CN114531320A

CN114531320A - Communication method, device, equipment, system and computer readable storage medium

Info

Publication number: CN114531320A
Application number: CN202110132657.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 彭涛; 余舟毅; 花荣荣
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-02
Filing date: 2021-01-31
Publication date: 2022-05-24

Abstract

A first position identifier comprising an identifier of an SF device and an identifier of a first physical port is added in a received first message sent by a first user device by the SF device, a second message added with the first position identifier is sent to a first UP device, a third message is sent to a CP device by the first UP device, the third message is sent to a USF device by the CP device, the USF device can distinguish which physical port of which SF device a user accesses, and the SDN controller issues a configuration instruction to the corresponding SF device through interaction of the USF device and the SDN controller, so that the corresponding SF device configures a virtual local area network identifier of the first user device to a second sub-interface corresponding to the second UP device, and user flow is transferred to the second UP device. The first message may be a DHCP message or a PPPoE message, and carries the first location identifier by adding OPTION82/OPTION 18.

Description

Communication method, device, equipment, system and computer readable storage medium

The present application claims priority from chinese patent application No. 202011205533.5 entitled "a method and network device for sending messages" filed on month 11 and 2 of 2020, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety in the embodiments of the present application.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a communication method, apparatus, device, system, and computer-readable storage medium.

Background

With the development of software-defined networking (SDN) technology and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology, a metropolitan area network evolves toward a traditional network-centric architecture to a network architecture with a data center as a core; traditional network element equipment has also evolved from specialization towards generalization. The traditional network element equipment mainly solves two decoupling from specialization to generalization evolution: decoupling control and forwarding, and decoupling software and hardware.

Broadband Network Gateways (BNGs), which are conventional broadband access gateway devices, are very important in user broadband access services and scenarios. The main requirements for BNG devices on user access are user authentication, access control, traffic scheduling, etc. With the endless layer of various internet services, the number of sessions of users supported by BNG devices is required to be increased, the access bandwidth of users is required to be increased, and especially, the demand for providing open and programmable capabilities for services by BNG devices is higher and higher. Based on these factors, BNG devices implement the aforementioned two decouples based on the architecture of SDN/NFV.

The virtual broadband network gateway (vBNG) comprises a virtual broadband network gateway control plane (vBNG-CP) device, a virtual broadband network gateway user plane (vBNG-UP) device, and a vBNG-CP device for managing a plurality of vBNG-UP devices, so as to schedule users, traffic and resources among the vBNG-UP devices, and greatly improve the utilization rate and reliability of the devices compared with a single machine.

When the user equipment accesses the network, the traffic of the user equipment needs to be dynamically sent to a proper vBNG-UP equipment according to certain conditions.

Disclosure of Invention

The present application proposes a communication method, apparatus, device, system and computer-readable storage medium for sending user traffic to a suitable vBNG-UP device.

In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, and the method includes: the method comprises the steps that an SF device receives a first message sent by a first user device, a first position identification is added in the first message to obtain a second message, the second message is sent to a first UP device, the first UP device sends a third message to a CP device based on the second message, the third message comprises a first position identification, the first position identification comprises an identification of the SF device and an identification of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port on the SF device for receiving the first message;

the CP equipment receives a third message sent by the first UP equipment and sends user online information of the first user equipment to the user plane steering function USF equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and a first position identifier;

the USF device receives the user online information sent by the CP device, determines a second UP device meeting the flow quality requirement according to the user online information, and returns an identifier of the second UP device to the CP device, wherein the second UP device corresponds to the second sub-interface;

the CP equipment receives the identifier of the second UP equipment sent by the USF equipment and issues a user table item to the second UP equipment;

the USF equipment sends the identifier and/or the second position identifier of the second UP equipment and the identifier of the virtual local area network to the SDN controller;

the SDN controller receives an identifier of a second UP device and/or a second position identifier sent by a USF device and a virtual local area network identifier, and sends a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second position identifier according to the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second position identifier and the virtual local area network identifier, wherein the configuration instruction comprises the identifier of a second subinterface and the virtual local area network identifier, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second position identifier to configure the virtual local area network identifier to the second subinterface.

In the method, a first position identifier comprising an identifier of an SF device and an identifier of a first physical port is added in a received first message sent by a first user device through the SF device, a second message added with the first position identifier is sent to a first UP device, the first UP device sends a third message to a CP device, and the CP device sends the third message to the USF device, so that the USF device can distinguish which physical port of which SF device a user accesses from, and through interaction between the USF device and an SDN controller, the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to the corresponding SF device, so that the corresponding SF device configures a second sub-interface corresponding to the virtual local area network identifier of the first user device and the second device, and the flow of the user is transferred to the second UP device meeting the flow quality requirement.

In a possible implementation manner, the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier is the same as the SF device receiving the first packet, the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first sub-interface of the first physical port, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the method further includes: and the SF equipment deletes the virtual local area network identification configured on the first subinterface. After the virtual local area network identifier is configured to the second subinterface, the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first subinterface is deleted, so that resources are released, and subsequent flow forwarding is more accurate.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect to the eighth aspect described below, the identifier of the first physical port includes a slot identifier and/or a daughter card identifier, and a port identifier.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect to the eighth aspect described below, the first packet is a DHCP packet, and the SF device adds a first location identifier to the first packet, including: the SF device adds an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 to the DHCP message, and the first location identifier is carried by the OPTION82 or the OPTION 18.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect to the eighth aspect described below, the first message is a PPPoE message. Aiming at different types of the first message, different modes of carrying the first position identification are adopted, so that the method has higher flexibility in implementation and the scheme realizability is ensured.

In one possible implementation, the second location identifier includes an identifier of the second sub-interface.

In a possible implementation manner, the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the SF device. The method provided by the application is not only applied to switching between different sub-interfaces on the same physical port of the same SF equipment, but also supports switching between sub-interfaces of different physical ports of the same SF equipment, also supports switching between different sub-interfaces on different SF equipment, and is wider in application range.

In a second aspect, a method for sending a packet is provided, where the method is applied to an SF device, and the method includes: the SF equipment receives a first message sent by first user equipment; the SF equipment adds a first position identifier to the first message to obtain a second message, wherein the first position identifier comprises an identifier of the SF equipment and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port for receiving the first message; and the SF equipment sends the second message to first user plane UP equipment in the vBNG.

In a possible implementation manner, after the SF device sends the second packet to the first user plane UP device in the vBNG, the method further includes: the SF equipment receives a configuration instruction sent by a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller, wherein the configuration instruction comprises an identifier of a second subinterface and a virtual local area network identifier; and the SF equipment configures the virtual local area network identification to the second subinterface.

In one possible implementation manner, the second sub-interface corresponds to a second UP device, and the method further includes: the SF equipment receives a fourth message sent by second user equipment, wherein the fourth message comprises the virtual local area network identification; and the SF equipment sends the fourth message to the second UP equipment according to the virtual local area network identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first sub-interface, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the method further includes: and the SF equipment deletes the virtual local area network identification configured on the first subinterface.

In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a control plane CP device, and the method includes:

the CP equipment receives a third message sent by first user plane UP equipment, wherein the third message comprises a first position identifier, the first position identifier comprises an identifier of steering function SF equipment and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port on the SF equipment for receiving the first message sent by the first user equipment;

the CP equipment sends user online information of the first user equipment to user plane steering function USF equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and the first position identifier;

the CP equipment receives the identifier of a second UP equipment which is determined by the USF equipment according to the user online information and meets the flow quality requirement;

and the CP equipment issues a user table item to the second UP equipment.

In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a user plane steering function USF device, and the method includes:

the USF equipment receives user online information of first user equipment sent by control plane CP equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and a first position identifier, and the first position identifier comprises an identifier of SF equipment with a steering function and an identifier of a first physical port on the SF equipment;

the USF equipment determines a second UP equipment meeting the flow quality requirement according to the user online information, and returns the identifier of the second UP equipment to the CP equipment;

and the USF equipment sends the identifier and/or the second position identifier of the second UP equipment and the virtual local area network identifier to a software-defined network (SDN) controller.

In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to an SDN controller, and the method includes:

the SDN controller receives an identifier and/or a second position identifier of a second User Plane (UP) device and a virtual local area network identifier, which are sent by a user plane steering function (USF) device, wherein the second UP device corresponds to a second sub-interface;

the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second location identity according to the identity of the second UP device and/or the second location identity, and the virtual local area network identity, where the configuration instruction includes an identity of the second subinterface and the virtual local area network identity, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identity to configure the virtual local area network identity to the second subinterface.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: and the SDN controller determines the second sub-interface according to the identifier of the second UP device sent by the USF device.

In a sixth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which is applied to a steering function SF device, and includes:

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a first message sent by first user equipment;

a processing module, configured to add a first location identifier to the first packet to obtain a second packet, where the first location identifier includes an identifier of the SF device and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port for receiving the first packet;

the transceiver module is further configured to send the second packet to a first user plane UP device in a virtual broadband network gateway vBNG.

In a possible implementation manner, the transceiver module is further configured to receive a configuration instruction sent by a software-defined network SDN controller, where the configuration instruction includes an identifier of the second sub-interface and a virtual local area network identifier;

the processing module is further configured to configure the virtual local area network identifier to the second sub-interface.

In a possible implementation manner, the second sub-interface corresponds to a second UP device, and the transceiver module is further configured to receive a fourth packet sent by a second user equipment, where the fourth packet includes the virtual local area network identifier; and sending the fourth message to the second UP device according to the virtual local area network identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first sub-interface, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the processing module is further configured to delete the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first sub-interface.

In a seventh aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, where the apparatus is applied to a CP device, and the apparatus includes:

a first transceiver module, configured to receive a third packet sent by a first user plane UP device, where the third packet includes a first location identifier, where the first location identifier includes an identifier of an SF device with a steering function and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port on the SF device that receives the first packet sent by the first user device;

the second transceiver module is used for sending user online information of the first user equipment to user plane steering function (USF) equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and the first position identifier;

the second transceiver module is further configured to receive an identifier of a second UP device that meets a flow quality requirement and is determined by the USF device according to the user online information;

the first transceiver module is further configured to issue a user entry to the second UP device.

In an eighth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, the apparatus being applied to a USF device, the apparatus including:

the system comprises a receiving and sending module, a control plane CP device and a control module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving user online information of first user equipment, the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and a first position identifier, and the first position identifier comprises an identifier of an SF (spreading factor) device with a steering function and an identifier of a first physical port on the SF device;

the processing module is used for determining a second UP device meeting the flow quality requirement according to the user online information;

the transceiver module is further configured to return the identifier of the second UP device to the CP device;

the transceiver module is further configured to send an identifier of the second UP device and/or a second location identifier, and a virtual local area network identifier to a software defined network SDN controller.

In one possible implementation, the apparatus is applied to a software-defined network SDN controller, and the apparatus includes:

the first receiving and sending module is used for receiving an identifier and/or a second position identifier of a second user plane UP device and a virtual local area network identifier, which are sent by the USF device, wherein the second user plane UP device corresponds to the second sub-interface;

a second transceiving module, configured to send a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second location identity according to the identity of the second UP device and/or the second location identity, and the vlan identity, where the configuration instruction includes an identity of the second subinterface and the vlan identity, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identity to configure the vlan identity to the second subinterface.

In a ninth aspect, a communication system is provided, the communication system comprising an SF device, a CP device, a UP device, a USF device, and an SDN controller;

the SF device is configured to perform the method of any of the second aspects;

the CP device is configured to perform the method of any of the third aspects;

the USF device is used for executing the method of the fourth aspect;

the SDN controller is configured to perform the method of any of the fifth aspects.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a communication device comprising a processor configured to execute instructions such that a network device performs the method of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, where the communication system includes an SF device, a CP device, an UP device, a USF device, and an SDN controller, where the SF device, the CP device, the USF device, and the SDN controller respectively perform methods performed by devices of corresponding roles in the methods of any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect or the first aspect.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a networking provided by an embodiment of the invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a connection relationship between an SF device and a UP device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is an interaction diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an interaction diagram of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another networking provided by embodiments of the invention;

fig. 6 is an interaction diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With the decoupling of control and forwarding and the decoupling of software and hardware realized by a BNG device based on an SDN/NFV architecture, vBNG comes into operation. The vBNG comprises vBNG-CP equipment and vBNG-UP equipment, wherein the vBNG-CP equipment manages a plurality of vBNG-UP equipment to schedule users, flow and resources among the plurality of vBNG-UP equipment, and the utilization rate and reliability of the equipment can be greatly improved compared with a single machine. In the embodiment of the present application, the vBNG-CP device may also be referred to as CP device for short, and the vBNG-UP device may also be referred to as UP device for short. There are three interfaces between the vBNG-CP device and the vBNG-UP device, which are:

PRI: a service interface, wherein the vBNG-UP device receives the user access protocol message and sends the user access protocol message to the vBNG-CP device for processing through the interface package;

mi: the vBNG-CP equipment adopts the interface to issue configuration to the vBNG-UP equipment, and the vBNG-UP equipment adopts the interface to report some running states;

SCi: and the vBNG-CP equipment processes the user access protocol message to complete protocol interaction with the user, and after the user is online, the vBNG-CP equipment issues a user table item to the corresponding vBNG-UP equipment through the interface.

The vBNG-CP device may operate on an X86 server as a Virtual Network Function (VNF) device, so as to implement virtualization. The vBNG-UP device has two forms, one is a virtual UP device (vUP device) which can run on an X86 server; one is a physical UP device (pUP device), such as a legacy hardware network device.

Because the vBNG-CP device can manage a plurality of vBNG-UP devices, and the users are uniformly managed in the vBNG-CP device, the users can be flexibly scheduled among the vBNG-UP devices according to the number of user sessions and the traffic load condition.

In the network shown in fig. 1, vBNG-UP devices (in fig. 1, the pUP device 2 and the pUP device 3 are taken as examples) may be distributed at the edge of the network, or may be distributed at a higher position in the network, and in order to implement vBNG-UP devices that users dynamically select to access, the vBNG-CP devices need to cooperate with an SDN controller (controller) to implement dynamic migration of users.

As shown in fig. 1, between AN Access Network (AN) device and a vBNG-UP device, there is a Steering Function (SF) device that establishes a two-layer tunnel with each vBNG-UP device; the physical port between the SF device and the AN device is divided into different sub-interfaces, and the different sub-interfaces respectively correspond to two-layer (Lay2) tunnels of different vBNG-UP devices. Taking the case that the user defaults to be online from the pUP device 1 as an example, the pUP device 1 forwards the user protocol message to the vBNG-CP device, and the vBNG-CP device sends the user online information (for example, including the user identifier, the Service Level Agreement (SLA) information, and the online location information) to the UP Steering Function (USF) device. The USF equipment judges that a user should access from the pUP equipment 2 according to the user online information, and informs the vBNG-CP equipment to send the user table item to the pUP equipment 2; meanwhile, the USF device notifies the SDN controller to configure the SF device, and configures a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)/or double-layer VLAN (802.1Q in 802.1Q, QinQ) identifier corresponding to the user to a sub-interface between the SF device and the AN, which corresponds to the pUP device 2. Then, the SF device forwards the subsequent message of the user to the pUP device 2 directly through the two-layer tunnel between the SF device and the pUP device 2.

The USF device is a policy point for dynamic migration, and the vBNG-CP device needs to query the USF device to determine to which BNG-UP device a user table entry is issued. Furthermore, the USF device needs to inform the SDN controller to configure the SF device. It should be noted that the USF device may be built in the vBNG-CP device, may be built in the SDN controller, or may be a separate network element. If the USF device is built in the SDN controller or the CP device, the interaction between the USF device and the SDN controller or the CP device is internal interaction, and the sent information or message is sent internally.

When the user is on line, the CP device reports the on-line position of the user on the UP device and the corresponding sub-interface to a remote user authentication in user service (RADIUS) for fine binding and tracing of the user. However, in a STEERING (listening) scenario, a user may migrate among the online sub-interfaces of multiple UP devices, which may cause a change in the online sub-interface of one user, and may not perform user fine binding and tracing. As shown in fig. 2, in the connection relationship between the SF device and the UP device, one SF device has a plurality of physical ports, one physical port has a plurality of sub-interfaces, and different sub-interfaces on one port correspond to different UP devices, for example, one sub-interface corresponds to one UP device. Therefore, when a plurality of SF devices are deployed together and service flows of the plurality of SF devices converge on the same UP device, at least one of the USF device and the SDN controller knows a correspondence between a sub-interface on each SF device and each UP device, but does not know from which physical port of which SF device a user online is accessed. Under the condition that the USF device and the SDN controller cannot determine the physical port accessed by the specific SF device of the user, migration between different sub-interfaces under the same physical port cannot be performed.

In view of this, the present application provides a communication method. Referring to fig. 3 in conjunction with the system shown in fig. 1, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps.

301, the SF device receives a first message sent by the first user equipment, and adds a first location identifier to the first message to obtain a second message, where the first location identifier includes an identifier of the SF device and an identifier of the first physical port.

The first user equipment is a home gateway (RGW), for example, a Personal Computer (PC) and a mobile phone that are accessed to a home typically perform Network Address Translation (NAT) processing, allocate an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the PC and the mobile phone in the home, perform point-to-point protocol over ethernet (PPPoE), ethernet IP (IPoE) protocol dialing, and obtain an IP from a vBNG to perform network access.

The first physical port is a physical port on the SF device that receives the first packet, and illustratively, the identifier of the first physical port includes a slot identifier and/or a daughter card identifier, and a port identifier. The receiving position of the first message, that is, the user access position, can be determined by the identifier of the first physical port. For example, the identifier of the first physical port can determine from which port (identified by the port identifier) of which sub-card (identified by the sub-card identifier) on which slot (identified by the slot identifier) the first packet is accessed. In this embodiment of the application, the sub-interface through which the SF device receives the first packet may be a first sub-interface of the first physical port, where the first sub-interface is also referred to as a pre-migration sub-interface, a default sub-interface, or an initial sub-interface. In addition, the first sub-interface corresponds to a first UP device.

In a possible implementation manner, the type of the first packet and the manner of adding the first location identifier to the SF device are not limited, where the first packet is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) packet, and the SF device adds the first location identifier to the first packet, including: the SF device adds an operation field OPTION82 or OPTION18 in the DHCP device message, and carries the first location identifier through OPTION82 or OPTION 18. In another possible implementation manner, the first message is a PPPoE message, and the SF device adds a first location identifier to the first message, including: the SF equipment adds a first position identification in the PPPoE message.

And 302, the SF device sends the second message to the first UP device, and the first UP device sends a third message to the CP device based on the second message, where the third message includes the first location identifier.

Wherein, the first UP device corresponds to the first sub-interface of the first physical port. Since the sub-interface of the SF device receiving the first packet is the first sub-interface of the first physical port, and the first sub-interface of the first physical port corresponds to the first UP device, the SF device sends the second packet to the first UP device, and the first UP device sends the third packet to the CP device based on the second packet.

In addition, when the user is online, the SF device sends a first message (for example, a dial-UP protocol message of the user) to the first UP device, and meanwhile, the SF device also performs convergence of the home terminal, converges the user to the first UP device, performs forwarding of a two-layer message, and isolates the user by VLAN/QINQ, and each user individually shares one VLAN/QINQ. QINQ refers to two VLAN identifiers, e.g., a service-Side VLAN (SVLAN) + a customer-side VLAN (CVLAN). VLAN/QinQ is the first subinterface that corresponds to a default subinterface, e.g., the first physical port, when initially brought online, but may not be configured on that default subinterface.

303, the CP device receives the third message sent by the first UP device, and sends the user online information to the USF device, and the USF device receives the user online information sent by the CP device, and determines the second UP device meeting the flow quality requirement according to the user online information.

The user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and a position identifier. In this step, after the USF device receives the user online information of the corresponding user sent by the CP device, since the user online information includes the traffic quality requirement, the vlan id and the location id, the USF device may query the SLA policy, and determine the target vBNG-UP according to the queried SLA policy, for example, the UP device with the minimum load in vBNG-UP matching the SLA is used as the second UP device meeting the traffic quality requirement, for example, the second UP device in fig. 1, which is the pcu 2.

The embodiment of the present application does not limit the manner in which the CP device obtains the traffic quality requirement, for example, when a user is online, the SF device sends a vBNG-UP device (a first UP device) by carrying, in a DHCP or PPPoE message, an access physical port (may also include a sub-interface below the physical port), that is, a first location identifier, of the user to an online message (a second message), and the CP device supports parsing of an OPTION in the online message during online interaction, obtains which sub-interface of which SF device is accessed when the user is online, and notifies the USF device of the information.

In addition, when the CP device performs user authentication with an authentication server (RADIUS), the access sub-interface of the SF device may also be used as a location identifier of a user, and reported to the RADIUS server, so as to perform accurate binding and user location tracing. In a possible implementation manner, the CP device sends an authentication request to an authentication server, where the authentication request carries a location identifier; and the CP equipment receives an authentication response returned by the authentication server, wherein the authentication response carries the flow quality requirement corresponding to the position identification.

In addition, the USF device may also issue a migration policy to the corresponding SF, and map the port + VLAN/QINQ of the user to a two-layer tunnel connected to the corresponding UP device, such as a virtual extended local area network (VXLAN), a Virtual Leased Line (VLL), or an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN). Wherein the second UP device corresponds to the second sub-interface. The physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the same SF device, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on different SF devices.

And 304, the USF device returns the identifier of the second UP device to the CP device, and the CP device receives the identifier of the second UP device sent by the USF device and issues the user table item to the second UP device.

After receiving the user table item sent by the CP device, the second UP device locally generates a forwarding table item of the user, performs related service policy execution and traffic forwarding, and issues a route to the outside.

305, the USF device sends the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the virtual local area network identifier to the SDN controller.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the USF device sends an identification of a second subinterface of the SF device to the SDN controller. For example, the second location identification comprises an identification of the second sub-interface.

The second location identifier may include an identifier of the target SF device and an identifier of the target physical port on the target SF. For example, the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, the identifier of the target SF device in the second location identifier is the same as the identifier of the SF device in the first location identifier, and both the identifiers are the identifiers of the SF devices that receive the first packet, and the identifier of the target physical port in the second location identifier is the same as the identifier of the first physical port in the first location identifier. For another example, the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the same SF device, the identifier of the target SF device in the second location identifier is the same as the identifier of the SF device in the first location identifier, and is the identifier of the SF device that receives the first packet, and the identifier of the target physical port in the second location identifier is different from the identifier of the first physical port in the first location identifier. For another example, the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are physical ports on different SF devices, the identifier of the target SF device in the second location identifier is different from the identifier of the SF device in the first location identifier, and the identifier of the target physical port in the second location identifier is different from or the same as the identifier of the first physical port in the first location identifier.

In addition, according to different situations whether the second location identifier includes an identifier of the second sub-interface, the information sent by the USF device to the SDN controller includes the following situations.

In case one, the second location identifier does not include an identifier of the second subinterface, the information sent by the USF device to the SDN controller includes an identifier of the second UP device, and the SDN controller can determine the second subinterface according to the identifier of the second UP device.

In case two, the second location identifier includes an identifier of the second subinterface, the information sent by the USF device to the SDN controller includes the second location identifier, but does not include the identifier of the second UP device, and the SDN controller may determine the second subinterface based on the identifier of the second subinterface in the second location identifier.

In case three, the second location identifier includes an identifier of the second subinterface, the information sent by the USF device to the SDN controller includes the second location identifier and an identifier of the second UP device, and the SDN controller may determine the second subinterface based on the identifier of the second subinterface in the second location identifier, or may determine the second subinterface based on the identifier of the second UP device.

And 306, the SDN controller receives the identifier and/or the second location identifier of the second UP device and the virtual local area network identifier sent by the USF device, and sends a configuration instruction to the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier according to the identifier and/or the second location identifier of the second UP device and the virtual local area network identifier.

Since the location identifier includes an identifier of the SF device and an identifier of the physical port, the identifier of the physical port may be represented as slot identifier + daughter card identifier + port identifier, for example. The configuration command includes an identifier of a second subinterface and an identifier of a virtual local area network, and the second subinterface corresponds to the second UP device. In this way, when there are multiple SF devices in the system and each SF device has multiple physical ports for connecting AN devices, the SDN controller can know which SF device interface (physical port and sub-interface) of which SF device is configured.

For example, a user is originally brought online from a sub-interface 1 (corresponding to the pUP device 1) of a physical port 1 on the SF device 1, the traffic of a subsequent user needs to be switched to a sub-interface 2 (corresponding to the pUP device 2) of the physical port 1 of the SF device 1, and the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to the SF device 1 to configure the identifier of the VLAN/QinQ to the sub-interface 2 of the physical port 1 of the SF device 1. For another example, a user originally goes online from the subinterface 1.1 (corresponding to the pUP device 1) of the physical port 1 on the SF device 1, the traffic of a subsequent user needs to be switched to the subinterface 2.1 (corresponding to the pUP device 2) of the physical port 2 of the SF device 1, and the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to the SF device 1 to configure the identifier of the VLAN/QinQ to the subinterface 2.1 of the physical port 2 of the SF device 1. For another example, the user is originally online from the sub-interface 1.1 (corresponding to the pUP device 1) of the physical port 1 on the SF device 1, the traffic of the subsequent user needs to be switched to the sub-interface 3.1 (corresponding to the pUP device 2) of the physical port 3 of the SF device 2, and the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to the SF device 2 to configure the identifier of the VLAN/QinQ to the sub-interface 3.1 of the physical port 3 of the SF device 2.

In this step, for a case that the second location identifier does not include an identifier of the second subinterface, before the SDN controller sends the configuration instruction to the SF device according to the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the virtual local area network identifier, the method further includes: and the SDN controller determines a second subinterface according to the identifier of the second UP device.

In this embodiment, taking the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier as the SF device receiving the first packet as an example, the method provided in this embodiment further includes the following step 307.

307, the SF device receives a configuration instruction sent by the SDN controller, and configures the virtual local area network identifier to the second subinterface.

In this embodiment of the application, since the configuration instruction includes the identifier of the second subinterface and the virtual local area network identifier, the SF device configures the virtual local area network identifier to the second subinterface. In the subsequent communication process, the SF device receives a fourth message sent by the second user equipment, wherein the fourth message comprises a virtual local area network identifier; and the SF equipment sends the fourth message to the second UP equipment according to the virtual local area network identifier. Optionally, the second user equipment is different from the second user equipment, and the second user equipment may also be the same as the first user equipment.

In a possible implementation manner, if a virtual local area network identifier is configured on a first subinterface of a first physical port, and a configuration instruction received by the SF device further includes an identifier of the first subinterface, the method further includes the SF device deleting the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first subinterface.

It should be noted that, after the SF device receives the configuration instruction, in the case that the configuration instruction further includes the identifier of the first sub-interface, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the sequence between the operation of deleting the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first sub-interface by the SF device and the operation of configuring the virtual local area network identifier on the second sub-interface.

Based on the interaction flow of the method shown in fig. 3, taking the first user equipment as RG and the first message as PPPoE or DHCP message as an example, the communication process is as shown in fig. 4, which includes but is not limited to the following steps.

401, the user sends a PPPoE/DHCP message to the SF device via the AN device.

The SF device forwards the PPPoE/DHCP message 402 to the pUP1 device.

403, the pUP1 device sends PPPoE/DHCP message to the CP device.

The CP device requests the USF device to determine a target UP device according to the user's SLA 404.

405, the USF device replies that the target UP device is a pUP2 device.

406, the CP device assigns an IP address to the user from the pool of IP addresses assigned to the pUP2 device.

407, the CP device issues the user table entry to the pUP2 device.

The CP device informs the USF device that the creation of the user entry is successful 408.

409, the USF equipment informs the SDN controller of user traffic migration.

And 410, the SDN controller instructs the SF device to perform user traffic migration.

411, user traffic is migrated to the pUP2 device.

For convenience of understanding, a communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is illustrated by taking the networking diagram shown in fig. 5 as an example, and the method may be as shown in fig. 6. Wherein ((r) -jc) in FIG. 5 correspond to 601-607 in FIG. 6, respectively. As shown in fig. 6, before executing the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the SDN controller notifies the SF device to create a subinterface, instructs the SF device to create a tunnel with the UP device, and instructs the UP device to create a tunnel between SF devices. And the CP device sends the UP identity to the USF device. Then, after the RG sends the user dialing message to the AN device, the communication method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps.

601. The SF device adds AN OPTION82/OPTION18 in a user dialing message (such as a DHCP device message or a PPPoE message) forwarded by the AN device, where the OPTION carries AN identifier of AN SF device accessed by a user and AN identifier of a physical port on a user side on the SF device (in fig. 3, the SF device-IF-ID represents the identifier of the SF device and the identifier of the physical port on the user side on the SF device). If the message is a DHCP device message, an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 may be added to add an identifier of an SF device accessed by a user and an identifier of a physical port on a user side of the SF device; if the message is PPPoE message, the identification of SF equipment accessed by the user and the identification of the physical port of the user side on the SF equipment are added by adopting PPPoE + technology.

602. The dial message is sent to the vBNG-CP device via a default vBNG-UP device (e.g., the pUP device 1 in fig. 1). At this time, CVLAN + SVLAN is not configured on any subinterface.

603. The vBNG-CP device sends the user presence information (e.g. including user identification, service SLA information and presence location information) to the USF device, requesting the USF device to determine the target vBNG-UP device. Wherein, the vBNG-CP device may obtain the SLA information through the following process: and the vBNG-CP equipment reports the authentication request of the user to the Radius Server and carries the access position of the user. And identifying the SLA of the user according to the user dialing authentication response information responded by the Radius Server. The user identifier may be Media Access Control (MAC) + SVLAN + CVLAN.

604. The USF device queries the SLA policy and determines the vBNG-UP device that meets the SLA requirements, e.g. the least loaded vBNG-UP device of the vBNG-UP devices that match the SLA, i.e. the second vBNG-UP device, e.g. the poup device 2 in fig. 1. The USF device then returns the identity of the second vBNG-UP device to the vBNG-CP device.

605. And the vBNG-CP device issues the user table entry to the second vBNG-UP device.

606. The USF device sends the user identifier (e.g., MAC + SVLAN + CVLAN), the access location information (SF device-IF-ID), and the second UP device identifier to the SDN controller.

607. And the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to corresponding SF equipment according to the information sent by the USF equipment, configures a second subinterface under a physical port of the SF equipment, and configures the CVLAN + SVLAN in the user identifier to the second subinterface, so that the flow of the user is migrated to the second vBNG-UP equipment. Wherein the second sub-interface may be determined based on the second UP device identification. The SDN controller may determine that the default subinterface is initially brought online by determining that SVLAN + CVLAN is not configured on any subinterface.

The user traffic is then forwarded through the vBNG-UP device identified by the second UP device identification.

In the above process, the user traffic is switched from the pUP device 1 to the pUP device 2, the initial subinterface is the default subinterface, and the target subinterface is the subinterface corresponding to the pUP device 2. In another case, assuming that the user traffic continues to be migrated from the pUP device 2 to vUP device 3 (see FIG. 1), at this time, the pre-migration sub-interface (initial sub-interface) becomes the sub-interface corresponding to the pUP device 2, and the target sub-interface becomes the sub-interface corresponding to vUP device 3. The SDN Controller may determine that the initial sub-interface (physical port and sub-interface) is the sub-interface corresponding to the poup device 2 according to the SF device-IF-ID and SVLAN + CVLAN in the information sent by the NSF device, notify the SF device to delete SVLAN + CVLAN on the sub-interface corresponding to the poup device 2, and configure the SVLAN + CVLAN on the sub-interface corresponding to the vUP device 3.

After a user is online from a default sub-interface, the USF equipment stores the mapping relation between a user identifier (such as MAC + SVLAN + CVLAN) and a user online position (such as an SF equipment identifier of user initial online and an initial sub-interface identifier on the SF equipment); and after the migration, the USF device modifies the mapping relationship into the mapping relationship between the user identifier and the post-migration position (such as the SF device identifier and the second sub-interface identifier on the SF device).

The above process describes that the SDN Controller determines the subinterfaces of the SF devices to be configured according to the information sent by the NSF device. In another implementation, it may be that the USF device determines an SF device that needs to perform a migration action, and an initial sub-interface (a first sub-interface) and a target sub-interface (a second sub-interface) on the SF device, and an SVLAN + CVLAN to be migrated, and then sends these pieces of information to the SDN Controller, so that the SDN Controller issues a configuration instruction to the SF device.

Through the technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the invention, the flow of the user can be migrated from the pUP equipment 1 to the pUP equipment 2 matched with the SLA according to the user information (such as the SLA information). The SF device adds AN OPTION82/OPTION18 to a user dialing message (such as a DHCP device message or a PPPoE message) forwarded by the AN device, where the SF device carries AN identifier of AN SF device accessed by a user and AN identifier of a physical port on the SF device at the user side, so that the technical scheme can be implemented.

Referring to fig. 7, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which is applied to an SF device, and based on a plurality of modules shown in fig. 7, the communication apparatus shown in fig. 7 is capable of performing all or part of operations performed by the SF device. It should be understood that the apparatus may include more additional modules than those shown or omit a portion of the modules shown therein, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application. The device comprises:

a transceiver module 701, configured to receive a first message sent by a first user equipment;

a processing module 702, configured to add a first location identifier to a first packet to obtain a second packet, where the first location identifier includes an identifier of an SF device and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port for receiving the first packet;

the transceiver module 701 is further configured to send the second packet to the first UP device in the vBNG.

In a possible implementation manner, the transceiver module 701 is further configured to receive a configuration instruction sent by the SDN controller, where the configuration instruction includes an identifier of the second subinterface and a virtual local area network identifier;

the processing module 702 is further configured to configure the virtual local area network identifier to the second sub-interface.

In a possible implementation manner, the second sub-interface corresponds to the second UP device, and the transceiver module 701 is further configured to receive a fourth message sent by the second user equipment, where the fourth message includes a virtual local area network identifier; and sending the fourth message to the second UP device according to the virtual local area network identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the first sub-interface is configured with a virtual local area network identifier, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the processing module 702 is further configured to delete the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first sub-interface.

In one possible implementation, the identifier of the first physical port includes a slot identifier and/or a daughter card identifier, and a port identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the first message is a dynamic host configuration protocol DHCP message, and the processing module 702 is configured to add an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 to the DHCP message, and carry the first location identifier through an OPTION82 or an OPTION 18.

In a possible implementation manner, the first message is an ethernet bearer point-to-point protocol PPPoE message, and the processing module 702 is configured to add a first location identifier to the PPPoE message.

Referring to fig. 8, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which is applied to a CP device, and based on a plurality of modules shown in fig. 8, the communication apparatus shown in fig. 8 is capable of performing all or part of operations performed by the CP device. It should be understood that the apparatus may include more additional modules than those shown or omit some of the modules shown therein, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application. The device includes:

a first transceiving module 801, configured to receive a third packet sent by a first UP device, where the third packet includes a first location identifier, the first location identifier includes an identifier of an SF device and an identifier of a first physical port, the first UP device corresponds to a first sub-interface of the first physical port, and the first physical port is a port on the SF device that receives the first packet sent by the first user device;

a second transceiver module 802, configured to send user online information of the first user equipment to the USF device, where the user online information includes a traffic quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier, and a first location identifier;

the second transceiver module 802 is further configured to receive an identifier of a second UP device that meets the flow quality requirement and is determined by the USF device according to the user online information;

the first transceiving module 801 is further configured to issue a user entry to the second UP device.

Referring to fig. 9, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which is applied to a USF device, and based on a plurality of modules shown in fig. 9, the communication apparatus shown in fig. 9 is capable of performing all or part of operations performed by the USF device. It should be understood that the apparatus may include more additional modules than those shown or omit some of the modules shown therein, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application. The device includes:

a transceiver module 901, configured to receive user online information of a first user equipment sent by a CP device, where the user online information includes a traffic quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier, and a first location identifier, and the first location identifier includes an identifier of an SF device with a steering function and an identifier of a first physical port on the SF device;

a processing module 902, configured to determine, according to the user online information, a second UP device that meets the flow quality requirement;

the transceiving module 901 is further configured to return an identifier of a second UP device to the CP device, where the second UP device corresponds to the second sub-interface;

the transceiver module 901 is further configured to send an identifier of the second UP device and/or a second location identifier, and a virtual local area network identifier to the SDN controller.

Referring to fig. 10, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to an SDN controller, and based on a plurality of modules shown in fig. 10, the communication device shown in fig. 10 is capable of performing all or part of operations performed by the SDN controller. It should be understood that the apparatus may include more additional modules than those shown or omit some of the modules shown therein, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application. The device includes:

a first transceiver module 1001, configured to receive an identifier and/or a second location identifier of a second UP device and a virtual local area network identifier, where the identifier and/or the second location identifier are sent by a USF device, and the second UP device corresponds to a second sub-interface;

the second transceiver module 1002 is configured to send a configuration instruction to the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier according to the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the virtual local area network identifier, where the configuration instruction includes an identifier of the second subinterface and the virtual local area network identifier, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier to configure the virtual local area network identifier to the second subinterface.

It should be noted that any of the above-described device embodiments are merely schematic, where units illustrated as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components illustrated as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the present embodiment. In addition, in the drawings of the embodiment of the first network node or the controller provided by the present invention, the connection relationship between the modules indicates that there is a communication connection therebetween, and may be specifically implemented as one or more communication buses or signal lines. One of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without inventive effort.

The specific hardware structure of each network device in the above embodiments, such as SF device, vGNP-CP device, vBNP-UP device, SDN controller, USF device, AN device, may be as in fig. 11, including a transceiver, a processor, and a memory. For example, the transceiver is configured to receive a message, the memory is configured to store instructions, and the processor is configured to call the instructions in the memory so that each communication device individually performs the relevant processing steps of each communication device in the above-described method embodiments.

Referring to fig. 12, fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1200 shown in fig. 12 is configured to perform the operations involved in the communication methods shown in fig. 3, 4, and 6 described above. The communication device 1200 is, for example, a switch, a router, or the like.

As shown in fig. 12, the communication device 1200 includes at least one processor 1201, a memory 1203, and a communication interface 1204, where one or more communication interfaces 1204 may be provided.

The processor 1201 is, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Network Processor (NP), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a neural-Network Processing Unit (NPU), a Data Processing Unit (DPU), a microprocessor, or one or more integrated circuits for implementing the present disclosure. For example, the processor 1201 may include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. PLDs are, for example, Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), General Array Logic (GAL), or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiment disclosure. A processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, a DSP and a microprocessor, or the like.

Optionally, the communication device 1200 further comprises a bus. The bus is used to transfer information between the components of the communication device 1200. The bus may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, or the like. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in FIG. 12, but this is not intended to represent only one bus or type of bus. In fig. 12, components of the communication apparatus 1200 may be connected by other methods besides bus connection, and the connection method of the components is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

The memory 1203 is, for example, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory 1203 is independent, for example, and is connected to the processor 1201 through a bus. The memory 1203 may also be integrated with the processor 1201.

Communication interface 1204 may use any transceiver or the like for communicating with other devices or a communication network, such as an ethernet, a Radio Access Network (RAN), or a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), among others. Communication interface 1204 may include a wired communication interface and may also include a wireless communication interface. Specifically, the communication interface 1204 may be an Ethernet (Ethernet) interface, a Fast Ethernet (FE) interface, a Gigabit Ethernet (GE) interface, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interface, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interface, a cellular network communication interface, or a combination thereof. The ethernet interface may be an optical interface, an electrical interface, or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the communication interface 1204 may be used for the communication device 1200 to communicate with other devices.

In particular implementations, processor 1201 may include one or more CPUs such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in fig. 12 as one example. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

In particular implementations, communication device 1200 may include multiple processors, such as processor 1201 and processor 1205 shown in fig. 12, for example, as an example. Each of these processors may be a single-Core Processor (CPU) or a multi-Core Processor (CPU). A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

In particular implementations, communication device 1200 may also include an output device and an input device, as one embodiment. An output device is in communication with the processor 1201 and may display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display device, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display device, a projector (projector), or the like. The input device communicates with the processor 1201 and may receive user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, or a sensing device, among others.

In some embodiments, the memory 1203 is used for storing program codes 1210 for implementing the scheme of the application, and the processor 1201 can execute the program codes 1210 stored in the memory 1203. That is, the communication apparatus 1200 may implement the communication method provided by the method embodiment through the processor 1201 and the program code 1210 in the memory 1203. One or more software modules may be included in program code 1210. Optionally, the processor 1201 may also store program codes or instructions for executing the present application itself.

In a specific embodiment, the communication device 1200 of the embodiment of the present application may correspond to an SF device, a USF device, a CP device, a UP device, or an SDN controller in the above respective method embodiments, and the processor 1201 in the communication device 1200 reads the program code 1210 in the memory 1203 or program codes or instructions stored by the processor 1201 itself, so that the communication device 1200 shown in fig. 12 can perform all or part of the operations performed by the SF device, the USF device, the CP device, the UP device, or the SDN controller.

The communication device 1200 may also correspond to the apparatus shown in any of fig. 7-10 described above, and each functional module in the apparatus shown in any of fig. 7-10 is implemented by software of the communication device 1200. In other words, the apparatus shown in any of fig. 7-10 comprises functional modules that are generated by the processor 1201 of the communication device 1200 reading the program code 1210 stored in the memory 1203.

The steps of the data transmission methods shown in fig. 3, 4 and 6 are performed by integrated logic circuits of hardware or instructions in the form of software in the processor of the communication device 1200. The steps of a method disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or may be implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in a processor. The software module may be located in ram, flash memory, rom, prom, or eprom, registers, etc. storage media as is well known in the art. The storage medium is located in a memory, and a processor reads information in the memory and performs the steps of the above method in combination with hardware thereof, which are not described in detail herein to avoid repetition.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in the disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in hardware, or may be implemented by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions may consist of corresponding software modules that may be stored in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), a hard disk, a removable hard disk, an optical disk, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium may also be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that, in one or more of the examples described above, the functions described in this invention may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

The above embodiments are only for illustrating the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements and the like made on the basis of the embodiments of the present invention shall be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a Steering Function (SF) device receives a first message sent by a first user device, adds a first position identifier to the first message to obtain a second message, sends the second message to a first User Plane (UP) device, and sends a third message to a Control Plane (CP) device by the first UP device based on the second message, wherein the third message comprises the first position identifier, the first position identifier comprises an identifier of the SF device and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port on the SF device for receiving the first message;

the CP equipment receives a third message sent by the first UP equipment and sends user online information of the first user equipment to user plane steering function (USF) equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and the first position identifier;

the USF device receives the user online information sent by the CP device, determines a second UP device meeting the flow quality requirement according to the user online information, and returns an identifier of the second UP device to the CP device, wherein the second UP device corresponds to a second sub-interface;

the USF device sends the identifier and/or the second position identifier of the second UP device and a virtual local area network identifier to a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller;

the SDN controller receives, by the USF device, the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the virtual local area network identifier, and sends a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second location identifier according to the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the virtual local area network identifier, where the configuration instruction includes an identifier of a second subinterface and the virtual local area network identifier, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier to configure the virtual local area network identifier to the second subinterface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an SF device corresponding to the second location identifier is the same as an SF device that receives the first packet, the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first subinterface of the first physical port, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first subinterface, and the method further includes:

and the SF equipment deletes the virtual local area network identification configured on the first subinterface.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the identification of the first physical port comprises a slot identification and/or a daughter card identification, and a port identification.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first packet is a dynamic host configuration protocol, DHCP, packet, and the SF device adds a first location identifier to the first packet, including:

the SF device adds an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 to the DHCP message, and the first location identifier is carried by the OPTION82 or the OPTION 18.

5. A method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein said first message is a point-to-point protocol over ethernet PPPoE message.

6. The method according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the second location identity comprises an identity of the second subinterface.

7. The method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the SF device.

8. A method for sending a message is applied to a Steering Function (SF) device, and the method comprises the following steps:

the SF equipment receives a first message sent by first user equipment;

the SF equipment adds a first position identifier to the first message to obtain a second message, wherein the first position identifier comprises an identifier of the SF equipment and an identifier of a first physical port, and the first physical port is a port for receiving the first message;

and the SF equipment sends the second message to first user plane UP equipment in a virtual broadband network gateway vBNG.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein after said SF device sends said second packet to the first user plane UP device in the virtual broadband network gateway vBNG, further comprising:

the SF equipment receives a configuration instruction sent by a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller, wherein the configuration instruction comprises an identifier of a second subinterface and a virtual local area network identifier;

and the SF equipment configures the virtual local area network identification to the second subinterface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second sub-interface corresponds to a second UP device, and wherein the method further comprises:

the SF equipment receives a fourth message sent by second user equipment, wherein the fourth message comprises the virtual local area network identification;

and the SF equipment sends the fourth message to the second UP equipment according to the virtual local area network identifier.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first sub-interface, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the method further includes:

12. The method of any of claims 8-11, wherein the identification of the first physical port comprises a slot identification and/or a daughter card identification, and a port identification.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the first packet is a dynamic host configuration protocol, DHCP, packet, and the SF device adds a first location identifier to the first packet, including:

the SF equipment adds an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 in a DHCP message, and the first location identity is carried by the OPTION82 or the OPTION 18.

14. The method according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the first message is a point-to-point protocol over ethernet PPPoE message.

15. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a control plane CP device, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:

and the CP equipment issues a user table item to the second UP equipment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identification of the first physical port comprises a slot identification and/or a daughter card identification, and a port identification.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the SF device, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are physical ports on different SF devices.

18. A communication method is applied to a user plane steering function (USF) device and comprises the following steps:

the USF equipment receives user online information of first user equipment sent by control plane CP equipment, wherein the user online information comprises a flow quality requirement, a virtual local area network identifier and a first position identifier, and the first position identifier comprises an identifier of steering function SF equipment and an identifier of a first physical port on the SF equipment;

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the identification of the first physical port comprises a slot identification and/or a daughter card identification, and a port identification.

20. Method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein said second location identity comprises an identity of said second sub-interface.

21. The method according to any of claims 18-20, wherein the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface is the same as the first physical port, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are different physical ports on the SF device, or the physical port corresponding to the second sub-interface and the first physical port are physical ports on different SF devices.

22. A communication method applied to a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller, the method comprising:

the SDN controller sends a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second location identifier according to the identifier of the second UP device and/or the second location identifier, and the vlan identifier, where the configuration instruction includes an identifier of the second subinterface and the vlan identifier, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identifier to configure the vlan identifier to the second subinterface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second location identity comprises an identity of the second subinterface.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

and the SDN controller determines the second sub-interface according to the identifier of the second UP device sent by the USF device.

25. A communication device, characterized in that the device is applied to a steering function SF apparatus, the device comprising:

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to receive a configuration command sent by a software defined network SDN controller, and the configuration command includes an identifier of the second sub-interface and a virtual local area network identifier;

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second sub-interface corresponds to a second UP device, and wherein the transceiver module is further configured to receive a fourth packet sent by a second user equipment, and wherein the fourth packet includes the vlan id; and sending the fourth message to the second UP device according to the virtual local area network identifier.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the virtual local area network identifier is configured on the first sub-interface, the configuration instruction further includes an identifier of the first sub-interface, and the processing module is further configured to delete the virtual local area network identifier configured on the first sub-interface.

29. The apparatus of any of claims 25-28, wherein the identification of the first physical port comprises a slot identification and/or a daughter card identification, and a port identification.

30. The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the first packet is a dynamic host configuration protocol DHCP packet, and the processing module is configured to add an OPTION82 or an OPTION18 to the DHCP packet, and carry the first location identifier through the OPTION82 or the OPTION 18.

31. The apparatus according to any of claims 25-29, wherein the first message is an ethernet over point-to-point protocol, PPPoE, message.

32. A communication apparatus, wherein the apparatus is applied to a control plane CP device, and wherein the apparatus comprises:

the second transceiver module is further configured to receive an identifier of a second UP device that meets the flow quality requirement and is determined by the USF device according to the user online information;

33. A communication apparatus, wherein the apparatus is applied to a user plane steering function USF device, the apparatus comprising:

34. A communication apparatus, wherein the apparatus is applied to a software defined network, SDN, controller, the apparatus comprising:

the first receiving and sending module is used for receiving an identifier and/or a second position identifier of a second user plane UP device and a virtual local area network identifier, which are sent by a user plane steering function USF device, wherein the second UP device corresponds to the second sub-interface;

a second transceiving module, configured to send a configuration instruction to an SF device corresponding to the second location identity according to the identity of the second UP device and/or the second location identity, where the configuration instruction includes an identity of the second subinterface and the virtual local area network identity, and the configuration instruction is used for the SF device corresponding to the second location identity to configure the virtual local area network identity to the second subinterface.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: and the processing module is used for determining the second sub-interface according to the identifier of the second UP device sent by the USF device.

36. A communication system is characterized by comprising a steering function SF device, a control plane CP device, a user plane UP device, a user plane steering function USF device and a software defined network SDN controller;

the SF device is configured to perform the method of any of claims 8 to 14;

the CP device is configured to perform the method of any of claims 15 to 17;

the USF device is configured to perform the method of any of claims 18-21;

the SDN controller is configured to perform the method of any of claims 22-24.

37. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device comprises a processor for executing instructions to cause the communication device to implement the communication method of any one of claims 8-24.

38. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to implement the communication method of any one of claims 8-24.