Signaling Message Distribution via Steering Table in Mobility Access Gateway
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Solution Overview
Problem
The growing mobile network traffic leads to increased control plane signaling load complexity and inefficiencies in 4G LTE networks, which existing technologies struggle to manage effectively, despite scaling with additional LMA and MAG resources.
Innovation Solution
A method and network element configuration utilizing a steering table to efficiently distribute signaling messages by mapping network connection IDs to the correct processes in a distributed control plane, eliminating the need for arbitrary process steering and reducing intra-control plane messaging burdens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If additional LMA and MAG resources are added to scale the network, then network capacity increases, but signaling load complexity and inefficiencies increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane is segmented into multiple processes executing on multiple processing units, allowing signaling messages to be distributed across different processing entities. This segmentation enables the network to handle increased signaling load by dividing it among multiple processes rather than overwhelming a single processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
A steering table is introduced as an intermediary data structure that maps network connection IDs to specific processes. This steering table acts as a mediator between the incoming signaling messages and the appropriate processing units, enabling efficient message distribution without increasing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If signaling messages are transmitted through arbitrary process steering, then messages reach their destination, but transmission inefficiency and intra-control plane messaging burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steering table is pre-populated with mappings between network connection IDs and their host processes before signaling messages arrive. This preliminary action allows the data plane to directly steer messages to the correct process without requiring arbitrary forwarding or additional intra-control plane messaging, thereby improving transmission efficiency while maintaining reliable delivery.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network element that acts as a local mobility anchor (LMA) in a communications network efficiently distributes signaling messages using a data plane and a control plane having a plurality of processes executing on a plurality of processing units. When a network connection ID of a received signaling message is not mapped to a host process in a steering table, the signaling message is sent to a process in the control plane. A second process is assigned to be the host process for the network connection, and the steering table is updated to indicate this assignment. Upon receipt of a second signaling message with the network connection ID, it is efficiently sent to the second process because of the updated steering table. A mobility access gateway (MAG) also utilizes a steering table with network connection ID to host process mappings to efficiently distribute signaling messages.