SCP Routing for NRF Failure in 5G SBI
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G telecommunications networks, consumer NFs face challenges in routing SBI request messages to remote NRFs due to lack of knowledge about georedundant NRF topology, leading to failure in contacting a mate NRF when the initial NRF fails, resulting in service disruptions and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method using a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) to receive SBI request messages, determine if the remote NRF is unable to process them, and forward the messages to a georedundant mate NRF by maintaining and learning NRF topology information, thereby ensuring seamless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumer NFs directly contact remote NRFs without topology knowledge, then routing simplicity is improved, but service reliability deteriorates when NRF fails
Solution Approach 1:
The SCP acts as an intermediary between consumer NFs and remote NRFs. The SCP receives SBI request messages from consumer NFs, determines whether the remote NRF can process them, and if not, identifies and forwards the messages to a georedundant mate NRF. This intermediary approach maintains routing simplicity for consumer NFs while ensuring service reliability through automatic failure handling.
2Reliability
If consumer NFs are provisioned with remote NRF topology information, then service reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complexity of maintaining and processing remote NRF topology information is extracted from consumer NFs and centralized in the SCP. The SCP learns and maintains the NRF topology information, including georedundant mate relationships, and uses this information to handle routing decisions. This extraction approach ensures service reliability through comprehensive topology knowledge while keeping consumer NFs simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If SCP learns and maintains NRF topology information, then routing capability is improved, but information management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The SCP performs preliminary actions by learning and storing NRF topology information in advance, including the relationships between remote NRFs and their georedundant mates. This pre-acquired knowledge enables the SCP to quickly and automatically route SBI request messages to appropriate NRFs without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus improving routing capability while managing information complexity through structured advance preparation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for optimized routing of service based interface (SBI) request messages to remote network function (NF) repository functions (NRFs) using indirect communications via a service communication proxy (SCP) includes, at an SCP including at least one processor, receiving an SBI request message. The method further includes forwarding the SBI request message to a remote NRF. The method further includes determining that the remote NRF is unable to process the SBI request message, and, in response to determining that the remote NRF is unable, identifying a georedundant mate of the remote NRF. The method further includes forwarding the SBI request message to the georedundant mate NRF of the remote NRF that is unable to process the SBI request message.