End-to-end latency upper bounds and service chain deployment algorithm based on industrial internet network

The diverse service requests in industrial Internet networks require flexible and efficient service chain deployment to ensure the quality of service (QoS). However, current deployment algorithms for service chains are primarily designed to guarantee only low end-to-end latency; they often overlook the amount of service chains that can be accommodated by the network and could lead to severe network load imbalances, significantly reducing service efficiency and causing serious network congestion issues. To address the above issues, we develop a mathematical model of the network topology and service request chains by integrating Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN). Utilizing network calculus theory, we derive the upper bound of end-to-end delay for service chain routing and analyzed the relationship between the upper bound of service chain routing delay and the resource allocation of Virtual Network Function (VNF) nodes. Based on the aforementioned model, we propose a novel service chain deployment algorithm named the Delay-Aware Load-Balanced Routing Algorithm (DLBRA). DLBRA comprehensively considers network traffic load balancing and end-to-end latency of service chains, rationally allocating VNF node resources to complete the determined service chain routing deployment. Experimental results indicate that, compared to the shortest path and load balancing algorithms, DLBRA not only ensures that the end-to-end delay of the service chain meets its QoS requirements, but also effectively reduces network load imbalance, significantly increasing the number of service chain requests that the network can accommodate. Additionally, DLBRA provides tailored deployment guidance for different types of service chains, such as latency-sensitive and data-intensive service chains, ensuring optimal utilization of network resources. This algorithm enhances the efficiency of service chain deployment in industrial internet scenarios and possesses broad application potential in other network environments where delay optimization and load balancing are critical, such as intelligent transportation, cloud computing, and 5G networks. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.