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Open radio access networks (e.g., O-RAN) facilitate fine-grained control (e.g., near-RT RIC) in next-generation networks, necessitating advanced AI/ML techniques in handling online resource orchestration in real-time. However, existing approaches can hardly adapt to time-evolving network dynamics in network slicing, leading to significant online performance degradation. In this paper, we propose AdaSlicing, a new adaptive network slicing system, to online learn to orchestrate virtual resources while efficiently adapting to continual network dynamics. The AdaSlicing system includes a new soft-isolated RAN virtualization framework and a novel AdaOrch algorithm. We design the AdaOrch algorithm by integrating AI/ML techniques (i.e., Bayesian learning agents) and optimization methods (i.e., the ADMM coordinator). We design the soft-isolated RAN virtualization to improve the virtual resource utilization of slices while assuring the isolation among virtual resources at runtime. We implement AdaSlicing on an O-RAN compliant network testbed by using OpenAirInterface RAN, Open5GS Core, and FlexRIC near-RT RIC, with Ettus USRP B210 SDR. With extensive network experiments, we demonstrate that AdaSlicing substantially outperforms state-of-the-art works with 64.2% cost reduction and 45.5% normalized performance improvement, which verifies its high adaptability, scalability, and assurance. 

Network slicing enables operators to efficiently support diverse applications on a shared infrastructure. However, the evolving complexity of networks, compounded by inter-cell interference, necessitates agile and adaptable resource management. While deep learning offers solutions for coping with complexity, its adaptability to dynamic configurations remains limited. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid deep learning algorithm called IDLA (integrated deep learning with the Lagrangian method). This integrated approach aims to enhance the scalability, flexibility, and robustness of slicing resource allocation solutions by harnessing the high approximation capability of deep learning and the strong generalization of classical non-linear optimization methods. Then, we introduce a variational information bottleneck (VIB)-assisted domain adaptation (DA) approach to enhance integrated deep learning and Lagrangian method (IDLA)’s adaptability across diverse network environments and conditions. We propose pre-training a variational information bottleneck (VIB)-based Quality of Service (QoS) estimator, using slice-specific inputs shared across all source domain slices. Each target domain slice can deploy this estimator to predict its QoS and optimize slice resource allocation using the IDLA algorithm. This VIB-based estimator is continuously fine-tuned with a mixture of samples from both the source and target domains until convergence. Evaluating on a multi-cell network with time-varying slice configurations, the VIB-enhanced IDLA algorithm outperforms baselines such as heuristic and deep reinforcement learning-based solutions, achieving twice the convergence speed and 16.52% higher asymptotic performance after slicing configuration changes. Transferability assessment demonstrates a 25.66% improvement in estimation accuracy with VIB, especially in scenarios with significant domain gaps, highlighting its robustness and effectiveness across diverse domains.