Method and gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) for control plane redundancy

A method for replacing a failed data session master control unit (GTP-C/m) in a Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN), the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a failure or a shutdown of the GTP-C/m in the GGSN;
• detecting, among all remaining data session control units (GTP-C) available in the GGSN, the GTP-C with the least load, and electing the GTP-C with the least load as a fail-over unit for the GTP-C/m that failed;
• recovering by the elected fail-over GTP-C information related to the failed GTP-C/m from other GTP-C units;
• rebuilding by the elected GTP-C a GTP-C/m information database using the information related to the failed GTP-C/m;
• and
• starting the elected GTP-C as a GTP-C/m of the GGSN.

A Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN), comprising:

• a plurality of slave data session control units (GTP-C/s), each being set to controlling a plurality of data sessions for Mobile Stations (MSs);
• a plurality of data sessions payload units (GTP-Us) for supporting a routing of a payload of the data sessions;
• and
• a master data session control unit (GTP-C/m) detecting a failure or a shutdown of one of the GTP-C/s of the GGSN, the GTP-C/m further detecting if the failed GTP-C/s controlled any data sessions before it failed, and if the failed GTP-C/s controlled any data sessions before it failed, the GTP-C/m requesting from the plurality of GTP-Us to close all the data sessions;
• wherein the GTP-Us respond to the request by closing all accounting sessions related to the data sessions.

A Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN), comprising:

• a master data session control unit (GTP-C/m);
• a plurality of data session control units (GTP-Cs);
• and
• an Routing Engine (RE) detecting a failure or a shutdown of the GTP-C/m;
• wherein the RE in combination with all remaining GTP-Cs available in the GGSN further detects the GTP-C with the least load, and elect the GTP-C with the least load as a fail-over unit for the GTP-C/m that failed, and wherein the elected GTP-C recovers information related to the failed GTP-C/m from the remaining GTP-C units, rebuilds a GTP-C/m information database using the information related to the failed GTP-C/m, and starts acting as a GTP-C/m of the GGSN.