Embodiments are directed towards 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.

A system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for implementing a fault-tolerant multi-NRF network topology may include a network repository function (NRF) device including: at least one processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to cause the NRF device to, broadcast a NRF query to a NRF cluster of a core network, the NRF cluster including a plurality of NRF devices located in a public land mobile network (PLMN); receive NRF query responses from each NRF device of the NRF cluster, the NRF query responses including network configuration information of each NRF device; determine a status of each NRF device based on the network configuration information; determine a list of network function (NF) devices registered with the NRF cluster; receive a NF query request from a first NF device; and transmit a NF query response to the first NF device.

A binding support method, includes receiving third information from the source policy control network element, wherein the third information comprises session information of a policy session and an identifier of a policy control network element set to which the source policy control network element belongs, receiving a first request message from an application network element to query a target policy control network element that serves the policy session, the first request message comprises the session information of the policy session, the session information of the policy session is used to indicate the policy session, and determining the target policy control network element based on the third information and the first request message.

Methods, apparatus circuitry, and storage media are described for mobile-terminated packet transmissions. In one embodiment, an apparatus of a control plane device configured to operate within an evolved packet network core identifies a first service flow event trigger associated with a first packet data unit (PDU) session and processes a path reselection for a first PDU session in response to the first service flow event trigger, wherein the path reselection determines a new gateway for the first PDU session resulting from the path reselection. Transmission of a change notification to an application server controller associated with the first PDU session is initiated in response to the path reselection. Transmission of a routing update to the new gateway in response to the path reselection is also initiated. In various embodiments, the trigger may be a mobility event, a load balancing event, or operations in association with an application server controller.

An aspect provides a method by user plane function (UPF) in a core network (CN) of a communication network for registering the UPF at a network repository function (NRF) of the CN. The UPF is to selectively route uplink data traffic in one or more data sessions from a user equipment (UE) to one of a plurality of session anchor network functions (NFs). The method by the UPF comprises sending (1701) a registration request to the NRF. The registration request comprises registration information comprising an indication of a type of filter supported by the UPF to selectively route uplink data traffic from a UE to a particular session anchor NF. The type of filter relates to an application identity; and an indication of a value for the indicated type of filter.

A mechanism is provided to monitor and control the number of terminals (100) or number of PDU sessions for a network slice, or both. A new network function called the Network Slice Control Function (NSCF) (85) is defined that interacts with an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (40) and/or Session Management Function (SMF) (45) to monitor and control a number of users for a network slice, a number of PDU sessions for a network slice, or both. The NSCF (85) determines per slice quotas for the number of users and/or number of session for network slices and interacts with the AMF (40) and/or SMF (45) to enforce the quotas.

Method and apparatus for load balancing in a Cloud-radio access network (C-RAN) are disclosed. A method includes receiving control plane (CP) data associated with a user from a core network or a remote access point; and dispatching the CP data to a first user equipment (UE) virtualized network function component (VNFC) based on a first route.

A communication method and an apparatus are provided herein. The method includes: sending, by a mobility management entity (MME), a track area update (TAU) accept message to a user equipment (UE), the TAU accept message comprising an identifier constructed from at least a resource pool identifier (pool-ID) that identifies a resource pool in a public land mobile network (PLMN), a mobility management entity identifier (MME-ID) that uniquely identifies the MME within the resource pool, and a UE temporary identifier that uniquely identifies the UE within the MME; and receiving, by the MME, a TAU complete message from the UE.

A load migration method, apparatus, and system. The method includes obtaining, by a first controller, in a process of migrating a user equipment (UE) to the first controller from a second controller, a first temporary user identifier of the UE, the first temporary user identifier comprising a second identifier of the second controller, allocating, by the first controller, a second temporary user identifier to the UE, the second temporary user identifier comprising a first identifier of the first controller, transmitting, by the first controller, the second temporary user identifier to a database server for updating the first temporary user identifier by the second temporary user identifier, and sending, by the first controller to an external network element, the first identifier of the first controller.

A method of optimizing Overload Control Information (OCI) handling for a Control Plane (CP) that has a first association with a first User Plane (UP 1) and a second association with a second User Plane (UP 2) includes: upon receiving from UP 1 an OCI containing i) overload reduction metric defining a target number of sessions for the first association, and ii) a specified period of validity for the OCI handling, initiating a timer for the period of validity for the OCI handling; periodically checking the number of sessions currently being handled by the first association; initiating new sessions with UP 1 if the number of sessions currently being handled by the first association is below the target number of sessions; and not initiating new sessions with the UP 1 if the number of sessions currently being handled by the first association is above the target number of sessions.