SF Device Location Identifier for Dynamic User Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtual broadband network gateways, dynamic user migration between sub-interfaces of different UP devices poses challenges for precise user binding and source tracing, as the system struggles to determine the specific physical port of the SF device accessed by a user, leading to difficulties in migration between sub-interfaces of the same physical port.
Innovation Solution
The method involves an SF device adding a location identifier to user packets, which includes an identifier of the SF device and its physical port, allowing the CP device to determine the user's access location and the USF device to determine a target UP device based on SLA requirements, enabling dynamic user migration and precise user binding by configuring VLAN/QinQ identifiers on the correct sub-interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dynamic user migration between sub-interfaces of different UP devices is implemented, then device utilization and reliability are improved, but precise user binding and source tracing become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a steering function (SF) device as an intermediary between the access network and UP devices. The SF device adds location identifiers (such as sub-interface identifiers or physical port identifiers) to user packets, enabling the CP device to trace user access locations even when users migrate between different UP devices. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining traceability while enabling flexible migration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring sub-interfaces on UP devices and pre-establishing the mapping relationships between sub-interfaces, physical ports, and UP devices. The SF device is pre-configured with forwarding rules that include location identifiers. This preliminary setup enables accurate user binding and source tracing to be maintained during dynamic migration without requiring real-time complex calculations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system determines user access location through SF device sub-interfaces, then user migration flexibility is improved, but difficulty in determining specific physical port increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent solves the identification difficulty by adding another dimension of identification. Instead of relying solely on physical port identifiers, the system introduces sub-interface identifiers as an additional identification layer. The SF device adds these sub-interface identifiers to packets, creating a multi-dimensional identification system that maintains both flexibility and traceability. This dimensional expansion resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient information for location tracking without constraining migration flexibility.
3Productivity
If multiple UP devices are used to support increasing user sessions and bandwidth, then service capacity is improved, but complexity of managing user binding and traffic routing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the BNG functionality into separate control plane (CP) and user plane (UP) devices, with multiple UP devices handling different user sessions. The SF device segments the forwarding logic by adding location identifiers to packets, enabling independent management of each UP device while maintaining centralized control through the CP device. This segmentation reduces management complexity by allowing distributed deployment while maintaining service capacity through scalable UP device configurations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication method, a device, and a system are disclosed. An SF device adds a first location identifier including an identifier of the SF device and an identifier of a first physical port to a received first packet sent by first user equipment, and sends a second packet to which the first location identifier is added to a first UP device. The first UP device sends a third packet to a CP device, and the CP device sends the third packet to a USF device, so that the USF device can identify a physical port of an SF device from which a user accesses. The USF device interacts with an SDN controller, to enable the SDN controller to deliver a configuration instruction to the corresponding SF device, so that the corresponding SF device configures a virtual local area network identifier of the first user equipment to a second sub-interface corresponding to a second UP device, so as to transfer user traffic to the second UP device. The first packet may be a DHCP packet or a PPPoE packet, and OPTION82/OPTION18 is added to carry the first location identifier