5G Policy Control for Local Application Server Traffic Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is no existing solution for policy control in the 5G network scenario where application servers are deployed in few data networks accessed by user plane function (UPF) network elements, leading to challenges in processing service flows for terminal devices accessing these servers, especially in mobile edge computing environments.
Innovation Solution
A policy control method and system that involves a session management network element receiving LAN traffic steering information to select and determine policy rules for user plane network elements, steering data to local application servers, and sending processed data to downstream network elements, optimizing data flow and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If application servers are deployed in few DN networks accessed by UPF network elements, then network resources are optimized and latency is reduced, but policy control capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a policy control network element as an intermediary component that operates between the session management network element and the UPF network element. This mediator receives LAN traffic steering information, determines policy rules, and forwards them to the UPF, thereby restoring policy control capability in the simplified network architecture where application servers are deployed in few DN networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the policy control function from the session management function by introducing a separate policy control network element. This segmentation allows the session management network element to focus on session establishment while the policy control network element handles traffic steering and policy determination, enabling both functions to operate independently and efficiently in the optimized network architecture.
2Speed
If service flows are steered to local application servers in LAN, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The policy control network element is designed with multi-functionality, handling both policy determination and traffic steering functions. This universal approach consolidates multiple functions into a single network element, reducing overall network complexity while enabling fast local processing at UPF nodes that steer traffic to local application servers in LAN.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the policy control network element pre-determine policy rules before traffic actually needs to be steered. The session management network element receives LAN traffic steering information in advance, and the policy control network element pre-processes and determines the necessary policy rules, so that when traffic needs to be steered to local application servers, the decisions are already made, improving processing speed without requiring complex real-time decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A policy control method, a device, and a system, the method including receiving, by a session management network element, from a policy control network element, LAN traffic steering information corresponding to a first application, selecting one or more user plane network elements based on the LAN traffic steering information, determining policy rules corresponding to each user play network element of the user plane network elements, the policy rules being associated with steering data of the first application sent by an upstream network element, where the policy rules are further associated with sending data processed by the local application server for the first application in the target LAN to a downstream network element, and sending, by the session management network element, the corresponding policy rules to each user plane network element of the one or more user plane network elements.