Static selection of a session management function or user plane function in a 5G core network
System and methods for statically selecting a session management function (SMF) or a user plane function (UPF) for a user equipment are described. A mobile device (UE) may transmit a connection request to a 5G core network. A static selection user interface receives inputs of UE and an SMF to associate with the UE. When the UE transmits a connection request, an identifier of the UE is used by a network function repository function (NRF). The NRF accesses an NRF datastore using the identifier. If an SMF is associated with the UE, the NRF returns the SMF instance of the associated SMF to an access management function (AMF) handling the connection request.
1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, at an access management function (AMF) of a 5G core network from a user equipment (UE), a connection request comprising an identifier of the UE;
transmitting, from the AMF to a network function repository function (NRF), a request for a session management function (SMF) instance ID of one of a plurality of SMFs and the identifier of the UE;
accessing, by the NRF, an NRF datastore using the identifier of the UE;
determining, by the NRF, if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs by an association stored in the NRF datastore, the association being between the identifier of the UE and information for the associated SMF;
if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning the SMF instance ID of the associated SMF to the AMF;
if the identifier of the UE is not statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning at least one SMF instance ID of the plurality of SMFs to the AMF;
receiving, from a static selection user interface, the identifier of the UE;
receiving, from the static selection user interface, the information for the associated SME to associate with the identifier of the UE; and
updating the NRF datastore with the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting to the AMF an identification of the SMF.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the static selection user interface, a reset static pointing input; and
removing the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF to return the UE to a default operation.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier of the UE comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier of the UE comprises a username of a user.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising instantiating an N3 connection from a base station in communication with the UE to a UPF associated with the associated SMF.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing an N4 interface between the associated SMF and a UPF associated with the associated SMF.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the UPF is capable of handling IPv4 traffic or IPv6 traffic.
9 . A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at an access management function (AMF) of a 5G core network from a user equipment (UE), a connection request comprising an identifier of the UE;
transmitting, from the AMF to a network function repository function (NRF), a request for a session management function (SMF) instance ID of one of a plurality of SMFs and the identifier of the UE;
accessing, by the NRF, an NRF datastore using the identifier of the UE;
determining, by the NRF, if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs by an association stored in the NRF datastore, the association being between the identifier of the UE and information for the associated SMF;
if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning the SMF instance ID of the associated SMF to the AMF;
if the identifier of the UE is not statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning at least one SMF instance ID of the plurality of SMFs to the AMF;
receiving, from a static selection user interface, the identifier of the UE;
receiving, from the static selection user interface, the information for the associated SMF to associate with the identifier of the UE; and
updating the NRF datastore with the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF.
10 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising transmitting to the AMF an identification of the SMF.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from the static selection user interface, a reset static pointing input; and
removing the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF to return the UE to a default operation.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the identifier of the UE comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).
13 . A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
receiving, at an access management function (AMF) of a 5G core network from a user equipment (UE), a connection request comprising an identifier of the UE;
transmitting, from the AMF to a network function repository function (NRF), a request for a session management function (SMF) instance ID of one of a plurality of SMFs and the identifier of the UE;
accessing, by the NRF, an NRF datastore using the identifier of the UE;
determining, by the NRF, if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs by an association stored in the NRF datastore, the association being between the identifier of the UE and information for the associated SMF;
if the identifier of the UE is statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning the SMF instance ID of the associated SMF to the AMF;
if the identifier of the UE is not statically directed to an associated SMF of the plurality of SMFs, returning at least one SMF instance ID of the plurality of SMFs to the AMF;
receiving, from a static selection user interface, the identifier of the UE;
receiving, from the static selection user interface, the information for the associated SMF to associate with the identifier of the UE; and
updating the NRF datastore with the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF.
14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including transmitting to the AMF an identification of the SMF.
15 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
receiving, from the static selection user interface, a reset static pointing input; and
removing the association of the identifier of the UE and the information for the associated SMF to return the UE to a default operation.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the identifier of the UE comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).
17 . The system of claim 13 , computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including establishing an N4 interface between the associated SMF and a user plane function (UPF) associated with the associated SMF, wherein the UPF is capable of handling IPV4 traffic or IPv6 traffic.