Session management function (smf) selection based on supported protocol type

A system for establishing a traffic session for a user equipment (UE) on a network, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer-readable medium storing instructions that are operative upon execution by the processor to:
• receive, by an access node, from a network repository, identification of a plurality of available session management nodes, wherein the identification of the plurality of available session management nodes indicates whether each session management node supports a first traffic type or a second traffic type;
• determine, by the access node, a requested traffic type identified by the UE;
• determine a match between supported and requested traffic types;
• based at least on the match, select a session management node from the plurality of available session management nodes;
• and
• based at least on selecting the session management node, establish the traffic session with the UE and the selected session management node.

One or more computer storage devices having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for establishing a traffic session for a user equipment (UE) on a network, which, on execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by an access node, from a network repository, identification of a plurality of available session management nodes, wherein the identification of the plurality of available session management nodes indicates whether each session management node supports a first traffic type or a second traffic type;
• determining, by the access node, a requested traffic type identified by the UE;
• determining a match between supported and requested traffic types;
• based at least on the match, selecting a session management node from the plurality of available session management nodes;
• and
• based at least on selecting the session management node, establishing the traffic session with the UE and the selected session management node.