Forwarding Plane Tunnel Resource Management in Decoupled Architecture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In the 3GPP mobile broadband network architecture, the gateway device faces a bottleneck in processing signaling due to its reliance on dedicated hardware, leading to high costs and complexity, and existing solutions for decoupling control and forwarding planes do not effectively manage forwarding plane tunnel resources, resulting in load imbalance and inefficient failure processing.
Innovation Solution
A method for managing forwarding plane tunnel resources under a control and forwarding decoupled architecture, where a control plane device sends a tunnel resource request to a forwarding plane device, which allocates and sends the resource to establish a packet data network connection, allowing for load balancing and efficient failure processing with reduced signaling interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a gateway device uses dedicated hardware platform for data forwarding, then data forwarding performance is improved, but signaling processing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device is segmented into two independent functional units: a control plane device for signaling processing and a forwarding plane device for data forwarding. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between signaling processing capability and data forwarding performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The signaling processing function is extracted from the traditional gateway device and placed in a separate control plane device. This extraction enables the forwarding plane device to focus exclusively on high-performance data forwarding using dedicated hardware, while signaling processing is handled by the control plane device using universal computing platforms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control and forwarding planes are decoupled, then independent upgrade and expansion capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the gateway into control plane and forwarding plane devices, each can be independently upgraded, expanded, or maintained without affecting the other. This modular architecture improves adaptability while managing complexity through clear functional separation and standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The control plane device uses universal computing platforms that can run multiple virtual machines and handle various signaling protocols, providing multi-functionality. This universality allows the control plane to be upgraded and expanded independently while maintaining compatibility with different forwarding plane devices.
3Productivity
If forwarding plane tunnel resources are not properly managed, then resource allocation efficiency deteriorates, but control signaling interaction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The forwarding plane device is empowered to autonomously allocate and manage its own tunnel resources (such as TEIDs and GTP bearers) without requiring continuous control plane intervention. This self-service capability improves resource allocation efficiency while minimizing control signaling interaction, as the forwarding plane can make local decisions based on its current state and capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a method and device for managing a forwarding plane tunnel resource, wherein the method includes: sending a forwarding plane tunnel resource request message to a forwarding plane device, for enabling the forwarding plane device to allocate a forwarding plane tunnel resource according to the forwarding plane tunnel resource request message; acquiring the allocated forwarding plane tunnel resource from the forwarding plane device; and sending the acquired forwarding plane tunnel resource to a target network element, to establish a packet data network connection with the target network element. By adopting the present invention, the load balancing of the forwarding plane device is achieved, the signaling interaction between the control plane device and the forwarding plane device is reduced as much as possible, and meanwhile, efficient failure processing can also be achieved in the case of a failure occurred in a device.