A New Agent-Based Intelligent Network Architecture

The advent of 5G and the design of its architecture has become possible because of the previous individual scientific works and standardization efforts on cloud computing and network softwarization. Software-defined networking and network function virtualization started separately to find their convolution into 5G network architecture. Also, the ongoing design of the future beyond 5G (B5G) and 6G network architecture cannot overlook the pivotal inputs of different independent standardization efforts on autonomic networking, service-based communication systems, and multi-access edge computing. This article provides the design and characteristics of an agent-based, softwarized, and intelligent architecture, which coherently condenses and merges the independent proposed architectural works by different standardization working groups and bodies. This novel work is a helpful means for the design and standardization process of the future 5G and 6G network architecture. © 2017 IEEE.