Methods, systems, and computer readable media for adjusting and using priorities of service/notification request messages at network functions with multiple slice support
A method for adjusting priorities of messages at a network function (NF) with multiple network slice support includes, at a first NF that supports multiple network slices, storing a database of rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters. The method further includes receiving a message from a second NF. The method further includes determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response. determining network slice information associated with the message, determining, using the network slice information and the database of network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters, a network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message, and discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message.
1 . A method for adjusting and using priorities of messages at a network function (NF) with multiple network slice support, the method comprising:
at a first NF that supports multiple network slices:
storing a database of rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters;
receiving a message from a second NF;
determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response:
determining network slice information associated with the message;
determining, using the network slice information and the database of network-slice-based priority adjustment rules, a network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message, wherein determining the network-slice-adjusted priority includes calculating an adjusted priority value using an equation that includes as a parameter a 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value carried in the message or using a default priority value specified in an interface and network slice-based priority rule in the database when the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value is not present in the message, wherein the equation includes as parameters minimum and maximum network-slice-adjusted priority values configured for a network slice associated with the message, and wherein the equation comprises
A =floor(( R/ 31*(Mx−Mn)))+Mn,
where A is the network-slice-adjusted priority value, R is the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value in the message, Mx is the maximum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice, and Mn is the minimum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice; and
discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority for the message.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein storing the database of network-slice-based message priority adjustment rules includes storing, on a per-interface basis, rules that specify ranges of network-slice-adjusted priority values for the network slices.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein storing the rules on a per-interface basis includes storing a first rule specifying a first range of network-slice-adjusted priority values for a first network slice and interface and storing a second rule specifying a second range of network-slice adjusted priority values for a second network slice and the interface, where the first range of network-slice-adjusted priority values is different from the second range of network-slice-adjusted priority values.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the message includes receiving an initial service request and further comprising:
reading a network slice identifier from the initial service request;
generating a response to the initial service request;
inserting the network slice identifier or a value that is mapped to the network slice identifier in a resource or association identifier;
including the resource or association identifier in a location header of the response; and
sending the response to the second NF.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the message includes receiving a service request associated with an existing resource and wherein determining a network slice associated with the message includes reading a network slice identifier from a resource or association identifier of the service request.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the message includes receiving a notification request and wherein determining a network slice associated with the message includes reading a network slice identifier from a notification uniform resource locator of the notification request.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein processing or discarding the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority value includes determining that the network-slice-adjusted priority value is greater than a threshold, and, in response to determining that the network-slice-adjusted priority value is greater than the threshold, discarding the message.
8 . A system for adjusting and using priorities of messages at a network function (NF) with multiple network slice support, the system comprising:
a first NF that supports multiple network slices, the first NF including at least one processor and a memory;
a network slice priority adjustment rules database embodied in the memory for storing rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters; and
a network-slice-adjusted priority determiner/message throttler implemented by the at least one processor for receiving a message from a second NF, determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response:
determining network slice information associated with the message;
determining, using the network slice information and the network slice priority adjustment rules database, a network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message, wherein the network-slice-adjusted priority determiner/message throttler is configured determine the network-slice-adjusted priority value by calculating the network-slice-adjusted priority value using an equation that includes as a parameter a 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value carried in the message or using a default priority value specified in an interface and network slice based priority rule in the database when the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value is not present in the message, wherein the equation includes as parameters minimum and maximum network-slice-adjusted priority values configured for a network slice associated with the message, and wherein the equation comprises
A =floor(( R/ 31*(Mx−Mn)))+Mn,
where A is the network-slice-adjusted priority value, R is the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value in the message, Mx is the maximum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice, and Mn is the minimum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice; and
discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the network slice priority adjustment rules database stores, on a per-interface basis, rules that specify ranges of network-slice-adjusted priority values for the network slices, wherein storing the rules on a per-interface basis includes storing a first rule specifying a first range of network-slice-adjusted priority values for a first network slice and interface and storing a second rule specifying a second range of network-slice-adjusted priority values for a second network slice and the interface, where the first range of network-slice-adjusted priority values is different from the second range of network-slice-adjusted priority values.
10 . The system of claim 8 wherein the message includes an initial service request and priority wherein the network-slice-adjusted determiner/message throttler is configured to:
read a network slice identifier from the initial service request;
generate a response to the initial service request;
insert the network slice identifier or a value that is mapped to the network slice identifier in a resource or association identifier;
include the resource or association identifier in a location header of the response; and
send the response to the second NF.
11 . The system of claim 8 wherein the message includes a service request associated with an existing resource and wherein the network-slice-adjusted priority determiner/message throttler is configured to determine a network slice associated with the message by reading a network slice identifier from a resource or association identifier of the service request.
12 . The system of claim 8 wherein the message includes a notification request and wherein the network-slice-adjusted priority determiner/message throttler is configured to determine a network slice associated with the message by reading a network slice identifier from a notification uniform resource locator of the notification request.
13 . The system of claim 8 wherein network-slice-adjusted priority determiner/message throttler is configured to discard the message in response to determining that the network-slice-adjusted priority value is greater than a threshold.
14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:
at a first network function (NF) that supports multiple network slices:
storing a database of rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters for network slices;
receiving a message from a second NF;
determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response:
determining network slice information associated with the message;
determining, using the network slice information and the database of network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters, a network-slice-adjusted priority for the message, wherein determining the network-slice-adjusted priority includes calculating an adjusted priority value using an equation that includes as a parameter a 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value carried in the message or using a default priority value specified in an interface and network slice-based priority rule in the database when the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value is not present in the message, wherein the equation includes as parameters minimum and maximum network-slice-adjusted priority values configured for a network slice associated with the message, and wherein the equation comprises
A =floor(( R/ 31*(Mx−Mn)))+Mn,
where A is the network-slice-adjusted priority value, R is the 3gpp-Sbi-Message-Priority value in the message, Mx is the maximum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice, and Mn is the minimum network-slice-adjusted priority value defined for the network slice; and
discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority for the message.