RAN Distributed Unit Pod Split for In-Service Software Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional software upgrades for radio access network (RAN) distributed units (DUs) require taking them offline, causing service interruptions and can only be scheduled during maintenance windows.
Innovation Solution
The DU is split into two pods, with one pod handling user equipment traffic while the other receives an upgrade, allowing seamless traffic transfer and software installation without downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the DU is taken offline for software upgrade, then the software can be updated, but service interruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The DU application is segmented into multiple independent pods (first DU pod and second DU pod). Each pod can be upgraded independently while the other continues to handle user traffic. This segmentation allows the system to maintain service continuity during software upgrades by isolating the upgrade process to specific pods rather than requiring a complete system shutdown.
2Reliability
If the DU is split into multiple pods, then in-service upgrade is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The DU application is copied into multiple identical pods (first DU pod and second DU pod), each capable of independently handling user traffic. This copying approach enables redundancy and continuous service during upgrades, as one pod can serve as a hot standby while the other undergoes software updates, thereby managing complexity through standardized replication rather than complex interdependencies.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of apparatus, systems and/or methods are described for providing an in-service upgrading of software for a radio access network (RAN) distributed unit (DU). First, a software upgrade is received at the DU, where the DU is split into a first DU pod and a second DU pod. The amount of traffic is drained at the first DU pod so that the second DU pod handles all user equipment (UE) traffic for the DU. When the traffic has been drained for the first DU pod, the software upgrade is installed for the first DU pod, and the first DU pod running the upgraded software is redeployed.