Blockchain-based SLA management for 6G networks

Abstract

In this letter, we propose the use of a blockchain-based solution for inter-provider agreements in 6G networks, utilizing smart contracts and Chainlink for monitoring and assessing Service Level Agreements (SLAs), including penalty calculations. We evaluate the proposed solution by deploying it on two public blockchains, Ethereum and Polygon, and find that Polygon provides a cost-effective option for creating inter-provider agreements. This is particularly important for use cases involving numerous transactions. Additionally, Chainlink enables secure and transparent access to off-chain SLA data, and we observe lower transaction latency in Polygon. This suggests that utilizing blockchain-based solutions such as smart contracts can aid the process of creating inter-provider agreements for leasing and selling resources in 6G networks, with Chainlink oracle providing support for their SLA management. However, factors such as transaction cost and latency need to be considered.