Malandrino, FrancescoChiasserini, Carla-FabianaLandi, Giada2019-11-052019-11-052019-09Malandrino, F., Chiasserini, C. F., Landi, G. (2019). Service Shifting: a Paradigm for Service Resilience in 5G. IEEE Communications Magazine,57(9), pp. 120-125.0163-6804https://hdl.handle.net/10016/29127Many real-world services can be provided through multiple virtual network function (VNF) graphs, corresponding, e.g., to high- and low-complexity variants of the service itself. Based on this observation, we extend the concept of service scaling in network orchestration to service shifting, i.e., upgrading or downgrading the VNF graph to use among those implementing the same service. Service shifting can serve multiple goals, from reducing operational costs to reacting to infrastructure problems. Furthermore, it enhances the flexibility of service-level agreements between network operators and third party content providers (“verticals”). In this paper, we introduce and describe the service shifting concept, its benefits, and the associated challenges, with special reference to how service shifting can be integrated within real-world 5G architectures and implementations. We conclude that existing network orchestration frameworks can be easily extended to support service shifting, and its adoption has the potential to make 5G network slices easier for the operators to manage under high-load conditions, while still meeting the verticals’ requirements.7eng© 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.research articleTelecomunicacioneshttps://doi.org/10.1109/MCOM.2019.1800986open access1209125IEEE Communications Magazine57