Subscriber Traffic Management via Service Node Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network architectures face challenges in independently scaling and optimizing subscriber access management and traffic management functions, leading to limitations in handling increasing demands for subscriber connection and traffic management services, particularly due to the coupling of these functions at access gateways.
Innovation Solution
Deploying intermediate service nodes upstream from access gateways to manage subscriber traffic, which decouples traffic management from subscriber access management, allowing for independent optimization and scaling, and utilizing a session and resource controller to apply subscriber-specific policies to traffic flows based on subscriber identity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If subscriber access management and traffic management functions are coupled at access gateways, then integrated service delivery is achieved, but independent scaling and optimization of these functions is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network management functions by introducing intermediate service nodes that separate traffic management from subscriber access management. The access gateway focuses on subscriber authentication and access control, while intermediate service nodes handle traffic management, policy enforcement, and service delivery. This segmentation allows each component to be independently scaled and optimized based on specific requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate service nodes as intermediary components between access gateways and the core network. These service nodes act as mediators that receive subscriber traffic from access gateways, apply traffic management policies, and forward processed traffic to the core network. This intermediary layer enables independent optimization of traffic management functions without affecting access management operations.
2Productivity
If access gateways handle all subscriber traffic management, then centralized control is maintained, but scalability limitations arise under increasing subscriber demands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the subscriber traffic management workload by introducing intermediate service nodes that offload traffic management functions from access gateways. Access gateways continue to handle subscriber authentication and access control, while intermediate service nodes manage traffic routing, policy enforcement, and service delivery. This segmentation distributes the processing load across multiple specialized nodes, improving overall system productivity and reducing access gateway complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traffic management is decoupled from subscriber access management, then independent optimization is enabled, but coordination overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring traffic management policies and service profiles in intermediate service nodes before actual traffic flow occurs. The system establishes subscription information, service policies, and routing rules in advance, allowing intermediate service nodes to make rapid decisions without real-time coordination delays. This pre-positioning of management information reduces coordination overhead while maintaining independent optimization capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, the invention is directed to techniques for offloading per-subscriber traffic management from an access gateway to one or more upstream service nodes within a service provider network. For example, as described herein, an upstream service node receives a new packet flow for a subscriber and sends packet flow information, such as a network address, to a session and resource controller (SRC). The SRC maintains a table of subscriber attachment sessions and maps the packet flow information to a subscriber attachment session in the table to obtain a subscriber identifier for a subscriber. The SRC then determines subscriber-specific services to be applied to subscriber data traffic, transforms the services to a set of one or more enforcement policies, and returns the enforcement policies to the service node. In turn, the service node applies the enforcement policies for the subscriber-specific services to the subscriber data traffic in the packet flow.