Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method, by a virtual network function, that includes: receiving a first request from a user equipment (UE), the first request including first parameters and a first token, the first token being a vector value corresponding to a session state for the UE; determining the session state for the UE according to the first token; programming network resources according to the session state, the programming updating states of the network resources, wherein the session state for the UE is updated when the states of the network resources are updated; producing a second token corresponding to the updated session state for the UE; storing the updated session state and the second token; and transmitting the second token to the UE.

Abstract: A mobile core network with distributed data services is provided. The mobile core network includes distributed mobile cores associated with mobile data service (MDS) agents at distributed data centers. A central MDS agent is host at a central data center providing legacy mobility management entity (MME) functions. The central MDS agent and the MDS agents at the distributed data centers coordinate with each other for synchronizing context information, such as subscriber data, session context data and metrics data of UEs, so that the context information is available at the central data center and the distributed data centers when or before it is requested.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for accessing a wireless network. The embodiments enable establishing and releasing session resources in a wireless local area network (WLAN) corresponding to packet data network (PDN) connections in a 3 GPP enhanced packet core (EPC). In an embodiment, a method in a network component for establishing a control channel with a user equipment (UE) includes setting up, by the network component, a link layer channel, sending, by the network component, an identifier of the link layer channel to the UE; and communicating, by the network component, with the UE over the link layer channel using a WLAN control protocol (WLCP), wherein the WLAN comprises a trusted WLAN Access Network (TWAN).

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for accessing a wireless network. The embodiments enable establishing and releasing session resources in a wireless local area network (WLAN) corresponding to packet data network (PDN) connections in a 3 GPP enhanced packet core (EPC). In an embodiment, a method in a network component for establishing a control channel with a user equipment (UE) includes setting up, by the network component, a link layer channel, sending, by the network component, an identifier of the link layer channel to the UE; and communicating, by the network component, with the UE over the link layer channel using a WLAN control protocol (WLCP), wherein the WLAN comprises a trusted WLAN Access Network (TWAN).

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for evolved packet core cluster and session handling. In an embodiment, a method in a network component for cluster and session handling includes receiving, by a MC-C in a first resource pool in a cluster of resources, an attach request from a SORC for a PDN connection for a UE, the MC-C and the first resource pool selected by the SORC according to a UE address, a resource load, and an operator policy; configuring session control and gateway resources for a session for the UE; negotiating with a follower site to determine state information for a bearer context of the UE; synchronizing the state information with follower sites when a state is agreed upon by at least some of the follower sites; and forming an availability group according to a set of servers that hold replicated state information for the UE.

Abstract: An apparatus is configured to perform a method for mobility management. The method includes establishing a first Packet Data Network (PDN) connection between a user equipment (UE) and a first Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) associated with a first group of Serving Gateways (SGW) within a first geographical area; establishing communication with a handover destination SGW associated with a second PGW, the second PGW associated with a second group of SGWs within a second geographical area; and upon a determination that the UE moves from the first geographical area to the second geographical area, establishing a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel connection between the first PGW and the handover destination SGW, and updating the first PDN connection to use the GTP tunnel connection between the first PGW and the handover destination SGW.

Abstract: A method for controlling a network element by a remote controller comprising a processor coupled to a transmitter comprises modeling, by the processor, a state machine that controls transitions between operational states of the network element, offloading, by the transmitter, to the network element a portion of the state machine that controls a subset of the transitions, the subset comprising selected transitions that are more suitable for local control by the network element than remote control by the remote control application, and remotely controlling, by the processor, other transitions that are not in the subset of the transitions.

Abstract: Internet protocol (IP) address allocations in distributed EPC networks can be published to an IP address registry maintained at the central EPC entity in order to facilitate the routing of authentication authorization, and accounting (AAA) signaling of third party networks throughout the distributed EPC network architecture. The address allocations can be published directly to an address registry maintained by the central EPC entity, or indirectly via a cloud management server. Additionally, latencies associated with UE authentication in distributed EPC network architectures can be mitigated by triggering communication of the authentication or authorization profile upon reception of an update location request (ULR) message at the central EPC network entity.

Abstract: A system and method of provides services including a federated service bus between distributed and evolved packet core (EPC) and a radio access network (RAN), wherein the federated service bus provides information based on a parent-child relationship between the EPC and RAN on a per-federated service basis. The information can include loading and location information.

Abstract: A mobile core network with distributed data services is provided. The mobile core network includes distributed mobile cores associated with mobile data service (MDS) agents at distributed data centers. A central MDS agent is host at a central data center providing legacy mobility management entity (MME) functions. The central MDS agent and the MDS agents at the distributed data centers coordinate with each other for synchronizing context information, such as subscriber data, session context data and metrics data of UEs, so that the context information is available at the central data center and the distributed data centers when or before it is requested.

Abstract: A system and method of provides services including a federated service bus between distributed and evolved packet core (EPC) and a radio access network (RAN), wherein the federated service bus provides information based on a parent-child relationship between the EPC and RAN on a per-federated service basis. The information can include loading and location information.

Abstract: A mobile core network with distributed data services is provided. The mobile core network includes distributed mobile cores associated with mobile data service (MDS) agents at distributed data centers. A central MDS agent is host at a central data center providing legacy mobility management entity (MME) functions. The central MDS agent and the MDS agents at the distributed data centers coordinate with each other for synchronizing context information, such as subscriber data, session context data and metrics data of UEs, so that the context information is available at the central data center and the distributed data centers when or before it is requested.

Abstract: It is possible to dynamically configure buffers in network devices by sending software defined network (SDN) instructions to a Control-to-Data-Plane Interface (CDPI) agents on the network devices. An SDN instruction may instruct a CDPI agent to configure a buffer in a network device to store a specific type of traffic flow in accordance with a traffic handling policy. In some embodiments, the SDN instruction instructs the CDPI Agent to directly configure a buffer by, for example, associating a virtual port with a new/existing buffer, binding a virtual port associated with the buffer to a switch, and/or installing a flow control rule in a flow table of the switch. In other embodiments, the SDN instruction may instruct the CDPI agent to reconfigure the buffer by transitioning the buffer to a different state.

Abstract: A method implemented in an access node (AN) including receiving a packet for a service on a connection between a subscriber and a service provider or service provider network (SP), replacing a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag for the subscriber in the packet with a Q-in-Q label that matches a Media Access Control (MAC) address for a residential gateway (RG) in the packet when the packet is received from the RG, wherein the Q-in-Q label comprises a Customer VLAN (C-VLAN) tag that identifies the subscriber and a Service-VLAN (S-VLAN) tag that identifies the SP, and replacing the Q-in-Q label in the packet with a VLAN tag for the subscriber that matches the MAC address for the RG in the packet when the packet is received from the SP.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of configuring multiple per user access connections includes receiving, by an access gateway (AG) from an access point (AP), a first extensible authentication protocol (EAP) message including a first capability of a user equipment (UE) and transmitting, by the AG to an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, a second EAP message including the first capability of the UE and indication second capability of the AG. The method also includes receiving, by the AG from the AAA server, and an AAA message including a negotiated connection capability version and AAA message parameters and transmitting, by AG to the AP, a third EAP message including the negotiated connection capability version.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system related to a packet data network (PDN) connection for a radio access network (RAN) are provided. The PDN connections between eNB of the RAN and an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) are forward though Ethernet switching network. A controller at Evolved Packet Core (EPC) site such as EPC controller or centralized switch controller is configured to configure flow table entries along the transport path from eNB to a gateway of the EPC.

Abstract: A mobile core network with distributed data services is provided. The mobile core network includes distributed mobile cores associated with mobile data service (MDS) agents at distributed data centers. A central MDS agent is host at a central data center providing legacy mobility management entity (MME) functions. The central MDS agent and the MDS agents at the distributed data centers coordinate with each other for synchronizing context information, such as subscriber data, session context data and metrics data of UEs, so that the context information is available at the central data center and the distributed data centers when or before it is requested.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for a mechanism for supporting multiple 3GPP Packet Data Network (PDN) connections over a WLAN. Multiple gateway interfaces, each corresponding to a different PDN, are established over a single connection, via the WLAN, between a UE and an access gateway. A PDN access configuration protocol (PACP) is provided to configure the association between the IP interface on the access gateway and the corresponding 3GPP PDN/APN connection, and exchange the PDN setup between the UE and the access gateway. The PACP mechanisms allow signaling APN information and associating corresponding IP context at the access gateway, setting up and tearing down connection context between the UE and PDN gateway (P-GW), and supporting session continuity when the UE moves to another access gateway. The mechanisms support using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for IPv4 and Neighbor Discovery for IPv6.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for evolved packet core cluster and session handling. In an embodiment, a method in a network component for cluster and session handling includes receiving, by a MC-C in a first resource pool in a cluster of resources, an attach request from a SORC for a PDN connection for a UE, the MC-C and the first resource pool selected by the SORC according to a UE address, a resource load, and an operator policy; configuring session control and gateway resources for a session for the UE; negotiating with a follower site to determine state information for a bearer context of the UE; synchronizing the state information with follower sites when a state is agreed upon by at least some of the follower sites; and forming an availability group according to a set of servers that hold replicated state information for the UE.

Abstract: A system comprising an access node (AN) coupled to a plurality of service providers (SPs) and a host and configured to forward a plurality of services between the SPs and the host using a plurality of first connections between the AN and the host and a plurality of second connections between the AN and the SPs, and a router gateway (RG) positioned between the host and the AN and coupled to the AN via an access line that comprises the first connections, wherein the AN translates a plurality of first identifiers for the first connections to a plurality of second identifiers for the second connections to route the services appropriately between the host and the SPs over the first connections and the corresponding second connections.