Abstract: A network function (NF) entity in a communication network receives User Plane Function (UPF) registration information for a plurality of UPFs, the registration information including a respective network attribute for each UPF. The NF entity associates each UPF with a corresponding network based on the respective network attribute, and map one or more User Equipment (UE) to the corresponding network based on a security policy to create a UE-to-network table. The NF further receives a request to establish a session for a subsequent UE, the request including a subsequent UE identifier, and determine an access permission for the subsequent UE to access the corresponding network based on the subsequent UE identifier and the UE-to-network table. The NF selects one UPF from the plurality of UPF to service the session for the subsequent UE based on the access permission, and an association between the one UPF and the corresponding network.

Abstract: A broker network may be configured to serve as an intermediary between one or more radio providers and one or more mobile service providers for reservation of remote radio units (RRUs) for use in a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) environment. The broker network may receive, from a mobile network, a message indicating a request for identification of RRUs of at least one radio provider. The broker network may send, to the mobile network, one or more messages including a plurality of identifiers which identify a plurality of RRUs, and a geographic location and capabilities associated with each RRU. After receiving a selection of an RRU, the broker network may send to the RRU a message which triggers communication with a virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU) for a remote configuration of parameters in the selected RRU, so that it may be used to facilitate communication with UEs in the mobile network.

Abstract: Techniques associated with localizing data traffic for a time sensitive network within a virtualized radio access network are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes determining that a user equipment (UE) is associated with a time sensitive network; and localizing data traffic for the UE within a virtualized radio access network based on determining that the data traffic for the UE can be localized at one centralized user plane component of the virtualized radio access network for the time sensitive network. The data traffic can be Layer-2 data traffic or unstructured data traffic.

Abstract: A network device such as a network function (NF) entity or an application function (AF) entity in a communication network monitors network traffic for a plurality of peer-to-peer transactions associated with an application, where each peer-to-peer transaction includes communications between a user and a peer in the communication network. The network device also determines a set of geographic locations corresponding to one or more peer endpoints for the plurality of peer-to-peer transactions based on the network traffic, and determines an optimal midpoint between the set of geographic locations. The network device further deploys an edge node in the communication network to serve a subsequent peer-to-peer transaction for the application based on the optimal midpoint.

Abstract: Techniques are presented in which a new information element signaling priority of a management entity is included in a setup (e.g., S1-Setup) response or configuration update message sent by a management entity to a base station entity. The base station entity interprets this priority information along with the relative capacity information in an appropriate way to load-distribute the traffic/calls to highly preferable management entity instances (at a local site) when they are available, and switchover/failover to lower preference management entity instances (at a remote site) when there is a local site outage/failure or insufficient capacity in a geo-resilient pooled network.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes one management cluster to manage network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) resources lifecycle in more than one edge POD locations, where resources include hardware and/or software, and where software resources lifecycle includes software development, upgrades, downgrades, logging, monitoring etc. Methods are provided for decoupling storage from compute and network functions in each virtual machine (VM)-based NFVI deployment location and moving it to a centralized location. Centralized storage could simultaneously interact with more than one edge PODs, and the security is built-in with periodic key rotation. Methods are provided for increasing NFVI system viability by dedicating (fencing) CPU core pairs for specific controller operations and workload operations, and sharing the CPU cores for specific tasks.

Abstract: A network function (NF) entity in a communication network receives authentication data associated with a User Equipment (UE), determines the UE supports a blockchain registration procedure based on the authentication data, exchanges authentication messages with a Blockchain Roaming Broker (BRB) entity over a blockchain network interface, receives a blockchain authentication confirmation from the BRB entity, and registers the UE with the core network based on the blockchain authentication confirmation.

Abstract: A network function (NF) entity in a communication network receives User Plane Function (UPF) registration information for a plurality of UPFs, the registration information including a respective network attribute for each UPF. The NF entity associates each UPF with a corresponding network based on the respective network attribute, and map one or more User Equipment (UE) to the corresponding network based on a security policy to create a UE-to-network table. The NF further receives a request to establish a session for a subsequent UE, the request including a subsequent UE identifier, and determine an access permission for the subsequent UE to access the corresponding network based on the subsequent UE identifier and the UE-to-network table. The NF selects one UPF from the plurality of UPF to service the session for the subsequent UE based on the access permission, and an association between the one UPF and the corresponding network.

Abstract: Blockchain technology is used to provide distributed authentication, entitlements and trust among different virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) elements. An enterprise blockchain with interfaces enables multi-vendor vRAN deployment across multiple service providers. In another embodiment, a method is provided for authenticating entities in a virtualized radio access network to ensure various entitles are in fact entitled to participate in various radio access network operations.

Abstract: A solution for selecting an optimal user Plane entity (with Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS)) per UE during seamless roaming. In one embodiment, a method is provide that is performed by a control plane entity in a mobile core network that supports inter public land mobile network (PLMN) roaming among two or more PLMNs. The method includes obtaining a create session request from an entity in a second PLMN to which a user equipment has roamed from a first PLMN; selecting a particular user plane entity among a plurality of user plane entities based on one or more user equipment related parameters; and establishing a session with the particular user plane entity to serve user plane traffic in the mobile core network for the user equipment.

Abstract: A Network Function (NF) entity in a telecommunication network receives blockchain credentials associated with UE and selects a Blockchain Charging Function (BCF). The NF entity further generates a Charging Data Record (CDR) corresponding to network resources, and sends a charging request based on the CDR (and policy rules) to the BCF entity over a blockchain network interface. The BCF entity sends a confirmation of the charging request, and the NF entity, based on the confirmation, provisions the network resources to the UE.

Abstract: In one example, a Network Functions Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) obtains a radio service descriptor defining communication parameters for a radio in a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN). Based on the radio service descriptor, the NFVO determines whether a virtual Distributed Unit (vDU) that is configured in accordance with the communication parameters and a virtual Centralized Unit (vCU) that is configured in accordance with the communication parameters are already instantiated in the vRAN. If it is determined that the vDU or the vCU is not already instantiated, the NFVO automatically instantiates the vDU or the vCU in the vRAN.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed technology provide ways to report User Equipment (UE) device locations in a 5G network for the purpose of redirecting application traffic from proximately located Data Networks (DNs). In one aspect, the disclosed technology encompasses a process for conveying User Equipment (UE) information to an Application Function (AF), the process includes steps for receiving, at an intermediate-User Plane Function (I-UPF) entity, User Equipment (UE) uplink data from a Radio Access Network (RAN), determining if sharing of location information or application information associated with the UE is restricted, and encapsulating first location metadata or application metadata in an SRv6 packet if the sharing of location information or application information is not restricted. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a secure and scalable approach for (a) exchanging, between a first network and a second network, provisioning requirements of a user device, (b) executing a smart contract that includes the provisioning requirements, and (c) connecting the user device to one of the networks. The method comprises connecting the user device to a first network, and connecting the first and second networks through a scalable blockchain network. The method further comprises sending a smart contract, by the first network to the second network, through the blockchain network. The second network either accepts or rejects the contract. If the second network accepts, then the user device connects to the second network and the second network provides network services to the user device. The provided network services comply with the conditions or parameters of the smart contract.

Abstract: Techniques for adaptive thresholding are provided. First and second data points are received. A plurality of data points are identified, where the plurality of data points corresponds to timestamps associated with the first and second data points. At least one cluster is generated for the plurality of data points based on a predefined cluster radius. Upon determining that the first data point is outside of the cluster, the first data point is labeled as anomalous. A predicted value is generated for the second data point, based on processing data points in the cluster using a machine learning model, and a deviation between the predicted value and an actual value for the second data point is computed. Upon determining that the deviation exceeds a threshold, the second data point is labeled as anomalous. Finally, computing resources are reallocated, based on at least one of the anomalous data points.

Abstract: Embodiments provide for assuring policy based alerting, via clustering, via a first neural network, operational data reported from a network into a plurality of anomalies organized into several clusters; correlating, via the first neural network, alerts received from devices in the network according to the several clusters; determining, via the second neural network, anomaly impacts in the several clusters from the filtered alerts; in response to determining that the anomaly impacts for a first cluster exceed an alerting threshold: identifying a first shared node in the first cluster; identifying a second cluster including a second shared node matching the first shared node that has not been determined to exceed the alerting threshold; and transmitting an alert for the first cluster and the second cluster; and in response to receiving a response to the alert, updating, via the second neural network, the first neural network.

Abstract: Techniques for policy management and enforcement using semantic data modeling are provided. A first declarative policy is received at a network node from a controller. A first semantic data query protocol (SDQP) transaction is generated by retrieving a first semantic data model associated with the network node, where the first semantic data model describes a configuration domain of the network node, and parsing the first declarative policy based on the first semantic data model to generate the first SDQP transaction. The first declarative policy is then implemented by executing the first SDQP transaction against a semantic database.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed technology provide ways to report User Equipment (UE) device locations in a 5G network for the purpose of redirecting application traffic from proximately located Data Networks (DNs). In one aspect, the disclosed technology encompasses a process for conveying User Equipment (UE) information to an Application Function (AF), the process includes steps for receiving, at an intermediate-User Plane Function (I-UPF) entity, User Equipment (UE) uplink data from a Radio Access Network (RAN), determining if sharing of location information or application information associated with the UE is restricted, and encapsulating first location metadata or application metadata in an SRv6 packet if the sharing of location information or application information is not restricted. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein enable programming user plane gateway controllers over enhanced N9 interfaces. In various implementations, a method of gateway controlling is performed by a computing device including one or more processors, and a non-transitory memory. In various implementations the method includes determining, by a first packet gateway controller connected to a first session manager device, that a user equipment moved to a geographical area that is served by a second session manager device. In some implementations, the method includes receiving, by the first packet gateway device, a set of information for a second packet gateway device. In some implementations, the method includes transmitting, by the first packet gateway device, a session establishment request via a first network interface to the second packet gateway controller using segment routing via a second network interface.

Abstract: A network function (NF) entity in a communication network receives authentication data associated with a User Equipment (UE), determines the UE supports a blockchain registration procedure based on the authentication data, exchanges authentication messages with a Blockchain Roaming Broker (BRB) entity over a blockchain network interface, receives a blockchain authentication confirmation from the BRB entity, and registers the UE with the core network based on the blockchain authentication confirmation.