X2 son for LTE networks through automated X2 address discovery

摘要

According to an embodiment, a network device coupled to a local base station at a cell site is configured to automatically create a more optimal route for inter-base station traffic between the local base station and a remote base station. The network device automatically discovers a remote Internet Protocol address of the remote base station used for inter-base station traffic based upon traffic transmitted by the local base station to the network device or traffic transmitted between the local and remote base stations. In response, the network device automatically installs the more optimal route entry in a routing table of the network device, which enables the network device to route inter-base station traffic originated from the local base station and destined to the remote base station using a shorter path through the backhaul network instead of routing the traffic through a mobile core network.

主权项

1. A method in a network device communicatively coupled to a set of one or more local base stations at a cell site for automatic creation of a more optimal route entry in the network device for inter-base station traffic to be transmitted between the set of local base stations and a set of one or more remote base stations through a backhaul network, the method comprising:
receiving, at the network device, X2 traffic transmitted by the set of local base stations to the set of remote base stations or transmitted by the set of remote base stations to the set of local base stations, wherein the X2 traffic is not ultimately destined to the network device; discovering, by the network device based upon the received X2 traffic, one or more remote Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the set of remote base stations, wherein the one or more remote IP addresses are X2 IP addresses of the set of remote base stations used for the inter-base station traffic; and responsive to said discovering of the one or more remote IP addresses, automatically installing the more optimal route entry for the discovered one or more remote IP addresses in a routing table of the network device, whereby the network device is enabled to route the inter-base station traffic originated from the set of local base stations and destined to the set of remote base stations according to the more optimal route entry that provides a shorter path to the set of remote base stations through the backhaul network instead of routing the inter-base station traffic through a mobile core network according to a less optimal route entry,
wherein said automatically installing the more optimal route comprises either:utilizing a route import map including the one or more remote IP addresses to limit which advertised routes received via a routing protocol are to be installed by the network device;transmitting one or more messages to a route reflector to cause the route reflector to update its Outbound Route Filter (ORF) to include one or more entries representing the one or more remote IP addresses, wherein the route reflector uses the ORF to determine which routes it will advertise to the network device using the routing protocol; orpublishing the more optimal route with a corresponding one or more unique route target (RT) values derived from the respective remote IP addresses using the routing protocol, and also adding the one or more unique RT values to an import route target list used to identify which advertised routes received via the routing protocol are to be installed to the routing table.