System and method for exchanging information in a mobile wireless network environment

• US 10,110,433 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahaffey, Gary B., Iyer, Jayaraman R., Khouderchah, Michel, Leung, Kent K., Mackie, Robert A., Stammers, Timothy P., Pham, Hy Quoc
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan, Huan V
• Application Number:
  US14/633,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating a message from a network element to a remote data plane element in order to request a data plane resource for hosting a session for a particular subscriber. The remote data plane element is designated to host a data plane function for a particular mobile network subscriber and the data plane resource comprises at least one of memory space and processor allocation. The method further includes discovering nodes capable of supporting the control plane functions; discovering nodes capable of supporting the data plane functions for the session; and performing a system-specific internal configuration to support separation of the data plane functions and the control plane functions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to support mobile-aware protocol functionality via mobile-agnostic data plane and mobile-aware control plane functions for a session hosted for a mobile network subscriber, the computer-implemented method comprising:

communicating a message from a network element to a remote data plane element comprising a mobile-agnostic router, the mobile-agnostic router comprising a router that does not implement any protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, in order to request a data plane resource for hosting the session for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the remote data plane element is designated to host mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the data plane resource comprises at least one of memory space and processor allocation, wherein at least one of the data plane functions is subscriber-specific and pertains to at least one of classification, tunneling, feature enforcement, and accounting;

discovering;

(i) mobile-aware nodes capable of supporting mobile-aware control plane functions for the session and (ii) mobile-agnostic nodes capable of supporting the mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session;

performing a system-specific internal configuration by operation of one or more computer processors to abstract mobile-aware protocol functionality away from the remote data plane element by providing a protocol supporting separation of and interaction between the mobile-agnostic data plane functions and the mobile-aware control plane functions, in order to permit the mobile-agnostic router to serve as the remote data plane element, thereby reducing a measure of hardware complexity of the remote data plane element relative to having a mobile-aware router serve as the remote data plane element, the mobile-aware router comprising a router that implements protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, wherein one or more mobile-aware interfaces are offloaded to a protocol proxy function executing on a protocol proxy selected from the discovered mobile-aware nodes based on at least one of proxy availability, proxy load, and proxy transmission latency; and

communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events;

wherein the network element comprises a control plane element for performing mobile-aware control plane functions for the session, including controlling which portion of a master table element is to be provisioned in a table element at a line card comprising a remote data plane element, wherein the table element at the remote data plane element includes only enough information for the mobile network subscriber for mapping flows that are current for the remote data plane element.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein data plane traffic is managed at the remote data plane element based on enforcement rules, wherein the enforcement rules are provisioned in a the table element at the remote data plane element, wherein the table element reflects a portion of the master table element included in the network element.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control plane functions performed by the control plane element for the session further include parsing a session create message, interacting with an external policy server, and abstracting elements pertinent to a data plane corresponding to the mobile-agnostic data plane functions.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remote data plane element comprises a general purpose router for performing mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events comprises:

communicating a first one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to update the session in response to a mid-session event; and

communicating a second one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to terminate the session in response to a termination event.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control plane element is divided into a first segment comprising packet data network gateway (PGW) functionality and a second segment comprising serving gateway (SGW) functionality in order to utilize resources within a chassis in which the remote data plane element resides;

wherein the PGW functionality comprises an interface between a mobile network and at least one other packet data network and the SGW functionality comprises an interface between a radio access node (RAN) of the mobile network and the PGW;

wherein the data plane functions pertain to per-subscriber classification, per-subscriber tunneling, per-subscriber feature enforcement, and per-subscriber accounting;

wherein data plane traffic is managed at the remote data plane element based on enforcement rules, wherein the enforcement rules are provisioned in a the table element at the remote data plane element, wherein the table element reflects a portion of the master table element included in the network element;

wherein the control plane functions performed by the control plane element for the session further include parsing a session create message, interacting with an external policy server, and abstracting elements pertinent to a data plane corresponding to the data plane functions.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events comprises:

communicating a first one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to update the session in response to a mid-session event; and

communicating a second one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to terminate the session in response to a termination event.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the remote data plane element comprises a general purpose router for performing data plane functions for the session, wherein the control plane element is configured to be used for session management and call setup support activities associated with the session, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises receiving a response at the network element acknowledging the message, wherein at least one of the enforcement rules relates to a wireless mobility feature for the session, wherein a flow is mapped out of a tunnel against user-specific enforcement rules associated with the session.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein one or more data segments from the tunnel are used in order to map the flow to the user-specific enforcement rules, wherein additional resources are included in the chassis to support layer 7 (L7) classification operations in the chassis;

wherein the L7 classification operations are coordinated with a packet transfer activity occurring at a network location proximate to a data center, wherein certain flows are communicated from the remote data plan to a deep packet inspection (DPI) capable network element, wherein the certain flows are communicated back from the DPI capable network element.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control plane element is divided into a first segment comprising packet data network gateway (PGW) functionality and a second segment comprising serving gateway (SGW) functionality in order to utilize resources within a chassis in which the remote data plane element resides.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the PGW functionality comprises an interface between a mobile network and at least one other packet data network and the SGW functionality comprises an interface between a radio access node (RAN) of the mobile network and the PGW.

12. One or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code executable to perform an operation to support mobile-aware protocol functionality via mobile-agnostic data plane and mobile-aware control plane functions for a session hosted for a mobile network subscriber, the operation comprising:

communicating a message from a network element to a remote data plane element comprising a mobile-agnostic router, the mobile-agnostic router comprising a router that does not implement any protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, in order to request a data plane resource for hosting the session for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the remote data plane element is designated to host mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the data plane resource comprises at least one of memory space and processor allocation, wherein at least one of the data plane functions is subscriber-specific and pertains to at least one of classification, tunneling, feature enforcement, and accounting;

discovering;

(i) mobile-aware nodes capable of supporting mobile-aware control plane functions for the session and (ii) mobile-agnostic nodes capable of supporting the mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session;

performing a system-specific internal configuration by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the code and to abstract mobile-aware protocol functionality away from the remote data plane element by providing a protocol supporting separation of and interaction between the mobile-agnostic data plane functions and the mobile-aware control plane functions, in order to permit the mobile-agnostic router to serve as the remote data plane element, thereby reducing a measure of hardware complexity of the remote data plane element relative to having a mobile-aware router serve as the remote data plane element, the mobile-aware router comprising a router that implements protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, wherein one or more mobile-aware interfaces are offloaded to a protocol proxy function executing on a protocol proxy selected from the discovered mobile-aware nodes based on at least one of proxy availability, proxy load, and proxy transmission latency; and

communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events;

wherein the network element comprises a control plane element for performing mobile-aware control plane functions for the session, including controlling which portion of a master table element is to be provisioned in a table element at a line card comprising a remote data plane element, wherein the table element at the remote data plane element includes only enough information for the mobile network subscriber for mapping flows that are current for the remote data plane element.

13. The one or more non-transitory tangible media of claim 12, wherein data plane traffic is managed at the remote data plane element based on enforcement rules, wherein the enforcement rules are provisioned in a the table element at the remote data plane element, wherein the table element reflects a portion of the master table element included in the network element.

14. The one or more non-transitory tangible media of claim 12, wherein the control plane functions performed by the control plane element for the session further include parsing a session create message, interacting with an external policy server, and abstracting elements pertinent to a data plane corresponding to the mobile-agnostic data plane functions.

15. The one or more non-transitory tangible media of claim 12, wherein the remote data plane element comprises a general purpose router for performing mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session.

16. The one or more non-transitory tangible media of claim 12, wherein communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events comprises further comprises:

communicating a first one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to update the session in response to a mid-session event; and

communicating a second one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in order to terminate the session in response to a termination event.

17. An apparatus to support mobile-aware protocol functionality via mobile-agnostic data plane and mobile-aware control plane functions for a session hosted for a mobile network subscriber, the apparatus comprising:

a memory element configured to store data;

a mobility module;

one or more computer processors operable to execute instructions associated with the data; and

a network sensor configured to interface with the memory element and the one or more computer processors, wherein the apparatus is configured to;

communicate a message from a network element to a remote data plane element comprising a mobile-agnostic router, the mobile-agnostic router comprising a router that does not implement any protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, in order to request a data plane resource for hosting the session for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the remote data plane element is designated to host mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the mobile network subscriber, wherein the data plane resource comprises at least one of memory space and processor allocation, wherein at least one of the data plane functions is subscriber-specific and pertains to at least one of classification, tunneling, feature enforcement, and accounting;

discover;

(i) mobile-aware nodes capable of supporting mobile-aware control plane functions for the session and (ii) mobile-agnostic nodes capable of supporting the mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session;

perform a system-specific internal configuration to abstract mobile-aware protocol functionality away from the remote data plane element by providing a protocol supporting separation of and interaction between the mobile-agnostic data plane functions and the mobile-aware control plane functions, in order to permit the mobile-agnostic router to serve as the remote data plane element, thereby reducing a measure of hardware complexity of the remote data plane element relative to having a mobile-aware router serve as the remote data plane element, the mobile-aware router comprising a router that implements protocol functionality that is mobile-aware, wherein one or more mobile-aware interfaces are offloaded to a protocol proxy function executing on a protocol proxy selected from the discovered mobile-aware nodes based on at least one of proxy availability, proxy load, and proxy transmission latency; and

communicating one or more subsequent messages to the remote data plane element in response to one or more events;

wherein the network element comprises a control plane element for performing control plane functions for the session, including controlling which portion of a master table element is to be provisioned in a table element at a line card comprising a remote data plane element, wherein the table element at the remote data plane element includes only enough information for the mobile network subscriber for mapping flows that are current for the remote data plane element.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein data plane traffic is managed at the remote data plane element based on enforcement rules, wherein the enforcement rules are provisioned in a the table element at the remote data plane element, wherein the table element reflects a portion of the master table element included in the network element.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control plane functions performed by the control plane element for the session further include parsing a session create message, interacting with an external policy server, and abstracting elements pertinent to a data plane corresponding to the mobile-agnostic data plane functions.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the remote data plane element comprises a general purpose router for performing mobile-agnostic data plane functions for the session.