Data-Plane Function Traffic Offloading for Network Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems face challenges in managing overload of data-plane functions, leading to potential failures and packet losses, especially during unexpected events, and require efficient scaling mechanisms to maintain session continuity and reduce traffic reordering.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating networks with data-plane/control-plane separated functions, where an existing subscription context and associated traffic of an overloaded data-plane function are offloaded to a second data-plane function, allowing for transparent load distribution and resource optimization, with buffering to minimize packet loss and reordering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data-plane functions are kept in a single node without separation, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to overload failures and packet losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data-plane function into multiple independent data-plane instances (first data-plane instance, second data-plane instance) that can operate in parallel. This segmentation allows the system to distribute traffic across multiple instances, preventing single-point failures and improving overall reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized instance interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network controller as an intermediary that manages the subscription contexts and traffic distribution between control-plane functions and multiple data-plane instances. This mediator coordinates the offloading process, handles context transfer, and maintains session continuity, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex direct peer-to-peer interactions between data-plane instances
2Reliability
If data-plane functions are scaled horizontally with multiple instances, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to context management and traffic distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller serves as an intermediary that centralizes the management of subscription contexts across multiple data-plane instances. When offloading is required, the network controller coordinates the context transfer from the first data-plane instance to the second, maintaining session continuity without requiring complex distributed consensus protocols between instances
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements context copying during the offloading process, where the subscription context is replicated from the first data-plane instance to the second data-plane instance. This copying mechanism ensures that the session information is preserved and can be seamlessly continued by the target instance, maintaining reliability while simplifying management through standardized copy operations
3Productivity
If traffic offloading is implemented between data-plane instances, then productivity improves through load distribution, but loss of information increases due to potential packet reordering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing the subscription context in the target data-plane instance before actually offloading the traffic. The network controller pre-configures the second data-plane instance with the necessary session information, so when traffic is switched, there is no interruption or reordering. This preliminary setup ensures seamless load distribution without information loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining active subscription contexts during the offloading process. The network controller manages the transition such that data transmission continues uninterrupted from the source instance to the target instance, preserving packet order and preventing information loss while achieving effective load distribution
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a network that includes network functions that have a data-plane separated from a control-plane is provided. The network function of the network functions include network function components. The network function components include a control plane function and data plane functions. During runtime and in case of a predefined state of a first data plane function of the data plane functions, an existing subscription context of the first data plane function and associated data-plane traffic are offloaded to a second data plane function of the data plane functions.