Edge Cloud Application Session Handover via SDN
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems, particularly those involving edge clouds in 5G and LTE networks, face challenges in achieving seamless handovers, which can lead to interruptions in application sessions when user equipment moves between different edge clouds.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for receiving handover notifications and transferring application sessions between application servers in different edge clouds, ensuring seamless continuation of sessions by establishing tunnels and updating routing tables, utilizing Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Mobility and Session Management (MSM) entities to manage handover events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If application sessions are transferred between edge clouds during handover, then service continuity is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an SDN controller as an intermediary that centralizes the management of session transfers between edge clouds. The SDN controller receives handover notifications, determines the target edge cloud, and coordinates the session transfer process, thereby reducing distributed complexity while ensuring service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the handover process into distinct phases: notification reception, target determination, session context extraction, and session reestablishment. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific tasks independently, managing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable service continuity.
2Loss of time
If handover notifications are processed in real-time, then latency is reduced, but processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing session contexts and preparing target edge cloud resources before the actual handover occurs. The SDN controller proactively manages session state information, allowing faster handover execution without proportionally increasing real-time processing load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of session contexts and state information that can be transferred efficiently between edge clouds. Instead of processing entire session states in real-time, the system uses pre-copied session information, reducing the computational burden during actual handover events while maintaining low latency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Various communication systems may benefit from improved handover procedures. For example, certain handover procedures involving edge clouds in a 5G or LTE network may benefit from a more seamless handover during communication. A method may include receiving at a first application server located in a first cloud a handover notification that a user equipment is moving to a radio network being served by a second application server located in a second cloud, where the application server is running an application session for the user equipment. The method may also include transferring the application session to the second application server.