ECS-Based Edge Server Discovery for Home-Routed Roaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
In edge computing scenarios, user equipment (UE) accessing services through home routed roaming faces challenges in discovering local edge application servers due to different IP addresses, leading to inefficient service access and poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A communication method and apparatus that utilizes IP address information to determine edge application server options, enabling discovery of local servers through mechanisms like ECS options or local DNS servers, ensuring seamless service access during home routed roaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If UE accesses services through home routed roaming in visited networks, then service coverage is extended, but service discovery efficiency deteriorates due to different IP addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an Edge Application Server Discovery Network Element (EASDF) as an intermediary between the UE and edge application servers. The EASDF receives DNS queries from the UE, determines the appropriate ECS option based on the UE's location in the visited network, and forwards the query to the local DNS server. This mediator resolves the IP address mismatch problem by translating between the home network's view and the visited network's actual server locations, enabling efficient service discovery while maintaining home routed roaming coverage.
2Reliability
If multiple EASs with different IP addresses provide the same service, then service availability is improved, but service access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the EASDF a universal network element that handles multiple functions: it acts as a DNS resolver, an ECS option generator, a location-based router, and a service discovery coordinator. By consolidating these functions in a single network element, the system maintains service availability through multiple EASs while reducing access complexity for the UE, which only needs to interact with the standard DNS resolution process without needing to know about multiple server IP addresses.
3Loss of time
If UE discovers local EAS in visited network, then access latency is reduced, but network element complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the EASDF determine the ECS option and identify the appropriate local DNS server before the actual DNS query is resolved. The network element pre-calculates the routing information based on the UE's current location in the visited network, so when the DNS query arrives, the resolution can proceed immediately with the correct server information, reducing access latency without requiring complex real-time calculations during the actual service access.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a communication method and apparatus. The method may include receiving, by a second session management network element in a visited network, from a first session management network element in a home network, indication information, wherein the indication information indicates that traffic routing is allowed in the visited network. The method may further include sending, by the second session management network element and based on the indication information, IP address information of the visited network to a user plane network element in the visited network, wherein the IP address information is information used to determine an extension mechanisms for domain name system DNS client subnet option, or the IP address information is a local DNS server address.