Roaming Service Function Chaining with Visited Network Interworking
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a 3GPP environment, the visited network lacks control over service function chaining for roaming users, leading to inefficient use of resources and lack of awareness of access network conditions, which affects routing and service delivery, and the inability to adapt to the service function chaining, which affects routing and service delivery, and the inability to adapt to the service function chaining.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control system in the home network that recognizes roaming terminals, detects service function support in the visited network, and applies appropriate service functions based on roaming information, enabling inter-network communication and resource optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If service function chaining is implemented in the home network for roaming users, then service delivery is improved, but the visited network loses control over resource usage and service routing
Solution Approach 1:
A service chain intermediary entity is introduced that acts as a mediator between the home network and visited network. This intermediary receives service function chain information from the home network, stores it locally, and uses it to make routing decisions in the visited network, thereby enabling both home network service delivery and visited network control through the intermediary layer
2Productivity
If service function chain information is stored and used in the visited network, then resource utilization is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service chain information storage and processing functionality is extracted from the core network elements and placed in a dedicated intermediary entity. This separation allows the visited network to utilize service function chain information for resource optimization without adding complexity to the existing network infrastructure, as the intermediary handles all the complex operations
3Reliability
If the home network controls service function chaining for roaming users, then service policy enforcement is improved, but awareness of visited network conditions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary entity in the visited network continuously monitors local network conditions and feeds this information back to the home network. This feedback mechanism enables the home network to maintain service policy enforcement while being aware of visited network status, allowing dynamic adjustment of service function chaining based on real-time conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided measures for service function chain interworking. Such measures exemplarily comprise recognizing, that said terminal is roaming in said visited network, detecting, that said visited network supports utilizing service functions of said service chaining, and applying, at a control function entity controlling said service function chaining, a service function of said service function chaining to a service data flow of said terminal, said service function being determined based on information on said roaming of said terminal in said visited network.