BSF IP Range Partitioning for 5G Capacity Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of expanding binding support function (BSF) capacity in 5G networks is exacerbated by increased demand for higher transactions per second and more binding records, with existing methods like horizontal or vertical scaling being inadequate due to database capacity concerns, and the difficulty in migrating sessions across BSF sets without invalidating policy control function (PCF) bindings.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows for dynamic partitioning and management of IP address ranges by BSFs, utilizing network repository functions (NRF) to discover and route messages to appropriate BSF instances, maintaining binding records, and updating profiles with vendor-specific attributes to handle repartitioning of IP ranges, ensuring seamless communication and capacity expansion without requiring modifications to existing network components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If horizontal or vertical scaling is used to expand BSF capacity, then more binding records and transactions per second can be handled, but database capacity limitations and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the IP address space into multiple ranges, each managed by a separate BSF instance. This segmentation allows the system to handle larger volumes of binding records by distributing them across multiple instances, thereby improving transactions per second without overloading a single database, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension for capacity expansion by utilizing IP address ranges as a organizing principle. Instead of scaling vertically within a single BSF instance, the system expands horizontally by allocating different IP address ranges to different BSF instances, effectively adding a spatial dimension to capacity management that reduces database burden on individual instances.
2Reliability
If BSF sets are used to mirror context data, then redundancy and resilience are improved, but difficulty in migrating sessions during IP range repartitioning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having BSF instances publish their supported IP address ranges in advance through the NRF. Before any repartitioning occurs, each BSF knows which IP ranges it is responsible for, allowing the system to prepare routing information and binding records ahead of time. This pre-configuration simplifies the migration process during repartitioning, as sessions can be redirected based on pre-established range mappings rather than requiring complex real-time coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the Network Repository Function (NRF) as an intermediary that mediates between BSF instances during IP range repartitioning. The NRF maintains a registry of which BSF instances support which IP ranges, acting as a central coordinator that facilitates smooth session migration. This intermediary eliminates the need for direct peer-to-peer coordination between BSF instances, significantly simplifying the migration operation while preserving the redundancy benefits of BSF sets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If IP address ranges are repartitioned to expand capacity, then more IP addresses can be managed, but existing sessions may become invalid without updated PCF context data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where BSF instances continuously publish and update their supported IP address ranges in the NRF. When IP ranges are repartitioned, the changes are immediately reflected in the NRF registry, providing real-time feedback to other network functions. This feedback loop ensures that PCF context data can be automatically updated to reflect new BSF-to-IP mappings, maintaining binding validity during repartitioning while enabling flexible capacity expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to systems and methods for binding support function (BSF) capacity expansion. In some examples, a method may comprise operating a binding support function (BSF) of a mobile network, including determining whether an internet protocol (IP) address of a received message corresponds to a local IP address range, and when the IP address of the received message does not correspond to the local IP address range, accessing a first network function (NF) profile at a network repository function (NRF) to determine a second BSF corresponding to the IP address, and forwarding the received message to the second BSF.