Enabling Efficient Service Function Chains at Terrestrial-Satellite Hybrid Cloud Networks

Abstract

The great improvements in both satellite and terrestrial networks have motivated the academic and industrial communities to rethink their integration. As a result, there is an increasing interest in new-generation hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks, where sufficient flexibility should be enabled to deploy customized SFCs to satisfy the growing diversity of user needs. However, it is still challenging to achieve such a nice vision, since many key issues remain unaddressed comprehensively such as framework design, communication procedures and resource optimization. Therefore, in this article, we focus on how to efficiently deploy customized SFCs at terrestrial- satellite hybrid cloud networks. In particular, we first propose an elastic framework used for SFC deployment at clouds, and second propose an efficient SFC mapping approach for improvement of system resource utilization. Finally, we verify the proposed framework at a proof-ofconcept prototype via a number of use cases, and evaluate the proposed mapping approach through extensive simulations based on a realworld topology. Related experimental and simulation results have confirmed the feasibility and benefits of our proposed framework and mapping approach.