SMF-UPF Digest Verification for 5G IPAM Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of synchronization between the Session Management Function (SMF) and User Plane Function (UPF) during Internet Protocol Address Management (IPAM) processing in 5G networks leads to session attach failures and performance degradation due to network disruptions such as failovers and SMF/UPF out-of-sync issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving concatenation and hashing of IP chunks assigned to UPFs by the SMF to generate digests, comparing these digests with those generated by the UPFs, and taking corrective action when out-of-sync conditions are detected, including removing the out-of-sync UPF from IPAM processing and generating alarms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the SMF and UPF continuously exchange IP chunk assignments during IPAM processing, then the IP address management functionality is improved, but synchronization issues occur during network disruptions causing session attach failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the UPF proactively send a digest of its IP chunk assignments to the SMF before potential synchronization issues arise. This allows the SMF to verify the UPF's state in advance and detect any desynchronization early, preventing session attach failures that would occur without this preventive verification mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a continuous verification loop where the UPF sends digests of its IP chunk assignments to the SMF, which then compares these against its own records. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect and correct synchronization issues, ensuring that the IP address management remains reliable even during network disruptions.
2Reliability
If the system implements comprehensive synchronization verification between SMF and UPF, then synchronization reliability is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional verification mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the complex problem of verifying entire IP chunk assignments into a simpler verification of cryptographic digests. By changing the verification parameter from comparing full IP chunk lists to comparing hash values, the system achieves reliable synchronization verification with significantly reduced complexity in the verification mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes a mechanical comparison system with a cryptographic verification system. Instead of mechanically comparing entire IP chunk assignment lists between SMF and UPF, the system uses cryptographic digests that can be quickly computed and compared, replacing a complex mechanical verification process with a more efficient mathematical approach.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the SMF divides and assigns IP chunks to multiple UPFs, then IP address management capability is improved, but the risk of out-of-sync issues between SMF and individual UPFs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the IP pool into separate IP chunks that are assigned to different UPFs. This allows the SMF to manage a large IP address space across multiple UPFs effectively. The segmentation principle is applied to both the IP address space and the verification process, where each UPF's assignments are independently verified through its own digest.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by creating a standardized digest verification mechanism that works uniformly across all UPFs regardless of how many IP chunks each receives. The same cryptographic digest approach is universally applied to verify synchronization for every UPF, making the system scalable and adaptable to any number of UPFs in the network.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems provided herein manage synchronization between an session management function (SMF) and multiple user plane functions (UPFs). The method includes concatenating, at a session management function (SMF), Internet protocol (IP) chunks assigned to a corresponding UPF to create a concatenated IP chunks string. The method further includes applying a hashing algorithm to the concatenated IP chunks string to create a digest including a hash value. The method additionally includes receiving, from the corresponding UPF, a UPF created digest table maintained by the corresponding UPF. The method further includes comparing the UPF created digest table maintained by the corresponding UPF with the hash value created by the SMF for the corresponding UPF and determining whether the corresponding UPF is synchronized with the SMF based on the comparison.