Gateway User-Plane Scaling via Control-Plane Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In LTE communication systems, the constant connection to the P-GW for always-on IP connectivity leads to increased U-plane processing, while C-plane processing capacity is underutilized, resulting in inefficient processing efficiency as GWs handle increased loads, especially when additional GWs are added to manage U-plane traffic.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that dynamically selects communication equipment for user-plane processing based on requests from the control plane, allowing flexible scaling of U-plane processing functions by separating C-plane and U-plane processing and using protocols like OpenFlow, I2RS, or ForCES to manage logical paths and packet forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gateway apparatuses are added to handle increased U-plane processing loads, then the system can accommodate more mobile traffic, but the C-plane processing capacity becomes excessive and processing efficiency of the GWs as a whole declines
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway apparatus is divided into two separate functional units: a control plane (C-plane) unit that handles bearer management and signaling, and a user plane (U-plane) unit that handles data packet forwarding. This segmentation allows the system to scale U-plane capacity independently by adding more U-plane units without proportionally increasing C-plane capacity, thus maintaining processing efficiency while handling increased mobile traffic loads.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single-unit GW with C-plane and U-plane processing integrated is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot flexibly scale U-plane processing to match traffic demands
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a dynamic architecture where U-plane processing units can be added or removed based on traffic demands, while the C-plane unit remains relatively stable. The control apparatus dynamically assigns bearers to appropriate U-plane units, enabling flexible scaling of user data processing capacity without requiring proportional changes to control plane resources, thus adapting to varying traffic patterns efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system, a communication apparatus, a control method, and a control apparatus are provided that make it possible to flexibly increase/decrease a U-plane processing function of a communication apparatus. A communication system in which a logical path (50) is set up in a network to perform communication, comprises: a control plane (30) for the logical path; and a control apparatus (20) that, in response to a request from the control plane, selects from communication equipment resources a communication equipment (10) to perform user-plane processing in connection with data transmission through the logical path, and sets an operation rule related to the user-plane processing in the selected communication equipment.