Enhancements for handling network slice quota
A Public Land Mobile Network includes a network slice quota (NSQ) node to implement a quota on the number of user equipments (UEs) or (UE, PDU_Session) pairs that may be registered on a network slice. An access and mobility management function (AMF) queries the NSQ on whether quota is available for registration of a UE on a network slice in response to a notification of successful authorization and/or authentication (AAA) of the UE. Alternatively, the AMF may preemptively capture one or more units of network slice quota for the UE prior to initiation of the AAA procedure. The AMF may start a timer after UE deregistration is initiated, and not relinquish the quota unit held by the UE until after the timer's expiration. The network may also include a session management function (SMF) that provides UE identification as well as PDU Session ID when requesting registration of a UE.
1. A plurality of network nodes in a network, the plurality of network nodes comprising:
a session management function (SMF) configured to:
request an address of a network slice quota (NSQ) node; and
in response to receiving the address of the NSQ node, send to the NSQ node a first request for establishment of a protocol data unit (PDU) session on a network slice of the network, wherein the first request includes an identification of the PDU session, an identification of a user equipment (UE) that is requesting said establishment, and an identification of the network slice; and
the NSQ node, configured to:
in response to receiving said first request, determine whether a maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached; and
in response to determining that the maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has not been reached, add a new record to list of records of UE identifications and PDU session identifications associated with the network slice, wherein the new record corresponds to the UE identification and the PDU session identification of the first request, and increment a count of PDU sessions using the network slice.
2. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , wherein the NSQ node is configured to:
in response adding the new record, send an establishment accept message to the SMF.
3. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , wherein the NSQ node maintains a plurality of lists associated with respective network slices of the network, wherein the plurality of lists includes said list associated with the network slice, wherein the NSQ node is configured to:
receive a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the network, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, delete, from the lists, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
4. The plurality of network nodes of claim 3 , wherein the deregistration message is received from an Access and Mobility Management Function of the network.
5. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , wherein the NSQ node is configured to:
receive a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the network slice, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE and the identification of the network slice; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, delete, from the list, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
6. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , wherein the NSQ node is configured to:
after said adding the new record, receive a second request for establishment that includes the same PDU session identification, UE identification and network slice identification as said first request; and
in response to determining that the maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached, refrain from adding another record to the list.
7. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , wherein the network is a 3GPP 5G core network.
8. The plurality of network nodes of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store the list of records.
9. A method comprising:
by a first node of a network:
requesting an address of a network slice management node of the network; and
in response to receiving the address of the network slice management node, sending a first request for establishment of a protocol data unit (PDU) session on a network slice of a network, wherein the first request includes an identification of the PDU session, an identification of a user equipment (UE) that is requesting said establishment, and an identification of the network slice; and
by the network slice management node:
in response to receiving the first request, determine whether a maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached; and
in response to determining that the maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has not been reached, add a new record to a list of records of UE identifications and PDU session identifications associated with the network slice, wherein the new record corresponds to the UE identification and the PDU session identification of the first request, and increment a count of PDU sessions using the network slice.
10. The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:
in response adding the new record, send an establishment accept message to the first node.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
maintaining a plurality of lists associated with respective network slices of the network, wherein the plurality of lists includes said list associated with the network slice;
receiving a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the network, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, deleting, from the lists, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the deregistration message is received from an Access and Mobility Management Function of the network.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the network slice, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE and the identification of the network slice; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, deleting, from the list, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
by the network slice management node:
after said adding the new record, receiving a second request for establishment that includes the same PDU session identification, UE identification and network slice identification as said first request; and
in response to determining that the maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached, refraining from adding another record to the list.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network is a 3 GPP 5 G core network.
16. A wireless communication network comprising:
a first node configured to:
receive a request to create a session management context for a protocol data unit (PDU) session on a network slice of the wireless communication network;
in response to receiving the request to create the session management context, provide a request for an address of a second node of the wireless communication network; and
in response to receiving the address, provide a first request for establishment of the PDU session on the network slice of a network, wherein the first request includes an identification of the PDU session, an identification of a user equipment (UE) that is requesting the establishment, and an identification of the network slice; and
the second node configured to:
in response to receiving the first request, determine whether a maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached; and
in response to determining that a maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has not been reached, add a new record to a list of records of UE identifications and PDU session identifications associated with the network slice, wherein the new record corresponds to the UE identification and the PDU session identification of the first request, and increment a count of PDU sessions using the network slice.
17. The wireless communication network of claim 16 , wherein the second node is configured to:
in response adding the new record, send an establishment accept message to the first node.
18. The wireless communication network of claim 16 , wherein the second node is configured to:
maintain a plurality of lists associated with respective network slices of the wireless communication network, wherein the plurality of lists includes said list associated with the network slice;
receive a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the wireless communication network, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, delete, from the lists, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
19. The wireless communication network of claim 16 , wherein the second node is configured to:
receive a deregistration message that indicates the UE is to be deregistered from the network slice, wherein the deregistration message includes the UE identification of the UE and the identification of the network slice; and
in response to receiving the deregistration message, delete, from the list, any records that include the UE identification of the UE.
20. The wireless communication network of claim 16 , wherein the second node is configured to:
after said adding the new record, receive a second request for establishment that includes the same PDU session identification, UE identification and network slice identification as said first request; and
in response to determining that the maximum number of PDU sessions allowed to use the network slice has been reached, refrain from adding another record to the list.