Proxy Routing via Path Headers in 5G Service Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G telecommunication networks, consumer network functions (NFs) face burdensome configuration and memory storage issues due to the need to manage large sets of IP addresses for various producer NFs, requiring them to select and embed specific IP addresses in requests, which is time-consuming and difficult to update when producer NFs go offline.
Innovation Solution
A system where consumer NFs send requests to a proxy without specifying a particular IP address of a producer NF, using path header information to allow the proxy to select and forward the request to an appropriate producer NF, simplifying configurations by only requiring the proxy's IP address and reducing the need for extensive IP address management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If consumer NFs manage large sets of IP addresses for various producer NFs, then service request capability is improved, but configuration complexity and memory storage burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) as an intermediary between consumer NFs and producer NFs. The SCP maintains the service registry and IP address information, while consumer NFs only need to be configured with the SCP's address. The SCP resolves service names to IP addresses and routes requests appropriately, eliminating the need for consumer NFs to manage large IP address sets directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the IP address management function from consumer NFs and relocates it to the SCP. Consumer NFs are relieved of the burden of storing and managing service registry data, while the SCP centralizes this management capability. This separation allows consumer NFs to focus on service consumption while the SCP handles service discovery and routing.
2Speed
If consumer NFs embed specific IP addresses in requests, then direct routing to producer NFs is achieved, but time consumption and operational difficulty increase when producer NFs go offline
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the SCP pre-resolve service names to IP addresses and maintain an up-to-date service registry. When producer NFs are added or removed, the SCP automatically updates its registry without requiring consumer NFs to be reconfigured. This preliminary preparation enables fast request routing while eliminating manual update time.
Solution Approach 2:
The SCP acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of IP address management and service registry updates. Consumer NFs send requests with service names to the SCP, which then resolves the current IP address and forwards the request. This intermediary approach maintains fast routing while automatically adapting to network changes without manual intervention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If consumer NFs are configured with multiple IP addresses, then service discovery capability is improved, but memory storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The SCP serves as an intermediary that stores the service registry information centrally. Consumer NFs only need to store the SCP's address, dramatically reducing their memory requirements. The SCP maintains the mapping between service names and IP addresses, providing service discovery capability without burdening consumer NFs with large data sets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the service registry data from consumer NFs and places it in the SCP. This centralization allows service discovery functionality to be maintained while minimizing the memory storage burden on individual NFs. The SCP becomes the single source of truth for service location information.
Data Source
AI summary
A proxy in a service-based telecommunication network, such as a fifth generation (5G) network, can receive a request a from a consumer network function (NF) and route the request to a producer NF. The request can be addressed to the proxy at an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, but include a path header, such as a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Two (HTTP/2) path pseudo-header field, that indicates a type of producer NF and a type of service. The proxy can select a particular instance of that type of producer NF based on the path header and can forward the request to an IP address of the selected producer NF that corresponds to the type of service indicated in the path header.