Centralized Controller Dynamic Control Channel MPLS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service provider networks face challenges in managing diverse user densities and require complex and varied mechanisms for authenticating subscribers, identifying traffic, and applying policies, leading to increased operational costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A centralized controller dynamically establishes a control channel with access nodes to manage subscriber sessions and network services, enabling centralized control over access and aggregation networks, separating control and data planes, and using Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) for efficient traffic management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If access networks use heterogeneous communication equipment and complex mechanisms for subscriber management, then service provider networks can handle diverse user densities, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control plane from the data plane in access network devices. The control plane functions (subscriber authentication, policy management, traffic identification) are separated from data forwarding functions, allowing simplified access network devices to handle diverse user densities without requiring complex local intelligence at each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized controller as an intermediary that manages subscriber sessions and enforces policies across the access network. This controller receives subscriber management requests, makes authorization decisions, and distributes control information to access network devices, thereby handling diverse user densities without increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If access nodes execute complex protocols for subscriber authentication and policy enforcement, then network security and service management improve, but node complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex control plane functions (subscriber authentication, session management, policy enforcement) from access network devices and relocates them to a centralized controller. Access nodes retain only simplified data forwarding functions, thereby maintaining reliable subscriber session management while reducing node complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller provides self-service capabilities for subscriber session management by automatically authenticating subscribers, establishing sessions, and enforcing policies without requiring complex local decision-making at access nodes. This automation maintains reliability while simplifying device architecture.
3Productivity
If service provider networks deploy extensive access network infrastructure, then service coverage and capacity improve, but total cost of ownership increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal centralized controller that serves multiple access network devices and handles diverse subscriber management functions. This single controller can manage numerous access nodes, providing extensive service coverage and capacity while avoiding the need for each device to have complex local intelligence, thereby reducing total cost of ownership.
Data Source
AI summary
Dynamic control channel establishment for an access network is described in which a centralized controller provides seamless end-to-end service from a core-facing edge of a network to access nodes. For example, a method includes receiving, by the centralized controller, a discover message originating from a network node, which includes an intermediate node list that specifies a plurality of network nodes the discover message traversed from the network node to an edge node, determining, based on the plurality of nodes specified by the discover message, a path from the edge node to the network node, allocating each of a plurality of Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) labels to a respective outgoing interface of each of the plurality of network nodes, and outputting one or more control messages for configuring the network node, wherein the control messages are encapsulated within a label stack comprising the allocated plurality of labels.