  Network slicing is one of the key features for 5G networks to be able to
accommodate the anticipated diversity of applications and business actors in a
resource-efficient manner. While significant progress has already been achieved
at 3GPP specifications level with regard to the system architectural and
functional aspects for the realisation of network slicing in 5G networks,
management solutions for the exploitation of this feature in the Next
Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) are still at a very incipient stage.
In this context, this paper presents a framework for the management of network
slicing in a NG-RAN infrastructure, identifying the functions, interfaces and
information models that are necessary to enable the automation of the RAN
slicing provisioning and management processes. Accordingly, a plausible
information model intended to describe the manageable characteristics and
behaviour of a RAN slice is developed and its applicability discussed in an
illustrative neutral host provider scenario.
