Target User Plane Gateway MAC Table Update for Data Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Ethernet-type data migration processes over mobile networks like 4G or 5G, data loss occurs due to the Ethernet switch's failure to update its MAC address table in a timely manner when a user plane gateway changes, causing downlink data to be sent to the wrong gateway.
Innovation Solution
The target user plane gateway receives the terminal's address from the control plane gateway, obtains uplink data or ARP packets, and updates the MAC address table through the Ethernet interface, ensuring that downlink data is sent correctly by switching the communication port, and optionally uses a unidirectional transmission channel to forward downlink data from the source user plane gateway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Ethernet switch continues to forward downlink data to the source UP GW after gateway switching, then the existing MAC address table maintains stable forwarding, but data loss occurs because the target UP GW cannot receive the data
Solution Approach 1:
The target UP GW proactively sends an ARP packet to the Ethernet switch before actually receiving downlink data, to pre-update the MAC address table. This preliminary action ensures that when downlink data arrives, the switch already has the correct forwarding path to the target UP GW, preventing data loss during the gateway switching transition.
2Reliability
If the MAC address table is updated immediately upon gateway switching, then data loss is prevented, but there is a time delay before the update occurs causing latency
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the MAC address table update in advance by sending an ARP packet from the target UP GW to the Ethernet switch before actual data forwarding begins. This preliminary update eliminates the time delay that would otherwise occur during the switching transition, ensuring both reliability and minimal latency.
3Device complexity
If the Ethernet switch uses the traditional MAC address table update method, then the system operates with simple protocols, but the update speed is insufficient to prevent data loss during gateway migration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary ARP packet mechanism to accelerate the MAC address table update process. The ARP packet serves as a mediator between the target UP GW and the Ethernet switch, enabling faster table updates without requiring changes to the fundamental Ethernet switching protocol, thus maintaining protocol simplicity while improving update speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A data migration method and an apparatus are applied to a scenario in which a user plane gateway communicating with a terminal is changed from a source user plane gateway to a target user plane gateway. The target user plane gateway receives an address of the terminal from a control plane gateway, obtains an Ethernet data packet based on the address of the terminal, and sends the Ethernet data packet to an Ethernet interface, so that a switch obtains the Ethernet data packet through the Ethernet interface, and updates a MAC address table based on the Ethernet data packet.