Embodiments are directed towards embodiments are directed toward systems and methods for user plane function (UPF) and network slice load balancing within a 5G network. Example embodiments include systems and methods for load balancing based on current UPF load and thresholds that depend on UPF capacity; UPF load balancing using predicted throughput of new UE on the network based on network data analytics; UPF load balancing based on special considerations for low latency traffic; UPF load balancing supporting multiple slices, maintaining several load-thresholds for each UPF and each slice depending on the UPF and network slice capacity; and UPF load balancing using predicted central processing unit (CPU) utilization and/or predicted memory utilization of new UE on the network based on network data analytics.

Embodiments of this application provide a gateway handover method, a gateway reselection method, and a communications apparatus. The method includes: A source gateway determines to perform gateway handover on a terminal device; determines a target gateway that is to be used to serve the terminal device; and hands over the terminal device from the source gateway to the target gateway. According to the gateway handover method, the gateway reselection method, and the communications apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application, in a non-3GPP network architecture, when gateway handover needs to be performed on the terminal device, the source gateway of the terminal device or the terminal device may hand over the terminal device from the source gateway of the terminal device to the target gateway, to implement gateway handover in the non-3GPP network architecture.

A method for accessing a gateway and an apparatus are disclosed, relate to the field of communication technologies, and are applied to a network system including a virtual broadband network gateway (vBNG), where the vBNG includes a control plane (CP) device and a plurality of user plane (UP) devices managed by the CP device, and the network system further includes a user plane steering function (USF) device. The method includes: The USF device obtains user information of a target terminal; the USF device determines a target UP device in the plurality of UP devices based on the user information and load of the plurality of UP devices; and the USF device indicates the target terminal to access the target UP device. Therefore, an appropriate UP device is selected for the target terminal in the network system including the vBNG, and load balancing between the plurality of UP devices is implemented.

A method for accessing a gateway and an apparatus are disclosed, relate to the field of communication technologies, and are applied to a network system including a virtual broadband network gateway (vBNG), where the vBNG includes a control plane (CP) device and a plurality of user plane (UP) devices managed by the CP device, and the network system further includes a user plane steering function (USF) device. The method includes: The USF device obtains user information of a target terminal; the USF device determines a target UP device in the plurality of UP devices based on the user information and load of the plurality of UP devices; and the USF device indicates the target terminal to access the target UP device. Therefore, an appropriate UP device is selected for the target terminal in the network system including the vBNG, and load balancing between the plurality of UP devices is implemented.

This invention flexibly controls the number of user planes in a communication system. In a communication system, a base station is in a local area network and at least one user plane function arranged in a cloud are connected. A determination is made as to whether or not a new user plane function should be added, taking into consideration: the traffic amount, from the maximum traffic amount using the local area network, of user data transferred by the at least one user plane function using the local area network; and an anticipated traffic amount of a new user plane function.

This invention flexibly controls the number of user planes in a communication system. In a communication system, a base station is in a local area network and at least one user plane function arranged in a cloud are connected. A determination is made as to whether or not a new user plane function should be added, taking into consideration: the traffic amount, from the maximum traffic amount using the local area network, of user data transferred by the at least one user plane function using the local area network; and an anticipated traffic amount of a new user plane function.

A method is described for communication in a tactical network. A gateway is communicatively COUPLABLE to one or more tactical nodes and to one or more other gateways. The gateway is programmed to transmit information to and/or receive information from other gateways. Information exchanged includes gateway attributes, link attributes, service availability, and/or data availability. The gateway optionally provides quality of service, distributed persistence, load balancing, and/or transformation services. Services are provided in a modular, service-oriented architecture (SOA) to accommodate the addition of services and/or applications.

Systems and methods for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communications network with a 3.sup.rd party entity, and for notifying network entities of UP changes in a communications network, are disclosed. The method includes: receiving an application program interface based request for UP path selection from the 3.sup.rd party entity; performing a validation and authorization procedure with the request; transmitting a UP path selection configuration request to a Control Plane Function that maintains configuration data; obtaining a reference number confirming the UP path selection configuration request; and installing the UP path selection according to the reference number.

In examples, a mobile network apparatus, a computer program and a method is discussed, including at least one processor, and at least one memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause to: Receive a create request for requesting data connectivity. Based on the create request, perform a static load balancing. Based on the static load balancing, perform a caching relating to a dynamic load balancing and perform the dynamic load balancing. A load balancing method may be scalable with a grace period.

The present invention discloses a user equipment migration method and device to implement flexible migration of UE in a core network device pool. The method includes that a source core network device receives a migration instruction carrying first identification information of a target core network device and migration information of to-be-migrated UE, sends an indication message used to instruct the to-be-migrated UE to detach, and sends a migration rule to an access network device according to the migration instruction, so that the access network device migrates the to-be-migrated UE from the source core network device to the target core network device.