Cloud Underlay Network Control for Virtual 5G Router Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telecommunication service providers face challenges in effectively controlling underlay networks within cloud service provider environments, particularly in ensuring reliable and efficient network management and routing in 5G networks with distributed and virtualized components.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that enables a telecommunication service provider to control an underlay network by providing a distributed unit (DU) of a 5G NR RAN associated with a central unit control plane (CU-CP) hosted on a cloud-native virtualized compute instance, deploying virtual routers, and managing route tables within a cloud service provider environment, utilizing cloud-native APIs and existing telecom protocols for automation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network functions are virtualized and deployed in cloud environments, then deployment agility and flexibility are improved, but control and management over the underlay network deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network controller as an intermediary component that mediates between the virtualized network functions in the cloud environment and the physical underlay network. This controller maintains visibility and control over the underlay network resources while allowing virtualized functions to be deployed flexibly in the cloud, thus resolving the contradiction between deployment agility and network control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If distributed and virtualized components are used in 5G networks, then network flexibility and scalability are improved, but network management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network management functions by separating the control plane from the data plane in the underlay network. The network controller handles control plane functions for managing virtualized resources, while data plane forwarding continues independently. This segmentation reduces management complexity by isolating the complex virtualization management tasks to a dedicated controller component.
3Productivity
If cloud-native virtualized compute instances are used for central unit control plane, then deployment speed is improved, but network reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements redundancy and failover mechanisms as beforehand cushioning for the cloud-native virtualized control plane. The network controller is designed to monitor the health of virtualized compute instances and automatically failover to backup instances or alternative deployment locations if failures occur, thus maintaining network reliability while allowing rapid deployment of virtualized functions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments are directed towards systems and methods for enabling a telecommunication service provider to control an underlay network in cloud service provider environment. One such method includes: dictating control of the underlay network to a telecommunication service provider in the cloud service provider environment; enabling control of a number of virtual routers to be deployed by the telecommunication service provider in the cloud service provider environment; and managing route tables for the virtual routers deployed by the telecommunication service provider in the cloud service provider environment. In some embodiments, the Virtual Private Cloud design is configured to be similar to a design of the on-prem architecture of the telecommunication service provider.