Method and a network device for network slicing

A network device comprising a processor and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the network device is configured to:

• receive, from a terminal device, a request for at least one of reserving and assigning a network slice for an application;
• determine whether the application is previously known in terms of an application profile or an application identity, the determination being performed by matching the application against a plurality of application profiles and/or application identities residing in at an application profile/identity database;
• if the application is determined to be known, determine a cost for setting up or for assigning a network slice for the application indicated in the request;
• and
• if the application is determined to be unknown:
• analyze a connection pattern of the application for determining characteristics of the application prior to assigning a profile to the application, the analyzing comprising:
• monitoring the connection pattern to determine whether the behavior of the application changes;
• and
• in response to determining that the behavior of the application has not changed, defining the application as profile ready for at least one of configuring and assigning a default network slice to the application;
• and
• assign a profile to the application and at least one of configuring and assigning a default network slice to the application.