Methods and apparatus for use in adaptively rerouting user plane traffic for mobility using segment routing for ipv6

One or more controllers of a control plane entity for use in a mobile network, the one or more controllers of the control plane entity comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory coupled to the one or more processors;
• the one or more processors being executable in accordance with instructions to perform a method for use in optimizing an Internet Protocol (IP) traffic flow between a mobile node operative in a mobile network and a correspondent node, the IP traffic flow being anchored at a first user plane anchor node for attachment of the mobile node to the mobile network, the first user plane anchor node being configured with a set of home network prefixes for allocation including a first home network prefix of IP version 6 (IPv6) addresses allocated to the mobile node, the method being performed by:
• after selection of a second user plane anchor node for attachment of the mobile node to the mobile network:
• instructing the second user plane anchor node to host the first home network prefix of IPv6 addresses allocated to the mobile node;
• and
• provisioning the first user plane anchor node with one or more steering rules for steering, to the second user plane anchor node according to a source-based routing protocol for steering data packets, one or more subsequent IP traffic flows destined to the first home network prefix.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium;
• program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
• the program instructions being executed by one or more controllers of a control plane entity to perform a method for use in optimizing an Internet Protocol (IP) traffic flow between a mobile node operative in a mobile network and a correspondent node, the IP traffic flow being anchored at a first user plane anchor node for attachment of the mobile node to the mobile network, the first user plane anchor node being configured with a set of home network prefixes for allocation including a first home network prefix of IP version 6 (IPv6) addresses allocated to the mobile node, the method being performed by:
• after selection of a second user plane anchor node for attachment of the mobile node to the mobile network:
• instructing the second user plane anchor node to host the first home network prefix of IPv6 addresses allocated to the mobile node;
• and
• provisioning the first user plane anchor node with one or more steering rules for steering, to the second user plane anchor node according to a source-based routing protocol for steering data packets, one or more subsequent IP traffic flows destined to the first home network prefix.