• Jean-Marie Mélé, Orange Fellow, is Head of Audits and Risk Assessments at Orange. He explains that slicing is a strategic technology for priority communication or fleet isolation requirements.
Network slicing, which consists of slicing the network into several independent subnetworks on the same infrastructure, is currently considered by many analysts as the future of networks, especially for security reasons. Why is that?
Because it allows real isolation. For example, in a factory of the future, we do not want an industrial robot to be exposed to visitors’ mobile devices. The aim is therefore to isolate the networks. However, this approach conflicts with the zero trust philosophy. Today, we no longer trust infrastructure; the terminal and the application must have their own security.
A dedicated slice—and the associated price—is of little use to the general public. On the other hand, it can be essential for business or VIP customers with real quality of service and security needs.
For Some Fields, Slicing Remains Essential…
It could be argued that relying on infrastructure to provide security is not a defensive strategy. However, this would be ignoring the reality of certain fields of use, where it is not always possible to completely secure equipment.
This may be due to the pace of vulnerability fixes being limited by the availability requirements of certain critical applications, or to the difficulty of getting certain providers to secure against current threats. We’re thinking here of industrial fields, embedded systems (smart cities, etc.), or the medical field, among others. For these sectors, the security offered by slices is far from negligible and can even be a major argument for choosing this technology.
Similarly, some critical services require guaranteed bandwidth, such as backup networks. Should there be an event where everyone is trying to communicate at the same time, emergency services must have priority slices. This can also be useful for sports events requiring high-quality livestreams or for autonomous vehicles. Here, slicing provides quality service and device isolation, avoiding potential disruptions or attacks.
Are We Heading Toward a Widespread Rollout of Network Slicing?
Network slicing, although promising, is still a relatively new concept. For now, there are no widespread rollouts, but real commercial uses are arising.
Speaking About Prioritization, We Should Also Mention Net Neutrality…
Yes. In 2022, Arcep published a memo entitled “Neutralité du net – 5G et network slicing” (Net neutrality – 5G and network slicing). It reiterated that slicing is not incompatible with net neutrality. There are many factors to consider, but the key point is that services should not compromise the overall quality of Internet access services — which is clearly the case.
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Jean-Marie Mélé
