Method and apparatus for user end keep-alive

Abstract

The application discloses a user terminal keep-alive method and device, relates to the field of communication, and provides a solution for realizing user terminal keep-alive in a CU-separated broadband access gateway. The method is applied to a broadband access gateway comprising a control plane entity and a user plane entity, the broadband access gateway is used for accessing a user terminal to a network, the method is executed by the user plane entity, and the method comprises the following steps: sending a probe message to the user terminal based on preset parameters obtained by the user plane entity in advance; and sending a probe failure message to the control plane entity if a probe response message sent by the user terminal is not received within a preset time length; wherein the probe message is used for checking whether a communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty, and the probe failure message is used for instructing the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user terminal.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communication, and in particular to a method and device for keeping a user terminal alive. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of software defined network (SDN) technology and network functions virtualization (NFV) technology, the metropolitan area network evolves from a traditional network-centric architecture to a data center-centric network architecture, and the traditional network element device evolves from specialization to generalization. Thus, the software and hardware in the communication network are decoupled, and the control plane and forwarding plane are decoupled.

[0003] Generally, a broadband network gateway (BNG) is used to connect a user terminal to a network. Based on NFV, the traditional BNG evolves into a virtual broadband network gateway (vBNG). Based on SDN, the vBNG evolves into a virtual broadband network gateway control plane (vBNG-CP) and a virtual broadband network gateway user plane (vBNG-UP), i.e., the control plane and forwarding plane of the vBNG are decoupled (or referred to as control plane and user plane separation, i.e., CU separation). The vBNG-CP and the vBNG-UP are used together to implement the function of the vBNG.

[0004] For the traditional BNG, the user terminal can send a probe packet or a renewal packet to the traditional BNG to keep the user terminal alive after being connected to the network. However, for the CU-separated vBNG, there is a lack of a corresponding solution for keeping the user terminal alive after being connected to the network. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides a method and device for keeping a user terminal alive, and provides a solution for keeping a user terminal alive in a CU-separated broadband access gateway.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for keeping a user terminal alive. The method is applied to a broadband access gateway including a control plane entity and a user plane entity, and is used for connecting a user terminal to a network. The method is performed by the user plane entity. The method comprises: sending a probe packet to the user terminal based on a preset parameter; and sending a probe failure message to the control plane entity if a probe response packet sent by the user terminal is not received within a preset time period. The preset parameter is obtained by the user plane entity in advance, the probe packet is used to check whether a communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty, and the probe failure message is used to instruct the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user terminal.

[0008] The method for keeping a user terminal alive provided by the present application can keep the user terminal alive by sending a probe packet to the user terminal by the user plane entity. In addition, the user terminal that has been offline can be found in time by the probe packet, and the user plane entity and the control plane entity can delete the user table entry of the user terminal that has been offline in time, thereby avoiding accumulation of a large number of user table entries of the user terminal that has been offline in the user plane entity and the control plane entity, and thus avoiding resource waste. In addition, since the user plane entity assumes the responsibility of sending the probe packet, the CPU burden of the control plane entity can be reduced, and the probe packet does not occupy the bandwidth of the message channel between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, thereby saving resources.

[0009] In a possible design, the above-mentioned “if a probe response packet sent by the user terminal is not received within a preset time period, sending a probe failure message to the control plane entity” specifically comprises: if a probe response packet sent by the user terminal is not received within a preset time period, and a communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, sending the probe failure message to the control plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered.

[0010] With this possible design, the user plane entity can report the probe failure message to the control plane entity at the first time after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered. In this way, the control plane entity can delete the user table entry of the user terminal that has been offline in time, thereby avoiding accumulation of a large number of user table entries of the user terminal that has been offline in the control plane entity, and thus avoiding resource waste.

[0011] In another possible design, if the user terminal is a user terminal using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the above-mentioned method further comprises: receiving a DHCP lease period of the user terminal sent by the control plane entity, where the DHCP lease period is used to indicate a time period during which the user terminal is allowed to access the network by a DHCP server.

[0012] In another possible design, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the method further includes: determining that the user end has been offline if a DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user end is not received within a DHCP lease period; and sending a DHCP lease renewal success message to the user end if the DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user end is received within the DHCP lease period.

[0013] With the two possible designs, the user plane entity can proxy processing of the DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user end during the failure of the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, thereby implementing keep-alive of the user end.

[0014] In another possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the method further includes: sending an offline message to the control plane entity if it is determined that the user end has been offline, where the offline message is used to indicate that the user end has been offline.

[0015] With this possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the user plane entity can first notify the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the offline user end, so that the control plane entity can timely delete the user table entry of the offline user end, thereby avoiding accumulation of a large number of user table entries of offline user ends in the control plane entity, and thus avoiding resource waste.

[0016] In another possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the method further includes: synchronizing the user table entry with the control plane entity.

[0017] Since during the failure of the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, the control plane entity can delete the user table entry of some user ends after failing to actively request extension of the DHCP lease period for the user ends. With this possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the user plane entity can update its own user table entry based on the latest user table entry sent by the control plane entity. In this way, the user plane entity can timely delete the user table entry of the user end that fails to renew the DHCP lease period, thereby avoiding accumulation of the user table entry of the user end that fails to renew the DHCP lease period in the user plane entity, and thus avoiding resource waste.

[0018] In another possible design, the preset parameters further include at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a probe number, a probe start and end time, or a probe duration.

[0019] In another possible design, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the user end is a user end using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the method further includes receiving a DHCP renewal message sent by the user end, where the DHCP renewal message is used for the control plane entity to request a DHCP server to extend a DHCP lease period. Then, the DHCP renewal message is forwarded to the control plane entity. Then, a DHCP renewal response message sent by the control plane entity is received, where the DHCP renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period. Finally, the DHCP renewal response message is sent to the user end.

[0020] In a second aspect, the present application provides a method for keeping a user end alive, which is applied to a broadband access gateway including a control plane entity and a user plane entity, and the broadband access gateway is used to connect the user end to a network. The method is performed by the control plane entity. The method includes receiving a probe failure message sent by the user plane entity. Based on the probe failure message, the user end is processed offline. Wherein, the probe failure message is used to indicate that the user plane entity does not receive a probe response message of the user end within a preset time length, and the probe response message is a response message of a probe message sent by the user plane entity to the user end based on a preset parameter, and the preset parameter is a parameter sent by the control plane entity to the user plane entity in advance.

[0021] In a possible design, if the user end is a user end using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the method further includes sending a DHCP lease period of the user end to the user plane entity, where the DHCP lease period is used to indicate a time length during which the user end is allowed to access the network by a DHCP server.

[0022] In another possible design, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, the method further includes sending, based on a DHCP lease period of the user end, a DHCP renewal message to a DHCP server, where the DHCP renewal message is used to request the DHCP server to extend the DHCP lease period of the user end. Then, a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server is received, where the DHCP renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period. Based on the DHCP renewal response message, a user table entry corresponding to the user end is processed.

[0023] With this possible design, the method provided by the present application can automatically request the server to extend the DHCP lease period for the user end by the control plane entity when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty. In this way, the user end offline problem caused by the faulty communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is avoided, i.e., the keeping alive of the user end is achieved.

[0024] In another possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further includes: receiving a logout message sent by the user plane entity, the logout message being used to indicate that the user terminal has logged out. Here, the user terminal has logged out is determined by the user plane entity according to that the user plane entity does not receive a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal within a DHCP lease period during the failure of the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity.

[0025] In another possible design, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further includes: sending a user table entry to the user plane entity, the user table entry being used for the user plane entity to synchronize the user table entry in the user plane entity.

[0026] In another possible design, the preset parameter includes at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-time timeout duration, a probe number, a probe start time and a probe end time, or a probe duration.

[0027] In another possible design, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity does not receive a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within a DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the method further includes: performing logout processing on the user terminal; where the DHCP renewal message is used to request to extend the DHCP lease period of the user terminal.

[0028] In another possible design, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity receives a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within a DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the method further includes: sending the DHCP renewal message to a DHCP server. Then, receiving a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period. Based on the DHCP renewal response message, processing a user table entry corresponding to the user terminal. Sending the DHCP renewal response message to the user terminal via the user plane entity.

[0029] The descriptions of the beneficial effects of the second aspect and the possible technical solutions thereof can refer to the descriptions of the beneficial effects in the first aspect or the corresponding technical solutions thereof, which are not repeated here.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present application provides a device for user keep-alive.

[0031] In a possible design, the user keep-alive apparatus is configured to perform any of the methods in the first aspect or the second aspect. The user keep-alive apparatus can be divided into function modules according to any of the methods in the first aspect or the second aspect. For example, each function module can be divided according to each function, or two or more function modules can be integrated into one processing module. For example, the user keep-alive apparatus can be divided into a sending unit and the like according to functions, or the user keep-alive apparatus can be divided into a receiving unit and a processing unit and the like according to functions. The possible technical solutions and beneficial effects of each function module are described above in the first aspect or the corresponding possible design, or are described above in the second aspect or the corresponding possible design, which will not be repeated here.

[0032] In another possible design, the user keep-alive apparatus includes a memory and one or more processors, and the memory and the processors are coupled. The memory is configured to store computer instructions, and the processors are configured to invoke the computer instructions, so that the user keep-alive apparatus performs any of the methods in the first aspect or any of the possible designs of the first aspect, or performs any of the methods in the second aspect or any of the possible designs of the second aspect.

[0033] In a fourth aspect, a computer readable storage medium, such as a computer non-transitory readable storage medium, is provided. The computer readable storage medium stores a computer program (or instructions) thereon. When the computer program (or instructions) is run on the user keep-alive apparatus, the user keep-alive apparatus performs any of the methods in the first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the second aspect.

[0034] In a fifth aspect, a computer program product is provided. When the computer program product is run on the user keep-alive apparatus, any of the methods in the first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the second aspect is performed.

[0035] In a sixth aspect, a chip system is provided. The chip system includes a processor configured to invoke and run a computer program stored in a memory, and perform any of the methods in the first aspect or the implementation of the second aspect.

[0036] It can be understood that any of the apparatuses, computer storage media, computer program products, or chip systems provided above can be applied to the corresponding methods provided above, and thus the beneficial effects achieved by the apparatuses, computer storage media, computer program products, or chip systems can refer to the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods, which will not be repeated here.

[0037] In the present application, the names of the above-mentioned user keep-alive device do not constitute a limitation on the device or functional module itself, and in actual implementation, these devices or functional modules can appear in other names. As long as the function of each device or functional module is similar to the present application, it belongs to the scope of the claims of the present application and its equivalent technology.

[0038] These aspects or other aspects of the present application will be more apparent in the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a broadband access gateway provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control plane entity corresponding to multiple user plane entities provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of a network architecture provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 4 A hardware structural schematic diagram of a computer device provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 5 A flowchart of a user end keep-alive method provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 6 A flow direction diagram of a probe packet provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 7 A flowchart of a user end keep-alive method provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0046] Figure 8 A flow direction diagram of a DHCP lease renewal packet and a DHCP lease renewal response packet provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0047] Figure 9 A flowchart of a user end keep-alive method provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 3 ;

[0048] Figure 10 A flowchart of a user end keep-alive method provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 4 ;

[0049] Figure 11 A flow direction diagram of a DHCP lease renewal packet and a DHCP lease renewal response packet provided for an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0050] Figure 12 Structure diagram of a device for user end keep-alive provided in an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0051] Figure 13 Structure diagram of a device for user end keep-alive provided in an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0052] Figure 14 Structure diagram of a chip system provided in an embodiment of the present application

[0053] Figure 15 Structure diagram of a computer program product provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] In the present application, the words "exemplary" and "for example" are used to illustrate certain examples, embodiments or implementations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the present application should not be construed as being superior or better than other embodiments or design solutions. In fact, the use of the words "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present concepts in a particular manner.

[0055] In the present application, the term "at least one" means one or more, and the term "multiple" means two or more, for example, multiple second packets means two or more second packets. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably in the present application.

[0056] It should be understood that the terms used in the description of various described examples herein are merely for describing particular embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of various described examples and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0057] It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The term "and / or", is a description of associated objects, means that there are three possible relationships between the objects, for example, A and / or B, can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist together, B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in the present application generally represents that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0058] It should also be understood that, in various embodiments of the present application, the size of the sequence number of various processes does not mean the order of execution, the execution order of various processes should be determined according to its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0059] It should be understood that determining B according to A does not mean that B is determined only according to A, but B can also be determined according to A and / or other information.

[0060] It should also be understood that the term "includes" (also "including", "comprises" and / or "comprising") when used in the present specification specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0061] It should also be understood that the term "if" can be interpreted to mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting". Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [a stated condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted to mean "upon determining" or "in response to determining" or "upon detecting [the stated condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [the stated condition or event]".

[0062] It should be understood that the "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "one possible implementation" mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment or implementation are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" or "one possible implementation" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily mean the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0063] The embodiments of the present application provide a method for keeping alive a user end, which is applied to a broadband access gateway including a control plane entity and a user plane entity (i.e., a broadband access gateway with CU separation). The broadband access gateway is used to access a user end network. The method sends a probe packet to the user end through the user plane entity, and processes a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) renewal packet through the user plane entity and the control plane entity, thereby realizing keeping alive the user end in the broadband access gateway with CU separation.

[0064] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1A structure diagram of a broadband access gateway 10 is shown. As shown in the figure, the broadband access gateway 10 includes a control plane entity 11 and a user plane entity 12. Figure 1

[0065] The control plane entity 11 is configured to implement the control function of the broadband access gateway 10. Specifically, the control plane entity 11 is configured to communicate with servers having different purposes / functions to control and manage the network access of user terminals connected to the user plane entity 12.

[0066] For example, the control plane entity can be configured to process the access protocol packets of the user terminals connected to the user plane entity 12 when accessing the network, authenticate the identity of the user terminals, and generate and issue forwarding table entries and user table entries of the user terminals to the user plane entity 12.

[0067] The user table entries can include the identification information of the user terminals, which can include at least one of the internet protocol (IP) address, the media access control (MAC) address, the virtual local area network (VLAN) address, the session identity document (session ID), or the DHCP lease period of the user terminals. It can be understood that the user table entries are usually obtained and generated by the control plane entity when processing the access protocol packets of the user terminals, and then issued to the user plane entity connected to the user terminals.

[0068] The forwarding table entries can be the forwarding path table entries of the user plane entity in the broadband access gateway for forwarding the data flow of the user terminals after the user terminals access the network through the broadband access gateway.

[0069] The user plane entity 12 is connected to the control plane entity 11 and is configured to implement the forwarding function of the broadband access gateway 10. For example, the user plane entity 12 can be configured to forward the access protocol packets sent by the user terminals connected to the user plane entity 12 to the control plane entity 11, or the user plane entity 12 can be configured to forward the IP data flow for the user terminals after the user terminals access the network.

[0070] Optionally, the user plane entity 12 can include a detection component 121 and a proxy component 122.

[0071] ​The detection component 121 can be used to obtain preset parameters, send a detection message to the user terminal based on the preset parameters, and receive a detection response message from the user terminal. For example, the detection component 121 can be used to execute S101 to S104 below, which will not be described in detail here.

[0072] The proxy component 122 can be used to process DHCP renewal messages sent by the user terminal when the communication link between the control plane entity 11 and the user plane entity 12 fails. For example, the proxy component 122 can be used to execute S301 to S304 below, which are not described in detail here. For an explanation of the DHCP renewal message, please refer to the description of the DHCP renewal message below and will not be repeated here.

[0073] Optionally, the control plane entity 11 and the user plane entity 12 can communicate with each other through three communication channels.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, the three communication channels include a service message redirection channel, a management channel, and a control channel.

[0075] The message redirection channel can be implemented through a message redirection interface between the control plane entity 11 and the user plane entity 12. For example, when the user plane entity 12 receives a user access protocol message, it can encapsulate the message through the message redirection interface and send it to the control plane entity 11 for processing.

[0076] The management channel can be implemented through the management interface (Im) between the control plane entity 11 and the user plane entity 12. For example, the control plane entity 11 can use the management interface to send configuration parameters to the user plane entity 12, and the user plane entity 12 can use the management interface to report some operating status to the control plane entity 11.

[0077] The control channel can be implemented through a control interface (IC) between the control plane entity 11 and the user plane entity 12. For example, when a user terminal comes online, the control plane entity 11 can send user table entries, forwarding table entries, etc. to the user plane entity connected to the user terminal through the control interface.

[0078] It should be understood that one control plane entity and one user plane entity can serve as a broadband access gateway and provide network access services to user terminals. However, one control plane entity can correspond to multiple user plane entities, thus serving as multiple broadband access gateways to provide network access services to multiple user terminals.

[0079] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2An exemplary diagram showing one control plane entity corresponding to multiple user plane entities is shown. As Figure 2 shown, the control plane entity 21 corresponds to n user plane entities, including a first user plane entity 221, a second user plane entity 222, and an n-th user plane entity 22n. Wherein, n is a positive integer.

[0080] In this way, the control plane entity 21 can correspond to the first user plane entity 221, and provide network access service for a first user end as a first broadband access gateway. Similarly, the control plane entity 21 can correspond to the second user plane entity 222, and provide network access service for a second user end as a second broadband access gateway. The control plane entity 21 can correspond to the n-th user plane entity 22n, and provide network access service for an n-th user end as an n-th broadband access gateway.

[0081] As an example, the control plane entity described above can be a vBNG-CP, and the user plane entity can be a vBNG-UP. In this way, the CU-separated vBNG system composed of the vBNG-CP and the vBNG-UP can serve as the broadband access gateway provided by the embodiments of the present application, and thus be used to provide network access service for user ends.

[0082] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 3 An architecture diagram of a network architecture 30 is shown, to which the broadband access gateway described above can be applied. As Figure 3 shown, the network architecture 30 includes a user end 31, a vBNG system 32, a server end 33, and a network end 34. Wherein, the vBNG system 32 is a CU-separated vBNG system, and thus the vBNG system 32 is the broadband access gateway provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0083] The user end 31 is connected to the vBNG-UP 322 in the vBNG system 32, and can access the network of the network end 34 through the vBNG system 32.

[0084] Optionally, the user end 31 can be connected to the vBNG-UP 322 in the vBNG system 32 through an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) device 311. Here, the OLT device 311 as a switching device can connect multiple user ends including the user end 31 to the vBNG-UP 322.

[0085] It should be understood that the user terminal 31 can be a user terminal supporting Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), or a user terminal supporting Neighbor Discovery Protocol (ND), or a user terminal supporting Point to Point Protocol (PPP), or a user terminal supporting DHCP, and the present application does not limit this.

[0086] a vBNG system 32, including a vBNG-CP 321 and a vBNG-UP 322.

[0087] The vBNG-CP 321 can be configured to control and manage network access of the user terminal 31 connected to the vBNG-UP 322.

[0088] Generally, the vBNG-CP 321 is disposed in the service terminal 33 and can be connected to and communicate with servers having different functions / purposes in the service terminal 33.

[0089] For example, the vBNG-CP 321 can be connected to the DHCP server 331 of the service terminal 33 to implement network access of the user terminal using DHCP.

[0090] For another example, the vBNG-CP 321 can be connected to and communicate with the remote authentication dial in user service (RADIUS) 332 of the service terminal 33 to implement network access of the user terminal requiring Internet Protocol Over Ethernet (IPOE) access network or the user terminal requiring Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPOE) access network.

[0091] For another example, the vBNG-CP 321 can also be connected to and communicate with the Element Management System (EMS) server 333 of the service terminal 33 to implement management of multiple network elements including the vBNG-CP by the EMS server 333.

[0092] The vBNG-UP 322 is connected to the user terminal 31, the vBNG-CP 321, and the network terminal 34 respectively and configured to provide forwarding service of packets and / or IP data flow for the user terminal 31.

[0093] For example, when client 31 requests access to network 34, vBNG-UP 322 can receive and forward access protocol messages from client 31 to vBNG-CP 321. Alternatively, after client 31 accesses network 34, vBNG-UP 322 can forward IP data streams from client 31 to network 34, or vice versa.

[0094] It should be understood that in the network structure 30, the vBNG-CP 321 may be connected to multiple vBNG-UPs ( Figure 3 (not shown), thereby being able to serve as multiple broadband access gateways to provide network access services for multiple user terminals.

[0095] It should be understood that when the network user lays out the network architecture 30, based on the layout plan of the network architecture, after the vBNG-CP 321 and the vBNG-UP 322 establish a connection, the vBNG-CP 321 can determine the protocol type supported by the user terminal 31 connected to the vBNG-UP 322. This embodiment of the present application will not be described in detail.

[0096] The server 33 is used to set up servers with different functions and purposes, such as the above-mentioned vBNG-CP 321, DHCP server 331, RADIUS 332, and EMS server 333.

[0097] It should be understood that each server can communicate with each other through a dedicated network connection. Of course, each server can also communicate with each other through a public network connection. This embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0098] The network terminal 34 is configured to provide network services to the user terminal 31. The network terminal 34 may include a core network 342. It should be understood that the embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the network type of the network terminal 34.

[0099] The network end 34 may further include a core router (CR) device 341 , so that the vBNG-UP 322 in the vBNG system 32 may be connected and communicated with the core network 342 of the network end 34 through the CR device 341 .

[0100] The present invention also provides a user-side keep-alive device, which is used to implement the functions of the control plane entity described above. The device can be a server, or be implemented in a server. It should be understood that the server can be a physical server, such as a computer device that implements server functions, or a cloud server, etc., and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0101] The embodiment of the present application further provides another device for user-side keep-alive, which is used to realize the function of the user plane entity. The device can be applied to any computing device with forwarding function, such as a computer device, and can also be applied to a routing device, and the like, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited in this aspect.

[0102] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a hardware structure of a computer device is shown. As shown in the figure, the computer device 40 includes a processor 41, a memory 42, a communication interface 43 and a bus 44. The processor 41, the memory 42 and the communication interface 43 can be connected through the bus 44. Figure 4

[0103] The processor 41 is the control center of the computer device 40, which can be a general central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc.

[0104] As an example, the processor 41 can include one or more CPUs, such as the CPU 0 and the CPU 1 shown in the figure. Figure 4

[0105] The memory 42 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to this.

[0106] In a possible implementation, the memory 42 can exist independently of the processor 41. The memory 42 can be connected with the processor 41 through the bus 44, and is used to store data, instructions or program codes. When the processor 41 invokes and executes the instructions or program codes stored in the memory 42, the method for user keep-alive provided by the embodiment of the present application can be realized.

[0107] In another possible implementation, the memory 42 can also be integrated with the processor 41.

[0108] ​​Communication interface 43 is used to connect computer device 40 to other devices (such as a DHCP server, RADIUS, EMS server, or user terminal) via a communication network. The communication network can be Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc. Communication interface 43 can include a receiving unit for receiving data and a sending unit for sending data.

[0109] The bus 44 may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 4 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0110] It should be pointed out that Figure 4 The structure shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation on the computer device, except Figure 4 In addition to the components shown, the computer device 40 may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0111] The following describes in detail the method for keeping the user terminal alive provided by the embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0112] Example 1

[0113] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 The flow chart of a method for keeping a user terminal alive provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. The method can be applied to a broadband access gateway (eg Figure 1 The broadband access gateway 10 shown, or Figure 3 The broadband access gateway includes a control plane entity and a user plane entity, the control plane entity and the user plane entity are connected and communicated, and the broadband access gateway is used to access the user terminal to the network. The method may include:

[0114] S101. A user plane entity sends a detection message to a user terminal based on preset parameters. The detection message is used to check whether a communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty.

[0115] The preset parameter is preset by the user plane entity, or is acquired by the user plane entity in advance, for example, is acquired by the user plane entity from the control plane entity in advance, and embodiments of the present application do not make a specific limitation in this regard.

[0116] Optionally, the preset parameter can include at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a probe number, a probe start and end time, or a probe duration.

[0117] The sending interval time refers to a time interval between two times of sending the probe message by the user plane entity in succession. It should be understood that two time intervals between three times of sending the probe message by the user plane entity in succession can be the same or different, and embodiments of the present application do not make a limitation in this regard.

[0118] The timeout number refers to that when the user plane entity sends m times of the probe message in succession, and no response message of the m times of the probe message is received. In this case, the m times is the timeout number of the probe message. Wherein, m is a positive integer.

[0119] The single-probe timeout duration refers to that after the user plane entity sends one time of the probe message, within a first preset duration, the user plane entity does not receive the response message of the probe message, and the first preset duration is referred to as the single-probe timeout duration in embodiments of the present application.

[0120] The probe number refers to a total number of times of sending the probe message by the user plane entity.

[0121] The probe start and end time refers to a start time of sending the probe message by the user plane entity, and a time of ending sending the probe message.

[0122] The probe duration refers to a total duration of sending the probe message by the user plane entity, that is, the probe duration.

[0123] It should be understood that the control plane entity can configure the above-mentioned preset parameter as an enable command line in advance, and send to the user plane entity through a control channel between the control plane entity and the user plane entity. In this way, the user plane entity acquires the preset parameter.

[0124] In this way, when the user end accesses the network through the broadband access gateway including the control plane entity and the user plane entity, that is, when the user end is online, the user plane entity sends the probe message to the user end through the user table item of the user end and the acquired preset parameter.

[0125] The user table item can be a user table item sent by the control plane entity to the user plane entity through the control channel in advance.

[0126] It can be understood that when the user terminal can be an ARP supported user terminal, the preset parameter configured by the control terminal is an ARP supported preset parameter, and the user table entry can include at least one of an IP address, a MAC address or a VLAN address of the user terminal. When the user terminal can be an ND supported user terminal, the preset parameter configured by the control terminal is an ND supported preset parameter, and the user table entry can include at least one of an IP address, a MAC address or a VLAN address of the user terminal. When the user terminal can be a PPP supported user terminal, the preset parameter configured by the control terminal is a PPP supported preset parameter, and the user table entry can include at least one of an IP address, a MAC address, a VLAN address or a session ID of the user terminal.

[0127] S102, the user plane entity determines whether a probe response message sent by the user terminal is received within a second preset time length (corresponding to the preset time length in the embodiment of the application).

[0128] The second preset time length can be a single probe timeout time length of the probe message in the preset parameter, or can be a product of a timeout number and a single probe timeout time length of the probe message in the preset parameter, and the embodiment of the application does not make a specific limitation.

[0129] If the user plane entity receives the probe response message sent by the user terminal within the second preset time length, S103 is performed. If the user plane entity does not receive the probe response message sent by the user terminal within the second preset time length, S104-S105 are performed.

[0130] S103, the user plane entity sends a probe message to the user terminal based on the preset parameter.

[0131] It should be understood that when the user plane entity receives the probe response message within the second preset time length, it indicates that the communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity has no fault, i.e., the communication link is normal. Then, the user plane entity can send a probe message to the user terminal based on a sending time of the probe message corresponding to the probe response message and a sending interval time of the probe message in the preset parameter.

[0132] S104, the user plane entity sends a probe failure message to the control plane entity, the probe failure message being used to indicate that the user plane entity does not receive the probe response message sent by the user terminal within the second preset time length.

[0133] When the user plane entity does not receive the probe response message sent by the user terminal within the second preset time length, the user plane entity can determine that the communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty. For example, the user terminal is faulty, or the link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty, etc.

[0134] In this way, the user plane entity can determine that the user terminal has been offline. In this case, the user plane entity can generate a probe failure message. The probe failure message is used to instruct the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user terminal. The probe failure message can include the identity of the user terminal, such as the IP address of the user terminal, and the like. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0135] Here, the offline processing of the user terminal can include: stopping charging the traffic of the user terminal, deleting the user table entry of the user terminal, and the like.

[0136] In one possible case, the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity does not fail, that is, the communication link is normal. In this case, the user plane entity can directly send the probe failure message to the control plane entity after generating the probe failure message.

[0137] In another possible case, the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails. In this case, the user plane entity can cache the generated probe failure message until the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, and then send the probe failure message to the control plane entity.

[0138] Here, it should be understood that the user plane entity can perceive in real time whether the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails. In this way, the user plane entity can perform corresponding operations according to the perceived state of the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, and details are not described herein.

[0139] It should be understood that when the user plane entity determines that the user terminal has been offline and generates a probe failure message, the user table entry of the user terminal can be deleted to release resources, thereby improving the resource utilization of the user plane entity.

[0140] S105, the control plane entity receives the probe failure message and performs offline processing on the user terminal.

[0141] Specifically, after receiving the probe failure message, the control plane entity performs offline processing on the user terminal corresponding to the identity in the probe failure message based on the identity of the user terminal in the probe failure message, such as stopping charging the traffic of the user terminal, deleting the user table entry of the user terminal, and the like. In this way, the control plane entity can release resources in time, thereby improving the resource utilization of the control plane entity.

[0142] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 6 An exemplary flowchart of the flow direction of the probe packet is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal sends a probe packet to the user plane entity. The user plane entity sends the probe packet to the control plane entity. The control plane entity sends a response message to the user plane entity. The user plane entity sends the response message to the user terminal. Figure 6The user plane entity 62 sends a probe packet 621 to the user terminal 61. If the user plane entity 62 receives a probe response packet 612 sent by the user terminal 61 within a preset time length, it indicates that the communication link between the user plane entity 62 and the user terminal 61 is normal. In this case, the user plane entity can continue to send probe packets to the user terminal 61 based on preset parameters.

[0143] If the user plane entity 62 does not receive the probe response packet 612 sent by the user terminal 61 within the preset time length, it indicates that the communication link between the user plane entity 62 and the user terminal 61 is faulty. Then the user plane entity can determine that the user terminal 61 has been offline, and sends a probe failure message 623 to the control plane entity 63 to make the control plane entity 63 perform offline processing on the user terminal 61.

[0144] It should be understood that, Figure 6 The dashed double arrow in the figure represents the IP data flow of the interaction between the user terminal 61 and the core network 64 after the user terminal 61 accesses the core network 64 through the broadband access gateway including the user plane entity 62 and the control plane entity 63.

[0145] In this way, through the method, the user plane entity actively sends a probe packet to the user terminal to determine the current link state of the user terminal, thereby realizing the keep-alive of the user terminal. When the user plane entity does not receive the probe response packet within the preset time length, it reports a probe failure message to the control plane entity to notify the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user terminal. In this way, the user terminal that has been offline is discovered in time through the probe packet, and the user plane entity and the control plane entity can delete the user table entry of the user terminal that has been offline in time, thereby avoiding the accumulation of a large number of user table entries of the user terminals that have been offline in the user plane entity and the control plane entity, and thereby avoiding resource waste.

[0146] In addition, since the user plane entity assumes the responsibility of sending the probe packet, the CPU burden of the control plane entity can be reduced, and the probe packet will not occupy the message channel bandwidth between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, thereby saving resources.

[0147] Embodiment Two

[0148] The method for keeping the user terminal alive provided by the embodiments of the present application is applied to a broadband access gateway (for example, a broadband access gateway 10 as shown in the figure, or a vBNG system 32 as shown in the figure), which includes a control plane entity and a user plane entity connected in communication. The broadband access gateway is used to access a network for a user terminal. Figure 1 The broadband access gateway 10 as shown in the figure, or Figure 3 The vBNG system 32 as shown in the figure), which includes a control plane entity and a user plane entity connected in communication. The broadband access gateway is used to access a network for a user terminal.

[0149] In this embodiment, the user terminal can be a DHCP user terminal, so that the broadband access gateway implements the keep-alive of the user terminal by processing the DHCP renewal message of the DHCP user terminal.

[0150] The embodiment two of the present application is described below in specific scenarios.

[0151] Scenario one:

[0152] This scenario is the scenario in which the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity of the broadband access gateway is normal.

[0153] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 7 A flowchart of another method for keeping-alive of a user terminal provided by the embodiment of the present application is shown. The method can include the following steps:

[0154] S201, the control plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal.

[0155] Generally, the control plane entity can perceive in real time whether the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, and when the control plane entity perceives that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is not faulty, i.e., the communication link is normal, the following steps S202-S205 can be executed.

[0156] S202, the control plane entity determines whether a DHCP renewal message of the user terminal is received within a DHCP lease period of the user terminal based on the DHCP lease period. The DHCP renewal message is used to request the DHCP server to extend the DHCP lease period.

[0157] Here, the DHCP lease period is used to represent the duration of time during which the DHCP server allows the user terminal to access the network. The DHCP lease period can be obtained by the control plane entity when processing the access protocol message of the user terminal when accessing the network.

[0158] The DHCP lease period can include the start and end time of the DHCP lease period, or the DHCP lease period can include the start time of the DHCP lease period and the duration of the DHCP lease period. In this way, based on the start time of the DHCP lease period and the duration of the DHCP lease period, the user plane entity can determine the start and end time of the DHCP lease period.

[0159] In this way, based on the DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the control plane entity can determine whether the DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal through the user plane entity is received within the DHCP lease period.

[0160] If the control plane entity does not receive the DHCP renewal message sent by the user plane entity from the user end within the DHCP lease period, S203 is performed. If the control plane entity receives the DHCP renewal message sent by the user plane entity from the user end within the DHCP lease period, S204 is performed.

[0161] S203, the control plane entity performs offline processing on the user end.

[0162] If the control plane entity does not receive the DHCP renewal message sent by the user plane entity from the user end within the DHCP lease period, it indicates that the user end gives up renewing the DHCP lease period. At this time, the control plane entity can determine that the user end has been offline, and performs offline processing on the user end.

[0163] The related description of offline processing can be referred to the foregoing, and will not be described here.

[0164] S204, the control plane entity sends the DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server, and receives the DHCP renewal response message returned by the DHCP server. The DHCP renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period.

[0165] The DHCP renewal message is a message sent by the user end to the control plane entity through the user plane entity.

[0166] Specifically, the user end can send the DHCP renewal message to the control plane entity through the user plane entity at a preset time.

[0167] Optionally, the user end can send the DHCP renewal message to the control plane entity through the user plane entity at 1 / 2 or 7 / 8 of the current DHCP lease period.

[0168] In this way, the control plane entity receives the DHCP renewal message.

[0169] Then, after the control plane entity sends the DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server, the DHCP server receives the DHCP renewal message from the user end.

[0170] Optionally, after the DHCP server receives the DHCP renewal message from the user end through the broadband access gateway, it determines whether to allow the user end to successfully extend its DHCP lease period according to the address allocation on the DHCP server at the current time.

[0171] Generally, if the DHCP server allows to extend the DHCP lease period of the user end, the user end can access the network for another DHCP lease period after the current DHCP lease period.

[0172] Then, the DHCP server generates a DHCP renewal response message based on the determined result, and returns the DHCP renewal response message to the control plane entity.

[0173] In this way, the control plane entity in the broadband access gateway can receive the DHCP renewal response message.

[0174] S205, the control plane entity sends the DHCP renewal response message to the user terminal via the user plane entity, and processes the user table item corresponding to the user terminal based on the DHCP renewal response message.

[0175] When the control plane entity receives the DHCP renewal response message, it sends the DHCP renewal response message to the user terminal via the user plane entity to inform the user terminal whether the DHCP server allows the user terminal to extend its DHCP lease period (i.e., to inform the user terminal whether it has successfully renewed the DHCP lease period).

[0176] It should be understood that if the DHCP renewal response message indicates that the user terminal has not renewed the DHCP lease period, the control plane entity also performs offline processing on the user terminal after the DHCP lease period expires based on the DHCP lease period of the user terminal.

[0177] The relevant description of offline processing can be referred to above, and will not be repeated here.

[0178] Correspondingly, the user terminal can determine whether it has successfully renewed the DHCP lease period after receiving the DHCP renewal response message.

[0179] Reference Figure 8 , Figure 8 An exemplary flow chart of the flow direction of the DHCP renewal message and the DHCP renewal response message in scenario one is shown. As shown in Figure 8 When the communication link between the control plane entity 83 and the user plane entity 82 is not faulty, i.e., the communication link between the control plane entity 83 and the user plane entity 82 is normal, the user terminal 81 sends the DHCP renewal message 801 to the user plane entity 82, and the user plane entity 82 forwards the DHCP renewal message 801 to the control plane entity 83. Then, the control plane entity 83 sends the DHCP renewal message 801 to the DHCP server 85.

[0180] Then, the DHCP server 85 determines the DHCP renewal response message 802 based on the DHCP renewal message 801, and sends the DHCP renewal response message 802 to the control plane entity 83. After the control plane entity 83 processes the DHCP renewal response message 802 accordingly, it sends the DHCP renewal response message 802 to the user terminal 81 via the user plane entity 82.

[0181] It should be understood that, Figure 8 The dotted double arrow in the figure represents the IP data flow between the user side 81 and the core network 84 after the user side 81 accesses the core network 84 through the broadband access gateway including the user plane entity 82 and the control plane entity 83.

[0182] Scenario two:

[0183] This scenario is the scenario of communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity in the broadband access gateway described above.

[0184] With reference to Figure 9 Figure 9 A flowchart of another user side keep-alive method provided by the embodiments of the present application is shown. The method is executed by the user plane entity, and can include the following steps:

[0185] S301, the user plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty.

[0186] Generally, the user plane entity can perceive in real time whether the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty. When the user plane entity perceives that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, the proxy component of the user plane entity is started, and the following S302-S306 are executed through the proxy component.

[0187] S302, the user plane entity determines whether a DHCP renewal message of the user side is received within a DHCP lease period of the user side based on the DHCP lease period of the user side.

[0188] The DHCP lease period can be preset by the user plane entity, or can be acquired by the user plane entity in advance.

[0189] Optionally, the DHCP lease period can be acquired by the user plane entity from the control plane entity in advance. It should be understood that the control plane entity can acquire the DHCP lease period of the user side when processing an access protocol message of the user side when accessing the network. Then, the control plane entity can configure the DHCP lease period as an enable command line, and send it to the user plane entity through a control channel between the control plane entity and the user plane entity. In this way, the user plane entity acquires the DHCP lease period.

[0190] The DHCP lease period can include the start and end time of the DHCP lease period, or the DHCP lease period can include the start time of the DHCP lease period and the duration of the DHCP lease period. In this way, based on the start time of the DHCP lease period and the duration of the DHCP lease period, the user plane entity can determine the start and end time of the DHCP lease period.

[0191] ​In this way, based on the DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the user plane entity can determine whether the DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal is received within the DHCP lease period.

[0192] If the user plane entity receives the DHCP renewal message within the DHCP lease period, S303 is performed. If the user plane entity does not receive the DHCP renewal message within the DHCP lease period, S304-S305 are performed.

[0193] S303, the user plane entity sends a DHCP renewal success message to the user terminal, and the DHCP renewal success message is used to indicate that the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period.

[0194] Here, due to the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, when the user plane entity receives the DHCP renewal message of the user terminal within the DHCP lease period, the user plane entity sends the DHCP renewal success message to the user terminal to notify the user terminal that the DHCP lease period is successfully renewed, thereby realizing the keep-alive of the user terminal.

[0195] S304, the user plane entity determines that the user terminal has been offline.

[0196] If the DHCP renewal message of the user terminal is not received within the DHCP lease period, it indicates that the user terminal gives up renewing the DHCP lease period. In this way, the user plane entity can determine that the user terminal has been offline.

[0197] In this case, the user plane entity can save / cache the offline message of the user terminal, and the offline message is used to indicate that the user terminal has been offline. It should be understood that the offline message includes the identity of the user terminal.

[0198] As can be seen, when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the user plane entity can proxy process the DHCP renewal message to realize the keep-alive of the user terminal.

[0199] S305, when the user plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the user plane entity sends an offline message to the control plane entity. The offline message is used to indicate that the user terminal has been offline.

[0200] When the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the user plane entity sends the saved / cached offline message to the control plane entity to inform the control plane entity that the user terminal has been offline, so that the control plane entity can perform offline processing on the user terminal.

[0201] The related description of offline processing can be referred to the foregoing, and will not be described here.

[0202] It should be understood that when the user plane entity determines that the user end has been offline, and has saved / cached the offline message, the user table item of the user end can be deleted to release resources, thereby improving the resource utilization of the user plane entity.

[0203] S306, when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the user plane entity receives the user table item sent by the control plane entity to synchronously update the user table item in the user plane entity.

[0204] Here, the user table item is the latest user table item in the control plane entity. The control plane entity sends the user table item to the user plane entity after the control plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered. For details, please refer to S404 below, which will not be described here.

[0205] When the user plane entity receives the user table item sent by the control plane entity, the user table item in the user plane entity is synchronously updated according to the user table item.

[0206] In this way, through S301-S306, the user plane entity can proxy process the DHCP renewal message of the user end when the control plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, thereby avoiding the user end offline problem caused by the communication link fault between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, and realizing the keep-alive of the user end.

[0207] Reference Figure 10 , Figure 10 A flowchart of another user end keep-alive method provided by an embodiment of the application is shown. The method is executed by a control plane entity, and can include the following steps:

[0208] S401, the control plane entity sends a DHCP renewal message to a DHCP server based on the DHCP lease period of a user end. The DHCP renewal message is used to request to extend the DHCP lease period of the user end.

[0209] For related descriptions of the DHCP lease period and the DHCP renewal message, please refer to S202 above, which will not be described here.

[0210] When the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, the control plane entity can check the DHCP lease period of each user end saved by the control plane entity, and send a DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server at a preset time.

[0211] For descriptions of the preset time, please refer to the descriptions of the preset time in S204 above, which will not be described here.

[0212] It can be understood that after the DHCP server receives the DHCP renewal message, whether the user terminal is allowed to extend the DHCP lease period can be determined according to the address allocation on the DHCP server at the current time. Then, the DHCP server generates a DHCP renewal response message based on the determined result, and sends the DHCP renewal response message to the control plane entity. The DHCP renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period.

[0213] S402, the control plane entity receives the DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, and processes the user table item of the user terminal corresponding to the DHCP renewal response message based on the DHCP renewal response message.

[0214] Specifically, if the DHCP renewal response message indicates that the user terminal has not renewed the DHCP lease period, the control plane entity performs offline processing on the user terminal after the DHCP lease period expires. For related description of offline processing, please refer to the foregoing description, which will not be repeated here.

[0215] If the DHCP renewal response message indicates that the user terminal has renewed the DHCP lease period, the control plane entity keeps the user terminal online after the DHCP lease period expires.

[0216] S403, when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the offline message sent by the user plane entity is received, and the user terminal indicated by the offline message is offline processed based on the offline message.

[0217] Here, the offline message is the offline message saved / cached by the user plane in S304, and the offline message is used to indicate that the user terminal has been offline.

[0218] When the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the offline message saved / cached by the user plane is sent to the control plane entity in sequence.

[0219] In this way, the control plane entity receives the offline message, and can perform offline processing on the user terminal indicated by the offline message based on the offline message. For related description of offline processing, please refer to the foregoing description, which will not be repeated here.

[0220] S404, when the control plane entity determines that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, the user table item is sent to the user plane entity, so that the user plane entity synchronizes the user table item in the user plane entity based on the user table item.

[0221] As can be seen from the foregoing, during the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, the control plane entity may delete some user table items of the user terminals that fail to renew the DHCP lease period.

[0222] In this way, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the control plane entity sends the latest user entry group to the user plane entity, so that the user plane entity deletes the redundant user entries in the user plane entity based on the user entry, and the user entries in the user plane entity are synchronized with the user entries in the control plane entity.

[0223] It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit the execution order of S403 and S404. For example, the embodiments of the present application can execute S403 first and then execute S404, or can execute S403 and S404 simultaneously, etc.

[0224] Reference Figure 11 , Figure 11 An exemplary flow chart of the flow direction of the DHCP renewal message and the DHCP renewal response message in scenario two is shown.

[0225] As Figure 11 shown, when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, within the DHCP lease period of the user terminal 81, the user terminal 81 sends a DHCP renewal message 801 to the user plane entity 82, and then the user plane entity 82 automatically replies a DHCP renewal response message 802 to the user terminal 81.

[0226] The control plane entity 83 sends the DHCP renewal message 801 to the DHCP server 85 based on the preset DHCP lease period of the user terminal 81, then the DHCP server 85 determines the DHCP renewal response message 802 based on the DHCP renewal message 801 and sends the DHCP renewal response message 802 to the control plane entity 83. Then, the control plane entity 83 performs corresponding processing based on the DHCP renewal response message 802.

[0227] As Figure 8 shown by the dashed single arrow in the figure, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the user plane entity 82 sends the offline message buffered during the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity to the control plane entity, so that the control plane entity 83 performs offline processing on the user terminal indicated by the offline message.

[0228] After the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the control plane entity 83 sends the latest user entry to the user plane entity 82, so that the user plane entity 82 synchronizes its user entry.

[0229] It should be understood that Figure 8The dashed double arrow in the figure represents the data flow between the user terminal 81 and the core network 84 after the user terminal 81 accesses the core network 84 through the broadband access gateway including the user plane entity 82 and the control plane entity 83.

[0230] Thus, when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the user plane entity can automatically respond to the lease renewal message of the user terminal, and the control plane entity can automatically request the server to extend the lease period for the user terminal, so that the user terminal disconnection problem caused by the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is avoided, and the user terminal keep-alive is achieved.

[0231] In summary, the user terminal keep-alive method provided by the embodiments of the present application can achieve the keep-alive of the user terminal by sending the probe message to the user terminal by the user plane entity. In addition, the user plane entity and the control plane entity can delete the user table entry of the offline user terminal in time, so as to avoid the accumulation of a large number of user table entries of offline user terminals in the user plane entity and the control plane entity, thereby avoiding resource waste. In addition, since the user plane entity assumes the responsibility of sending the probe message, the CPU burden of the control plane entity can be reduced, and the probe message will not occupy the message channel bandwidth between the control plane entity and the user plane entity, thereby saving resources.

[0232] In addition, the method can automatically respond to the lease renewal message of the user terminal by the user plane entity when the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, and the control plane entity can automatically request the server to extend the lease period for the user terminal. In this way, the user terminal disconnection problem caused by the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is avoided, and the user terminal keep-alive is achieved.

[0233] The above mainly introduces the scheme provided by the embodiments of the present application from the method aspect. In order to achieve the above functions, it includes the hardware structure and / or software module corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in combination with the embodiments disclosed in the present application can be realized in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driven hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical scheme. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present application.

[0234] The embodiments of the present application can divide the function modules of the keep-alive device of the user end according to the above method examples. For example, each function module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated in one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in the form of hardware or in the form of a software function module. It should be noted that the division of the modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, and is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, another division manner can be used.

[0235] As shown in Figure 12 , Figure 12 A structure diagram of a keep-alive device 120 of a user end provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. The keep-alive device 120 of the user end can be applied to a broadband access gateway, and the broadband access gateway further includes a control plane entity, and is used to access a network of the user end. The keep-alive device 120 of the user end can be used to execute the above-mentioned keep-alive method of the user end, for example, is used to execute the method shown in Figure 5 or Figure 9 . The keep-alive device 120 of the user end can include a sending unit 121.

[0236] The sending unit 121 is configured to send a probe packet to the user end based on a preset parameter, and is configured to send a probe failure message to the control plane entity if a probe response packet sent by the user end is not received within a preset time length. The preset parameter is acquired by the user plane entity in advance, the probe packet is used to check whether a communication link between the user end and the user plane entity is faulty, and the probe failure message is used to instruct the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user end.

[0237] As an example, in combination with Figure 5 , the sending unit 121 can be used to execute S101 and S104.

[0238] Optionally, the sending unit 121 is specifically configured to send the probe failure message to the control plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered if the probe response packet sent by the user end is not received within the preset time length and the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty.

[0239] As an example, in combination with Figure 5 , the sending unit 121 can be used to execute S104.

[0240] Optionally, if the user end is a user end using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the above-mentioned keep-alive device 120 of the user end further includes a receiving unit 122 configured to receive a DHCP lease period of the user end sent by the control plane entity, and the DHCP lease period is used to indicate a time length in which the user end is allowed to access the network by the DHCP server.

[0241] Optionally, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the user-side keep-alive device 120 further comprises a determining unit 123 configured to determine that the user side has been offline if a DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user side is not received within a DHCP lease period. The sending unit 121 is further configured to send a DHCP lease renewal success message to the user side if the DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user side is received within the DHCP lease period.

[0242] As an example, in combination with Figure 9 The determining unit 123 can be configured to perform S304. The sending unit 121 can be configured to perform S303.

[0243] Optionally, the sending unit 121 is further configured to, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, send an offline message to the control plane entity if it is determined that the user side has been offline, the offline message being used to indicate that the user side has been offline.

[0244] As an example, in combination with Figure 9 The sending unit 121 can be configured to perform S305.

[0245] Optionally, the user-side keep-alive device 120 further comprises a synchronizing unit 124 configured to synchronize the user table item with the control plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers.

[0246] As an example, in combination with Figure 9 The synchronizing unit 124 can be configured to perform S306.

[0247] Optionally, the preset parameters further comprise at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a number of probes, a probe start and end time, or a probe duration.

[0248] Optionally, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the user side is a user side using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the receiving unit 122 is further configured to receive a DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user side, the DHCP lease renewal message being used to request the control plane entity to request a DHCP server to extend a DHCP lease period. The sending unit 121 is further configured to forward the DHCP lease renewal message to the control plane entity. The receiving unit 122 is further configured to receive a DHCP lease renewal response message sent by the control plane entity, the DHCP lease renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user side successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The sending unit 121 is further configured to send the DHCP lease renewal response message to the user side.

[0249] The specific description of the optional mode can be referred to the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here. In addition, the explanation and beneficial effect of any of the foregoing user-side keep-alive device 120 can be referred to the corresponding method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0250] As an example, in combination with Figure 4 , the functions of the sending unit 121 and the receiving unit 122 in the user-side keep-alive device 120 can be implemented by the communication interface 43 in the communication device 40, the functions of the determining unit 123 and the synchronization unit 124 can be implemented by the processor 41 executing the program code in the memory 42 in the communication device 40. Figure 4 Figure 4 As an example, in combination with Figure 4 , the functions of the sending unit 121 and the receiving unit 122 in the user-side keep-alive device 120 can be implemented by the communication interface 43 in the communication device 40, the functions of the determining unit 123 and the synchronization unit 124 can be implemented by the processor 41 executing the program code in the memory 42 in the communication device 40.

[0251] As shown in Figure 13 , a structure diagram of a user-side keep-alive device 130 is shown. Figure 13 The user-side keep-alive device 130 can be applied to a broadband access gateway, which further comprises a user plane entity, and is used to access a user terminal to a network. The user-side keep-alive device 130 can be used to execute the foregoing user-side keep-alive method, for example, the method shown in Figure 5 , Figure 7 or Figure 10 . The user-side keep-alive device 130 can comprise a receiving unit 131 and a processing unit 132.

[0252] The receiving unit 131 is configured to receive a probe failure message sent by the user plane entity. The processing unit 132 is configured to perform offline processing on the user terminal based on the probe failure message. The probe failure message is used to indicate that the user plane entity has not received a probe response message of the user terminal within a preset time length, and the probe response message is a response message of a probe message sent by the user plane entity to the user terminal based on a preset parameter, and the preset parameter is a parameter sent by the control plane entity to the user plane entity in advance.

[0253] As an example, in combination with Figure 5 , the receiving unit 131 and the processing unit 132 can be used to execute S105.

[0254] Optionally, if the user terminal is a user terminal using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the foregoing user-side keep-alive device 130 further comprises a sending unit 133 configured to send a DHCP lease period of the user terminal to the user plane entity, and the DHCP lease period is used to indicate a time length allowed by a DHCP server for the user terminal to access the network.

[0255] ​Optionally, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the sending unit 133 is further configured to send, based on a DHCP lease period of the user terminal, a DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server, where the DHCP renewal message is used to request to extend the DHCP lease period of the user terminal. The receiving unit 131 is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, where the DHCP renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The processing unit 132 is further configured to process a user table entry corresponding to the user terminal based on the DHCP renewal response message.

[0256] As an example, in combination with Figure 10 The sending unit 133 can be configured to perform S401, and the receiving unit 131 and the processing unit 132 can be configured to perform S402.

[0257] Optionally, the receiving unit 131 is further configured to receive, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, an offline message sent by the user plane entity, where the offline message is used to indicate that the user terminal has been offline. Here, the user terminal has been offline is determined by the user plane entity according to that the user plane entity does not receive the DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal within the DHCP lease period during the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity.

[0258] As an example, in combination with Figure 10 The receiving unit 131 can be configured to perform S403.

[0259] Optionally, the sending unit 133 is further configured to send, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity recovers, a user table entry to the user plane entity, where the user table entry is used for the user plane entity to synchronize the user table entry in the user plane entity.

[0260] As an example, in combination with Figure 10 The sending unit 133 can be configured to perform S404.

[0261] Optionally, the preset parameters include at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a number of probes, a probe start and end time, or a probe duration.

[0262] Optionally, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity does not receive the DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within the DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the processing unit 132 is further configured to perform offline processing on the user terminal. The DHCP renewal message is used to request to extend the DHCP lease period of the user terminal.

[0263] As an example, in combination with Figure 7The processing unit 132 can be configured to perform S203.

[0264] Optionally, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity receives a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within the DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the sending unit 133 is further configured to send the DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server. The receiving unit 131 is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The processing unit 132 is further configured to process the user table item corresponding to the user terminal based on the DHCP renewal response message. The sending unit 133 is further configured to send the DHCP renewal response message to the user terminal via the user plane entity.

[0265] As an example, in combination with Figure 7 , the sending unit 133 and the receiving unit 131 can be configured to perform S204, and the processing unit 132 and the sending unit 133 can be configured to perform S205.

[0266] For specific description of the above optional mode, refer to the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be described here. In addition, the explanation and beneficial effect of any of the above-mentioned user terminal keep-alive device 130 can refer to the corresponding method embodiments described above, which will not be described here.

[0267] As an example, in combination with Figure 4 , the functions of the receiving unit 131 and the sending unit 132 in the user terminal keep-alive device 130 can be implemented by the communication interface 43 in Figure 4 , the function of the processing unit 133 can be implemented by the processor 41 executing the program code in the memory 42 in Figure 4 . Figure 4

[0268] The embodiments of the present application also provide a chip system 140, as shown in Figure 14 , the chip system 140 includes at least one processor and at least one interface circuit. As an example, when the chip system 140 includes one processor and one interface circuit, the one processor can be the processor 141 (or the processor 141) shown in the solid line box in Figure 14 , and the one interface circuit can be the interface circuit 142 (or the interface circuit 142) shown in the solid line box in Figure 14 . When the chip system 140 includes two processors and two interface circuits, the two processors include the processor 141 shown in the solid line box and the processor 141 shown in the dashed line box in Figure 14 , and the two interface circuits include the interface circuit 142 shown in the solid line box and the interface circuit 142 shown in the dashed line box in Figure 14 ​The interface circuit 142 shown in the solid line box and the interface circuit 142 shown in the dashed line box. No limitation is made in this regard.

[0269] The processor 141 and the interface circuit 142 can be interconnected by a line. For example, the interface circuit 142 can be used to receive a signal (e.g., a user terminal, etc.). For another example, the interface circuit 142 can be used to send a signal to other devices (e.g., the processor 141). Illustratively, the interface circuit 142 can read instructions stored in a memory and send the instructions to the processor 141. When the instructions are executed by the processor 141, the user terminal keep-alive device can perform various steps in the above-described embodiments. Of course, the chip system 140 can also include other discrete devices, and the embodiments of the present application do not make a specific limitation in this regard.

[0270] Another embodiment of the present application also provides a computer readable storage medium, which stores instructions, when the instructions are run on a user terminal keep-alive device, the user terminal keep-alive device performs various steps performed by the user terminal keep-alive device in the method flow shown in the above-described method embodiments.

[0271] In some embodiments, the disclosed method can be implemented as computer program instructions encoded in a computer readable storage medium in a machine readable format or encoded in other non-transitory media or articles of manufacture.

[0272] Figure 15 A conceptual partial view of a computer program product provided by an embodiment of the present application is schematically shown, which includes a computer program for executing a computer process on a computing device.

[0273] In one embodiment, the computer program product is provided using a signal bearing medium 150. The signal bearing medium 150 can include one or more program instructions, which when run by one or more processors, can provide the functions or partial functions described above with respect to Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9 or Figure 10 Thus, for example, one or more features with respect to S101-S105 in Figure 5 , or with respect to S401-S404 in Figure 10 may be assumed by one or more instructions associated with the signal bearing medium 150. Further, the program instructions in Figure 15 also describe example instructions.

[0274] In some examples, the signal-bearing medium 150 can comprise a computer- readable medium 151, such as, but not limited to, a hard disk drive, a compact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), a digital tape, memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0275] In some embodiments, the signal-bearing medium 150 can comprise a computer- recordable medium 152, such as, but not limited to, a memory, a read / write (R / W) CD, a R / W DVD, etc.

[0276] In some embodiments, the signal-bearing medium 150 can comprise a communication medium 153, such as, but not limited to, a digital and / or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communication link, a wireless communication link, etc.).

[0277] The signal-bearing medium 150 can be conveyed by a wireless form of the communication medium 153 (e.g., wireless communication medium complying with the IEEE 1502.11 standard or other transport protocols). The one or more program instructions can be, for example, computer-executable or logic-implementing instructions.

[0278] In some examples, such as for the user-side keep-alive apparatus described with respect to Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 9 or Figure 10 The one or more program instructions can be configured to, responsive to being executed on the data processing apparatus, provide various operations, functions, or actions. The operations, functions, or actions can be implemented as instructions being executed on the data processing apparatus or as a combination of both.

[0279] It should be understood that the arrangements described herein are for purposes of example only. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements and other elements (e.g., machines, interfaces, functions, orders, and groupings of functions, etc.) can be used instead, and some elements can be omitted altogether according to the desired results. Additionally, many of the described elements can be implemented as functional entities that can be realized as discrete or distributed components, or in conjunction with other components, in any suitable combination and location.

[0280] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer executes the instructions, all or part of the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center through wired (such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (such as infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or include one or more data storage devices such as servers, data centers, etc. that can be integrated with the medium. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (such as a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (such as a solid state disk (SSD)), etc.

[0281] The above description is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed by the present application, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for user end keep-alive, characterized in that, A broadband access gateway applied to CU separation, the broadband access gateway comprises a control plane entity and a user plane entity, the broadband access gateway is used to connect the user access network, and the method is executed by the user plane entity; the method comprises the following steps of: sending a probe packet to the user terminal based on preset parameters; wherein the preset parameters are obtained by the user plane entity in advance, and the probe packet is used to check whether the communication link between the user terminal and the user plane entity is faulty; if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty within a preset time length, the generated probe failure message is cached until the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, and the probe failure message is sent to the control plane entity; wherein the probe failure message is used to instruct the control plane entity to perform offline processing on the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the user terminal is a user terminal using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the method further comprises the following steps of: receiving the DHCP lease period of the user terminal sent by the control plane entity, wherein the DHCP lease period is used to represent the time length during which the DHCP server allows the user terminal to access the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, the method further comprises the following steps of: if the DHCP renewal packet sent by the user terminal is not received within the DHCP lease period, it is determined that the user terminal has been offline; if the DHCP renewal packet sent by the user terminal is received within the DHCP lease period, a DHCP renewal success packet is sent to the user terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further comprises the following steps of: if it is determined that the user terminal has been offline, an offline message is sent to the control plane entity, wherein the offline message is used to indicate that the user terminal has been offline.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further comprises the following steps of: synchronizing the user table item with the control plane entity.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The preset parameters further comprise at least one of the following: the sending interval time of the probe packet, the timeout number, the single-probe timeout time length, the probe number, the probe start and end time or the probe time length.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, if the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the user terminal is a user terminal using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the method further comprises the following steps of: receiving the DHCP renewal packet sent by the user terminal, wherein the DHCP renewal packet is used for the control plane entity to request the DHCP server to extend the DHCP lease period; forwarding the DHCP renewal packet to the control plane entity; receiving the DHCP renewal response packet sent by the control plane entity, wherein the DHCP renewal response packet is used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period; sending the DHCP renewal response packet to the user terminal.

8. A method for user end keep-alive, characterized in that, A broadband access gateway for CU separation is applied, the broadband access gateway including a control plane entity and a user plane entity, the broadband access gateway is used to access the user terminal to the network, and the method is performed by the control plane entity; the method includes: receiving a probe failure message sent by the user plane entity, where the probe failure message is used to indicate that the user plane entity has not received a probe response message from the user terminal within a preset time period, and that the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity has failed; the probe response message is a response message to the probe message sent by the user plane entity to the user terminal based on preset parameters, where the preset parameters are parameters sent in advance by the control plane entity to the user plane entity; Based on the detection failure message, the user terminal is offline processed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, If the client is a client using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), the method further includes: The DHCP lease of the user terminal is sent to the user plane entity, where the DHCP lease is used to indicate the duration during which the DHCP server allows the user terminal to access the network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, If a communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity fails, the method further includes: Sending a DHCP lease renewal message to a DHCP server based on the DHCP lease of the user terminal, wherein the DHCP lease renewal message is used to request an extension of the DHCP lease of the user terminal; receiving a DHCP lease renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, wherein the DHCP lease renewal response message is used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease; Based on the DHCP lease renewal response message, a user entry corresponding to the user terminal is processed.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, After the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further includes: receiving a logoff message sent by the user plane entity, where the logoff message is used to indicate that the user terminal has gone offline, where the user plane entity determines that the user terminal has gone offline based on the user plane entity not receiving a DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user terminal within a DHCP lease period during a communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, After the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the method further includes: A user table entry is sent to the user plane entity, where the user table entry is used by the user plane entity to synchronize user table entries in the user plane entity.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, The preset parameters include: at least one of the detection message sending interval, timeout times, single detection timeout duration, detection times, detection start and end time, or detection duration.

14. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and within the DHCP lease period of the user terminal, the control plane entity does not receive a DHCP lease renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity, the method further includes: The user terminal is offline processed; wherein the DHCP lease renewal message is used to request to extend the DHCP lease period of the user terminal.

15. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and if the DHCP lease period of the user end is within the DHCP lease period of the user end, the control plane entity receives the DHCP renewal message sent by the user end via the user plane entity, the method further comprises: sending the DHCP renewal message to the DHCP server; receiving the DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period; processing the user table corresponding to the user end based on the DHCP renewal response message; sending the DHCP renewal response message to the user end via the user plane entity.

16. An apparatus for user-side keep-alive, the apparatus comprising: The application relates to a broadband access gateway applied to CU separation, wherein the broadband access gateway further comprises a control plane entity, and the broadband access gateway is used to access the network of the user end, and the device comprises: a sending unit, which is used to send a detection message to the user end based on preset parameters, and is used to cache the generated detection failure message until the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, if the detection response message sent by the user end is not received within a preset time length and the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty. The preset parameters are acquired by the user plane entity in advance, the detection message is used to check whether the communication link between the user end and the user plane entity is faulty, and the detection failure message is used to indicate that the control plane entity performs offline processing on the user end.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, If the user end is a user end using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), the device further comprises: a receiving unit, which is used to receive the DHCP lease period of the user end sent by the control plane entity, and the DHCP lease period is used to represent the time length during which the user end is allowed to access the network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, the device further comprises: a determining unit, which is used to determine that the user end has been offline if the DHCP renewal message sent by the user end is not received within the DHCP lease period. The sending unit is further used to send a DHCP renewal success message to the user end if the DHCP renewal message sent by the user end is received within the DHCP lease period.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the sending unit is further used to send an offline message to the control plane entity if it is determined that the user end has been offline after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, and the offline message is used to indicate that the user end has been offline.

20. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-19, wherein, The device further comprises: a synchronizing unit, which is used to synchronize the user table with the control plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered.

21. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-19, wherein, The preset parameter further comprises at least one of a sending interval time of the probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a probe number, a probe start and end time or a probe duration.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, wherein, If the user end is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) user end, the apparatus further comprises: The receiving unit is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal message sent by the user end, the DHCP renewal message being used for the control plane entity to request the DHCP server to extend a DHCP lease period. The sending unit is further configured to forward the DHCP renewal message to the control plane entity. The receiving unit is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal response message sent by the control plane entity, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The sending unit is further configured to send the DHCP renewal response message to the user end.

23. An apparatus for user-side keep-alive, the apparatus comprising: The application relates to a broadband access gateway applied to CU separation, wherein the broadband access gateway comprises a user plane entity, and the broadband access gateway is used for connecting the user end to a network, and the apparatus comprises: The receiving unit is configured to receive a probe failure message sent by the user plane entity, the probe failure message being used to indicate that the user plane entity does not receive a probe response message of the user end within a preset duration, and a communication link between a control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty; the probe response message is a response message of a probe message sent by the user plane entity to the user end based on preset parameters, and the preset parameters are parameters sent by the control plane entity to the user plane entity in advance. The processing unit is configured to perform offline processing on the user end based on the probe failure message.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein, If the user end is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) user end, the apparatus further comprises: The sending unit is configured to send a DHCP lease period of the user end to the user plane entity, the DHCP lease period being used to indicate a duration in which the DHCP server allows the user end to access the network.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is faulty, The sending unit is further configured to send a DHCP renewal message to a DHCP server based on the DHCP lease period of the user end, the DHCP renewal message being used to request the DHCP server to extend the DHCP lease period of the user end. The receiving unit is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user end successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The processing unit is further configured to process a user table item corresponding to the user end based on the DHCP renewal response message.

26. The apparatus of any of claims 23-25, wherein The receiving unit is further configured to receive a logout message sent by the user plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the logout message being used to indicate that the user terminal has logged out, and the user terminal having logged out being determined by the user plane entity according to that the user plane entity does not receive a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal within a DHCP lease period during the communication link failure between the control plane entity and the user plane entity.

27. The apparatus of any of claims 23-25, wherein, The sending unit is further configured to send a user table item to the user plane entity after the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is recovered, the user table item being used for the user plane entity to synchronize the user table item in the user plane entity.

28. The apparatus of any one of claims 23-25, wherein, The preset parameters include at least one of a sending interval time of a probe message, a timeout number, a single-probe timeout duration, a number of probes, a probe start time and a probe end time, or a probe duration.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity does not receive a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within a DHCP lease period of the user terminal, The processing unit is further configured to perform logout processing on the user terminal; and the DHCP renewal message is used to request an extension of the DHCP lease period of the user terminal.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein, If the communication link between the control plane entity and the user plane entity is normal, and the control plane entity receives a DHCP renewal message sent by the user terminal via the user plane entity within a DHCP lease period of the user terminal, The sending unit is further configured to send the DHCP renewal message to a DHCP server. The receiving unit is further configured to receive a DHCP renewal response message sent by the DHCP server, the DHCP renewal response message being used to indicate whether the user terminal successfully renews the DHCP lease period. The processing unit is further configured to process a user table item corresponding to the user terminal based on the DHCP renewal response message. The sending unit is further configured to send the DHCP renewal response message to the user terminal via the user plane entity.

31. An apparatus for user-side keep-alive, the apparatus comprising: The apparatus includes a memory and one or more processors, the memory is configured to store computer instructions, and the processor is configured to invoke the computer instructions to enable the apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 15.

32. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: The computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 15.

Images