Elastic Digital Twin Network Modeling toward Restraining Resource Occupation

To address the three main challenges in Digital Twin Network (DTN), we propose the Elastic Digital Twin Network Modeling (EDiTNetMdl) fitting in network life cycle to restrain resource occupation. The challenges our solution aims to tackle are: fulfilling differentiated requirements across Network Life Cycle (NLC) stages with a single DTN; loosening the decision delay caused by current DTNs, hampering utilization; and the prohibitive costs of fully replicating physical telecom infrastructure and systems. To tackle these challenges, EDiTNetMdl constructs DTN modeling in a hierarchical, multilayered abstraction. In this framework, Telecom Network Elements (NE) are represented as Classes and inheritance hierarchies. NE functions and connections are transformed into class methods along these inheritance chains. NLC stages are detected through probes which are specialized methods used to deduce the stage and needs. Complete data collection occurs at the bottom NE instances, while higher stages obtain well-abstracted metadata and functional descriptions. We enumerate 7 NLC use cases as inputs for numerical evaluations. Both the number of DTN Instances built and methods invoked are significantly decreased in EDiTNetMdl compared to contrasting solutions. Consequently, the resource occupation is significantly diminished, further highlighting the efficiency gains achieved with EDiTNetMdl.