Method and apparatus for efficient signaling message processing in a communications network

A network element, which is to be coupled between a set of one or more mobility access gateways (MAGs) and a data network, to serve as a local mobility anchor (LMA) and efficiently distribute signaling messages, the network element comprising:

• a set of one or more line cards configured to communicate with the set of MAGs and a set of one or more control cards configured to execute a plurality of processes on a plurality of processing units, the set of line cards configured to:
• receive signaling messages from the set of MAGs, each signaling message including a network connection identifier (ID) associated with an end user device,
• transmit the signaling messages to the plurality of processes, wherein the processes are to be selected to receive the signaling messages according to a steering table, wherein the steering table is to map network connection IDs of signaling messages to processes of the plurality of processes,
• receive mapping messages from some of the plurality of processes, wherein each mapping message is to indicate a mapping of a network connection ID of a signaling message to a process, and
• update the steering table to indicate the mappings of network connection IDs to processes according to the received mapping messages;
• and
• the set of one or more control cards configured to execute the plurality of processes, each of the plurality of processes configured to:
• receive signaling messages from at least one of the set of line cards,
• transmit the received signaling messages to different processes of the plurality of processes when the different processes are configured to process the signaling messages, and
• transmit mapping messages to at least one of the set of line cards to indicate mappings between network connection IDs of the received signaling messages and that process when that process first establishes a session for the network connection IDs.

A method in a network element acting as a mobility access gateway (MAG) in a communications network to efficiently distribute signaling messages, the network element having a data plane configured to transmit and receive signaling messages to and from a local mobility anchor (LMA), each signaling message including a network connection identifier (ID) associated with an end station device, the network element further including a control plane having a plurality of processes executing on a plurality of processing units, the method comprising:

• creating a user equipment (UE) session for an end station device, wherein the UE session is used to provide the end station device network connectivity through the LMA, and wherein the UE session is assigned to a host process of the plurality of process and associated with a network connection ID;
• updating a steering table to indicate a mapping between the network connection ID and the host process;
• transmitting a Proxy Binding Update (PBU) message to the LMA, wherein the PBU message includes the network connection ID;
• receiving a Proxy Binding Acknowledgement (PBA) message from the LMA, wherein the PBA message includes the network connection ID;
• and
• responsive to receipt of the PBA message from the LMA:
• determining, according to the steering table, that the network connection ID from the PBA message is mapped to the host process, and
• forwarding the PBA message to the host process.

A network element, which is to be coupled between a local mobility anchor (LMA) and an end station device, to serve as a mobility access gateway (MAG) and efficiently distribute signaling messages, the network element comprising:

• a set of one or more line cards configured to communicate with the LMA, the end station device, and a set of one or more control cards configured to execute a plurality of processes on a plurality of processing units, the set of line cards configured to:
• create user equipment (UE) sessions for end station devices, wherein each UE session is to be assigned to a host process of the plurality of processes and associated with a network connection identifier (ID), and wherein the UE sessions are used to provide the end station devices network connectivity through the LMA,
• update a steering table to indicate a mapping between network connection IDs and host processes,
• transmit Proxy Binding Update (PBU) messages to the LMA, wherein each of the PBU messages includes a network connection ID,
• receive Proxy Binding Acknowledgement (PBA) messages from the LMA, wherein the PBA messages each include a network connection ID, and
• responsive to receipt of a PBA message from the LMA:
• determine, according to the steering table, that the network connection ID included in that PBA message is mapped to a host process, and
• forward that PBA message to that host process;
• and
• the set of one or more control cards configured to execute the plurality of processes, each of the plurality of processes configured to receive PBA messages from at least one of the set of line cards.