{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4416889007","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920","title":"Transformer-Empowered Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning for Sequence-Aware Service Function Chain Partitioning","display_name":"Transformer-Empowered Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning for Sequence-Aware Service Function Chain Partitioning","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-01-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4416889007","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2484352698","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","issn_l":"2327-4697","issn":["2327-4697","2334-329X"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["arxiv","crossref","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.18902","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5030233905","display_name":"Cyril Shih-Huan Hsu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6514-5372"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I887064364","display_name":"University of Amsterdam","ror":"https://ror.org/04dkp9463","country_code":"NL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}],"countries":["NL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Cyril Shih-Huan Hsu","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6514-5372","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5045056842","display_name":"Anestis Dalgkitsis","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6838-1768"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I887064364","display_name":"University of Amsterdam","ror":"https://ror.org/04dkp9463","country_code":"NL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}],"countries":["NL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Anestis Dalgkitsis","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5012988433","display_name":"Chrysa Papagianni","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-6492"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I887064364","display_name":"University of Amsterdam","ror":"https://ror.org/04dkp9463","country_code":"NL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}],"countries":["NL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Paola Grosso","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4600-9812","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5007029875","display_name":"Paola Grosso","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4600-9812"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I887064364","display_name":"University of Amsterdam","ror":"https://ror.org/04dkp9463","country_code":"NL","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}],"countries":["NL"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chrysa Papagianni","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-6492","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I887064364"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.00837572,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"13","issue":null,"first_page":"9247","last_page":"9264"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10714","display_name":"Software-Defined Networks and 5G","score":0.991599977016449,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10714","display_name":"Software-Defined Networks and 5G","score":0.991599977016449,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10847","display_name":"Advanced Optical Network Technologies","score":0.0010000000474974513,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2208","display_name":"Electrical and Electronic Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10273","display_name":"IoT and Edge/Fog Computing","score":0.000699999975040555,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/scalability","display_name":"Scalability","score":0.7276999950408936},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reinforcement-learning","display_name":"Reinforcement learning","score":0.6294000148773193},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/bridging","display_name":"Bridging (networking)","score":0.4553999900817871},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/orchestration","display_name":"Orchestration","score":0.43799999356269836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/service","display_name":"Service (business)","score":0.39250001311302185},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/convergence","display_name":"Convergence (economics)","score":0.392300009727478},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/function","display_name":"Function (biology)","score":0.3824000060558319},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/network-service","display_name":"Network service","score":0.3749000132083893}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8029999732971191},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48044578","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q727490","display_name":"Scalability","level":2,"score":0.7276999950408936},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97541855","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q830687","display_name":"Reinforcement learning","level":2,"score":0.6294000148773193},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120314980","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180634","display_name":"Distributed computing","level":1,"score":0.6247000098228455},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C174348530","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188635","display_name":"Bridging (networking)","level":2,"score":0.4553999900817871},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199168358","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3367000","display_name":"Orchestration","level":3,"score":0.43799999356269836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780378061","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25351891","display_name":"Service (business)","level":2,"score":0.39250001311302185},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777303404","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759757","display_name":"Convergence (economics)","level":2,"score":0.392300009727478},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C14036430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076","display_name":"Function (biology)","level":2,"score":0.3824000060558319},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779618445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1640628","display_name":"Network service","level":2,"score":0.3749000132083893},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C63479239","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7353546","display_name":"Robustness (evolution)","level":3,"score":0.3628999888896942},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C206345919","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20380951","display_name":"Resource (disambiguation)","level":2,"score":0.35679998993873596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112972136","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7595718","display_name":"Stability (learning theory)","level":2,"score":0.34929999709129333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C82876162","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17096504","display_name":"Latency (audio)","level":2,"score":0.3287999927997589},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.3199999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199845137","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q145490","display_name":"Network topology","level":2,"score":0.3122999966144562},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C200789330","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7000834","display_name":"Network Functions Virtualization","level":3,"score":0.30309998989105225},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780598303","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65921492","display_name":"Flexibility (engineering)","level":2,"score":0.2797999978065491},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C29202148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q287260","display_name":"Resource allocation","level":2,"score":0.27309998869895935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.2689000070095062},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C206729178","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2271896","display_name":"Scheduling (production processes)","level":2,"score":0.25999999046325684},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780609101","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17156588","display_name":"Resource management (computing)","level":2,"score":0.2572999894618988}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":4,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tnse.2026.3689920","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2484352698","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","issn_l":"2327-4697","issn":["2327-4697","2334-329X"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2504.18902","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.18902","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.18902","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4393918464","display_name":"ArXiv.org","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"pmh:oai:zenodo.org:17831921","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2504.18902","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400562","display_name":"Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I67311998","host_organization_name":"European Organization for Nuclear Research","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I67311998"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"info:eu-repo/semantics/other"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2504.18902","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2504.18902","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2504.18902","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.18902","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.18902","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4393918464","display_name":"ArXiv.org","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4416889007.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4416889007.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"In":[0],"the":[1,81,138,182],"forthcoming":[2],"era":[3],"of":[4,20,31,50,84,90,97,191],"6":[5],"G":[6],"networks,":[7],"characterized":[8],"by":[9],"unprecedented":[10],"data":[11],"rates,":[12,195],"ultra-low":[13],"latency,":[14],"and":[15,38,94,151,160,198],"ubiquitous":[16],"connectivity,":[17],"effective":[18],"management":[19],"Virtualized":[21],"Network":[22],"Functions":[23],"(VNFs)":[24],"is":[25],"essential.":[26],"VNFs":[27],"are":[28,52,67],"software-based":[29],"counterparts":[30],"traditional":[32],"hardware":[33],"devices":[34],"that":[35,66,181],"facilitate":[36],"flexible":[37],"scalable":[39],"service":[40,91,193],"provisioning.":[41],"Service":[42],"Function":[43],"Chains":[44],"(SFCs),":[45],"structured":[46],"as":[47,171,173],"ordered":[48],"sequences":[49],"VNFs,":[51,148],"pivotal":[53],"in":[54,118,189],"delivering":[55],"complex":[56,145],"network":[57,71,98],"services.":[58],"Nevertheless,":[59],"splitting":[60],"an":[61,164],"SFC":[62,134],"into":[63],"multiple":[64],"segments":[65],"deployed":[68],"across":[69],"different":[70],"domains":[72],"or":[73],"infrastructure":[74],"locations":[75],"presents":[76],"substantial":[77],"challenges":[78],"due":[79],"to":[80,111,156],"potential":[82],"heterogeneity":[83],"domain":[85],"characteristic":[86],"along":[87],"with":[88,114],"quality":[89],"(QoS)":[92],"constraints":[93],"limited":[95,104],"visibility":[96],"state.":[99],"Conventional":[100],"optimization":[101],"methods":[102],"have":[103],"scalability,":[105],"while":[106,200],"existing":[107,186],"data-driven":[108],"approaches":[109],"struggle":[110],"balance":[112],"efficiency":[113],"capturing":[115],"VNF":[116],"inter-dependencies":[117,146],"SFCs.":[119],"To":[120],"overcome":[121],"these":[122],"limitations,":[123],"we":[124,162],"introduce":[125,163],"a":[126],"Transformer-empowered":[127],"actor-critic":[128],"framework":[129],"specifically":[130],"designed":[131],"for":[132],"sequence-aware":[133],"partitioning.":[135],"By":[136],"utilizing":[137],"self-attention":[139],"mechanism,":[140],"our":[141],"approach":[142],"effectively":[143],"models":[144],"between":[147],"facilitating":[149],"coordinated":[150],"parallel":[152],"decision-making":[153],"processes.":[154],"Furthermore,":[155],"improve":[157],"training":[158],"stability":[159],"convergence":[161],"<inline-formula":[165],"xmlns:mml=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\"":[166],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\"><tex-math":[167],"notation=\"LaTeX\">$\\epsilon$</tex-math></inline-formula>-LoPe":[168],"exploration":[169],"strategy":[170],"well":[172],"Asymptotic":[174],"Return":[175],"Normalization.":[176],"Comprehensive":[177],"simulation":[178],"results":[179],"demonstrate":[180],"proposed":[183],"methodology":[184],"outperforms":[185],"state-of-the-art":[187],"solutions":[188],"terms":[190],"long-term":[192],"acceptance":[194],"resource":[196],"utilization,":[197],"scalability":[199],"achieving":[201],"fast":[202],"inference.":[203]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}
