NETWORK MANAGEMENT METHOD AND CONTROLLER

• US 20190191479A1
• Filed: 02/26/2019
• Published: 06/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xu, Changchun, Wang, Yuanyuan, Zhang, Jin, Wang, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 11,064,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/125 involving different types of service backbones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/305 Handover due to radio link failure control signalling for hand-off failure H04W36/0079
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A network management method and a controller are provided. Elastic scaling of an in-network packet data network IN-PDN is implemented when UE is migrated or detached. In addition, service continuity in a local network of the UE can still be ensured when the UE is migrated or detached, and an IN-PDN resource that is no longer used is reclaimed in time, thereby avoiding a waste of the IN-PDN resource.

Claims

1. A network management method, comprising:

when first user equipment (UE) is disconnected from a first base station, determining, by a controller based on in-network packet data network (IN-PDN) distribution information, a first IN-PDN and a first user plane gateway that are accessed by the first UE before the first UE is disconnected from the first base station, wherein the IN-PDN distribution information indicates a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN, a user plane gateway and the first UE;

determining, by the controller based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether a second UE and a second user plane gateway exist, wherein there is a mapping relationship between the second UE and the first IN-PDN, there is a mapping relationship between the second UE and the first user plane gateway, and there is a mapping relationship between the second user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN; and

determining, by the controller based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first UE is disconnected from the first base station when:

the first UE is handed over from the first base station to a second base station;

or

the first UE is detached from the first base station.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the IN-PDN distribution information indicates a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN and a user plane gateway, a mapping relationship between a user plane gateway and UE, and a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN and UE.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein before determining, by the controller based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether second UE and a second user plane gateway exist, the method further comprises:

deleting, by the controller, a mapping relationship between the first UE and the first user plane gateway from the IN-PDN distribution information.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the first UE is detached from the first base station, and the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway but does not comprise the second UE, determining, by the controller based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway comprises:

deleting, by the controller, a mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, the mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first UE and the first IN-PDN from the IN-PDN distribution information; and

obtaining, by the controller, a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and sending an indication message to a control plane gateway for instructing the control plane gateway to delete a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, and to delete a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the first UE is handed over from the first base station to the second base station, before determining, by the controller based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether a second UE and a second user plane gateway exist, the method further comprises:

determining, by the controller, a third user plane gateway accessed by the first UE after the first UE is handed over from the first base station to the second base station;

determining, by the controller based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether there is a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN;

when there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, creating, by the controller, the first IN-PDN on the third user plane gateway, and adding the mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN and a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first UE to the IN-PDN distribution information; and

when there is a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, adding, by the controller, a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first UE to the IN-PDN distribution information.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway but does not comprise the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, determining, by the controller based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway comprises:

deleting, by the controller, the mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN and the mapping relationship between the first UE and the first IN-PDN from the IN-PDN distribution information; and

obtaining, by the controller, a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and sending an indication message to a control plane gateway for instructing the control plane gateway to delete a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, to delete a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway and the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, determining, by the controller based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway comprises:

obtaining, by the controller, a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and sending an indication message to a control plane gateway for instructing the control plane gateway to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information does not comprise the second user plane gateway but comprises the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, determining, by the controller based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway comprises:

obtaining, by the controller, a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and sending an indication message to a control plane gateway for instructing the control plane gateway to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein before sending, by the controller, an indication message to a control plane gateway, the method further comprises:

determining, by the controller, a second IN-PDN identifier and a second tunnel port that correspond to the first IN-PDN on the second user plane gateway, and determining a third IN-PDN identifier and a third tunnel port that correspond to the first IN-PDN on the third user plane gateway; and

the processing rule and the forwarding rule that are between the UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway comprise;

adding the second IN-PDN identifier to a packet sent by UE to the first UE in the first IN-PDN to which the second user plane gateway is corresponding;

replacing the second IN-PDN identifier in the packet to which the second IN-PDN identifier is added with the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN;

forwarding the replaced packet to the third tunnel port by using the second tunnel port;

receiving a packet from the third tunnel port by using the second tunnel port;

replacing the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN in the packet received by using the second tunnel port with the second IN-PDN identifier; and

deleting the second IN-PDN identifier from the replaced packet, and

adding the third IN-PDN identifier to a packet sent by the first UE to the UE in the first IN-PDN to which the second user plane gateway is corresponding;

replacing the third IN-PDN identifier in the packet to which the third IN-PDN identifier is added with the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN;

forwarding the replaced packet to the second tunnel port by using the third tunnel port;

receiving a packet from the second tunnel port by using the third tunnel port;

replacing the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN in the packet received by using the third tunnel port with the third IN-PDN identifier; and

deleting the third IN-PDN identifier from the replaced packet.

11. A controller, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to;

when a first user equipment (UE) is disconnected from a first base station, determine, based on in-network packet data network (IN-PDN) distribution information, a first IN-PDN and a first user plane gateway that are accessed by the first UE before the first UE is disconnected from the first base station, wherein the IN-PDN distribution information indicates a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN, a user plane gateway and the first UE,

determine, based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether a second UE and a second user plane gateway exist, wherein there is a mapping relationship between the second UE and the first IN-PDN, there is a mapping relationship between the second UE and the first user plane gateway, and there is a mapping relationship between the second user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, and

determine, based on a determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a forwarding tunnel, a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and a mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and a user plane gateway.

12. The controller according to claim 11, wherein the first UE is disconnected from the first base station when:

the first UE is handed over from the first base station to a second base station;

or

the first UE is detached from the first base station.

13. The controller according to claim 11, wherein the IN-PDN distribution information indicates a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN and a user plane gateway, a mapping relationship between a user plane gateway and UE, and a mapping relationship between an IN-PDN and UE.

14. The controller according to claim 11, wherein before the controller determines, based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to:

delete a mapping relationship between the first UE and the first user plane gateway from the IN-PDN distribution information.

15. The controller according to claim 12, wherein:

the controller further comprises a network interface; and

when the first UE is detached from the first base station, and the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway but does not comprise the second UE, to determine, based on the determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the forwarding tunnel, the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the user plane gateway, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to;

delete a mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, the mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first UE and the first IN-PDN from the IN-PDN distribution information; and

obtain a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and send an indication message to a control plane gateway by using the network interface for instructing the control plane gateway to delete a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, and to delete a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway.

16. The controller according to claim 12, wherein when the first UE is handed over from the first base station to the second base station, before the controller determines, based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to:

determine a third user plane gateway accessed by the first UE after the first UE is handed over from the first base station to the second base station;

determine, based on the IN-PDN distribution information, whether there is a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN;

when there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, create the first IN-PDN on the third user plane gateway, and add the mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN and a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first UE to the IN-PDN distribution information; and

when there is a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, add a mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first UE to the IN-PDN distribution information.

17. The controller according to claim 16, wherein:

the controller further comprises a network interface; and

when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway but does not comprise the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, to determine, based on the determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the forwarding tunnel, the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the user plane gateway, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to;

delete the mapping relationship between the first user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN and the mapping relationship between the first UE and the first IN-PDN from the IN-PDN distribution information, and

obtain a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and send an indication message to a control plane gateway by using the network interface for instructing the control plane gateway to delete a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, to delete a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the second user plane gateway, to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

18. The controller according to claim 16, wherein:

the controller further comprises a network interface; and

when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information comprises the second user plane gateway and the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, to determine, based on the determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the forwarding tunnel, the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the user plane gateway, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to;

obtain a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and send an indication message to a control plane gateway by using the network interface for instructing the control plane gateway to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

19. The controller according to claim 16, wherein:

the controller further comprises a network interface; and

when the determining result is that the IN-PDN distribution information does not comprise the second user plane gateway but comprises the second UE, and there is no mapping relationship between the third user plane gateway and the first IN-PDN, to determine, based on the determining result about whether the second UE and the second user plane gateway exist, whether to update the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the forwarding tunnel, the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the first UE, and the mapping relationship between the first IN-PDN and the user plane gateway, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to;

obtain a tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN, and send an indication message to a control plane gateway by using the network interface for instructing the control plane gateway to create a forwarding tunnel whose identifier is the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN and whose endpoints are the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway, and to create a processing rule and a forwarding rule that are between UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the first user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway.

20. The controller according to claim 17, wherein before the controller sends the indication message to the control plane gateway by using the network interface, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the controller to:

determine a second IN-PDN identifier and a second tunnel port that correspond to the first IN-PDN on the second user plane gateway, and determine a third IN-PDN identifier and a third tunnel port that correspond to the first IN-PDN on the third user plane gateway; and

the processing rule and the forwarding rule that are between the UEs associated with the first IN-PDN and that are between the second user plane gateway and the third user plane gateway comprise;

adding the second IN-PDN identifier to a packet sent by UE to the first UE in the first IN-PDN to which the second user plane gateway is corresponding;

replacing the second IN-PDN identifier in the packet to which the second IN-PDN identifier is added with the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN;

forwarding the replaced packet to the third tunnel port by using the second tunnel port;

receiving a packet from the third tunnel port by using the second tunnel port;

replacing the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN in the packet received by using the second tunnel port with the second IN-PDN identifier; and

deleting the second IN-PDN identifier from the replaced packet, and

adding the third IN-PDN identifier to a packet sent by the first UE to the UE in the first IN-PDN to which the second user plane gateway is corresponding;

replacing the third IN-PDN identifier in the packet to which the third IN-PDN identifier is added with the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN;

forwarding the replaced packet to the second tunnel port by using the third tunnel port;

receiving a packet from the second tunnel port by using the third tunnel port;

replacing the tunnel identifier corresponding to the first IN-PDN in the packet received by using the third tunnel port with the third IN-PDN identifier; and

deleting the third IN-PDN identifier from the replaced packet.