MME Overload Load Balancing via RRC Reject
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in managing mobility management entity (MME) overload and shutdown conditions, leading to denial of service and inefficient load balancing procedures, which affect network performance and user experience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a load balancing procedure that allows mobile devices to register with alternative MMEs in the pool, facilitated by base stations that manage overload start messages and weight factors, ensuring seamless service continuity during MME overload or shutdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional load balancing procedures are used during MME overload conditions, then mobile devices attempt to register with alternative MMEs, but this causes denial of service due to repeated connection attempts and signaling storms
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by having the base station proactively send an RRC Connection Reject message with a load balancing clause before the mobile device can establish a connection attempt with the overloaded MME. This preemptive rejection with guidance information prevents the harmful signaling storm that would otherwise occur from repeated connection attempts, while still directing devices to alternative MMEs for service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station acts as an intermediary between the overloaded MME and mobile devices. Instead of allowing direct connection attempts that cause denial of service, the base station intercepts connection requests, processes load balancing information, and redirects devices to appropriate alternative MMEs through the RRC Connection Reject message with load balancing clause, thereby preventing the harmful signaling cascade.
2Reliability
If mobile devices continuously attempt to connect to overloaded MMEs, then service availability is maintained, but network signaling load increases causing denial of service
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by including a load balancing clause in the RRC Connection Reject message that provides mobile devices with information about alternative MMEs. This feedback mechanism guides devices away from the overloaded MME to appropriate alternatives, maintaining service availability while preventing the signaling storm that would otherwise occur from repeated failed connection attempts to the overloaded MME.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing mobile devices to proactively connect to MMEs and handling rejections afterward, the system inverts the approach by proactively rejecting connections with constructive guidance information. The RRC Connection Reject message with load balancing clause tells devices which MMEs to contact instead, reversing the traditional connect-then-reject pattern into a reject-with-directions pattern that maintains efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If base stations forward all connection requests to MMEs during overload conditions, then simple processing is maintained, but MME overload increases leading to shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The base station performs preliminary action by evaluating connection requests before forwarding them to MMEs during overload conditions. By checking the overload status and sending RRC Connection Reject messages with load balancing clauses for devices that should be redirected, the base station prevents unnecessary signaling to already-overloaded MMEs, avoiding further exacerbation of the overload condition while maintaining simple processing logic.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication device configured to perform a load balancing procedure in response to a mobility management entity being overloaded and/or shut down. The base station can be configured to generate a radio resource control (RRC) Connection Reject message including a load balancing clause. The communication device can be configured to initiate a load balancing procedure based on the RRC Connection Reject message. The communication device can also be considered to initiate a load balancing procedure after a predetermined wait time has expired and/or after a predetermined number of received RRC Connection Reject messages.