A Proof of Concept for QoS-Oriented 5G Network Slicing with eBPF-TC

This paper presents a proof of concept on dynamically slicing a 5G network using TC and eBPF for granular Quality of Service (QoS). The approach ensures appropriate bandwidth for each slice based on near real-time traffic inspection and classification. eBPF handles packet inspection and classification using the Hierarchical Token Bucket (HTB) queuing discipline for bandwidth adjustment. By enabling reactive adjustments, eBPF provides granular control based on network events, essential for agile Quality of Experience (QoE) monitoring. The PoC considers four User Equipments (UEs) with throughput assessment and performance monitoring using FlexRIC. The observed slice activation and deactivation response times were 0.37s and 0.05s, respectively.