Intelligent Network Slicing and Policy-based Routing Engine (INSPiRE)

AiRANACULUS, and its partners, propose an innovativenbsp;Intelligentnbsp;Networknbsp;Splicing andnbsp;Policy-basednbsp;Routingnbsp;Engine (INSPiRE) Solution to increase mission science data return, improve resource efficiencies for NASA missions and communication networks and ensure resilience in unpredictable space environments. The proposed INSPiRE System is an add-on to the CLAIREnbsp;Project, that is developing wide-band spectrum sensing, spectrum-aware routing and cognitive control plane riding on the NASArsquo; s CCSDS Bundle Protocol as an APP. CLAIRE provides spectrum and network situational awareness to enable link-layer selection and optimization to maximize the data flow. The INSPiRE System utilizes thenbsp;CLAIRE APP to enable Network Slicing (NS) and Policy-based Routing (PBR). From a logical perspective INSPiRE architecture utilizes the three-state model of network topology, RF performance and PBR ndash; two of these inputs are provided by CLAIRE while the third one defining policy is a flow down from NASA.nbsp; While the actual path optimizations are complex calculations, INSPiRE abstracts the paths as virtual NSs. INSPiRE brings interesting aspects of 5G networks in the form of Network Function Virtualization, Security, Service Level Agreement (SCI/NET/DET/PNT)nbsp;and PBR, which allows NASA to leap ahead from link-optimization to secure network optimization. Each NSnbsp;is end-to-end secure and logically separate tunnel, hence providing security and robustness. Unlike 5G NSnbsp;which are bound to a specific path and support many applications, INSPiRE NSsnbsp;are application specific and run across all paths over the node/ satellite constellation. The INSPiRE architecture utilizes the CLAIRE APPs which arenbsp;embedded on satellite and ground system to determine the topology and measure the RF performance.nbsp; Collected data is uploaded to the INSPiRE management system where route optimizations are determined based on PBR.nbsp; These optimizations are transmitted to all CLAIRE APPs which enforcenbsp;the policy decisions.