Home Network Function Selection for Low-Latency Home-Routed Roaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing procedures for selecting a home Network Function (hNF) in Home Routed roaming architectures in mobile networks suffer from redundancies, increased latency, and complexity due to the AMF always selecting the hNF and limited sharing capabilities, leading to inefficiencies in UE policy association.
Innovation Solution
Enhancements allow vNFs to perform hNF discovery, enable the AMF to share multiple hNFs with vNFs, and provide the hPCF's network address/FQDN directly to the vPCF, reducing redundant discoveries and enhancing flexibility in network service provisioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the AMF always selects the hNF in Home Routed roaming, then the hNF selection process is standardized, but it causes increased latency and redundant discovery transactions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the AMF selecting the hNF (traditional approach), the vNF performs the hNF selection by sending a discovery request to the hNRF. This inversion of the selection role eliminates redundant transactions and reduces latency while maintaining standardized procedures through the use of existing NF discovery mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the AMF shares limited hNF information with vNFs, then security and control are maintained, but it reduces flexibility in network service provisioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the hNF sharing mechanism based on service requirements. For services requiring low latency, the vNF performs direct hNF selection. For services requiring centralized control, the AMF shares hNF information. This dynamic approach maintains security while enabling flexible service provisioning across different scenarios.
3Reliability
If the AMF performs hNF discovery and shares it with vNFs, then centralized control is maintained, but it increases the number of transactions and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The vNF performs self-service by directly discovering the hNF through its own discovery request to the hNRF, eliminating the need for the AMF to mediate the discovery process. This reduces system complexity and the number of transactions while maintaining centralized control through the hNRF's authoritative hNF registration and discovery services.
4Device complexity
If multiple hNFs are not shared with vNFs, then the selection process is simplified, but it limits the ability to provide diverse network services
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary hNF discovery by the vNF before service provisioning, obtaining a list of available hNFs from the hNRF. This preliminary action enables the vNF to select the most appropriate hNF for the specific service requirements, simplifying the selection process while enabling diverse network services through access to multiple hNF options.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobility management function residing in a visited Public Land Mobile Network (vPLMN) receives, from a Network Repository Function (NRF) residing in a home Public Land Mobile Network (hPLMN), a network address and/or a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of a home network function (hNF) residing in the hPLMN. The mobility management function creates a network service request, associated with a User Equipment device (UE) that is roaming in the vPLMN, where the network service request comprises the network address and/or the FQDN. The mobility management function sends the network service request to a visited network function (vNF) residing in the vPLMN, and receives, via the vNF, results of execution of a network service by the hNF, and uses the results for handling the roaming UE’s traffic in the vPLMN.