Mobile Network Gateway Control Data Plane Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile wireless network architectures face challenges in efficiently managing increasing data traffic and subscriber bases, leading to resource constraints and high operational costs due to the integration of mobile wireless specific control plane and data plane functions in gateway products.
Innovation Solution
The proposed architecture abstracts mobile wireless specific protocol usage and feature application from the data plane, allowing for the decomposition of functionality and characterization of the data plane to align with familiar routing contexts, using H.248 message constructs and employing a single protocol for processing network traffic, while concentrating specialized control plane functions in centralized locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile wireless specific control plane and data plane functions are integrated in gateway products, then network traffic management is centralized, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gateway functions by separating the mobile wireless specific control plane functions from the data plane functions. The control plane functions are concentrated in centralized locations while the data plane is distributed to general-purpose routers, reducing the complexity of individual gateway products while maintaining reliable network traffic management through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the mobile wireless specific protocol usage and feature application from the data plane, removing complex specialized functions from gateway products and concentrating them in centralized control plane locations. This extraction reduces device complexity while preserving the ability to manage network traffic effectively.
2Adaptability or versatility
If specialized control plane functions are concentrated in centralized locations, then scalability improves, but network architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling general-purpose routers to handle data plane functions that were previously required to be specialized. By concentrating control plane functions centrally and using universal routing protocols, the system achieves scalability without proportionally increasing architecture complexity, as the same centralized control can manage multiple distributed data plane elements.
3Ease of manufacture
If general-purpose routers are used for data plane processing, then operational costs reduce, but processing capability near network edge decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by adding a dimensional separation between control plane and data plane functions. General-purpose routers handle data plane processing at the network edge, reducing operational costs, while centralized control plane elements provide enhanced processing capability when needed. This dimensional separation allows both cost efficiency and processing capability to coexist in different parts of the network architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating a message from a network element to a remote data plane element in order to request a data plane resource for hosting a session for a particular subscriber. The remote data plane element is designated to host a data plane function for a particular mobile network subscriber and the data plane resource comprises at least one of memory space and processor allocation. The method further includes discovering nodes capable of supporting the control plane functions; discovering nodes capable of supporting the data plane functions for the session; and performing a system-specific internal configuration to support separation of the data plane functions and the control plane functions.