SDN Controller Tunnel Management for Mobile Network Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Proxy Mobile IPv6 protocol's network element devices, such as LMA and MAG, experience complex signaling negotiation and interworking, leading to inefficient network management and high construction costs due to protocol changes.
Innovation Solution
A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller is introduced to manage tunnel establishment and flow entries for mobile nodes, allowing LMA and MAG to operate based on SDN instructions, eliminating the need for direct negotiation and enabling protocol flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LMA and MAG perform signaling negotiation and interworking in Proxy Mobile IPv6 protocol, then mobility management function is achieved, but control function complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an SDN controller as an intermediary component that centralizes the control functions for tunnel establishment and flow entry management. The SDN controller mediates between the LMA and MAG, handling the complex signaling negotiation and interworking tasks, thereby reducing the control function complexity at the LMA and MAG devices while maintaining reliable mobility management functionality.
2Reliability
If network element devices LMA and MAG are designed for Proxy Mobile IPv6 protocol, then protocol-specific mobility management is achieved, but adaptability to other protocols decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the LMA and MAG devices with universal capabilities that can support multiple Internet Protocols. By separating the protocol-specific control functions to the SDN controller, the LMA and MAG become protocol-agnostic infrastructure devices that can handle various protocols (IPv4, IPv6, etc.), thereby improving protocol adaptability while maintaining reliable mobility management through the SDN controller's protocol-specific processing.
3Productivity
If frequent signaling interworking is performed between LMA and different MAGs during mobile node movement, then mobility support is improved, but network construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The SDN controller acts as a centralized intermediary that manages mobility events efficiently. When a mobile node moves between different MAGs, the SDN controller coordinates the tunnel establishment and flow entry updates, reducing the need for frequent direct signaling interworking between LMA and multiple MAGs. This centralized control approach improves mobility support efficiency while reducing network construction costs by simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A binding registration method includes: an SDN controller receiving a first bearer message that is forwarded by a first MAG in multiple MAGs and that carries a first L2 attach request message; sending, to each of the first MAG and an LMA, a message for establishing a tunnel between the first MAG and the LMA; sending, to each of the first MAG and the LMA, a message for adjusting a flow entry of an MN; configuring an HNP(s) for the MN, and encapsulating the HNP(s) into an RA message; and sending the RA message to the first MAG.