Replica management method and device and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a copy management method and device and electronic equipment. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring real-time information of a session management function (SMF) cluster and a user plane function (UPF) cluster; a mapping table of the UPF cluster is determined according to the real-time information, the mapping table comprises an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, and the SMF copy pool comprises a main SMF and a standby SMF; and determining a fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through a bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) link, and updating the mapping table according to the fault report. According to the method and the device, the technical problems that the risks of service interruption and data loss exist when the SMF faces a high-concurrency request and a network fault, and meanwhile, a copy management method in related technologies is lack of flexibility and real-time performance and cannot quickly respond to network state change are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of network technology and security, and specifically, to a copy management method, device and electronic device. Background Art

[0002] In 5G and future communication networks, with the rapid development of high-tech applications such as intelligent transportation, telemedicine, and intelligent manufacturing, network reliability and response speed have become key factors affecting user experience and business continuity. These applications not only require extremely low latency and high data transmission rates, but also pose extremely high challenges to network stability and fault recovery capabilities. For example, in the Internet of Vehicles, any slight network delay or interruption may directly threaten traffic safety; in telemedicine scenarios, high availability is directly related to the life safety of patients; and precision industrial control requires the network to respond instantly to ensure the smooth production process and the safe operation of equipment.

[0003] However, the SMF (Session Management Function) architecture in the related art may experience slow response and excessive resource consumption when processing high-concurrency session requests and dealing with sudden network failures. Even when the master node fails, the long switching time of the redundancy mechanism may cause service interruption, affecting user experience and business continuity. In addition, the replica management strategy in the related art usually adopts static allocation and cannot be dynamically adjusted according to the real-time network status and load conditions, which is relatively insufficient in the highly dynamic 5G network environment.

[0004] To address the above-mentioned problems, no effective solution has been proposed yet. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a copy management method, device and electronic device to at least solve the technical problems that when SMF faces high concurrent requests and network failures, there is a risk of service interruption and data loss, and at the same time, the copy management method in the related technology lacks flexibility and real-time performance and cannot quickly respond to changes in network status.

[0006] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a copy management method is provided, including: obtaining real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information includes at least the operating status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster; determining a mapping table of the UPF cluster based on the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to represent the SMF that gives priority to processing the session request of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to represent the backup SMF that can continue to process the session request of the UPF when the primary SMF fails; determining a fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through a bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and updating the mapping table based on the fault report.

[0007] Optionally, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and one or more backup SMFs.

[0008] Optionally, determining a mapping table of a UPF cluster based on real-time information includes: determining a replica strategy corresponding to the UPF cluster, wherein the replica strategy is used to indicate that an appropriate number of backup SMFs are allocated to each UPF in the UPF cluster based on system performance; determining a node processing capability of each SMF in the SMF cluster based on real-time information; and determining a mapping table based on the replica strategy and the node processing capability.

[0009] Optionally, after determining the mapping table of the UPF cluster based on real-time information, the method also includes: establishing a session connection between the UPF and the master SMF in the corresponding SMF copy pool based on the mapping table, wherein the UPF communicates with the master SMF through a packet forwarding control protocol; and detecting the session connection through a BFD link.

[0010] Optionally, the session connection is detected through a BFD link, including: determining the detection parameters of the BFD link, wherein the detection parameters include at least a detection interval and a minimum sending and receiving interval between the UPF and the main SMF; obtaining a control message sent by the UPF, wherein the control message includes at least a link status between the UPF and the main SMF, and an operating status of the UPF; determining the session connection status between the UPF and the main SMF based on the detection parameters and the control message, and generating a fault report based on the session connection status.

[0011] Optionally, the method also includes: when a fault report shows that there is a fault in the session connection between the UPF and the main SMF, establishing a session connection between the UPF and the backup SMF in the corresponding SMF copy pool according to a mapping table, wherein the UPF and the backup SMF communicate through a packet forwarding control protocol.

[0012] Optionally, updating the mapping table according to the fault report includes: deleting the faulty primary SMF in the SMF copy pool, upgrading the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool to the primary SMF, and re-determining the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool.

[0013] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a copy management device is also provided, including: an acquisition module, used to acquire real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information includes at least the operating status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster; a determination module, used to determine a mapping table of the UPF cluster based on the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to represent the SMF that gives priority to processing the session request of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to represent the backup SMF that can continue to process the session request of the UPF when the primary SMF fails; an update module, used to determine the fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through a bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and update the mapping table based on the fault report.

[0014] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, there is also provided an electronic device, including: a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store program instructions; the processor is connected to the memory and is used to execute and implement the above-mentioned copy management method.

[0015] According to another aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a non-volatile storage medium is provided, the non-volatile storage medium includes a stored computer program, wherein the device where the non-volatile storage medium is located executes the above-mentioned copy management method by running the computer program.

[0016] According to another aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a computer program product is also provided, including computer instructions, which implement the above-mentioned copy management method when executed by a processor.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster is obtained, wherein the real-time information includes at least the operating status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster; a mapping table of the UPF cluster is determined based on the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, wherein the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to represent the SMF that preferentially processes the session request of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to represent the backup SMF that can continue to process the session request of the UPF when the primary SMF fails; the fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool is determined by detecting the BFD link through bidirectional forwarding, and the mapping table is updated based on the fault report, thereby achieving the purpose of real-time monitoring of the network status and dynamically adjusting the SMF copy pool mapping, quickly recovering from the fault and optimizing resource allocation, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving network service reliability and reducing service interruption time, thereby solving the technical problem that the SMF faces high concurrent requests and network failures, and the risk of service interruption and data loss, and the lack of flexibility and real-time performance of the copy management method in the related technology, and cannot quickly respond to changes in network status. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 is a hardware structure diagram of a computer terminal for implementing a copy management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a replica management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 4 is a flow chart of another copy management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 5 It is a mapping representation scheme based on a two-copy strategy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 6 It is a mapping representation scheme based on a three-copy strategy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 7 It is a structural diagram of a copy management device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present application, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0027] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0028] First, some nouns or terms that appear in the process of explaining the embodiments of the present application are subject to the following explanations:

[0029] SMF (Session Management Function): It is one of the components responsible for the control plane in the 5G core network. It is mainly responsible for establishing, modifying and releasing sessions of user equipment (UE). SMF works with UPF (User Plane Function) to manage session policies and rules to ensure the correct routing and QoS (Quality of Service) of data flows.

[0030] UPF (User Plane Function): Responsible for data forwarding and processing in 5G networks. UPF processes data packets from UEs and forwards them to the correct network location according to the rules set by SMF. It also provides security functions such as firewalls and packet filtering.

[0031] BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection): A fast link failure detection mechanism. BFD monitors link connectivity by periodically exchanging control messages between two communicating nodes. Once a link failure is detected, BFD can quickly notify related components and start the fault recovery mechanism.

[0032] PFCP (Packet Flow Control Protocol): Packet Flow Control Protocol is a protocol used for communication between the control plane and the user plane in 5G networks. The PFCP protocol allows session management and data flow control between SMF and UPF to ensure the reasonable allocation and use of network resources.

[0033] SRMU (SMF Replica Management Unit): is a key component proposed in this application, responsible for dynamically managing and adjusting the SMF replica pool to cope with changes in network status. SRMU integrates real-time information, generates and updates the mapping table from UPF to SMF replica pool, ensuring that when the primary SMF fails, it can quickly switch to the backup SMF to reduce service interruption time.

[0034] In order to solve the problem of poor copy management efficiency in the related art, the present application embodiment provides a copy management method, which can be run on Figure 1 In the computer terminal shown, the computer terminal is described below.

[0035] The replica management method embodiment provided in the embodiment of the present application can be executed in a mobile terminal, a computer terminal or a similar computing device. Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a hardware structure block diagram of a computer terminal for implementing a copy management method. Figure 1 As shown, the computer terminal 10 may include one or more (102a, 102b, ..., 102n are used to illustrate) processors (the processor may include but is not limited to a processing device such as a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA), a memory 104 for storing data, and a transmission module 106 for communication functions connected via a wired and / or wireless network. In addition, it may also include: a display, a keyboard, a cursor control device, an input / output interface (I / O interface), a universal serial bus (USB) port (which may be included as one of the ports of the I / O interface), a network interface, and a BUS bus. Those skilled in the art can understand that Figure 1 The structure shown is only for illustration and does not limit the structure of the above electronic device. Figure 1 More or fewer components as shown, or with Figure 1 Different configurations shown.

[0036] It should be noted that the one or more processors and / or other data processing circuits described above may generally be referred to herein as "data processing circuits". The data processing circuits may be embodied in whole or in part as software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination thereof. In addition, the data processing circuit may be a single independent processing module, or may be incorporated in whole or in part into any of the other components in the computer terminal 10. As described in the embodiments of the present application, the data processing circuit acts as a processor control (e.g., selection of a variable resistor terminal path connected to an interface).

[0037] The memory 104 can be used to store software programs and modules of application software, such as the program instructions / data storage device corresponding to the copy management method in the embodiment of the present application. The processor executes various functional applications and data processing by running the software programs and modules stored in the memory 104, that is, the above-mentioned copy management method is realized. The memory 104 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some examples, the memory 104 may further include a memory remotely arranged relative to the processor, and these remote memories may be connected to the computer terminal 10 via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0038] The transmission module 106 is used to receive or send data via a network. The specific example of the above network may include a wireless network provided by a communication provider of the computer terminal 10. In one example, the transmission module 106 includes a network adapter (Network Interface Controller, NIC), which can be connected to other network devices through a base station so as to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the transmission module 106 can be a radio frequency (RF) module, which is used to communicate with the Internet wirelessly.

[0039] The display may be, for example, a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD) that enables a user to interact with a user interface of the computer terminal 10 .

[0040] It should be noted that, in some optional embodiments, the above Figure 1 The computer terminal shown may include hardware elements (including circuits), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium), or a combination of hardware elements and software elements. It should be noted that Figure 1 This is merely one example of a particular embodiment and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in the computer terminal described above.

[0041] In the above-mentioned operating environment, an embodiment of the present application provides an embodiment of a copy management method. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that shown here.

[0042] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a replica management method according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0043] Step S202, obtain real-time information of the session management function SMF cluster and the user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information at least includes the operating status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster.

[0044] In the above step S202, the core is to use the real-time information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster to perform intelligent resource allocation and fault response to ensure high availability and load balancing of network services. Among them, real-time information includes but is not limited to the operating status of the SMF and UPF clusters, session activity details, network performance indicators, fault detection reports, cluster topology, and the current status of the replica pool. These information together construct a healthy portrait of the network service and provide a decision-making basis for dynamically generating a mapping table from UPF to SMF replica pool. By continuously monitoring and analyzing these real-time data, SRMU can intelligently adjust replica allocation, optimize resource utilization, and ensure that the network remains stable, efficient, and low-latency when facing high concurrent requests and network failures.

[0045] Step S204, determine the mapping table of the UPF cluster based on the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to represent the SMF that gives priority to processing the session request of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to represent the backup SMF that can continue to process the session request of the UPF when the primary SMF fails.

[0046] In the above step S204, by calculating the collected real-time information, an SMF replica pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster can be generated. Among them, the SMF replica pool can be composed of a main SMF and one or more backup SMFs. As the preferred processing node, the main SMF is responsible for the session request processing of the UPF under normal circumstances, carries the main load of the user session, and is the first stop for the interaction between the UPF and the core network. The backup SMF is used to seamlessly take over the backup SMF for session requests when the main SMF is unable to provide services due to failure, maintenance or overload, ensuring that service continuity and user experience are not affected.

[0047] It should be noted that the generation of the mapping table needs to consider multiple factors, including but not limited to the health status of the nodes, load balancing, geographical distribution, etc., to ensure that the system can maintain stable operation and efficient service even when some nodes fail.

[0048] Step S206, determine the fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through the bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and update the mapping table according to the fault report.

[0049] In the above step S206, BFD is a fast fault detection mechanism for detecting the link status between UPF and SMF. When BFD detects a link failure, UPF can quickly switch to the backup SMF specified in the mapping table, report the fault information to SRMU, and update and adjust the mapping table according to the reported fault information.

[0050] Through the above steps S202 to S206, the purpose of real-time monitoring of network status and dynamic adjustment of SMF replica pool mapping, rapid fault recovery and optimization of resource allocation is achieved, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving network service reliability and reducing service interruption time, and further solving the technical problem that when SMF faces high concurrent requests and network failures, there is a risk of service interruption and data loss, and the replica management method in related technologies lacks flexibility and real-time performance and cannot quickly respond to changes in network status.

[0051] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the system includes a SRMU (SMF Replica Management Unit), an SMF cluster (Session Management Function Cluster) and a UPF cluster (User Plane Function Cluster).

[0052] Specifically, when the system starts, the SMF cluster (consisting of multiple SMF instances, such as SMF_1 to SMF_m) and the UPF cluster (consisting of multiple UPF instances, such as UPF_1 to UPF_m) will notify the SRMU that they are ready through power-on registration. Subsequently, the SRMU calculates and generates a mapping table from UPF to SMF replica pool based on the real-time information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster, such as network link status and system load, and synchronizes the mapping table to the UPF cluster through the "SMF replica mapping table distribution" process. After receiving the mapping table, the UPF cluster establishes a PFCP session with the specified SMF instance and continuously monitors it through the BFD link, where the BFD message is a control message used to detect BFD link failures. When BFD detects a link failure, the UPF cluster can immediately switch to the backup SMF in the mapping table for communication to ensure that the service is not interrupted. At the same time, UPF will report the fault to SRMU, which will update the SMF replica status accordingly, recalculate the mapping table, and synchronize the new table to the UPF cluster through the "mapping table update" process, thereby achieving rapid fault recovery and dynamic resource optimization, ensuring the continuity and efficiency of 5G core network services.

[0053] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of another copy management method according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, it describes in detail the interaction process between SRMU, SMF cluster and UPF cluster to implement the PFCP session management method based on BFD detection and multi-copy SMF.

[0054] Specifically, when the system starts, the SMF cluster and UPF cluster report their status to the SRMU through power-on registration. The SRMU then calculates the mapping table from UPF to SMF replica pool based on the real-time information of the cluster, and sends the mapping table to the UPF cluster. The UPF cluster uses this mapping table to establish a PFCP session with the specified SMF instance, and performs heartbeat monitoring through the BFD link, such as sending BFD heartbeat requests to the SMF cluster and receiving BFD heartbeat responses. Once BFD detects a link failure, the UPF will seamlessly switch to the standby SMF configured in the mapping table for communication to ensure business continuity. At the same time, the UPF reports the fault to the SRMU, triggering an update of the SMF replica status. The SRMU will adjust the SMF replica, upgrade its standby replica to the primary replica, and recalculate the mapping table. The new mapping table is then synchronized back to the UPF cluster. After the UPF updates the mapping table, it continues the PFCP session, achieving rapid fault recovery and dynamic resource optimization, ensuring the high availability and efficiency of 5G core network services.

[0055] The following combination Figure 2-Figure 4 The above steps are explained in detail.

[0056] In the above step S204, the mapping table of the UPF cluster is determined based on the real-time information, including: determining the replica strategy corresponding to the UPF cluster, wherein the replica strategy is used to indicate that an appropriate number of backup SMFs are allocated to each UPF in the UPF cluster based on system performance; determining the node processing capacity of each SMF in the SMF cluster based on the real-time information; and determining the mapping table based on the replica strategy and the node processing capacity.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present application, the dynamic generation and adjustment of the mapping table is the core of the entire system, which ensures that even if the network environment changes or some nodes fail, the entire network architecture can still remain efficient, stable and reliable. The specific process of SRMU determining the mapping table of the UPF cluster based on real-time information can be as follows:

[0058] First, determine the replication strategy. The selection of replication strategy is based on system performance and network requirements. For example, when the load is low and the redundancy requirement is not high, a two-replication strategy (one primary SMF and one backup SMF) can be selected. Figure 5 As shown, the system now includes 4 SMFs (numbered 1 to 4) and 6 UPFs (numbered 1 to 6). In the two-copy configuration, each UPF is mapped to an SMF copy pool containing a primary SMF and a backup SMF. For example, UPF1 is mapped to a copy pool consisting of SMF1 (primary SMF) and SMF2 (backup SMF). This mapping ensures that when each UPF processes a PFCP session, there is a primary SMF to take charge of daily session management tasks, and at the same time, there is a backup SMF in standby mode, ready to take over the functions of the primary SMF at any time in case the primary SMF fails or is unavailable.

[0059] In scenarios with high load, high concurrency, or extremely high reliability, you can choose a three-copy strategy (one primary SMF and two backup SMFs) or more. Figure 6 As shown, the system now includes 5 SMFs (serial numbers 1 to 5) and 10 UPFs (serial numbers 1 to 10). In the three-copy configuration, each UPF is mapped to an SMF copy pool containing one primary SMF and two backup SMFs, further enhancing the system's fault tolerance and service continuity. For example, UPF1 is mapped to a copy pool consisting of SMF1 (primary SMF), SMF2 (backup SMF1) and SMF3 (backup SMF2). In this configuration, even if the primary SMF and one backup SMF fail at the same time, the UPF can still maintain the continuity of session management through communication with the third SMF, thereby greatly improving the system's stability and its ability to support high concurrency and high business needs.

[0060] Secondly, evaluate the processing capacity of SMF nodes. SRMU needs to monitor the processing capacity of each SMF instance in the SMF cluster in real time, including but not limited to session processing rate, resource utilization, network latency and other indicators. This evaluation helps to reasonably allocate the mapping relationship between UPF and SMF instances, ensure that no SMF instance is overloaded, and at the same time, when a failure occurs, there will be a backup SMF with sufficient processing capacity to take over the function of the main SMF to ensure uninterrupted service.

[0061] Finally, based on the above-mentioned replica strategy and node processing capacity evaluation, SRMU generates and dynamically adjusts the mapping table to ensure that each UPF in the UPF cluster can be mapped to an SMF replica pool with balanced performance and appropriate redundancy.

[0062] Optionally, after determining the mapping table of the UPF cluster based on real-time information, the method also includes: establishing a session connection between the UPF and the master SMF in the corresponding SMF copy pool based on the mapping table, wherein the UPF communicates with the master SMF through a packet forwarding control protocol; and detecting the session connection through a BFD link.

[0063] Furthermore, the session connection is detected through the BFD link, including: determining the detection parameters of the BFD link, wherein the detection parameters include at least the detection interval and the minimum sending and receiving interval between the UPF and the main SMF; obtaining the control message sent by the UPF, wherein the control message includes at least the link status between the UPF and the main SMF, and the operating status of the UPF; determining the session connection status between the UPF and the main SMF based on the detection parameters and the control message, and generating a fault report based on the session connection status.

[0064] In the embodiment of the present application, the mapping table can be combined to establish a session connection between the UPF and the master SMF in the SMF replica pool, and the BFD mechanism can be used to detect these connections in real time to ensure high reliability and low latency of network communication. The specific process can be as follows:

[0065] First, each UPF in the UPF cluster establishes a PFCP session connection with the main SMF according to the mapping table. PFCP is a protocol used for communication between the control plane and the user plane, especially in 5G networks, which is responsible for session management, traffic control, and negotiation of data forwarding strategies.

[0066] Furthermore, in order to monitor the session connection status between the UPF and the main SMF in real time, the BFD mechanism can be used. Among them, BFD is a lightweight link fault detection protocol that can quickly detect link failures and notify related entities to handle them, reducing the fault recovery time and improving the availability of the network. The specific steps can be as follows:

[0067] S1. Determine the detection parameters of the BFD link: The detection parameters include the detection interval and the minimum sending and receiving interval. The detection interval defines the frequency of BFD message sending, while the minimum sending and receiving interval ensures the timely sending and receiving of messages. The selection of these two parameters needs to balance the sensitivity of link detection and the overhead of network communication.

[0068] S2. Get the control message sent by UPF: UPF will periodically send BFD control messages, which contain the link status between UPF and the main SMF and the operating status of UPF itself. This information is crucial for real-time monitoring of link health.

[0069] S3. Determine the session connection status based on the detection parameters and control messages: SRMU receives and analyzes the control messages, and determines whether the session connection between UPF and the main SMF is normal in combination with the set detection parameters. If an abnormality is detected (such as not receiving the expected message within the detection interval), it is considered that the session connection may have a fault.

[0070] S4. Generate fault report: When the session connection status is confirmed to be abnormal, SRMU will generate a fault report to record detailed information of the fault, such as the faulty UPF, the identification of the primary SMF, the detection time, etc. The fault report is an important basis for fault handling and mapping table update. SRMU will trigger the fault switching process based on these reports, that is, UPF will switch from the primary SMF to the backup SMF to restore the normal operation of session management and data flow.

[0071] In the above process, by introducing the BFD detection mechanism, the monitoring capability of the UPF and the main SMF session connection is enhanced, which can respond quickly when a link failure occurs, reduce service interruption time, and improve the stability and reliability of the entire network architecture.

[0072] Optionally, the method also includes: when a fault report shows that there is a fault in the session connection between the UPF and the main SMF, establishing a session connection between the UPF and the backup SMF in the corresponding SMF copy pool according to a mapping table, wherein the UPF and the backup SMF communicate through a packet forwarding control protocol.

[0073] In the embodiment of the present application, when a fault is detected in the session connection between the main SMF and the UPF, the BFD mechanism will respond quickly and pass this information to the SRMU through a fault report. After receiving the report, the SRMU will immediately check the mapping table to find the backup SMF associated with the current faulty UPF, and instruct the UPF to establish a PFCP session connection with the backup SMF.

[0074] After establishing a session connection with the backup SMF, the UPF can continue to complete session management tasks, such as packet forwarding and policy execution, and users hardly feel the interruption of service. This process achieves a seamless service switch, ensuring that the user experience is not affected in the event of a failure, while maintaining the continuity and reliability of network services.

[0075] In the above step S206, the mapping table is updated according to the fault report, including: deleting the faulty primary SMF in the SMF copy pool, upgrading the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool to the primary SMF, and re-determining the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool.

[0076] In an embodiment of the present application, when a session connection failure is detected between the UPF and the main SMF, the SRMU will respond immediately, and based on the initially generated mapping table, instruct the UPF to quickly switch to the backup SMF in the mapping table, and use the PFCP protocol to seamlessly restore session management. Subsequently, the SRMU removes the failed main SMF from the mapping table, promotes the backup SMF to the main SMF, and recalculates the allocation of the backup SMF based on the system performance and current network status, and generates a new mapping table. This series of actions is completed in a very short time, which not only reduces the service interruption time, but also optimizes resource utilization and enhances the adaptability and robustness of the network. By intelligently adjusting the SMF replica pool, the system can effectively respond to network failures, improve overall service quality and user satisfaction, and is particularly suitable for 5G network environments that have strict requirements for high concurrency and low latency.

[0077] In the embodiment of the present application, the SRMU dynamically generates and updates the SMF replica mapping table, realizing efficient and reliable connection between UPF and SMF cluster. In the face of network failure, it can quickly switch to the backup SMF, significantly reducing the service interruption time and improving the continuity and user experience of 5G network services; at the same time, by intelligently allocating SMF replicas, resource utilization is optimized, and the overall stability and efficiency of the system are enhanced, especially in high-concurrency scenarios, providing more powerful network support for key applications such as Internet of Vehicles and telemedicine.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the present application, a replica management device is provided. It should be noted that the replica management device of the embodiment of the present application can be used to execute the replica management method provided in the embodiment of the present application. The replica management device provided in the embodiment of the present application is introduced below.

[0079] Figure 7 is a structural diagram of a replica management device provided according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, the device comprises:

[0080] An acquisition module 70 is used to acquire real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information includes at least the operation status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster;

[0081] A determination module 72 is used to determine a mapping table of a UPF cluster based on real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to indicate an SMF that preferentially processes session requests of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to indicate a backup SMF that can continue to process session requests of the UPF when a failure occurs in the primary SMF;

[0082] The updating module 74 is used to determine the fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through the bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and update the mapping table according to the fault report.

[0083] Through the acquisition module 70, determination module 72 and update module 74 in the above-mentioned replica management device, the purpose of quickly recovering from failures and optimizing resource allocation is achieved by real-time monitoring of the network status and dynamically adjusting the SMF replica pool mapping, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving network service reliability and reducing service interruption time, and further solving the technical problem that when SMF faces high concurrent requests and network failures, there is a risk of service interruption and data loss, and at the same time, the replica management method in the related technology lacks flexibility and real-time performance and cannot quickly respond to changes in network status.

[0084] In the replica management device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the determination module is also used to determine the replica strategy corresponding to the UPF cluster, wherein the replica strategy is used to indicate that an appropriate number of backup SMFs are allocated to each UPF in the UPF cluster based on system performance; the node processing capacity of each SMF in the SMF cluster is determined based on real-time information; and the mapping table is determined based on the replica strategy and the node processing capacity.

[0085] The replica management device provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a detection module 76, which is used to establish a session connection between the UPF and the main SMF in the corresponding SMF replica pool based on the mapping table, wherein the UPF and the main SMF communicate through the packet forwarding control protocol; and the session connection is detected through the BFD link.

[0086] In the replica management device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the detection module is also used to determine the detection parameters of the BFD link, wherein the detection parameters include at least the detection interval and the minimum sending and receiving interval between the UPF and the main SMF; obtain the control message sent by the UPF, wherein the control message includes at least the link status between the UPF and the main SMF, and the operating status of the UPF; determine the session connection status between the UPF and the main SMF based on the detection parameters and the control message, and generate a fault report based on the session connection status.

[0087] In the replica management device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the detection module is also used to establish a session connection between the UPF and the backup SMF in the corresponding SMF replica pool according to the mapping table when a fault report shows that there is a fault in the session connection between the UPF and the primary SMF, wherein the UPF and the backup SMF communicate through a packet forwarding control protocol.

[0088] In the copy management device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the update module is also used to delete the faulty primary SMF in the SMF copy pool, upgrade the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool to the primary SMF, and re-determine the backup SMF in the SMF copy pool.

[0089] An embodiment of the present application also provides an electronic device, including: a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store program instructions; the processor is connected to the memory and is used to execute and implement the above-mentioned copy management method.

[0090] It should be noted that the above electronic equipment is used to execute Figure 2 The copy management method shown, therefore the relevant explanations and instructions in the above copy management method are also applicable to the electronic device and will not be repeated here.

[0091] An embodiment of the present application also provides a non-volatile storage medium, which includes a stored computer program, wherein the device where the non-volatile storage medium is located executes the above-mentioned copy management method by running the computer program.

[0092] It should be noted that the above non-volatile storage medium is used to execute Figure 2 The copy management method shown, therefore the relevant explanations in the above copy management method are also applicable to the non-volatile storage medium, and will not be repeated here.

[0093] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, including computer instructions, which implement the above-mentioned copy management method when executed by a processor.

[0094] It should be noted that the above-mentioned computer program product is used to execute Figure 2The copy management method shown, therefore the relevant explanations and instructions in the above copy management method are also applicable to the computer program product and will not be repeated here.

[0095] The serial numbers of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application are for description only and do not represent the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0096] In the above embodiments of the present application, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant description of other embodiments.

[0097] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed technical content can be implemented in other ways. Among them, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units can be a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of units or modules, which can be electrical or other forms.

[0098] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0099] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0100] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server or network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, RandomAccess Memory), mobile hard disk, disk or CD-ROM and other media that can store program codes.

[0101] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present application. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A copy management method, characterized in that: include: Acquire real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information includes at least the running status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster; Determine a mapping table of the UPF cluster according to the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to represent an SMF that preferentially processes the session request of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to represent a backup SMF that can continue to process the session request of the UPF when the primary SMF fails; The fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool is determined through a bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and the mapping table is updated according to the fault report.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and one or more backup SMFs.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Determining a mapping table of the UPF cluster according to the real-time information includes: Determine a replica strategy corresponding to the UPF cluster, wherein the replica strategy is used to indicate that an appropriate number of standby SMFs are allocated to each UPF in the UPF cluster according to system performance; Determine the node processing capacity of each SMF in the SMF cluster according to the real-time information; The mapping table is determined according to the replica strategy and the node processing capability.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that After determining the mapping table of the UPF cluster according to the real-time information, the method further includes: Establishing a session connection between the UPF and a master SMF in a corresponding SMF copy pool according to the mapping table, wherein the UPF communicates with the master SMF via a packet forwarding control protocol; The session connection is detected through the BFD link.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Detecting the session connection through the BFD link includes: Determine the detection parameters of the BFD link, wherein the detection parameters include at least a detection interval and a minimum transceiver interval between the UPF and the main SMF; Obtain a control message sent by the UPF, wherein the control message includes at least the link status between the UPF and the main SMF, and the operating status of the UPF; Determine the session connection status between the UPF and the main SMF based on the detection parameters and the control message, and generate a fault report based on the session connection status.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the fault report shows that there is a fault in the session connection between the UPF and the main SMF, a session connection is established between the UPF and the backup SMF in the corresponding SMF copy pool according to the mapping table, wherein the UPF communicates with the backup SMF through a packet forwarding control protocol.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Updating the mapping table according to the fault report includes: The faulty master SMF in the SMF copy pool is deleted, the standby SMF in the SMF copy pool is upgraded to the master SMF, and the standby SMF in the SMF copy pool is re-determined.

8. A copy management device, characterized in that: include: An acquisition module, used to acquire real-time information of a session management function SMF cluster and a user plane function UPF cluster, wherein the real-time information includes at least the running status and session information of the SMF cluster and the UPF cluster; A determination module, configured to determine a mapping table of the UPF cluster according to the real-time information, wherein the mapping table includes an SMF copy pool corresponding to each UPF in the UPF cluster, the SMF copy pool includes a primary SMF and a backup SMF, the primary SMF is used to indicate an SMF that preferentially processes session requests of the UPF, and the backup SMF is used to indicate a backup SMF that can continue to process session requests of the UPF when a failure occurs in the primary SMF; An update module is used to determine the fault report of the UPF and the corresponding SMF copy pool through a bidirectional forwarding detection BFD link, and update the mapping table according to the fault report.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: A memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store program instructions; The processor is connected to the memory, and is used to execute the copy management method described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A non-volatile storage medium, characterized in that: The non-volatile storage medium includes a stored computer program, wherein the device where the non-volatile storage medium is located executes the copy management method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 by running the computer program.

11. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, characterized in that: When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the replica management method described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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