Apparatuses, methods and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums for network access

1 . A method for configuring network access in a control and user plane separation architecture, the control and user plane separation architecture including a control plane and a user plane, the method comprising:

sending, by a session management function (SMF) to a first user plane function (UPF), a first packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) message including an indication of a first tunnel internet protocol (IP) address and a designated state for the first UPF;

sending, by the SMF to a second UPF, a second PFCP message including the indication of the first tunnel IP address and a designated state for the second UPF, the designated state for the second UPF being standby and the designated state for the first UPF being active;

sending, by the SMF to the first UPF, a third PFCP message including an indication of a second tunnel IP address and a second designated state for the first UPF; and

sending, by the SMF to the second UPF, a fourth PFCP message including the indication of the second tunnel IP address and a second designated state for the second UPF, the second designated state for the second UPF being standby and the second designated state for the first UPF being active.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PFCP message and the second PFCP message further include an association between the first tunnel IP address and a first subscriber group.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

establishing, between the SMF and the first UPF, a first PFCP session for a subscriber in the first subscriber group, and

establishing, for the subscriber in the first subscriber group, a second PFCP session between the SMF and the second UPF upon failure of the first PFCP session.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first subscriber group utilizes the first tunnel IP address for network access in both the first PFCP session and the second PFCP session.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second UPF is a redundancy for the first UPF for the first PFCP session.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring, by the SMF, a status of the first UPF.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

updating, by the SMF, the designated state of the second UPF to active in response to the status of the first UPF indicating failure of the first UPF.

8 . A system for configuring network access in a control and user plane separation architecture, the control and user plane separation architecture including a control plane and a user plane, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to

send, by a session management function (SMF) to a first user plane function (UPF), a first packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) message including an indication of a first tunnel internet protocol (IP) address and a designated state for the first UPF;

send, by the SMF to a second UPF, a second PFCP message including the indication of the first tunnel IP address and a designated state for the second UPF, the designated state for the second UPF being standby and the designated state for the first UPF being active;

send, by the SMF to the first UPF, a third PFCP message including an indication of a second tunnel IP address and a second designated state for the first UPF; and

send, by the SMF to the second UPF, a fourth PFCP message including the indication of the second tunnel IP address and a second designated state for the second UPF, the second designated state for the second UPF being standby and the second designated state for the first UPF being active.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first PFCP message and the second PFCP message further include an association between the first tunnel IP address and a first subscriber group.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to:

establish, between the SMF and the first UPF, a first PFCP session for a subscriber in the first subscriber group, and

establish, for the subscriber in the first subscriber group, a second PFCP session between the SMF and the second UPF upon failure of the first PFCP session.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first subscriber group utilizes the first tunnel IP address for network access in both the first PFCP session and the second PFCP session.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the second UPF is a redundancy for the first UPF for the first PFCP session.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the third PFCP message and the fourth PFCP message further include an association between the second tunnel IP address and a second subscriber group.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to:

establish, between the SMF and the first UPF, a third PFCP session for a subscriber in the second subscriber group, and

establish, for the subscriber in the first subscriber group, a fourth PFCP session between the SMF and the second UPF upon failure of the first PFCP session.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first PFCP session between the SMF and the first UPF is independent of the third PFCP session between the SMF and the first UPF and failure of the first PFCP session is independent of the third PFCP session.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first tunnel IP address and the second tunnel IP address are assigned by the SMF.

17 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured to:

monitor, by the SMF, a status of the first UPF.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to:

update, by the SMF, the designated state of the second UPF to active in response to the status of the first UPF indicating failure of the first UPF.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to:

maintain the designated state of the first UPF as active and the designated state for the second UPF as standby in response to the status of the first UPF not indicating failure of the first UPF.