic areas of China.However,the communication/networking infrastructure in these areas is often underdeveloped,thus the difficulty in centralized management,and challenges for the effective monitoring.Considering the dynamics of the field monitoring environment,as well as the diversity and mobility of monitoring targets,traditional WSN(Wireless Sensor Networks)or IoT(Internet of Things)is difficult to meet the surveillance needs.Mobile surveillance that features the collaboration of various functions(camera,sensing,image recognition,etc.)deployed on mobile devices is desirable in a volatile wireless environment.This paper proposes the service function chaining for mobile surveillance of animal husbandry,which orchestrates multi-path multifunction(MPMF)chains to help mobile devices to collaborate in complex surveillance tasks,provide backup chains in case the primary service function chain fails due to mobility,signal strength,obstacle,etc.,and make up for the defects of difficult deployment of monitoring facilities in ethnic areas.MPMF algorithmmodels both mobile devices and various functions deployed on them as abstract graph nodes,so that chains that are required to traverse various functions and hosting mobile devices can be orchestrated in a single graphbased query through modified and adapted Dijkstra-like algorithms,with their cost ordered automatically.Experiment results show that the proposed MPMF algorithm finds multiple least-costly chains that traverse demanded functions in a timely fashion on Raspberry Pi-equipped mobile devices.

Service Function Chain Orchestration across Multiple Clouds

Network function virtualization is a new network concept that moves network functions from dedicated hardware to software-defined applications running on standard high volume severs. In order to accomplish network services, traffic flows are usually processed by a list of network functions in sequence which is defined by service function chain. By incorporating network function virtualization in inter-data center(DC) network, we can use the network resources intelligently and deploy network services faster. However, orchestrating service function chains across multiple data centers will incur high deployment cost, including the inter-data center bandwidth cost, virtual network function cost and the intra-data center bandwidth cost. In this paper, we orchestrate SFCs across multiple data centers, with a goal to minimize the overall cost. An integer linear programming(ILP) model is formulated and we provide a meta-heuristic algorithm named GBAO which contains three modules to solve it. We implemented our algorithm in Python and performed side-by-side comparison with prior algorithms. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm reduces the overall cost by at least 21.4% over the existing algorithms for accommodating the same service function chain requests.

Based on the service supply chain to explore urban community endowment service problems and solutions——Based on the survey of Wuhan

This article introduces the connotation and operation mode of ‘Service Supply Chain’ into the research of community endowment service, based on the present situation investigation in different types of community endowment service in Hongshan and Wuchang district of Wuhan, combines with the operation concept of service supply chain to analysis the present bottleneck factors existing in the urban community of endowment service supply chain, and concludes the solving measures. This paper aims to improve the service level of the community endowment in all aspects, and concludes effective means and countermeasures in improving community endowment service quality.

Simulation of Service Supply Chainly Formation Based on Mobile Agent

In E-Commerce, consumers and service suppliers can find the services through the searching of Mobile Agents (MA). The suppliers disassemble the service requests of consumers into the sub-requests. Then suppliers respond the sub-requests cooperatively. Thus the Service Supply Chain (SSC) can be formed. But the existing bottom-up and up-bottom supply chain formation fashions cannot be adapted to the SSC in distributed environment of E-Commerce. Task Dependency Network is exploited to illustrate the service relationship among consumers and suppliers. The formation of SSC with some simulations is elaborated. Then the influence on the formation of SSC caused by the type of service suppliers, the quantities of MA and its variety in number is elucidated.

Research on Service Function Chain Orchestrating Algorithm Based on SDN and NFV

Software defined network(SDN)and network function virtualization(NFV)have become a new paradigm of a new generation of network architecture.SDN and NFV can effectively improve the flexibility of deploying and managing service function chains(SFCs).By combining SDN and NFV and applying them to the resource orchestration problem of SFC deployment,the three-tier architecture consisting of SDN controller,network function virtualization and physical underlying computing resource layer in the process of heterogeneous network resource mapping is considered.And an optimization algorithm for active control resources based on SDN and NFV is proposed.Firstly,the user’s utility is modeled by the multistandard aggregated multi-criteria utility algorithm,and the optimization goal is transformed into the problem of maximizing the user’s utility.Then the controller,based on the algorithm’s prediction of the future state and realtime monitoring of the network utilization,makes decisions and issues control commands for the arriving SFC requests,based on which it occupies the underlying resources held by the virtualized network function(VNF).The simulation results show that,compared with the static timing resource allocation algorithm,the active control resource deployment algorithm proposed in the article has better performance in terms of resource utilization,acceptance rate,and user creation utility.

Reviewing the Service Profit Chain： From Consumers＇ Perspective

This paper aims to show the change in mindset, showing the shift from selling in 1950s to the marketing concept and societal marketing concept today. The value of the Service Profit Chain （SPC） is also considered and looks not only at the importance to the customers but also the employees to the success of a business in ultimately winning over the consumer.

基于SDN的动态ServiceChaining方案

随着终端规模的不断增加和云计算的逐渐普及,园区网的业务越来越多样化,从而带来网络容量和带宽升级。基础网络升级后,园区边缘网络的专用设备(防火墙、广域网加速设备等)容易成为整个园区网的性能瓶颈点。而对这些专用设备进行升级和更换所带来的支出费用较大,同时由于这些设备都是专业的硬件设备,其部署配置和运维管理相对于交换机与路由器也较为复杂。如何利旧现有专用设备、降低改造费用成为园区网建设所需考虑的重要因素。本文通过引入SDN,阐述了如何基于SDN实现动态Service Chaining技术,实现按需引流。动态Service Chaining技术可实现网络出口智能引流、安全资源池化、网络安全协防,从而搭建一个富有弹性、高度可扩展的业务流处理平台。

Research of Order Allocation of E-commerce Logistics Service Supply Chain Considering Customer Evaluation

Based on the importance of customer evaluation for developing e-commerce enterprises,this paper analyzes the customer evaluation as a fuzzy variable and establishes a multi-objective mixed integer order allocation planning model by considering customer satisfaction,which maximizes customer praise and minimizes procurement cost.As the optimization goal,transaction cost is optimized for the order allocation of the secondary e-commerce logistics service supply chain.In order to defuzzify the customer evaluation,a fuzzy evaluation method is designed to transform the customer evaluation from fuzzy language evaluation to numerical measurement.Finally,the feasibility and effectiveness of the model are verified by using a specific example,and the order is made for the e-commerce enterprise.The allocation provides a theoretical reference.

Game Theory Based Decision Coordination Strategy of Agricultural Logistics Service Information System

Under the background of“Internet plus”rapid development,the agricultural logistics industry should apply information technology to every link of the agricultural product logistics industry chain.By making full use of the decision making module of the agricultural logistics information system,we can realize the full sharing of information and data resources,which makes the decision-making scheme of the agricultural logistics information system more optimized.In real economic society,the uncertainty and mismatch between the customer’s logistics service demand and the logistics service capability that the logistics service function provider can provide,that is,when the two information are asymmetric,how to use the third-party contract to coordinate the income and profit distribution of the two,to make the information system decision making more reasonable?This paper mainly studies the coordination scheme of agricultural logistics information system decision making under uncertain output and demand information by introducing the spot market.A joint coordination strategy based on revenue sharing and penalty feedback contracts proposes decentralized decision making based on game theory.Experiments show that the flexible ordering strategy proposed in this paper can reduce the logistics service supply chain’s uncertainty and significantly improve the logistics service supply chain’s overall income level through coordination contracts.

Virtualizing Network and Service Functions: Impact on ICT Transformation and Standardization

Virtualization of network/service functions means time sharing network/service（and affiliated）resources in a hyper speed manner.The concept of time sharing was popularized in the 1970s with mainframe computing.The same concept has recently resurfaced under the guise of cloud computing and virtualized computing.Although cloud computing was originally used in IT for server virtualization,the ICT industry is taking a new look at virtualization.This paradigm shift is shaking up the computing,storage,networking,and ser vice industries.The hope is that virtualizing and automating configuration and service management/orchestration will save both capes and opex for network transformation.A complimentary trend is the separation（over an open interface）of control and transmission.This is commonly referred to as software defined networking（SDN）.This paper reviews trends in network/service functions,efforts to standardize these functions,and required management and orchestration.

Pre-filtering based automatic composition of multi-QoS semantic web services

To support the rapid automatic services composition and fulfill multi-quality of service （multi- QoS） demand, we propose a novel approach to realize services composition automatically by a prefihering process. Aimed at a set of web services with similar functionality and different quality of service （QoS） , a semantic services chain is given and a corresponding constructing algorithm is proposed to construct the data structure. A pre-filtering process is put forward to find whether a composition service before planning exists. It can avoid aborted planning. An optimal planning algorithm is proposed which can choose the most suitable service from a lot of similar candidate services based on semantic service chains and multi-QoS values. The algorithms can improve the correctness and automation performances of automated semantic web services composition. As an example, a concrete composite process is analyzed. Experimental results show the validity of the composite process.

Impact of Quality and Government Subsidies on Elderly Care Services

In order to solve the problem of imbalance resource allocation and service income in the elderly care service industry,this article establishes three service income models in different situations for a single provider and a single integrator while considering the quality as well as government subsidies.The results showed that government subsidies can significantly improve quality efforts and service income with a mutual restriction between quality and service income.Government subsidies would have an impact on the quality,and they are more conducive to the service income of providers.When government subsidies are less than 80% of the service income,the incentive effect is better.

Evolutionary PSO-based emergency monitoring geospatial edge service chain in the emergency communication network

Emergency communication networks play a vital role in disaster monitoring,transmission,and application during disaster emergency response(DER),however,the performance and stability of edge nodes in the emergency communication networks are often weak due to limited communication and computation resources.This weakness directly affects the quality,of service(Qos)of the geospatial edge service(GES)chains involved in emergency monitoring.Existing research predominantly addresses service compositions in stable environments,neglecting the aggregation of efficient and robust GES chains in emergency communication networks.This study proposes an evolutionary_particie swarm optimization(EPSO)-based emergency monitoring GES chain in an_emergency communication network.it includes a GES chain model of emergency environment monitoring for tailing areas,as well as the designs of the particle chromosome encoding method,fitness evaluation model,and particle chromosome swarm update operators of the EPSO-based GES chain.Finally,the study conducts emergency environment monitoring experiments for tailing areas using the proposed method.Experiments results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly enhances the efficiency,stability,and reliability of emergency monitoring GEs chains in the emergency communication network.This is crucial to providing fast and reliable services for DER during natural disasters.

SFC Design and VNF Placement Based on Traffic Volume Scaling and VNF Dependency in 5G Networks

The development of Fifth-Generation(5G)mobile communication technology has remarkably promoted the spread of the Internet of Things(IoT)applications.As a promising paradigm for IoT,edge computing can process the amount of data generated by mobile intelligent devices in less time response.Network Function Virtualization(NFV)that decouples network functions from dedicated hardware is an important architecture to implement edge computing,deploying heterogeneous Virtual Network Functions(VNF)(such as computer vision,natural language processing,intelligent control,etc.)on the edge service nodes.With the NFV MANO(Management and Orchestration)framework,a Service Function Chain(SFC)that contains a set of ordered VNFs can be constructed and placed in the network to offer a customized network service.However,the procedure of NFV orchestration faces a technical challenge in minimizing the network cost of VNF placement due to the complexity of the changing effect of traffic volume and the dependency on theVNFrelationship.To this end,we jointly optimize SFC design and VNF placement to minimize resource cost while taking account of VNF dependency and traffic volume scaling.First,the problem is formulated as an Integer Linear Programming(ILP)model and proved NPhard by reduction from Hamiltonian Cycle problem.Then we proposed an efficient heuristic algorithm called Traffic Aware and Interdependent VNF Placement(TAIVP)to solve the problem.Compared with the benchmark algorithms,emulation results show that our algorithm can reduce network cost by 10.2%and increase service request acceptance rate by 7.6%on average.