Gateway Selection via User ID in DNS FQDN
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for selecting the Tunnel Terminating Gateway (TTG) in I-WLAN networks lack flexibility, as they rely solely on DNS-based selection without user-specific or policy-driven decisions, leading to inefficient tunnel establishment and increased access delays due to inadequate means for HA allocation and s-IASA selection.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating the user ID and VPLMN ID into the DNS request's FQDN, allowing the Home PLMN to decide between local breakout and home tunneling, and enabling policy-based decisions for TTG and HA allocation, ensuring all tunnels from the same GGSN are directed to the same TTG.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If DNS-based selection is used for TTG allocation, then gateway selection is simplified, but flexibility and user-specific decision-making are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the FQDN in DNS requests carries encoded policy information and user identifiers. The home PLMN's DNS server acts as a mediator that decodes this information and performs policy-based gateway selection, combining the simplicity of DNS-based selection with the flexibility of policy-driven decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the DNS request parameters by incorporating user ID and VPLMN ID into the FQDN structure. This parameter change enables the DNS system to convey additional information necessary for flexible gateway selection while maintaining the existing DNS-based selection framework.
2Device complexity
If traditional HA allocation methods are used, then network architecture is simplified, but tunnel establishment delays increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs gateway selection and HA allocation as preliminary actions during the DNS resolution phase, before tunnel establishment begins. By determining the appropriate TTG and HA in advance through policy-based DNS queries, the system avoids delays during actual tunnel setup while maintaining architectural simplicity.
3Speed
If DNS requests lack user-specific information, then request processing is faster, but informed gateway selection is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds user-specific information within the FQDN structure, utilizing the domain name system's existing hierarchical structure as an additional dimension for information conveyance. This approach allows user identifiers and policy parameters to be transmitted without requiring separate data structures, maintaining processing speed while enabling informed gateway selection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to arrangements in a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, for selecting a gateway to which to connect a User Equipment, UE, located in an access network connected to a visited PLMN of a user of the UE, wherein the PLMN is a home PLMN of the user of the UE. The arrangement comprises means for receiving a first FQDN, wherein the first FQDN comprises an identity of the user of the UE and the home PLMN is aware of an identity of the visited PLMN. Further, it comprises means for selecting, at least based on the received identity of the user, whether the UE should establish connection only to a gateway in the home PLMN, only to a gateway in the visited PLMN or to both a gateway in the home PLMN and a gateway in the visited PLMN and means for transmitting an address belonging to a gateway in the visited PLMN if connection only to a gateway in the visited PLMN is selected or an address belonging to a gateway in the home PLMN if connection only to a gateway in the home PLMN is selected or addresses belonging to both a gateway in the home PLMN and a gateway in the visited PLMN if connection to both is selected. The invention also relates to a User Equipment and methods thereof.