Blockchain-based Protocol for Active Tracing of IP Traffic in 5G/6G Networks

Next-generation mobile networks, such as 5G/6G, have envisioned the possibility of direct communication between user devices, known as Device-to-Device (D2D) communication. Given that in D2D networks, traffic is transmitted ad-hoc from device to device, the range and quality of service are directly dependent on the number of nodes forming the D2D network. Therefore, we need to incentivize users to participate in the network operation through appropriate compensation for the provided resources and work done. A D2D network formed this way is inherently decentralized, making blockchain the primary choice as a technology. In this paper, we propose a new blockchain-based protocol for active tracing of IP traffic via in-band network telemetry. The experiment demonstrates that the proposed protocol can record all nodes participating in traffic forwarding in the D2D network through active traffic monitoring. Blockchain-based microtransactions can use participation records provided by our protocol to incentivize users to expand and strengthen the D2D network.