UPF Positioning with Edge-Node Proxies for Low-Latency MEC
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Solution Overview
Problem
The sub-optimal positioning of User Plane Functions (UPFs) in mobile edge computing (MEC) can lead to degraded end-to-end performance, affecting latency and throughput, especially in scenarios where UPFs are deployed without a comprehensive orchestration system to ensure optimal placement.
Innovation Solution
An orchestration tool uses edge nodes as proxies to predict the performance of a UPF before deployment, selecting an optimal location based on performance criteria such as latency and throughput, and generates alerts for UPF placement, with proactive monitoring and potential relocation to maintain high performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UPFs are deployed without comprehensive orchestration to ensure optimal placement, then deployment speed and flexibility are improved, but end-to-end performance (latency and throughput) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary performance prediction using edge nodes as proxies before actual UPF deployment. By evaluating edge node performance metrics (latency, throughput, load) in advance, the orchestrator can pre-determine optimal UPF locations, ensuring both rapid deployment and high end-to-end performance without trial-and-error placements
2Device complexity
If UPFs are positioned sub-optimally, then deployment complexity is reduced, but user experience (latency and throughput) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Edge nodes serve as intermediaries or proxies to evaluate and predict UPF performance at potential deployment locations. The orchestrator queries edge nodes for their performance metrics and uses this information to make intelligent placement decisions, automatically optimizing latency without adding manual configuration complexity
3Reliability
If comprehensive orchestration is implemented to ensure optimal UPF placement, then end-to-end performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The orchestrator automatically queries edge nodes for their performance metrics and independently determines optimal UPF placement without requiring manual intervention or complex configuration. The system self-manages the entire placement decision process by leveraging existing edge node capabilities, achieving high performance while keeping the orchestration mechanism relatively simple
Data Source
AI summary
An orchestration tool determines optimal user plane function (UPF) positioning by using edge nodes as proxy for UPF performance prediction. A disclosed solution includes: using a plurality of edge nodes as proxies to predict performance of a UPF, which has not yet been built, for routing data packets to a proxy-call session control function (P-CSCF) from locations of each of the plurality of edge nodes; selecting, by an orchestrator, a first edge node location; and generating, by the orchestrator, an alert indicating selection of the first edge node location. A first UPF will be built at the first edge node location although, in some examples, upon further monitoring, the orchestrator may determine that the second edge node location will outperform the first edge node location, resulting in the UPF moving to the second edge node location. In some examples, performance criteria depend on traffic type (e.g., real-time gaming).