Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the communications field, and provide a load migration method, apparatus, and system. The method includes: determining, by a source controller, a to-be-migrated UE that needs to be migrated to a destination controller; updating, by the source controller, resource information of the to-be-migrated UE in a database server, where the updated resource information includes a correspondence between the to-be-migrated UE and the destination controller; and sending, by the source controller, an inter-domain update instruction to an external network element, where the inter-domain update instruction includes an identifier of the to-be-migrated UE and an identifier of the destination controller.

Abstract: A network slice selection method and apparatus are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a first SSF device of a VPLMN, a first service request message; obtaining, by the first SSF device, roaming information of UE according to the first service request message; selecting, by the first SSF device, a first network slice instance in the VPLMN for the UE based on the roaming information of the UE.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a route determining method, including: receiving a first flow entry which includes a first route mapping relationship and a first load ratio with respect to a full load capacity of each service node; receiving a second flow entry which includes a second route mapping relationship, a second load ratio with respect to a full load capacity of each service node, and a start time of the second flow entry; receiving a first packet of a first service flow; determining, according to a service chain identifier included in the first packet, that the first service flow is a first type of service flow; determining whether a time corresponding to a timestamp precedes the start time of the second flow entry; and if so, determining a service node for receiving the first packet according to the first flow entry; if not, determining a service node for receiving the first packet according to the second flow entry.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a user plane gateway updating method and apparatus, so as to resolve a prior-art technical problem that GW-U updating cannot be implemented when neither an MME nor a GW-C changes. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide four different solutions, for purposes of being compatible with an existing implementation mechanism and improving system efficiency, when a UE performs TAU, an EPS system of a distributed gateway can select, according to a current location of the UE, a best GW-U and re-establish a PDN connection, thereby optimizing a data transmission path and ensuring communication performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of this application provide an information transmission method, a network element selector, and a controller. The information transmission method provided in the embodiments of this application includes: receiving, by an NES from an external network element, a first message including identification information of UE; determining, based on the identification information of the UE, a user group to which the UE belongs; determining a controller corresponding to the user group; and then sending the first message to the controller.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving, by a network element selector, a first message from a first external network element, where the first message carries a first session index, and the first session index is used to identify UE served by the first external network element; and sending, by the network element selector, the first message to a first converged controller based on mapping information corresponding to the UE and the first session index in the first message, where the mapping information includes a mapping relationship between the first converged controller and a plurality of different session indexes of the UE, and the plurality of different session indexes of the UE include the first session index. It can be learned that the network element selector sends, based on the mapping information corresponding to the UE, all messages of different external network elements serving the UE to a same converged controller.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a load balancing method. In this method, a first load migration instruction from an operation management system can be received by a network element selector, when a first controller dynamically changes. Record information may then be updated by the network element selector based on the the first load migration instruction. Interaction signaling of UE from an external network element may then be received and a second controller may be selected for the UE based on updated record information. The interaction signaling may be forwarded to the second controller. Embodiments can further provide devices related to this method. In various embodiments, utilization and availability of resources of a core network can be improved while load balancing is implemented.

Abstract: A network element selection method and a network element selector are provided. The network element selection method includes: receiving, by a network element selector, a request message sent by a base station, where the request message includes information about user equipment UE and a service chain head, the service chain head includes a session index, and the session index is empty or the session index is allocated by a first controller serving the UE; determining, by the network element selector based on the session index, a controller providing a service; and sending, by the network element selector, the request message to the controller providing the service, so that the controller providing the service serves the UE. In this application, the network element selector is deployed to provide a load balance function.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a universal session persistence method for different communications protocol layers. The method includes: generating, by a first node device, a first interaction message, where the first interaction message includes a first load balancing protocol header, the first load balancing protocol header is independent of a protocol header corresponding to a communications protocol layer at which the first interaction message is generated, the first load balancing protocol header includes a first destination end load balancing index, and the first destination end load balancing index is used to identify a second node device that is to receive the first interaction message; and sending, by the first node device, the first interaction message to the second node device via a first load balancer.

Abstract: A network slice selection method and apparatus are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a first SSF device of a VPLMN, a first service request message; obtaining, by the first SSF device, roaming information of UE according to the first service request message; selecting, by the first SSF device, a first network slice instance in the VPLMN for the UE based on the roaming information of the UE.

Abstract: A load balancing method is provided: A load balancer obtains an invalidation notification, where the invalidation notification includes an identifier of an invalid object on a target side, and the invalid object includes an invalid interaction node, an invalid session group on an interaction node, or an invalid session in a session group; the load balancer broadcasts the invalidation notification, where the invalidation notification is used to instruct an interaction node on a source side to delete recorded information about a load balancing protocol of the invalid object; and the load balancer reassigns an interaction node to an application interaction request when the load balancer receives the application interaction request sent by the interaction node on the source side and destination data in the application interaction request is empty. In this way, reliability of message exchanging is ensured when an interaction node is abnormal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the communications field, and provide a load migration method, apparatus, and system. The method includes: determining, by a source controller, a to-be-migrated UE that needs to be migrated to a destination controller; updating, by the source controller, resource information of the to-be-migrated UE in a database server, where the updated resource information includes a correspondence between the to-be-migrated UE and the destination controller; and sending, by the source controller, an inter-domain update instruction to an external network element, where the inter-domain update instruction includes an identifier of the to-be-migrated UE and an identifier of the destination controller.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an SCTP-based communications method and system, and an apparatus. The method includes: A network element selector receives an SCTP packet that includes a plurality of SCTP data chunks of a plurality of user terminals. Because each SCTP data chunk carries index information, the network element selector may select a service providing device for each user terminal based on the index information carried in each SCTP data chunk. Therefore, application layer messages of different user terminals in the SCTP may be routed to different servers based on LBI parameters, and corresponding session persistence is implemented in a subsequent interaction process.

Abstract: A network element selection method and a network element selector are provided. The network element selection method includes: receiving, by a network element selector, a request message sent by a base station, where the request message includes information about user equipment UE and a service chain head, the service chain head includes a session index, and the session index is empty or the session index is allocated by a first controller serving the UE; determining, by the network element selector based on the session index, a controller providing a service; and sending, by the network element selector, the request message to the controller providing the service, so that the controller providing the service serves the UE. In this application, the network element selector is deployed to provide a load balance function.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a route determining method, including: receiving a first flow entry which includes a first route mapping relationship and a first load ratio with respect to a full load capacity of each service node; receiving a second flow entry which includes a second route mapping relationship, a second load ratio with respect to a full load capacity of each service node, and a start time of the second flow entry; receiving a first packet of a first service flow; determining, according to a service chain identifier included in the first packet, that the first service flow is a first type of service flow; determining whether a time corresponding to a timestamp precedes the start time of the second flow entry; and if so, determining a service node for receiving the first packet according to the first flow entry; if not, determining a service node for receiving the first packet according to the second flow entry.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a user plane gateway updating method and apparatus, so as to resolve a prior-art technical problem that GW-U updating cannot be implemented when neither an MME nor a GW-C changes. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide four different solutions, for purposes of being compatible with an existing implementation mechanism and improving system efficiency, when a UE performs TAU, an EPS system of a distributed gateway can select, according to a current location of the UE, a best GW-U and re-establish a PDN connection, thereby optimizing a data transmission path and ensuring communication performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an SDN-based ARP implementation method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a controller, an ARP request sent by a first switch, and when it is determined that no ARP entry corresponding to the ARP request exists locally, sending, to the first switch, an instruction configured to instruct the first switch to flood the ARP request. In this way, the ARP request can be broadcast to an entire network by means of message forwarding between switches.