Method and devices for controlling usage of multi-path TCP

A network element in a communication network, the network element comprising:

• processor circuitry;
• and
• a storage unit storing instructions executable by said processor circuitry whereby said network element is operative to:
• inspect traffic between a radio device and the communication network;
• determine, based on said inspecting traffic, that the traffic is part of a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) subflow of an MPTCP connection;
• calculate, based on said inspecting traffic, a ratio of how much data is transmitted in the subflow in relation to the total amount of data transmitted in the MPTCP connection over a predetermined time period;
• observe that the calculated ratio is below a reference ratio, wherein the reference ratio is a corresponding calculated ratio of another radio access bearer (RAB), which is currently used with a Radio Access Network (RAN) to set a priority of the TCP subflow in comparison with said another RAB;
• and
• perform, based on said observing, an action for preventing congestion in the communication network;
• wherein said perform an action comprises preempting a radio access bearer of the radio device, and wherein said preempting is performed by releasing lower priority radio access bearers or radio devices when related resources are needed for higher priority radio access bearers or radio devices.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code which is able to, when run on processor circuitry of a network element, cause the network element to:

• inspect traffic between a radio device and the communication network;
• determine, based on said inspecting traffic, that the traffic is part of a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) subflow of an MPTCP connection;
• calculate, based on said inspecting traffic, a ratio of how much data is transmitted in the subflow in relation to the total amount of data transmitted in the MPTCP connection over a predetermined time period;
• observe that the calculated ratio is below a reference ratio;
• wherein the reference ratio is a corresponding calculated ratio of another radio access bearer (RAB), which is currently used with a Radio Access Network (RAN) to set a priority of the TCP subflow in comparison with said another RAB;
• and
• perform, based on said observing, an action for preventing congestion in the communication network;
• wherein said perform an action comprises preempting a radio access bearer, (RAB) of the radio device, and wherein said preempting is performed by releasing lower priority radio access bearers or radio devices when related resources are needed for higher priority radio access bearers or radio devices.