DNS Translation Controller for Co-located Gateway User Planes

A translation controller is introduced as an intermediary component between the DNS and the gateway user planes. This controller receives DNS translation requests, determines co-location relationships by comparing location information of AGW-U and EGW-U, and returns appropriate translation results. The intermediary adds intelligence to the DNS system without requiring changes to the core DNS protocol, thereby improving identification accuracy while maintaining relative system simplicity.

The translation controller pre-determines co-location relationships by comparing location information (such as E-UTRAN Cell Global Identifier or NR Cell Global Identifier) of different gateway user planes before actual DNS translation is needed. This preliminary analysis allows the system to quickly identify co-located AGW-Us and EGW-Us during service delivery without performing complex real-time analysis, thus improving identification accuracy while managing system complexity.

The translation controller applies different translation strategies based on local conditions - specifically whether co-location relationships exist. For co-located AGW-U and EGW-U pairs, the system returns matched translation results that indicate proximity. For non-co-located cases, standard translation procedures are followed. This localized approach ensures high accuracy for edge services while avoiding unnecessary processing overhead for regular services, thus balancing accuracy and processing time.

The DNS translation process is segmented into distinct stages: receiving the translation request, determining co-location relationships by comparing location information, selecting appropriate translation results based on co-location status, and returning the translation. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently handle only the necessary comparisons and translations, reducing overall processing time while maintaining accuracy for co-located gateways.

The translation controller serves as a specialized intermediary that handles co-location detection logic centrally. Rather than implementing complex detection mechanisms in every network element, the translation controller receives location information from AGW-Us and EGW-Us, performs the comparison using established criteria (such as matching cell global identifiers), and determines co-location relationships. This centralized approach improves service delivery reliability while keeping individual component complexity low.

The translation controller performs multiple functions: standard DNS translation, co-location relationship determination, location information comparison, and translation result selection. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional component, the system achieves high service delivery reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity, as the controller replaces multiple specialized components.