System and Method for Virtualized Functions in Control and Data Planes

• US 20160353367A1
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: VRZIC, Sophie, ZHANG, Hang, SENARATH, Nimal Gamini
• Application Number:
  US15/169,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353367A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/29 between an access point and the access point controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating network slices in a communication network such as a 5^th generation wireless communication network are provided. Mobile device attach requests can be handled in which an appropriate network slice is selected for attaching the mobile device to. Customer service requests can be handled using existing network slices or by instantiating new network slices as needed. Mobile devices can be associated to new network slices due to roaming. Network slices can be monitored and scaled as required to maintain performance. Cloud resource assignment, mobile device power management, traffic engineering and flow management operations are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for managing a request in a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving the request by a global connection and mobility management (G-CMM) function in the communication network;

determining if the request can be accommodated using one of a plurality of pre-existing network slices of the communication network; and

instantiating a new network slice to accommodate the request when the request cannot be accommodated using any of the plurality of pre-existing network slices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is a customer service request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is a request to change attachment status of a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring one or more performance metrics indicative of performance of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice; and

scaling at least one of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice based on the measured one or more performance metrics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the new network slice comprises:

using a traffic engineering function instantiated for the network slice, performing path computations to determine paths and capacity bounds for links between source nodes and destination nodes of the new network slice, wherein packets are transmitted along the determined paths;

splitting flows along the determined paths using a flow management function instantiated for the network slice; and

causing the determined capacity bounds to be respected.

6. A method for managing a mobile device attach request in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the method comprising:

instantiating a global connection and mobility management (G-CMM) function in the communication network, the G-CMM function configured to operate across the plurality of network slices;

selecting a network slice from the plurality of network slices with the G-CMM function; and

attaching the mobile device to the network slice.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communication network comprises an access node, the mobile device is associated with the access node, and the G-CMM function determines and attaches the mobile device to the network slice using extended capabilities of the access node.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

instantiating a local connection management (CM) function in the network slice;

determining a cloud candidate set for the mobile device using the local CM function; and

communicatively coupling the mobile device to the cloud candidate set.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the network slice is selected based at least in part on a determination that the mobile device is in a coverage area of the network slice.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

instantiating a local connection management (CM) function in the network slice;

determining power savings operating parameters for the mobile device using the CM function; and

operating the mobile device according to the power savings operating parameters.

11. A connection management apparatus in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the apparatus comprising a microprocessor operatively coupled to a network interface and configured, in response to a request to:

determine if the request can be accommodated using one of a plurality of pre-existing network slices of the communication network; and

instantiate a new network slice to accommodate the request when the request cannot be accommodated using any of the plurality of pre-existing network slices.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request is a customer service request.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request is a request to change attachment status of a mobile device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the apparatus further configured to:

obtain one or more performance metrics indicative of performance of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice; and

scale at least one of;

the plurality of network slices; and

the new network slice, based on the measured one or more performance metrics,

wherein measuring of the one or more performance metrics is performed by a connection and mobility manager portion of the apparatus instantiated in at least one of the one or more network slices.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a traffic engineering function instantiated for the network slice, the traffic engineering function configured to perform path computations to determine paths and capacity bounds for links between source nodes and destination nodes of the new network slice, wherein packets are transmitted along the determined paths; and

a flow management function instantiated for the network slice, the flow management function configured to split flows along the determined paths using a flow management function instantiated for the network slice.

16. A connection management apparatus in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the apparatus comprising a microprocessor operatively coupled to a network interface and configured, in response to an attach request from a mobile device to:

select a network slice from a plurality of network slices; and

transmit instructions, via the network interface to at least one node of the communication network, to attach the mobile device to the network slice.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the communication network comprises an access node, the mobile device is associated with the access node, and the connection management apparatus is integrated with the access node and determines and attaches the mobile device to the appropriate network slice using extended capabilities of the access node.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a local connection management (CM) function instantiated in the network slice, the local CM function configured to;

determine a cloud candidate set for the mobile device; and

communicatively couple the mobile device to the cloud candidate set.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the network slice is selected based at least in part on a determination by the connection management apparatus that the mobile device is in a coverage area of the network slice.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a local connection management (CM) function instantiated in the network slice, the local CM function configured to determine power savings operating parameters for the mobile device using the CM function, wherein the mobile device is operated according to the determined power savings operating parameters.