PCEF IPv6 PCC Rule Enforcement in Tunneling Scenarios
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current Policy and Charging Control (PCC) architecture does not address the installation and enforcement of IPv6 PCC rules for tunneling scenarios, particularly in legacy IPv4 networks where only IPv4 PCC rules are installed, making it difficult to manage and secure IPv6 traffic.
Innovation Solution
A PCEF device with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) capabilities detects tunneled packets and determines their IP version type, requesting and enforcing either dynamic or static PCC rules from a PCRF server, enabling the activation of appropriate IPv6 or IPv4 rules for secure access control and policy management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only IPv4 PCC rules are installed in legacy IPv4 networks, then the network maintains simplicity and compatibility with existing infrastructure, but it cannot effectively manage or secure IPv6 traffic in tunneling scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments PCC rules into IPv4-specific rules and IPv6-specific rules, allowing the network to selectively apply appropriate rules based on the IP version detected in tunneling scenarios. This segmentation enables independent management of IPv4 and IPv6 policies without requiring complete rule sets for both versions simultaneously, thus improving adaptability while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic PCC rule installation where the network selectively installs IPv6 PCC rules only when IPv6 traffic is detected in tunneling scenarios, rather than pre-installing all possible rules. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to actual traffic needs, improving versatility while maintaining operational simplicity by only activating rules when necessary.
2Reliability
If the PCC architecture is extended to support IPv6 PCC rules for tunneling scenarios, then security and policy control for IPv6 traffic are enhanced, but the complexity of the existing PCC architecture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing IPv6-specific PCC rule processing only in the specific context of tunneling scenarios where IPv6 traffic is detected, rather than uniformly across all network operations. This allows enhanced security and policy control for IPv6 traffic while maintaining the simplicity of the original PCC architecture for standard IPv4 operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the PCC architecture in advance to handle both IPv4 and IPv6 rules, but only activates IPv6 rule processing when needed. The system pre-configures the capability to detect IPv6 traffic in tunnels and pre-establishes the mechanism for installing IPv6 PCC rules, so that when IPv6 tunneling is detected, the appropriate rules can be immediately applied without adding operational complexity during actual enforcement.
3Measurement precision
If Deep Packet Inspection is used to detect tunneled packets and their IP version type, then accurate identification of IPv6 traffic in IPv4 networks is achieved, but processing overhead and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using Deep Packet Inspection only selectively for detecting tunneled packets and determining their IP version type, rather than applying full DPI to all network traffic. The system performs basic packet inspection to identify tunneling scenarios, and only then applies more intensive DPI to determine the encapsulated IP version. This partial application of DPI achieves accurate IP version detection while minimizing unnecessary processing overhead for standard traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
A Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) device of a network having a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) device. The PCEF device includes a processing unit that detects a tunneled packet and the packet's Internet Protocol version type and determines whether activation of PCC rules in accordance with the IP version type of the tunneled packet is required from the PCRF device. The PCEF device includes a network interface unit in communication with the processing unit and the network that requests from the PCRF device required activation of PCC rules and identifies the IP version type of the tunneled packet to the PCRF device with the request and receives from the PCRF device the PCC rules activation. The processing unit enforces the PCC rules on the tunneled packet. Methods of handling and enforcing rules at a PCEF device of a network and at a PCRF device are also disclosed.