OSS node, network node and methods performed therein

1. A method performed by an Operation and Support System (OSS) node for handling communication between a wireless device and a communication network node in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a first radio access node associated with a first gateway and a second radio access node associated with a second gateway, the method comprising:

determining to initiate a change of an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the wireless device;

identifying a session of packets for the wireless device, wherein the session is run over a protocol that supports session continuity even though source or destination IP addresses change in the packets;

triggering, at a network node or another network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device, of the packets of the session, to a changed IP address associated with the second gateway; and

ordering, the network node or the other network node, in the communication network to stop changing the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining to initiate the change of the IP address comprises determining that the wireless device is handed over from the first radio access node to the second radio access node.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the triggering, at the network node or the other network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway comprises transmitting a request, to the network node or the other network node, in the communication network, and wherein the request comprises requesting, the network node or the other network node, to initiate the change of the IP address for the wireless device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the change comprises changing at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address, associated with the first gateway, of the packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address associated with the second gateway.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the triggering, at the network node or the other network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway further comprises transmitting an additional request to the other network node or the network node, and wherein the additional request comprises requesting the other network node or the network node to initiate a second change of the packets of the session from the changed IP address associated with the second gateway to the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device.

6. A method performed by a network node for handling communication between a wireless device and a communication network node in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a first radio access node associated with a first gateway and a second radio access node associated with a second gateway, the method comprising:

receiving a request from an Operations and Support System (OSS) node, wherein the request comprises requesting the network node to initiate a change of an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway for the wireless device, of packets of a session for the wireless device, to a changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway;

changing the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway for the wireless device, of one or more packets of the session to the changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway, wherein the session is run over a protocol that supports session continuity even though source or destination IP addresses change in the one or more packets, and wherein the changing the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway is performed until receiving an interrupt indication from the OSS node indicating to stop changing the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device; and

forwarding the one or more packets of the session towards the communication network node or the wireless device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the changing the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway is implemented by a Network Address Translation function mapping the changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway to the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the changing the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway comprises changing at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address, associated with the first gateway, of the one or more packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address associated with the second gateway.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the changing the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway comprises changing at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address, associated with the second gateway, of the one or more packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address associated with the first gateway.

10. An Operation and Support System (OSS) node for handling communication between a wireless device and a communication network node in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a first radio access node associated with a first gateway and a second radio access node associated with a second gateway, the OSS node comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, instruct the OSS node to perform operations to:

determine to initiate a change of an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the wireless device;

identify a session of packets for the wireless device, wherein the session is run over a protocol that supports session continuity even though source or destination IP addresses change in the packets;

trigger, at a network node or another network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device, of the packets of the session, to a changed IP address associated with the second gateway; and

order, the network node or the other network node, in the communication network to stop changing the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device.

11. The OSS node according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions instruct the OSS node to perform operations to determine to initiate the change of the IP address by being configured to determine that the wireless device is handed over from the first radio access node to the second radio access node.

12. The OSS node according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions instruct the OSS node to perform operations to trigger, at the network node or the other network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway by being configured to transmit a request, to the network node or the other network node, in the communication network, and wherein the request comprises requesting, the network node or the other network node, to initiate the change of the IP address for the wireless device.

13. The OSS node according to claim 12 , wherein the change comprises changing at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address, associated with the first gateway, of the packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address associated with the second gateway.

14. The OSS node according to claim 12 , wherein the instructions instruct the OSS node to perform operations to trigger, at the network node or the other network node, the change of the IP address associated with the first gateway by being configured to transmit an additional request to the other network node or the network node, and wherein the additional request comprises requesting the other network node or the network node to initiate a second change of the packets of the session from the changed IP address associated with the second gateway to the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device.

15. A network node for handling communication between a wireless device and a communication network node in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a first radio access node associated with a first gateway and a second radio access node associated with a second gateway, the network node comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, instruct the network node to perform operations to:

receive a request from an Operations and Support System (OSS) node, wherein the request comprises requesting the network node to initiate a change of an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway for the wireless device, of packets of a session for the wireless device, to a changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway;

change the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway for the wireless device, of one or more packets of the session to the changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway, wherein the session is run over a protocol that supports session continuity even though source or destination IP addresses change in the one or more packets, and wherein the instructions instruct the network node to perform operations to change the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway until receiving an interrupt indication from the OSS node indicating to stop changing the IP address associated with the first gateway for the wireless device; and

forward the one or more packets of the session towards the communication network node or the wireless device.

16. The network node according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions instruct the network node to perform operations to change the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway by being configured to implement a Network Address Translation function mapping the changed IP address associated with the second gateway or the first gateway to the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway.

17. The network node according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions instruct the network node to perform operations to change the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway by being configured to change at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address, associated with the first gateway, of the one or more packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address associated with the second gateway.

18. The network node according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions instruct the network node to perform operations to change the IP address associated with the first gateway or the second gateway by being configured to change at least one of a changed source IP address and a changed destination IP address, associated with the second gateway, of the one or more packets of the session for the wireless device, to at least one of a source IP address and a destination IP address associated with the first gateway.