Wireless user roaming implementation method based on vBRAS

Abstract

The invention provides a wireless user roaming implementation method based on vBRAS (Virtual Broadband Remote Access Server). The method comprises the following steps: step 1, dividing user plane UP (User Plane) equipment in a network into backup groups; step 2, the wireless user accesses the network through a first backup group; step 3, setting that the wireless user roams, and accessing a second backup group; and step 4, a wireless user management module is arranged in a control plane CP in the network, judgment is carried out according to information reported by the second backup group, and user plane UP equipment is allocated to the wireless user, so that roaming is realized. According to the invention, when the wireless user roams, the roaming user does not need to complete the online process again, so that the influence on the network service experience is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for realizing wireless user roaming, in particular to a method for realizing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this part is only background information related to the present disclosure, and it is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] Currently, the separated control and forwarding vBRAS technology is a hot topic in the cloud-based deployment of network elements. The separated control and forwarding vBRAS is divided into a control plane network element vBRAS-CP and a forwarding plane network element vBRAS-UP. Among them, vBRAS-CP is deployed in the cloud, and vBRAS-UP includes two types, vUP and pUP, based on the service bearing mode. vUP is virtualized, and pUP is a dedicated router device, which can be deployed separately or pooled based on the N+1 warm standby mode (the pooling mode can improve resource utilization and enhance user access reliability). When a user accesses vBRAS, load sharing of the user on each pUP device in the pool is realized based on the warm standby group (CP selects an interface from the backup group as the access interface for the user and sends the user table entry to the pUP where this interface is located).

[0004] In the wireless user access scenario, there is a need for wireless user roaming. When a user roams, the pUP device / interface accessed by the wireless user may change, and there is no user-related information on the newly accessed pUP, which may cause the user to need to log in again, thus affecting the service experience.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background art section is only used to strengthen the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and thus may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Object of the Invention: The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for realizing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS in view of the deficiencies of the prior art.

[0007] To solve the above technical problem, the present invention discloses a method for realizing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS, including the following steps:

[0008] Step 1, dividing the user plane UP devices in the network into backup groups;

[0009] Step 2, the wireless user accesses the network through the first backup group;

[0010] Step 3, assuming that the wireless user roams and accesses the second backup group;

[0011] Step 4: The control plane CP in the network is equipped with a wireless user management module, which makes a judgment based on the information reported by the second backup group and allocates a user plane UP device for the wireless user to achieve roaming.

[0012] Further, the division of the user plane UP devices in the network into backup groups in step 1 includes:

[0013] Step 1-1: Set up a number of backup groups;

[0014] Step 1-2: Assign 1 or a group of ports on the user plane UP devices in the network to 1 backup group until all the ports on the user plane UP devices are divided into backup groups;

[0015] Step 1-3: Select the next user plane UP device and repeat step 1-2 until all the ports on all user plane UP devices are assigned to the corresponding backup groups.

[0016] Further, the access of the wireless user to the network through the first backup group in step 2 includes:

[0017] There is an A-LEAF device in the network for connecting different AP devices; the wireless user connects to the network through the AP device for signal connection;

[0018] The control plane CP in the network generates a user entry based on the access information of the wireless user and issues it to the first user plane UP device in the first backup group.

[0019] Further, different A-LEAF devices are bound to the corresponding backup groups;

[0020] The wireless user accesses the network through the first backup group, that is, through the first AP device connected to the first A-LEAF device bound to the first backup group to access the network.

[0021] Further, the access to the second backup group in step 3 includes:

[0022] The wireless user accesses the network through the second AP device connected to the second A-LEAF device bound to the second backup group.

[0023] Further, the wireless user management module in step 4 is used for roaming detection.

[0024] Further, the judgment based on the information reported by the second backup group in step 4 includes:

[0025] When the wireless user roams, a new dial-up message is sent to all user plane UP device ports in the second backup group in a broadcast manner, and the user plane UP device port forwards the message to the wireless user management module;

[0026] The wireless user management module compares the information contained in the message with the information of the online user, and determines that roaming occurs if the wireless user is an online user.

[0027] Furthermore, the allocation of the user plane UP device in step 4 includes:

[0028] The wireless user management module selects a second user plane UP device in the second backup group as a new access device for the wireless user, and the wireless user management module updates a user entry of the wireless user to the second user plane UP device;

[0029] The first user plane UP device deletes the user table entry of the wireless user, and the corresponding routing information is revoked in the network; the second user plane UP device sends a free ARP to guide users and notifies the network side of the new routing information. After that, the data traffic of the wireless user is forwarded through the second user plane UP device.

[0030] Furthermore, the selection of the second user plane UP device in step 4 adopts a hash algorithm.

[0031] Furthermore, the user entry described in step 2 includes: user IP address, MAC address, VLAN and outbound interface information.

[0032] Beneficial effects:

[0033] According to the method proposed by the present invention, when a wireless user roams, the UP (User Plane) sends the access message of the roaming user to the CP (Control Plane), and the wireless user management module in the CP performs comparison and verification based on the user information carried in the message. If it is found that the user is an online user, the user access process is interrupted, the user table entry is directly updated and sent to the newly accessed UP device, so that the roaming user does not need to complete the online process again. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, and the above and / or other advantages of the present invention will become more clear.

[0035] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the vBRAS-based wireless user access method proposed by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The present invention proposes a method for realizing wireless user roaming based on separated control and forwarding vBRAS. The overall idea is as follows: By deploying a wireless user management module on the CP, when a wireless user roams, it triggers the user to redial. At this time, the pUP will send the user access packet to the CP. If the CP discovers through the wireless user management module that this user is an online user, it will update the user access table entry (access interface / VLAN, etc.) and directly send it to the newly accessed pUP, thus avoiding the need for the user to complete the re - online process and realizing seamless user roaming.

[0037] The network in this article is an IP - bearing network; the scenario here is that wireless users access the fixed - network bearing network through APs. The positioning of vBRAS itself is a broadband user access control network element for home / fixed - network (broadband users can also connect to vBRAS through mobile terminals via wifi). In this application, it is also a scenario where mobile terminals access vBRAS through APs.

[0038] The specific technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A method for realizing wireless user roaming based on separated control and forwarding vBRAS. When a wireless user roams, the UP sends the access packet of the roaming user to the CP. The wireless user management module in the CP verifies and compares based on the user information carried in the packet (user MAC address, user name, etc.). If it discovers that this user is an online user, it interrupts the user access process, directly updates the user table entry and sends it to the newly accessed UP device. At the same time, it synchronizes the user table entry to the original accessed UP, causing it to delete the user table entry, and issues a gratuitous ARP for traffic diversion, thus realizing seamless roaming of wireless users.

[0039] Deploy a wireless user management module on vBRAS - CP; the functions of this module include:

[0040] ① Roaming detection: Determine whether a wireless user has roamed;

[0041] ② Wireless user management: Maintain the wireless user table entry locally on the CP and synchronize the wireless user table entry to the UP.

[0042] When a wireless user roams, the UP sends the access packet of the roaming user to the CP. The wireless user management module in the CP verifies and compares based on the user information carried in the packet (user MAC address, user name, etc.) to check whether this user is an online user:

[0043] ① If it is an online user, interrupt the user access process, directly update the user table entry and send it to the newly accessed UP device. At the same time, synchronize the user table entry to the original accessed UP, causing it to delete the user table entry, and issue a gratuitous ARP for traffic diversion, thus realizing seamless roaming;

[0044] ②If it is an offline user, the user access process will continue to be executed to complete the user access authentication.

[0045] Embodiment:

[0046] The following is a specific embodiment of the present invention. The networking schematic diagram is as Figure 1 shown:

[0047] (1) System initialization. A wireless user management module is deployed on the CP. This module has functions such as roaming detection and wireless user entry management.

[0048] (2) Wireless user A accesses in backup group 1. The CP selects a device (UP1) within backup group 1 as the access device for user A and generates a user entry (the user entry includes information such as the user IP address, MAC address, VLAN, outgoing interface, etc., which is used to guide the user packet to look up the table for forwarding), and issues it to UP1. All data traffic of wireless user A is forwarded through UP1.

[0049] Among them, backup group: 1 interface on each UP is bound to 1 backup group. When a port / plug-in card of a certain device fails, the users connected to it will be evenly distributed to the interfaces of other devices within the backup group for connection, so as to achieve seamless fault protection for users (the user does not drop the line during this process). Each backup group can access multiple users / multiple APs, and these users share the load on the interfaces / devices within the backup group.

[0050] Usually, one backup group will select 1 or a group of interfaces on each UP device. Therefore, selecting 1 interface can be understood as selecting a certain UP device.

[0051] (3) If wireless user A roams (after the user's location changes, the accessed AP also changes. The newly accessed AP may be connected to other backup groups. Generally speaking, 1 backup group will be bound to the accessed A-Leaf device. If the user's location changes, it may be connected to other A-Leaf devices), it triggers wireless user A to go online again. Its packets will be sent to the corresponding interfaces of all UPs within backup group 2 of the UP pool in a broadcast manner, and the UP will send the packets of wireless user A to the CP;

[0052] (4) After the CP receives the packets of the roaming user, the wireless user management module will compare the information contained in the packets (such as the user MAC address, user name, etc.) with the existing user entries. If it is found that wireless user A is an online user, it is determined that user A has roamed;

[0053] (5) After determining that user A has roamed, the wireless user management module selects a UP (such as UP3) as the new access device for wireless user A in backup group 2 based on the hash algorithm, and the CP updates the user entry of wireless user A to UP3;

[0054] After the user table entry of user A is deleted on UP1, the corresponding routing information will also be revoked; UP3 sends a gratuitous ARP for user traffic diversion and notifies the network side of the new routing information to ensure that all traffic sent to wireless user A is diverted to UP3. Thereafter, the data traffic of user A is forwarded through UP3.

[0055] Based on the above process, seamless roaming of users in the vBRAS scenario can be achieved.

[0056] In specific implementation, the present application provides a computer storage medium and a corresponding data processing unit. Among them, the computer storage medium can store a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the data processing unit, it can run the inventive content of a method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS provided by the present invention and some or all of the steps in each embodiment. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0057] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by means of a computer program and its corresponding general hardware platform. Based on such an understanding, the essence of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a computer program, that is, a software product. The computer program software product can be stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a device including a data processing unit (which can be a personal computer, a server, a single-chip microcomputer, an MCU, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0058] The present invention provides an idea and method for a method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS. There are many methods and ways to specifically implement this technical solution. The above is only the preferred implementation manner of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the principle of the present invention, several improvements and refinements can be made, and these improvements and refinements should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention. Each component not clearly defined in this embodiment can be implemented by using the prior art.

Claims

1. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS, characterized in that It includes the following steps: Step 1: Divide the user plane (UP) devices in the network into backup groups. Step 2: The wireless user accesses the network through the first backup group. Step 3: Suppose the wireless user roams and accesses the second backup group. Step 4: There is a wireless user management module in the control plane (CP) of the network. It makes a judgment according to the information reported by the second backup group and allocates a user plane (UP) device for the wireless user to achieve roaming.

2. The method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 1, wherein The division of the user plane (UP) devices in the network into backup groups in Step 1 includes: Step 1-1: Set up several backup groups. Step 1-2: Incorporate 1 or a group of ports on the user plane (UP) devices in the network into 1 backup group until all the ports on the user plane (UP) devices are divided into backup groups. Step 1-3: Select the next user plane (UP) device and repeat Step 1-2 until all the ports on all the user plane (UP) devices are incorporated into the corresponding backup groups.

3. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wireless user accessing the network through the first backup group in Step 2 includes: There is an A-LEAF device in the network for connecting different AP devices. The wireless user accesses the network through signal connection via the AP device. The control plane (CP) in the network generates a user entry according to the access information of the wireless user and distributes it to the first user plane (UP) device in the first backup group.

4. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 3, characterized in that, Different A-LEAF devices are bound to the corresponding backup groups. The wireless user accessing the network through the first backup group means accessing the network through the first AP device connected to the first A-LEAF device bound to the first backup group.

5. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 4, characterized in that, Accessing the second backup group in Step 3 includes: The wireless user accesses the network through the second AP device connected to the second A-LEAF device bound to the second backup group.

6. The method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 5, wherein, The wireless user management module in Step 4 is used for roaming detection.

7. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 6, characterized in that, The judgment according to the information reported by the second backup group in Step 4 includes: When the wireless user roams, it sends new dialing packets in a broadcast manner to all the user plane (UP) device ports in the second backup group. The user plane (UP) device ports forward the packets to the wireless user management module. The wireless user management module compares the information contained in the packets with the information of the online user. If the wireless user is an online user, it is determined that roaming has occurred.

8. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 7, characterized in that, The allocation of the user plane (UP) device in Step 4 includes: The wireless user management module selects a second user plane (UP) device in the second backup group as the new access device for the wireless user, and the wireless user management module updates the user entry of the wireless user to the second user plane (UP) device. The user entry of the wireless user is deleted from the first user plane (UP) device, and the corresponding routing information is revoked in the network. The second user plane (UP) device sends a gratuitous ARP for user drainage and notifies the network side of the new routing information. Thereafter, the data traffic of the wireless user is forwarded through the second user plane (UP) device.

9. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 8, characterized in that The selection of the second user plane (UP) device in Step 4 adopts a hash algorithm.

10. A method for implementing wireless user roaming based on vBRAS according to claim 3, characterized in that, The user entry described in step 2 includes: user IP address, MAC address, VLAN, and egress interface information.

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