Mobile User Plane BGP PIC for Fast gNodeB Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellular communication networks face challenges in efficiently routing packets over mobile user planes, particularly in handling network failures and maintaining connectivity during topology changes, leading to significant traffic loss and prolonged convergence times.
Innovation Solution
Implementing prefix-independent convergence (PIC) over mobile user plane (MUP) using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) with multi-homed gNodeB configurations, leveraging segment routing (SRv6) and multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) to facilitate rapid failover and reduce traffic loss by precomputing backup paths and using ISD routes for efficient routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional routing protocols are used in cellular networks, then routing simplicity is maintained, but convergence time increases and traffic loss occurs during topology changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precomputes backup paths (N6 ISD routes) before network failures occur. These backup routes are calculated in advance and stored, allowing the network to switch to them immediately when a failure is detected, eliminating the need for real-time path computation during failures and thus reducing convergence time while maintaining connectivity
2Reliability
If backup paths are precomputed for all possible failures, then traffic loss is reduced, but computational complexity and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent computes backup paths locally at each network node rather than globally across the entire network. Each node calculates backup routes specific to its local topology and failure scenarios, reducing the overall computational burden while still providing effective backup paths for local failures. This localized approach maintains reliability without requiring full-network complexity at each node
3Reliability
If multi-homed gNodeB configurations are implemented, then connectivity reliability improves, but network configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces MUP gateway routers as intermediary devices that simplify the configuration and management of multi-homed gNodeB connections. These gateway routers handle the complexity of multiple path management, route computation, and failover coordination, allowing gNodeBs to benefit from multi-homing without directly managing the associated complexity. The intermediaries abstract the complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits
Data Source
AI summary
Border gateway protocol (BGP) prefix-independent convergence is implemented over a mobile user plane (MUP). A gNodeB is dual-home with respect to multiple MUP gateways (MUP-GW). A first MUP-GW routes traffic to a second MUP-GW in response to failure of a link to the gNodeB. The first MUP-GW may determine a backup path to the second MUP-GW by resolving an ST1 route with a N3 ISD route of the second MUP-GW. The first MUP-GW may determine a backup path to the second MUP-GW by detecting that the N3 ISD route of the second MUP-GW references the address of the gNodeB. Routing may be performed using MPLS or SRv6.