Requesting flexible user-plane services in a service-based architecture

A network node on which a service requestor is implemented in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions, the network node comprising:

• a network interface;
• one or more processors;
• and
• memory comprising instructions executable by the one or more processors whereby the network node is operable to implement the service requestor, wherein the service requestor is operable to:
• send, to a chain controller, a service description or a request to update a service description, wherein:
• the service description comprises one or more service template instances, the one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions;
• each service template definition of the respective service template definitions being data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service;
• and
• each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition;
• and
• receive a reply from the chain controller.

A method of operation of a chain controller in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions, comprising:

• receiving, from a service requestor, a service description comprising one or more service template instances, the one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions, wherein:
• each service template definition of the respective service template definitions comprises data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service;
• and
• each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition;
• generating a service set based on the service description, the service set comprising a list of micro user plane functions;
• and
• assigning each micro user plane function in the list of micro user plane functions comprised in the service set to a user plane node.