System and method for advertising routing information over a network

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system (108) and a method for route advertisement through a user plane function (UPF) (512) The system (108) provides high availability (HA) management and route management of data planes centrally through a single entity ensuring consistency of a cluster state. The system (108) uses a border gateway protocol (BGP) to ensure that data traffic lands directly on a desired data plane. Further, the system (108) ensures that the traffic received from a base station has a next hop at a desired user plane function (UPF) data plane N3 interface and traffic received from a data network has a next hop at a UPF data plane N6 interface.

Description

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.DEFINITION

[0002] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.

[0003] The expression ‘border gateway protocol (BGP)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to an exterior gateway protocol for exchanging routing and reachability information among various network functions.

[0004] The expression ‘Route advertisement’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a process of informing various routers regarding reachable networks and optimal paths.

[0005] These definitions are in addition to those expressed in the art.FIELD OF INVENTION

[0006] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for data packet management in a wireless telecommunications network. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method route advertisement through a control plane.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admission of the prior art.

[0008] As per a third-generation partnership project (3GPP) defined architecture, a user plane function (UPF) application is inline of the user traffic between a user equipment (UE) and a data Network. The UPF includes 3GPP defined N3 interface towards a gNodeB and a N6 interface towards the data network. The UPF cluster has multiple data plane instances, which do packet processing, along with the classification of packets, enforcing multiple pre-defined policies, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, lawful interception, and standard-defined 3GPP functionalities. The UPF data plane is based on rules present in the user session, performs all the above functionalities.

[0009] As each UPF cluster has multiple data planes, it becomes imperative that user traffic lands on the same data plane instance on which the session data is present. One solution includes traffic routing from one data plane to another, which introduces additional latency in traffic delivery and requires additional central processing unit (CPU) resources.

[0010] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a system and a method that can mitigate the problems associated with the prior arts.OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method that provides high availability (HA) management and route management of data planes centrally through a single entity ensuring consistency of a cluster state.

[0012] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method that uses a border gateway protocol (BGP) to ensure that data traffic lands directly on a desired data plane.

[0013] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method that ensures that for each unique traffic type, a separate BGP Association is established. The system ensures that the traffic coming from a gNodeB has the next hop at a desired user plane function (UPF) data plane N3 interface and traffic coming from a data network has a next hop at a UPF data plane N6 interface.

[0014] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system that establishes the BGP association and publishes routes from a cluster manager ensures consistency of the cluster state.SUMMARY

[0015] The present disclosure discloses a system for advertising routing information over a network. The system comprises at least one user equipment (UE), a user plane function (UPF), a cluster manager (CM), a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon and at least one logical forwarding device. The at least one user equipment (UE) is configured to establish a session with a data network via a plurality of network functions (NFs) and is further configured to exchange a plurality of data packets over the established session. The UPF is configured to receive the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers as a data traffic. The UPF is configured to generate at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly. The UPF is configured to register the at least one DP instance with the CM. The CM is configured to publish at least one route for the at least one DP instance to the BGP Daemon. The BGP Daemon is configured to forward the at least one published route to the at least one logical forwarding device based on an BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device. The BGP Daemon is configured to establish the BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device based on a data traffic type.

[0016] In some embodiment, the data traffic type comprises at least one of a virtual local area network (VLAN) data traffic, a packet transport network (PTN) data traffic and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic.

[0017] In some embodiment, the at least one logical forwarding device is a router, a gateway or a switch.

[0018] In some embodiment, the plurality of network functions comprises a network management system (NMS), a session management function (SMF), and a lawful interception management system (LIMS).

[0019] In some embodiment, the routing information comprises at least one of a route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the at least one logical forwarding device and a destination address.

[0020] In some embodiment, the published route to the at least one logical forwarding device ensures traffic coming from a base station has a next hop of a first interface and a traffic coming from a data network has a next hop of a second interface. The first interface comprises a UPF data plane N3 internet protocol (IP) and the second interface is a UPF data plane N6 IP.

[0021] In some embodiment, on detection of failure of the at least one DP instance, the CM configured to assign an active state to an available standby DP instance. The active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance. The CM configured to update the route via the BGP Daemon to cause a next hop as the active DP instance.

[0022] In some embodiment, a plurality of DP instances is configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policy enforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.

[0023] In another exemplary embodiment, a method for advertising routing information over a network is described. The method comprises establishing, by at least one user equipment (UE), a session with a data network via a plurality of network functions (NFs) and exchanging a plurality of data packets over the established session. The method comprises receiving, by a user plane function (UPF), the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers as a data traffic and generating, by the UPF, at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly. The method comprises registering, by the UPF, the at least one DPinstance with a cluster manager (CM). The method comprises publishing, by the CM, at least one route for the at least the one DP instance to a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon. The method comprises forwarding, by the BGP Daemon, the at least one published route to at least one logical forwarding device based on an BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device. The BGP Daemon is configured to establish the BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device based on a data traffic type.

[0024] In some embodiment, the data traffic type comprises at least one of a virtual local area network (VLAN) data traffic, a packet transport network (PTN) data traffic and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic.

[0025] In some embodiment, the at least one logical forwarding device is a router, a gateway or a switch.

[0026] In some embodiment, the plurality of network functions comprises a network management system (NMS), a session management function (SMF), and a lawful interception management system (LIMS).

[0027] In some embodiment, the routing information comprises at least one of a route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the at least one logical forwarding device and a destination address.

[0028] In some embodiment, the published route to the at least one logical forwarding device ensures a traffic coming from a base station has a next hop of a first interface and a traffic coming from a data network has a next hop of a second interface, wherein the first interface comprises a UPF data plane N3 internet protocol (IP) and the second interface is a UPF data plane N6 IP.

[0029] In some embodiment, the method comprises on detection of failure of the at least one DP instance, assigning, by the CM, an active state to an available standby DP instance and updating, by the CM, the route via the BGP Daemon to cause a next hop as the active DP instance. The active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance.

[0030] In some embodiment, a plurality of DP instances configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policy enforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes the disclosure of electrical components, electronic components, or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates an example network architecture for implementing a system of advertising routing information over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram of the system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates an example block diagram for border gateway protocol (BGP) association between a control plane server and a data plane server, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates an example flow diagram of route updates to a router via a BGP Daemon, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary architecture of the system for route advertisement via a cluster manager, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary flow chart showing a method of advertising routing information over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 7 illustrates an example computer system in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0039] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100 - Network Architecture102-1, 102-2...102-N - Users104-1, 104-2. . . 104-N - User Equipments106 - Network108 - System202 - One or more processor(s)204 - Memory206 - Plurality of Interfaces208 - Processing Engine210 - Database212 - Data Parameter Engine214 - Other Engine302 - Control Plane Server304 - Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) proxy306 - Unified Communications and Messaging (UCM)308 - Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) Daemon (DMN)310 - BGP Daemon (DMN)312 - Database314 - Data Plane Server402 - UPF data plane server404 - Cluster Manager406 - BGP Daemon408 - Router410 - Step412 - Step414 - Step502 - gNodeB504 - Network Management System (NMS)506 - Data Network508 - Session Management Function (SMF)510 - Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS)512 - User Plane Function (UPF)514 - Control Plane (CP) server- 1516 - Control Plane (CP) server-2518, 520, 522, 524 - Data Plane Servers600 - Flow Diagram602 - Step604 - Step606 - Step608 - Step610 - Step612 - Step700 - Computer System710 - External Storage Device720 - Bus730 - Main Memory740 - Read Only Memory750 - Mass Storage Device760 - Communication Port770 - ProcessorDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[0041] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.

[0042] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0043] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed inparallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0044] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0045] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0046] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

[0047] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or “user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical, and computing device. The user device is capable of receiving and / or transmitting one or parameters, performing function / s, communicating with other user devices, and transmitting data to the other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory, a battery, and an input-means such as a hard keypad and / or a soft keypad. The user equipment may be capable of operating on any radio access technology including but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, etc. For instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.

[0048] Further, the user device may also comprise a “processor” or “processing unit” includes processing unit, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signalprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables the working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor is a hardware processor.

[0049] As portable electronic devices and wireless technologies continue to improve and grow in popularity, the advancing wireless technologies for data transfer are also expected to evolve and replace the older generations of technologies. In the field of wireless data communications, the dynamic advancement of various generations of cellular technology are also seen. The development, in this respect, has been incremental in the order of second generation (2G), third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), and now fifth generation (5G), and more such generations are expected to continue in the forthcoming time.

[0050] Radio Access Technology (RAT) refers to the technology used by mobile devices / user equipment (UE) to connect to a cellular network. It refers to the specific protocol and standards that govern the way devices communicate with base stations, which are responsible for providing the wireless connection. Further, each RAT has its own set of protocols and standards for communication, which define the frequency bands, modulation techniques, and other parameters used for transmitting and receiving data. Examples of RATs include GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), LTE (Long-Term Evolution), and 5G. The choice of RAT depends on a variety of factors, including the network infrastructure, the available spectrum, and the mobile device's / device's capabilities. Mobile devices often support multiple RATs, allowing them to connect to different types of networks and provide optimal performance based on the available network resources.

[0051] In this aspect, the system may be embedded with 4G, 5G, or 6G technology. The base station may be node B (NodeB), evolved node B (eNodeB), next generation node B (gNB).

[0052] The system has the capability to be seamlessly integrated with a variety of other networking concepts. This includes but is not limited to, protocols like HTTP, TCP / IP, FTP, and DNS. Additionally, the system can also be configured to work with different network topologies, such as star, mesh, bus, and ring, providing flexibility and adaptability to the user's needs. This integration with other networking concepts allows for a more versatile and dynamic system, capable of meeting the requirements of various network environments.

[0053] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0054] A user plane function (UPF) is positioned in the path of user traffic between a user equipment (UE) and a data network. The UPF comprises a 3GPP- defined N3 interface toward a gNodeB and an N6 interface toward the data network. Within the UPF cluster, multiple data plane instances handle packet processing, packet classification, enforcement of pre-defined policies, quality of service (QoS) adherence, user plane accounting, lawful interception, and other standard 3GPP functionalities. The UPF data plane relies on rules within the user session to execute these functionalities. Given that each UPF cluster contains multiple data plane servers, it is crucial for user traffic to be directed to the same data plane server housing the session data. However, achieving this goal requires routing traffic from one data plane to another, which results in increased latency in traffic delivery and necessitates additional Central Processing Unit (CPU) resources.

[0055] The present disclosure discloses a system and method for advertising routing information over a network. The system is capable to perform a centralized route advertisement via a management node. Since high availability (HA) management and route management of data planes are highly dependent on each other, managing both these functionalities centrally through single entity ensures consistency of cluster state.

[0056] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1- FIG. 7.

[0057] FIG. 1 illustrates an example network architecture (100) for implementing a system (108) for advertising routing information over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an example, the routing information includes a complete route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the logical forwarding device, and a destination address.

[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 1, one or more computing devices (104-1, 104-2. . .104-N) are connected to the system (108) through the network (106). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the one or more computing devices (104-1, 104-2... 104-N) may be collectively referred as computing devices (104) and individually referred as a computing device (104). One or more users (102-1, 102-2. . . 102-N) may provide one or more requests to the system (108). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the one or more users (102-1, 102-2. . .102-N) may be collectively referred as users (102) and individually referred as a user (102). Further, the computing devices (104) may also be referred as a user equipment (UE) (104) or as UEs (104) throughout the disclosure.

[0059] In an embodiment, the computing device (104) may include, but not be limited to, a mobile, a laptop, etc. Further, the computing device (104) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, audio aid, microphone, or keyboard. Furthermore, the computing device (104) may include a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, a laptop, a general- purpose computer, a desktop, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, and amainframe computer. Additionally, input devices for receiving input from the user (102) such as a touchpad, touch-enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like may be used.

[0060] In an embodiment, the network (106) includes, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. The network (106) may also include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet- switched network, a circuit- switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof.

[0061] In an embodiment, the system (108) is configured to receive an input (a plurality of data packets) from the one or more computing devices (104) associated with the one or more users. In an example, the input is based on one or more data packets transmitted by the one or more computing devices (104).

[0062] In an embodiment, the system (108) is configured to receive the input via a network function (NF) that performs packet processing, classification of the one or more packets, enforcing multiple pre-defined policies, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception. The NF may include but not limited to a user plane function (UPF), a network management system (NMS), a session management function (SMF) and a lawful interception management system (LIMS).

[0063] In an aspect, the network functions (NFs) are the logical entities or software-based functionalities that define how the network operates and processes data.

[0064] User plane function (UPF) plays the most critical role in the process of data transfer. It provides the interconnect point between the mobile infrastructure and the data network (DN).

[0065] Network management system (NMS) is responsible for a process of configuring, monitoring, maintaining, and managing the performance of a network. The network management system (NMS) is the platform used to complete these tasks — incorporating tools, applications, and services.

[0066] Session management function (SMF) is a control function that manages the user sessions including establishment, modification, and release of sessions, and it can allocate IP addresses for IP PDU sessions.

[0067] Lawful interception management system (LIMS) is a modern monitoring solution for fixed and data networks. It is helpful for telecommunication providers and ISPs to fulfil their legal obligation to intercept phone calls plus data, and to ensure privacy as much as possible. Targeted monitoring of public communication services such as telephone calls, mobile data and Internet-based services such as e-mail, voice-over-IP, instant messaging, etc. becomes possible with LIMS. The system acts as a link between the provider’s network and the law enforcement monitoring centers. The strict security measures prevent unauthorized access, secure all private user information, and relieve security checks through comprehensive logging.

[0068] In an embodiment, a border gateway protocol (BGP) is utilized by the system (108), ensuring that data traffic lands directly on a desired data plane instance (data plane server). In an aspect, the border gateway protocol (BGP) is a set of rules that determine the best network routes for data transmission on the internet.

[0069] Further, for each unique traffic type a separate BGP association is established by the system (108). The routes published to a router (logical forwarding device) by the system (108) ensure that traffic coming from a base station (user equipment) includes a next hop of the desired UPF data plane server,and traffic received from a data network includes a next hop as a UPF data plane server. When the UPF data plane (DP) instances are registered with the system (108), the system (108) is configured to transmit one or more routes towards a BGP Daemon. The BGP Daemon is configured to further transmit the one or more routes towards the router over an already established BGP association. In an aspect, the BGP Daemon may manage the network routing tables. The main purpose of the BGP Daemon is to exchange information concerning "network reachability" with other BGP systems.

[0070] In an embodiment, a new active DP instance includes the sessions corresponding to a failed DP. The system (108) is configured to transmit the one or more routes via the BGP Daemon so that a next hop may be the new active data plane instance.

[0071] In an embodiment, the BGP association and publishing of the one or more routes from the system (108) ensures consistency of a cluster state, as high availability (HA) management and route management of data planes may be highly dependent on each other. In an aspect, high availability (HA) management refers to the continuous availability of applications and data to authorized users and includes all aspects of a hardware and software environment that could fail. The route management refers to management of pathfinding of information or data streams, from the source to its destination. The route management help to describe the route taken via individual network nodes (routers) for the transmission and delivery of data packets. The route management comprises path determination, routing tables, routing protocols, and handling congestion.

[0072] In an embodiment, the user equipment (UE) (104) may communicatively couple with the system (108). The system (108) may receive a connection request from the UE (104). The system may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104). The UE (104) may transmit a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The system (108) may perform advertising of routing information over the network (106). The user equipment (UE) (104) may establish a session with a data network via a plurality of networkfunctions (NFs) and exchanges a plurality of data packets over the established session.

[0073] Although FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100).

[0074] FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram (200) of the system (108), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 2, in an embodiment, the system (108) may include one or more processor(s) (202). The one or more processor(s) (202) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (202) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the system (108). The memory (204) may be configured to store one or more computer- readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory (204) may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as random-access memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0076] In an embodiment, the system (108) may include an interface(s) (206). The interface(s) (206) may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I / O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication through the system (108). The interface(s) (206) may also provide a communication pathway for one or morecomponents of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing engine(s) (208) and a database (210). Further, the processing engine(s) (208) may include a data parameter engine (212) and other engine(s). In an embodiment, the other engine(s) may include, but not limited to, a data ingestion engine, an input / output engine, and a notification engine.

[0077] In an embodiment, the processing engine(s) (208) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine(s) (208). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine(s) (208) may be processorexecutable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing engine(s) (208) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing engine(s) (208). In such examples, the system may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine(s) (208) may be implemented by electronic circuitry.

[0078] In an embodiment, the processor (202) may receive an input via the data parameter engine (212). The input may be received from the one or more computing devices (104) associated with the one or more users. The processor (202) may store the input in the database (210).

[0079] In an embodiment, the processor (202) may receive the input from a network function (NF) that performs packet processing, classification of the one or more packets, enforcing multiple pre-defined policies, quality of service (QoS)enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception. The NF may include but not limited to a user plane function (UPF).

[0080] In an embodiment, a border gateway protocol (BGP) may be utilized by the processor (202) which ensures that data traffic lands directly on a desired data plane instance. Further, for each unique traffic type, a separate BGP Association may be established by the processor (202). The routes published to a router by the processor (202) may ensure that traffic coming from a base station may include a next hop of the desired UPF data plane and a traffic received from a data network may include next hop as a UPF data plane. As and when the UPF data plane (DP) instances are registered with the processor (202), the processor (202) may transmit one or more routes towards a BGP Daemon. The BGP Daemon may further transmit the one or more routes towards a router over an already established BGP association.

[0081] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the system (108), in other embodiments, the system (108) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system (108) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system (108).

[0082] FIG. 3 illustrates an example block diagram (300) for border gateway protocol (BGP) association between a control plane server (302) and a data plane server (314), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control plane server (302) includes a packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) proxy (PP) (304), a unified communications and messaging (UCM) (306), a bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) Daemon (DMN) (308), and BGP Daemon (DMN) (310). The data plane server (314) includes one or more a user plane function (UPF) data plane (DP) and a BFD.

[0084] The BGP DMN (310) of the CP server (302) has BGP association for N3, N6 data and N6 voice for BGP over virtual private cloud (VPC).

[0085] The BFD DMN (308) of the CP server (302) has BFD association with the BFD of the data plane (DP) server (314). A database (312) is configured to store information corresponding to the BGP association between the CP server (302) and the DP server (314).

[0086] In an embodiment, for each unique traffic type, a separate BGP Association is established. The routes published to router ensures that traffic coming from a base station includes a next hop of a desired UPF data plane N3 interface and traffic coming from a data network may include a next hop as a UPF data plane N6 interface. N3 interface is defined by the third-generation partnership project (3GPP) and facilitates communication between the gNodeB (Next Generation Node B) and the user plane function (UPF). The gNodeB is a key component in the 5G radio access network (RAN), responsible for wireless communication with user equipment (UE). The N3 interface enables the exchange of user plane traffic and control signalling between the gNodeB and the UPF, allowing for efficient data transmission and management within the 5G network. N6 interface is also defined by 3GPP and serves as a communication link between the UPF and the data network. It allows the UPF to interface with external data networks such as the internet or private networks. Through the N6 interface, the UPF can forward user data packets to and from external destinations, enabling seamless connectivity between the 5G network and external networks.

[0087] When the UPF DP instances are registered with the system (108), the system (108) is configured to generate routes towards the BGP Daemon (310). The BGP Daemon (310) is further configured to generate the routes towards a router over an already established BGP association.

[0088] Further, in an embodiment, in case of failure of any data plane instance, the system (108) is configured to assign an active state to an available standby instance. The new active DP instance may include sessions corresponding to a failed DP instance. The system (108) is configured to update the routes via theBGP Daemon so that the next hop may now become the new active Data Plane instance.

[0089] Establishing the BGP Association and publishing routes from the system (108) is configured to ensure consistency of a cluster state, as HA management and route management of data planes may be highly dependent on each other. Also, in contrast to the scenario when each DP establishes the BGP association, the mechanism of including the BGP Association from the system (108) may reduce the count to one per type of traffic.

[0090] FIG. 4 illustrates an example flow diagram (400) of transmitting route updates (route information) to the router (logical forwarding device) via the BGP Daemon, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 4, in an embodiment, the system (108) may implement the following steps.

[0092] At step 410: A UPF data plane server (402) is configured to register with a cluster manager (404). The data plane server (402) is configured to receive the plurality of data packets (data traffic) and generate at least one data plane instance accordingly. The UPF is configured to register the generated DP instance with the cluster manager (404).

[0093] At step 412: The cluster manager (404) is configured to publish / update routes to the BGP Daemon (406).

[0094] At step 414: The BGP Daemon (406) is configured to transmit a BGP route using an “update message” to the router (408).

[0095] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary architecture of the system (500) for route advertisement via the control plane (cluster manager) (514, 516), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] In an operative aspect, the system includes at least one gNodeB (502), and a user plane function (UPF) (512). The at least one gNodeB (502) is configured to establish a session with the data network (506) via a plurality of network functions (504, 508, 510). In an embodiment, the plurality of networkfunctions includes one or more of a network management system (NMS) (504), a session management function (SMF) (508) and a lawful interception management system (LIMS) (510).

[0097] The at least one gNodeB (502) is configured to exchange a plurality of data packets (data traffic) over the established session. The user plane function (UPF) (512) is configured to route the plurality of data packets via at least one route. The UPF includes a plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524), and a control plane having a cluster manager). The plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524) is configured to receive the plurality of data packets and generate at least one data plane instance accordingly. In an embodiment, the plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524) is configured to process the received data packets, and classify the received data packets, thereby enforcing a set of predefined policies.

[0098] The cluster manager is configured to receive the at least one generated data plane instance and the data traffic from the plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524). The UPF includes a first control plane server (CP server-1, 514) and a second CP server (CP server-2, 516). The first CP server (514) comprises a PFCP Proxy (PP-1), a unified communication manager (UCM-1), and a border gateway protocol (BGP-1). The second CP server (516) comprises a PP-2, a UCM-2, and a BGP-2.

[0099] In an embodiment, the system is configured to employ border gateway protocol (BGP) for exchanging routing information with the logical forwarding device. The logical forwarding device may comprise a router, a gateway, or a switch.

[0100] In an embodiment, the BGP Daemon is configured to establish the BGP association with the logical forwarding device based on a traffic type. In an example, the type of data traffic is a virtual local area network (VLAN) data traffic, packet transport network (PTN) data traffic, and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic.

[0101] In an aspect, the virtual local area network (VLAN) may divide the entire network into two major groups known as users and devices. This network cannot carry management or voice traffic. It's configured to carry only usergenerated data.

[0102] In an aspect, the packet transport network (PTN) is a type of network architecture that is designed to efficiently transport packet-based traffic, such as internet protocol (IP) packets, over a telecommunications network.

[0103] In an aspect, the optical transport network (OTN) is a digital wrapper that encapsulates frames of data, to allow multiple data sources to be sent on the same channel. This creates an optical virtual private network for each client signal.

[0104] In an embodiment, a plurality of DP instances configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policy enforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.

[0105] In an embodiment, the system is configured to route the data traffic from a first data plane server to another data plane server in case the first data first data plane server is unable to receive the data traffic.

[0106] In an embodiment, on detection of failure of the at least one DP instance, the CM configured to assign an active state to an available standby DP instance. The active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance. The CM is configured to update the route via the BGP Daemon to cause a next hop to act as the active DP instance.

[0107] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the gNodeB (502) and lawful integration management function (LIMS) (504) is configured to access a DP-1 server out of all the data plane servers (DP-2, DP-3, DP-4, DP-5, DP-6, DP-7, DP-8) in a UPF. The data network (DN) (506) is configured to access the DP-1 server. Further, a SMF (508) and a network management station (NMS) (510) are configured to access CP- servers (CP-Server-1, CP-Server-2).

[0108] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary flow chart (600) showing a method of advertising routing information over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] The routing information comprises a route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the at least one logical forwarding device and a destination address.

[0110] At step 602, establishing, by at least one user equipment (UE), a session with a data network via a plurality of network functions (NFs) and exchanging a plurality of data packets over the established session. The plurality of network functions comprises a network management system (NMS), a session management function (SMF), and a lawful interception management system (EIMS).

[0111] At step 604, receiving, by a user plane function (UPF), the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers as a data traffic.

[0112] At step 606, generating, by the UPF, at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly. The DP instances configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policy enforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.

[0113] At step 608, registering, by the UPF, at least the one DP instance with a cluster manager (CM).

[0114] At step 610, publishing, by the CM, at least one route for the at least the one DP instance to a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon.

[0115] At step 612, forwarding, by the BGP Daemon (406), the at least one published route to at least one logical forwarding device based on an BGP association with the logical forwarding device. The BGP Daemon establishes the BGP association with the logical forwarding device based on a traffic type.

[0116] The published route to the at least one logical forwarding device causes a traffic coming from a base station includes a next hop of a UPF data plane N3 internet protocol (IP) interface and a traffic coming from a data network includes a next hop of a UPF data plane N6 IP interface.

[0117] The traffic type comprises at least one of a virtual local area network (VLAN) data traffic, a packet transport network (PTN) data traffic and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic. The logical forwarding device is a router, a gateway or a switch.

[0118] In an embodiment, on detection of failure of the at least one DP instance, the CM may assign an active state to an available standby DP instance. The active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance. The CM may then update the route via the BGP Daemon to cause a next hop as the active DP instance.

[0119] The present disclosure is configured to provide an enhancement to the routing advertisement in a UPF by employing a cluster manager. The cluster manager is responsible for managing the complete configuration and ensuring high availability of all components. Additionally, it is responsible for managing the routes that are published to routers for each data plane instance in order to ensure high availability of data planes. In the present disclosure route advertisement is done centrally through the management node (cluster manager), thereby ensuring consistency of the data for HA management and Route management. The present disclosure is applicable to a wide range of applications that require real-time data routing.

[0120] FIG. 7 illustrates an example computer system (700) in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 7, the computer system (700) may include an external storage device (710), a bus (720), a main memory (730), a read-only memory (740), a mass storage device (750), a communication port(s) (760), and a processor (770). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (700) may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (770) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) (760) may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or otherexisting or future ports. The communication ports(s) (660) may be chosen depending on a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (700) connects.

[0122] In an embodiment, the main memory (730) may be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (740) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chip for storing static information e.g., start-up or basic input / output system (BIOS) instructions for the processor (770). The mass storage device (750) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces).

[0123] In an embodiment, the bus (720) may communicatively couple the processor(s) (770) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (720) may be, e.g. a Peripheral Component Interconnect PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (770) to the computer system (700).

[0124] In another embodiment, operator, and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and cursor control device may also be coupled to the bus (720) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system (700). Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) (760). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (700) limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0125] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.

[0126] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0127] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that provides high availability (HA) management and route management of data planes centrally through a single entity ensuring consistency of a cluster state.

[0128] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that uses a border gateway protocol (BGP) to ensure that data traffic lands directly on a desired data plane.

[0129] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that ensures that for each unique traffic type, a separate BGP association is established. Thesystem ensures that the traffic coming from a gNodeB has the next hop at a desired user plane function (UPF) data plane N3 interface and traffic coming from a data network has a next hop at a UPF data plane N6 interface.

[0130] The present disclosure provides a system and a method which are configured to establish the BGP association and publish routes from a cluster manager ensures consistency of the cluster state.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A system for advertising routing information over a network (106), the system comprising at least one user equipment (UE) (104), a user plane function (UPF) (402, 512), a cluster manager (CM) (404), a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon (406) and at least one logical forwarding device (408), the at least one user equipment (UE) (104) configured to establish a session with a data network (506) via a plurality of network functions (NFs) (504, 508, 510) and is further configured to exchange a plurality of data packets over the established session; the UPF (402, 512) configured to receive the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524) as data traffic; the UPF (402, 512) configured to generate at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly; the UPF (512) configured to register the at least one DP instance with the CM (404); the CM (404) configured to publish at least one route for the at least one DP instance to the BGP Daemon (406); and the BGP Daemon (406) configured to forward the at least one published route to the at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408), wherein the BGP Daemon (406) is configured to establish the BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a data traffic type.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data traffic type comprises at least one of a virtual local area network (VEAN) data traffic, a packettransport network (PTN) data traffic and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one logical forwarding device (408) is a router, a gateway or a switch.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network functions (504, 508, 510) comprises a network management system (NMS) (510), a session management function (SMF) (508), and a lawful interception management system (LIMS) (504).

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the routing information comprises at least one of a route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the at least one logical forwarding device and a destination address.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one published route to the at least one logical forwarding device (408) ensures traffic coming from a base station has a next hop of a first interface and a traffic coming from the data network has a next hop of a second interface, wherein the first interface comprises a UPF data plane N3 internet protocol (IP) and the second interface is a UPF data plane N6 IP.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein on detection of a failure of the at least one DP instance, the CM (404) configured to: assign an active state to an available standby DP instance, wherein the active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance; and update the route via the BGP Daemon (406) to cause a next hop as the active DP instance.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of DP instances is configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policyenforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.

9. A method for advertising routing information over a network (106) comprising: establishing, by at least one user equipment (UE) (104), a session with a data network (506) via a plurality of network functions (NFs) (504, 508, 510) and exchanging a plurality of data packets over the established session; receiving, by a user plane function (UPF) (402, 512), the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524) as a data traffic; generating, by the UPF (402, 512), at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly; registering, by the UPF (402, 512), the at least one DP instance with a cluster manager (CM) (404); publishing, by the CM (404), at least one route for the at least the one DP instance to a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon (406); and forwarding, by the BGP Daemon (406), the at least one published route to at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408), wherein the BGP Daemon (406) is configured to establish the BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a data traffic type.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the data traffic type comprises a virtual local area network (VUAN) data traffic, a packet transport network (PTN) data traffic and optical transfer network (OTN) data traffic.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one logical forwarding device (408) is a router, a gateway or a switch.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of network functions (504, 508, 510) comprises a network management system (NMS) (510), a session management function (SMF) (508), and a lawful interception management system (LIMS) (504).

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the routing information comprises at least one of a route of data packet, a host destination, an address of the at least one logical forwarding device and a destination address.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one published route to the at least one logical forwarding device (408) ensures a traffic coming from a base station has a next hop of a first interface and a traffic coming from the data network has a next hop of a second interface, wherein the first interface comprises a UPF data plane N3 internet protocol (IP) and the second interface is a UPF data plane N6 IP.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein on detection of failure of the at least one DP instance, assigning, by the CM (404), an active state to an available standby DP instance, wherein the active DP instance has the sessions corresponding to the failed DP instance; and updating, by the CM (404), the route via the BGP Daemon (406) to cause a next hop as the active DP instance.

16. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a plurality of DP instances is configured for packet processing, classification of packets, policy enforcement, quality of service (QoS) enforcement, user plane accounting, and lawful interception.

17. A user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a system (108), the coupling comprises steps of: receiving, by the system (108), a connection request;sending an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104); and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, wherein the system (108) configured for performing advertising routing information over a network (106) as claimed in claim 1.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer- readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for advertising routing information over a network (106) comprising: establishing, by at least one user equipment (UE) (104), a session with a data network (506) via a plurality of network functions (NFs) (504, 508, 510) and exchanging a plurality of data packets over the established session; receiving, by a user plane function (UPF) (402, 512), the plurality of data packets from a plurality of data plane servers (518, 520, 522, 524) as a data traffic; generating, by the UPF (402, 512), at least one data plane (DP) instance accordingly; registering, by the UPF (402, 512), the at least one DP instance with a cluster manager (CM) (404); publishing, by the CM (404), at least one route for the at least the one DP instance to a border gateway protocol (BGP) Daemon (406); and forwarding, by the BGP Daemon (406), the at least one published route to at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408), wherein the BGP Daemon (406) is configured to establish the BGP association with the at least one logical forwarding device (408) based on a data traffic type.

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