Session Management Network Element IP Address Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In enterprise networks, the limited IP addresses supported by dedicated User Plane Function (UPF) network elements can lead to service failures when Session Management Function (SMF) randomly allocates IP addresses, causing resource waste due to re-allocation and re-selection of UPF network elements.
Innovation Solution
A session management method where the SMF receives a session request from a terminal, allocates a suitable IP address, determines the corresponding UPF that supports this IP address, and notifies the UPF to establish the session, ensuring the allocated UPF supports the IP address, thereby avoiding resource waste and incorrect allocations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the SMF randomly allocates IP addresses to the terminal, then the IP address allocation process is simple and fast, but the allocated UPF may not support the allocated IP address, causing service failure and resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The SMF obtains in advance the correspondence between UPF network elements and supported IP addresses from the AMF before performing IP address allocation. This preliminary action enables the SMF to ensure compatibility between allocated IP addresses and selected UPFs, preventing service failure while maintaining efficient allocation processes.
2Device complexity
If the SMF randomly allocates IP addresses without checking UPF support, then the allocation process is simple, but resource waste occurs due to re-allocation and re-selection when service establishment fails
Solution Approach 1:
The AMF provides the SMF with advance information about which UPFs support which IP addresses. This preliminary provision of compatibility information allows the SMF to make informed allocation decisions that prevent service establishment failures, thereby avoiding the resource waste associated with repeated re-allocation and re-selection operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a dedicated UPF is deployed in the enterprise network, then the network can provide dedicated service, but the quantity of supported IP addresses is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a dedicated UPF to serve multiple IP address requirements by establishing a correspondence relationship between the UPF and multiple IP addresses. The SMF can allocate different IP addresses to different terminals while ensuring each UPF only handles addresses it supports, allowing the dedicated UPF to maintain its specialized service capability while supporting a broader range of IP addresses.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a session management method and apparatus. The method includes: allocating, by a session management network element, a first IP address and a first user plane network element to a terminal, where the first user plane network element allocated to the terminal supports the first IP address. This helps avoid allocating, to the terminal, a user plane network element that does not support the first IP address, and further helps avoid resource waste caused by re-allocating an IP address or reselecting a user plane network element for a plurality of times.