Communication system with virtual network mapping
There is provided a network apparatus comprising: means for storing a mapping, the mapping comprising an indication of a first virtual network and at least one other virtual network configured to provide a service at a lower quality than the first virtual network; means for receiving, from another network apparatus, a request to provide a service using the first virtual network; and means for using the mapping and the indication of the first virtual network to select a virtual network to provide the requested service.
1 . A network apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the network apparatus to:
store a mapping, the mapping comprising an indication of a first virtual network being remapped to at least one other virtual network configured to provide a service at a lower quality than the first virtual network;
receive, from another network apparatus, a request to provide a service using the first virtual network; and
use the mapping and the indication of the first virtual network to select a virtual network to provide the requested service.
2 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the another network apparatus is configured to operate as a core network processing function.
3 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the another network apparatus is configured to operate as a radio access network access point.
4 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory further and computer code is further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the network apparatus to:
transmit, to a core network processing function, an indication of the selected virtual network.
5 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein the indication of the selected virtual network is transmitted via at least one of:
a protocol data unit SESSION RESOURCE NOTIFY request,
a Protocol Data Unit session Resource Response,
an Initial Context Setup Response,
a Handover Notify,
a Path switch request, or
a handover request acknowledge.
6 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and computer code is further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the network apparatus to:
select a virtual network that corresponds to the highest level of service provision provided by the network apparatus within said mapping.
7 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the network apparatus is configured to operate as a radio access network access point.
8 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the request comprises a handover request.
9 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the request comprises at least one of:
a protocol data unit session setup request message, or
an Initial Context Setup Request message.
10 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein each virtual network among the first virtual network and the at least one other virtual network respectively corresponds to a different network slice.
11 . A network apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the network apparatus to:
store a mapping, the mapping comprising an indication of a first virtual network being remapped to at least one other virtual network configured to provide a service at a lower quality than the first virtual network; and
transmit, to another network apparatus, a request to provide a service using a first virtual network.
12 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 11 ,
wherein the network apparatus is configured to operate as a radio access network access point.
13 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 11 ,
wherein the request further comprises an indication of a second virtual network that is used, at the time of the request, by a transmitting network apparatus to provide the service.
14 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 11 ,
wherein the lower quality is a lower quality within a radio access network part of a network comprising the network apparatus.
15 . The network apparatus as claimed in claim 11 ,
wherein the request further comprises an indication of a virtual network that is used, at the time of the request, to provide the service.
16 . A core network apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the core network apparatus to:
receive, from another network apparatus, an indication that the another network apparatus will provide a service using a second virtual network, and an indication that the service is preferably provided using a first virtual network; and
provide the received indication to a network apparatus configured to operate as a core network processing function.
17 . The core network apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the at least one memory further and computer code are further configured, the at least one processor, to cause the core network apparatus to:
transmit, prior to receiving the indication, to a radio access network apparatus, a request to provide the service using the first virtual network.
18 . The core network apparatus as claimed in claim 17 ,
wherein the request comprises a handover request.
19 . The core network apparatus as claimed in claim 17 ,
wherein the request comprises at least one of a protocol data unit session setup request message or an Initial Context Setup Request message.
20 . The core network apparatus as claimed in claim 16 ,
wherein the first virtual network corresponds to a first network slice, and
the second virtual network corresponds to a second network slice that is different from the first network slice.