Access Gateway Function DHCP Support in 5G Convergence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G networks face inefficiencies in supporting DHCP-based customer premises equipment due to high overhead and resource wastage in managing IP addresses and network parameters, particularly with the use of GTP tunnels and deep packet inspection, which fails to scale for large quantities of devices.
Innovation Solution
An access gateway function (AGF) is implemented to support DHCP-based customer premises equipment by establishing a GTP tunnel with a second network device, using NAS signaling for IP address allocation, and serving IP addresses and network parameters allocated by the 5G control plane, thereby reducing overhead and conserving resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GTP tunnels and deep packet inspection are used to manage IP addresses and network parameters, then device connectivity and network control are maintained, but computational and networking resources are excessively consumed and the system fails to scale for large quantities of devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the DHCP server functionality from the traditional network core and relocates it to the access gateway function. This separation allows the core network to focus on control functions while the access gateway handles IP address allocation locally, eliminating the need for deep packet inspection and GTP tunnel encapsulation for DHCP traffic, thereby reducing computational overhead and improving scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The access gateway function serves as an intermediary between the customer premises equipment and the 5G control plane. It locally processes DHCP discover requests and allocates IP addresses without requiring continuous involvement of the core network devices, thus reducing resource consumption while maintaining reliable network control
2Reliability
If deep packet inspection is performed on DHCP traffic, then network security and protocol compliance are ensured, but computational resources are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The access gateway function performs self-service by locally processing and validating DHCP discover requests without requiring deep packet inspection by core network devices. The gateway maintains protocol compliance through local validation logic while significantly reducing computational resource consumption across the network
Solution Approach 2:
The access gateway performs preliminary validation and processing of DHCP traffic at the edge of the network, before traffic reaches the core. This preliminary action ensures protocol compliance is checked early, preventing unnecessary deep packet inspection downstream and conserving computational resources
3Reliability
If GTP tunnel encapsulation is used for DHCP traffic, then network traffic management and security are improved, but networking overhead and resource wastage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts DHCP traffic handling from the GTP tunnel encapsulation path and creates a separate local processing path at the access gateway. This eliminates unnecessary encapsulation overhead for DHCP traffic while maintaining proper traffic management through dedicated DHCP processing logic in the gateway
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive, from a first network device, an authentication request that requests authentication of the device, and may provide, to the first network device, an authentication response that includes the authentication of the device. The device may provide, to the first network device and based on the authentication response, a PDU session establishment request that requests establishment of a PDU session for customer premises equipment, and may receive, from the first network device and based on the PDU session establishment request, a PDU session resource setup request that requests a resource to be established for the PDU session. The device may provide, to the first network device and based on the PDU session resource setup request, a PDU session resource setup response indicating that the resource is a GTP tunnel, and may establish the GTP tunnel with a second network device.