Monitoring Probe for Identifying A User Plane Identifier of a User Device

• US 20150043353A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellos Software Limited
• Original Assignee: Cellos Software Limited
• Inventors: Javed, Adnan
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Methods of identifying a user plane identifier of a user device by a monitoring probe in communication with a network device, the monitoring probe, and the system using the same are disclosed. According to an embodiment, the monitoring probe includes a monitor, a comparator and a user plane identifier output. The monitor monitors a network device for receipt of a first control plane message comprising a first control plane identifier and a user device identifier, and monitors the network device for receipt of a second control plane message comprising a second control plane identifier and a user plane identifier. The comparator compares the first with the second control plane identifier to determine whether both control plane identifiers correspond to each other. The user plane identifier output outputs the user plane identifier being identified as that of the user device, when both control plane identifiers correspond to each other.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a user plane identifier of a user device by a monitoring probe in communication with a network device, the method comprising:

monitoring the network device for receipt of a first control plane message comprising a first control plane identifier and a user device identifier;

in response to receipt of the first control plane message, monitoring the network device for receipt of a second control plane message comprising a second control plane identifier and a user plane identifier;

in response to receipt of the second control plane message, comparing the first control plane identifier with the second control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier;

in response to a determination that the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier, outputting the user plane identifier such that the user plane identifier is identified as the user plane identifier of the user device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user plane identifier of the user device is arranged to identify one or more data packets transmitted from another network device to the network device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the network device is an evolved NodeB (eNB) and the other network device is a Serving-Gateway (S-GW).

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second control plane message is an Initial Context Setup Response Message, and the user plane identifier is a user plane evolved NodeB Internet Protocol address (eNB IP address) or a user plane evolved NodeB Tunnelling End Identity (eNB TEID).

5. A method of identifying a user plane identifier of a user device by a monitoring probe in communication with a first network device and a second network device, the method comprising:

monitoring the first network device for receipt of a first control plane message comprising a first control plane identifier and a user device identifier;

in response to receipt of the first control plane message, monitoring the second network device for receipt of a second control plane message comprising a second control plane identifier and a user plane identifier;

in response to receipt of the second control plane message, comparing the first control plane identifier with the second control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier;

in response to a determination that the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier, outputting the user plane identifier such that the user plane identifier is identified as the user plane identifier of the user device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user plane identifier of the user device is arranged to identify one or more data packets transmitted from the first network device to the second network device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first network device is an evolved NodeB (eNB) and the second network device is a Mobility Management Entity (MME).

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second control plane message is an Initial Context Setup Request Message, and the user plane identifier is a user plane Serving-Gateway Internet Protocol address (S-GW IP address) or a user plane Serving-Gateway Tunnelling End Identity (S-GW TEID).

9. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user plane identifier is output in association with the user device identifier to a memory for storage, in order to identify the user plane identifier as the user plane identifier of the user device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each one of the first control plane identifier and the second control plane identifier is an evolved NodeB S1 Application Protocol Identifier (eNB-UE-S1AP-ID).

11. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first control plane message is an Attach Request message or an Identity Response message.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the user device identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or a Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI).

13. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring the second network device for receipt of a third control plane message comprising another user device identifier and a third control plane identifier;

in response to receipt of the third control plane message, monitoring a third network device for receipt of a fourth control plane message comprising a fourth control plane identifier and a first control plane parameter;

in response to receipt of a fourth control plane message, comparing the third control plane identifier with the fourth control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the third control plane identifier corresponds to the fourth control plane identifier;

in response to a determination that the third control plane identifier corresponds to the fourth control plane identifier, monitoring the first network device for receipt of a fifth control plane message comprising a sixth control plane message and a seventh control plane message;

in response to receipt of a fifth control plane message, comparing the comparing the first control plane parameter with the second control plane parameter in order to determine whether or not the first control plane parameter corresponds to the second control plane parameter;

in response to a determination that the first control plane parameter corresponds to the second control plane parameter, comparing the sixth control plane message with the first control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the sixth control plane message corresponds to the first control plane identifier; and

in response to a determination that the sixth control plane message corresponds to the first control plane identifier, outputting the other user device identifier such that the other user plane identifier is identified as the user plane identifier of the user device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the third network device is a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the third control plane message is an Authentication Information Request message, the fourth control plane message is an Authentication Information Answer message, and the fifth control plane message is an Authentication Response message.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the other user device identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), each one of the third control plane identifier and the fourth control plane identifier is a sequence number, the first control plane parameter is an expected authentication result (XRES) parameter, the sixth control plane message is an evolved NodeB S1 Application Protocol Identifier (eNB-UE-S1AP-ID), and the second control plane parameter is an authentication result (RES) parameter.

17. A monitoring probe for identifying a user plane identifier of a user device, the monitoring probe comprising:

a control plane message monitor that

monitors a network device for receipt of a first control plane message comprising a first control plane identifier and a user device identifier; and

monitors the network device for receipt of a second control plane message comprising a second control plane identifier and a user plane identifier, in response to receipt of the first control plane message by the control plane message monitor;

a control plane identifier comparator that compares the first control plane identifier with the second control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier, in response to receipt of the second control plane message by the control plane message monitor; and

a user plane identifier output that outputs the user plane identifier such that the user plane identifier is identified as the user plane identifier of the user device, in response to a determination by the control plane identifier comparator that the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier.

18. A monitoring probe for identifying a user plane identifier of a user device, the monitoring probe comprising:

a control plane message monitor that

monitors a first network device for receipt of a first control plane message comprising a first control plane identifier and a user device identifier; and

monitors a second network device for receipt of a second control plane message comprising a second control plane identifier and a user plane identifier, in response to receipt of the first control plane message by the control plane message monitor;

a control plane identifier comparator that compares the first control plane identifier with the second control plane identifier in order to determine whether or not the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier, in response to receipt of the second control plane message by the control plane message monitor; and

a user plane identifier output that outputs the user plane identifier such that the user plane identifier is identified as the user plane identifier of the user device, in response to a determination by the control plane identifier comparator that the first control plane identifier corresponds to the second control plane identifier.