FMC UP Encapsulation for 5G QoS Multiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G wireline access networks face challenges in multiplexing multiple protocol data unit (PDU) sessions within a virtual local area network (VLAN) and maintaining compatibility with legacy network devices, which are unable to identify new encapsulation types or Ethertypes, affecting quality of service (QoS) management and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a fixed mobile convergence (FMC) user plane (UP) encapsulation that repurposes existing PPPoE fields to encode 5G QoS information and session identifiers, allowing legacy network devices to recognize and process FMC UP encapsulated packets without disrupting existing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a new encapsulation type or Ethertype is used for FMC UP, then 5G QoS information and session identifiers can be encoded, but legacy network devices unable to recognize the new Ethertype will be unable to perform snooping and QoS management
Solution Approach 1:
The FMC UP encapsulation is designed to be universally compatible with legacy PPPoE infrastructure while simultaneously supporting 5G-specific QoS requirements. By reusing the established PPPoE Ethertype (0x8864) and encoding 5G QoS information within existing PPPoE header fields, the solution enables both traditional PPPoE devices and 5G network elements to process packets without requiring legacy devices to recognize new protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter encoding within the PPPoE header structure to carry 5G-specific information. Specifically, it utilizes the PPPoE Code field and other header parameters to encode 5G QoS Flow Identifiers (QFIs) and session identifiers, thereby transforming the existing protocol's parameter space to accommodate new requirements without altering the fundamental protocol structure that legacy devices rely upon.
2Productivity
If PPPoE fields are repurposed to encode 5G QoS information, then per-packet QoS management is enabled, but the complexity of residential gateways increases
Solution Approach 1:
The FMC UP encapsulation enables self-service QoS management by embedding all necessary QoS identification information directly within the packet header itself. The 5G QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) and other QoS parameters are encoded in the PPPoE header fields, allowing network devices to perform QoS classification and management without requiring complex external lookup tables or additional signaling interactions. This self-contained approach simplifies the residential gateway's processing burden.
3Productivity
If multiple PDU sessions are multiplexed within a VLAN, then network resource utilization is improved, but session identification and management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The FMC UP encapsulation applies segmentation by dividing the multiplexing identification task into hierarchical levels: the VLAN ID provides coarse-grained segmentation for traffic separation, while the PPPoE Session ID and 5G PDU Session ID fields provide fine-grained segmentation for individual session identification. This multi-level segmentation approach enables efficient multiplexing of multiple PDU sessions within a single VLAN while maintaining clear, structured identification mechanisms that simplify session management compared to flat multiplexing approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is implemented by a network device that receives a packet at an access gateway function from a residential gateway, detects an Ethertype for the received packet, detects a version for the received packet, looks up session and state information for the packet as a result of the detecting of the Ethertype and the version indicating that the packet is a fixed mobile convergence (FMC) user plane (UP) encapsulation, and processes the packet according to policies for FMC UP encapsulation.