Method and system for network function migration procedures for a signaling control plane

A method for a gradual migration of network functions between network slices, comprising:

• associating, by a migration management unit, a first set of a plurality of network functions in a control plane of a network slice A for a legacy vendor;
• configuring, by the migration management unit, a second set of the plurality of network functions in the control plane of a network slice B for a new vendor wherein the second set of the plurality of network functions comprises a subset of the first set of the plurality of network functions in the control plane of network slice A;
• and
• managing, by the migration management unit, a multi-stage transfer of subsets of the plurality of network functions that are originally contained in the control plane of the network slice A to the control plane of network slice B wherein the multi-stage transfer comprises a migration of the plurality of network functions in a set of multiple staged transfers of network function subsets to configure the plurality of network functions in the control plane of network slice B, wherein:
• each stage of the multi-stage transfer comprises a migration of reduced sets of the plurality of network functions contained in the control plane of the network slice A reconfigured for use on the control plane of the network slice B;
• the network slice A is originally configured in a pre-migration setup that comprises a plurality of previously mapped network functions mapped to the control plane of network slice A wherein the network slice A comprises a set of a plurality of User Equipment (UE) profiles;
• and
• the migration management unit updates the plurality of UE profiles with the network slice B only after a first staged transfer of the set of multiple staged transfers and prior to any subsequent staged transfers.

A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage device that stores a set of instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method to migrate a set of network functions between control planes of network slices, the method comprising:

• determining, by a migration management unit, a first set of a plurality of network functions in a control plane of a network slice A for a legacy vendor;
• configuring, by the migration management unit, a second set of the plurality of network functions in the control plane of a network slice B for a new vendor wherein the second set of the plurality of network functions comprises a subset of the first set of the plurality of network functions in the control plane of network slice A;
• and
• managing, by the migration management unit, a multi-stage transfer of subsets of the plurality of network functions that are originally contained in the control plane of the network slice A to the control plane of network slice B wherein the multi-stage transfer comprises a migration of the plurality of network functions in a set of multiple staged transfers of network function subsets to configure the plurality of network functions in the control plane of network slice B, wherein:
• each stage of the multi-stage transfer comprises a migration of reduced sets of the plurality of network functions contained in the control plane of the network slice A reconfigured for use on the control plane of the network slice B;
• the network slice A is originally configured in a pre-migration setup that comprises a plurality of previously mapped network functions mapped to the control plane of network slice A wherein the network slice A comprises a set of a plurality of User Equipment (UE) profiles;
• and
• the migration management unit updates the plurality of UE profiles with the network slice B only after a first staged transfer of the set of multiple staged transfers and prior to any subsequent staged transfers.