SFC Deployment in Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks Based on Matching Game

The space-air-ground integrated network (SAGIN) is dynamic and flexible, which can support transmitting data in environments lacking ground communication facilities. However, the nodes of SAGIN are heterogeneous and it is intractable to share the resources to provide multiple services. Therefore, in this paper, we consider using network function virtualization technology to handle the problem of agile resource allocation. In particular, the service function chains (SFCs) are constructed to deploy multiple virtual network functions of different tasks. To depict the dynamic model of SAGIN, we propose the reconfigurable time extension graph. Then, an optimization problem is formulated to maximize the number of completed tasks, i.e., the successful deployed SFC. It is a mixed integer linear programming problem, which is hard to solve in limited time complexity. Hence, we transform it as a many-to-one two-sided matching game problem. Then, we design a Gale-Shapley based algorithm. Finally, via abundant simulations, it is verified that the designed algorithm can effectively deploy SFCs with efficient resource utilization.