# Attention-based Open RAN Slice Management using Deep Reinforcement Learning

**Authors:** Fatemeh Lotfi, Fatemeh Afghah, Jonathan Ashdown  
**arXiv:** [2306.09490](https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.09490)  
**Date:** 2023-06-15  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/fr/paper/2306.09490v1/

## Abstract

As emerging networks such as Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN) and 5G continue to grow, the demand for various services with different requirements is increasing. Network slicing has emerged as a potential solution to address the different service requirements. However, managing network slices while maintaining quality of services (QoS) in dynamic environments is a challenging task. Utilizing machine learning (ML) approaches for optimal control of dynamic networks can enhance network performance by preventing Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations. This is critical for dependable decision-making and satisfying the needs of emerging networks. Although RL-based control methods are effective for real-time monitoring and controlling network QoS, generalization is necessary to improve decision-making reliability. This paper introduces an innovative attention-based deep RL (ADRL) technique that leverages the O-RAN disaggregated modules and distributed agent cooperation to achieve better performance through effective information extraction and implementing generalization. The proposed method introduces a value-attention network between distributed agents to enable reliable and optimal decision-making. Simulation results demonstrate significant improvements in network performance compared to other DRL baseline methods.