Dynamic Packet Flow Routing in Virtualized Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network function virtualization approaches in 3GPP environments face bottlenecks and delays due to the need for dedicated hardware for user plane functionalities and inefficient routing of traffic, limiting flexibility and scalability in managing high-rate or volume traffic flows.

Innovation Solution

A method for dynamically deciding how to route flows in a communication system with a virtualized control plane, allowing traffic to be routed between virtualized and non-virtualized entities based on capability negotiation and configuration, optimizing routing to avoid bottlenecks and minimize delay by supporting user plane traffic handling on either virtualized or non-virtualized platforms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user plane functionalities are run on dedicated hardware platforms, then reliability and performance are improved, but flexibility and adaptability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser plane functionality reliabilityVSAvoidresource adjustment flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the gateway function into separate control plane and user plane components, allowing the user plane to be instantiated on dedicated hardware while the control plane operates on virtualized infrastructure. This segmentation enables independent optimization of reliability for user plane functions while maintaining virtualization benefits for control functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a control plane entity as an intermediary between the virtualized control functions and the dedicated hardware user plane functions. This intermediary manages the interface and coordination between different platforms, enabling flexibility in resource allocation while maintaining reliable user plane processing on dedicated hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If both control plane and user plane are virtualized, then flexibility and resource allocation are improved, but performance and routing efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidtraffic routing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates control plane and user plane functions into different processing domains. Control plane functions remain virtualized for flexible resource allocation, while user plane functions are instantiated on dedicated hardware platforms for high-performance packet processing. This segmentation eliminates the performance bottleneck of routing traffic through virtual machine I/O layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If user plane traffic is routed via virtual machine I/O circuitry, then virtualization flexibility is maintained, but processing speed and throughput are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtualization flexibilityVSAvoidtraffic throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts high-volume user plane traffic processing from the virtual machine environment and places it on dedicated hardware platforms. This extraction removes the traffic processing function from the virtualized layer, eliminating the I/O bottleneck while preserving virtualization flexibility for control plane functions and resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10432518B2Packet flow optimization in a network

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY

AI summary

Various communication systems may benefit from improvements in communication flow. For example, a network may benefit from packet flow optimization. A method can include receiving a flow at an entity of a communication system having a virtualized control plane. The method can also include dynamically deciding how to route the flow to an entity selected from a group of entities comprising at least one virtualized part of an entity. The method can further include routing the flow as decided.