GTP Correlation Cluster Session Routing for Analytics
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Solution Overview
Problem
In telecommunications networks, ensuring that all traffic belonging to a particular communication session is diverted to the same analytic server is challenging due to mobile devices moving across different cellular towers, causing changes in communication session parameters and potentially routing duplicate packets to different analytic servers.
Innovation Solution
A network node, specifically a GTP correlation cluster (GCC), monitors attributes of control packets to maintain session maps for mobile devices, updating forwarding rules to ensure that packets with shared attributes are forwarded to the same analytic server, regardless of the mobile device's location, by using a specified function to determine the correct port for packet forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mobile devices move across different cellular towers, then network coverage and connectivity are improved, but packet routing consistency to the same analytic server deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors communication session parameters (such as cell tower identifiers, IP addresses, or session identifiers) in real-time and dynamically updates forwarding rules based on this feedback. When a mobile device moves to a different cell tower, the system detects the parameter change and automatically adjusts the forwarding rule to maintain routing to the same analytic server, thus resolving the contradiction between network adaptability and routing consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The forwarding rules are made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously updates the forwarding rules based on current communication session parameters, allowing the routing configuration to adapt automatically as mobile devices move across different cellular towers while maintaining consistent packet diversion to the same analytic server.
2Productivity
If duplicate packets are diverted to multiple analytic servers for load distribution, then system scalability is improved, but traffic analysis accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary component (such as a controller or management system) that coordinates packet diversion across multiple analytic servers. This intermediary maintains a mapping between communication sessions and specific analytic servers, ensuring that all duplicate packets from the same session are consistently routed to the same server, thereby preserving traffic analysis accuracy while allowing the system to scale by adding more analytic servers to the pool.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A GTP correlation cluster (GCC) (120) can automatically program a network element to forward copies of packets originating from a mobile device and having a shared attribute to the same analytic server, regardless of the regions into which the mobile device moves. The GCC can monitor attributes of copies of control packets that the network element (118) receives. In response to detecting a changed attribute within a control packet originating from a mobile device, the GCC can update a session map specific to that mobile device in order to cause packets having that changed attribute to be forwarded to the same port to which packets having the former attribute were being forwarded prior to the change. As a result, the network element can ensure that packets belonging to a particular session still are forwarded to the same analytic server (130A, 130B, 130N) even if the mobile device has moved to a different region.