1. Xiangtong Qi The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Intent-based Network Resource Intelligent Reconfiguration: Mechanism Design
Xiangtong Qi
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2. What is Intent? Examples of Intent
“I want to set up a flow from A to B with a bandwidth of 400M”
“I want add 100M bandwidth to my flow”
“I want the utilization rate below 40% for all links”
Intents may be described in terms of Network Resource, Constraints, Criteria, Instructions
From ONOS project
How to manage these intents?

3. An Abstract View of Intent
Network Resources
(Bandwidth, Service, IP Address, etc.)
Intent Management System
Network Operator
Network Users
Fact
Resource never enough to satisfy all users
Challenge
High flexibility
Gaming behavior
Solution
Mechanism for effective resource allocation
Question
Conflict resolution
Effectiveness
Fairness

4. Mechanism Design: A suit of integrated Solutions
Network Operator
Optimization
Resource utilization
System stability
Fairness
Individual service level
Game Theory
User 1
User 2
User 3

5. Example of Network Traffic Control
Capacity = 100M for all links
Intent 1
Setting up a flow of 100M from A to B C A B D
Intent 2
Setting up a flow of 100M from C to D

6. Optimization for System EffectivenessB A C D
Both intents are installed
Total resource consumption is minimized
Network load is balanced

7. Underlying the OptimizationC A B D
Time-varying multi-commodity network flow
Automatically generating solutions
Tailored-made optimization algorithms
Demo
Users’ intents: flow adjustment
Operator’s intent: load balancing

8. If Intent 1 is submitted earlier, …C A B D
Shortest Path for Intent 1, rejecting Intent 2?
A longer path for Intent 1, waiting for Intent 2? C A B D

9. Game-Theoretic Analysis
For fairness
Priority-based solution
Round-robin solution
Market-oriented solution (pricing, bidding, auction)
For effectiveness
Ensuring truth telling
Incentivizing traffic smoothing …

10. Mechanism for Intent Management
Optimization
Multiple objectives
Forward looking
Robust
Automatic recovery
Game theoretical analysis
Effectiveness
Fairness
Truth telling
Sustainability

11. Intent of My Talk: Objectives
Thanks