Node selection in a packet core network
First Claim
1. A method of allocating user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, comprising:
- maintaining at a Domain Name System (DNS) server one or more DNS resource records for each available user plane node in the packet core network, wherein the one or more DNS resource records comprises a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for each area identity, each area identity represents a group of user plane nodes, associated with a user plane node in the packet core network;
processing a connection establishment request originating from a user equipment (UE) to a core network node within the packet core network;
sending a DNS query to a DNS server, the query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node;
receiving the query at the DNS server and, on the basis of the at least one criterion, identifying one or more DNS resource records satisfying the criterion, and returning the identified one or more DNS resource records to said core network node; and
receiving the one or more DNS resource records at the core network node, and using the FQDNs representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the one or more DNS resource records when allocating a user plane node to said connection, wherein using the FQDNs representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network when allocating a user plane node to said connection comprisesmatching each of the FQDNs of each of the received DNS resource records with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection;
selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN of the received DNS resource record matches the most number of area identities, from right to left, with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; and
if more than one user plane nodes matches the most number of area identities, selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN has the least number of area identities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of allocating user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network is described. The method comprises maintaining at a Domain Name System (DNS) server one or more DNS resource records for each available user plane node in the packet core network, wherein the one or more DNS resource records comprises a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for each area identity, each area identity represents a group of user plane nodes, associated with a user plane node in the packet core network; processing a connection establishment request originating from a user equipment (UE) to a core network node within the packet core network; sending a DNS query to a DNS server, the query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node; receiving the query at the DNS server and, on the basis of the or each criterion, identifying one or more DNS resource records satisfying the criteria/criterion, and returning the identified DNS resource record(s) to said core network node; and receiving the DNS resource record(s) at the core network node, and using the fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the or each DNS resource record(s) when allocating a user plane node to said connection. A core network node arranged to allocate user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, and an apparatus configured to operate as a Domain Name System (DNS) server are also described.
28 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of allocating user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, comprising:
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maintaining at a Domain Name System (DNS) server one or more DNS resource records for each available user plane node in the packet core network, wherein the one or more DNS resource records comprises a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for each area identity, each area identity represents a group of user plane nodes, associated with a user plane node in the packet core network; processing a connection establishment request originating from a user equipment (UE) to a core network node within the packet core network; sending a DNS query to a DNS server, the query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node; receiving the query at the DNS server and, on the basis of the at least one criterion, identifying one or more DNS resource records satisfying the criterion, and returning the identified one or more DNS resource records to said core network node; and receiving the one or more DNS resource records at the core network node, and using the FQDNs representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the one or more DNS resource records when allocating a user plane node to said connection, wherein using the FQDNs representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network when allocating a user plane node to said connection comprises matching each of the FQDNs of each of the received DNS resource records with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN of the received DNS resource record matches the most number of area identities, from right to left, with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; and if more than one user plane nodes matches the most number of area identities, selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN has the least number of area identities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for allocating user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, the method comprising:
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receiving a connection establishment request originating from a user equipment (UE); in response to the receipt of the connection establishment request, sending a Domain Name System (DNS) query to a DNS server, the DNS query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node; receiving a response from the DNS server comprising at least one DNS resource record satisfying the at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node; and allocating a user plane node to the connection being established by using fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the at least one DNS resource records, wherein allocating the user plane node to the connection being established further comprises; matching each of the FQDNs of each of the received DNS resource records with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN of the received DNS resource record matches the most number of area identities, from right to left, with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; and if more than one user plane nodes matches the most number of area identities, selecting the user plane node of which the FQDN has the least number of area identities. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A core network node configured to allocate user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, wherein the core network node is configured to:
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process a connection establishment request; in response to receipt of a connection establishment request, send a Domain Name System (DNS) query to a DNS server, the DNS query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node, receive a response from the DNS server, the response containing at least one DNS resource record satisfying the criterion for selecting a user plane node, and using fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the at least one DNS resource record when allocating a user plane node or nodes to said connection, match each of the FQDNs of each of the received DNS resource records with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection, select the user plane node of which the FQDN of the received DNS resource record matches the most number of area identities, from right to left, with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection, and if more than one user plane nodes match the most number of area identities, select the user plane node of which the FQDN has the least number of area identities. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus configured to operate as a Domain Name System (DNS) server within a packet core network comprising a plurality of user plane nodes, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor wherein said apparatus is configured to:
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store one or more DNS resource records for each available user plane node, wherein the one or more DNS resource records comprises a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network; receive from a core network node a DNS query, wherein the DNS query contains one or more criterion for selecting a user plane node, and wherein the core network node is configured to; select the user plane node of which the FQDN of the received DNS resource record matches the most number of area identities, from right to left, with the FQDN of another received DNS resource record or with the FQDN of a user plane node currently allocated to said connection; and if more than one user plane nodes match the most number of area identities, select the user plane node of which the FQDN has the least number of area identities; identify one or more DNS resource records satisfying the criterion; and return the one or more identified DNS resource records to said core network node. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification