6.5 Sx Management Procedures

23.2143GPPArchitecture enhancements for control and user plane separation of EPC nodesRelease 17TS

6.5.1 General

Sx management procedures are used by the CP function to manage the UP function independent of any Sx session.

NOTE: The terminology defined in TS 29.244 [12] is used for the procedures and messages related to the Sx management procedures.

Editor’s note: More procedures may be added after stage 3 finalize the work on Sx management procedures.

6.5.2 Sx PFD management Procedure

The Sx PFD management procedure is used by the PGW-C or TDF-C to provision or remove all PFD(s) belonging to an Application ID in the UP function as described in clause 5.11.4. PFD sets belonging to different Application IDs can be managed with the same PFD management request message.

The Sx PFD management procedure is a node level procedure, i.e. independent of any Sx session.

Figure 6.5.2-1: Sx PFD Management Procedure

1. The CP function is triggered to provision or remove the PFD set belonging to an Application ID as described in clause 5.11.4.

2. The CP function sends a PFD management request message to the UP function (containing the parameters described in clause 7.9.1) to provision/remove the PFD set corresponding to the Application ID.

3. The UP function acknowledges by responding with a PFD management response message.

6.5.3 Sx Association Setup Procedure

The Sx Association Setup procedure is used to setup an association between the CP function and the UP function which enables the CP function to subsequently interact with the UP function, e.g. to establish Sx Sessions.

The setup of an Sx association may be initiated by the CP function or the UP function as described in clause 6.2.6 of TS 29.244 [12]. The CP function and the UP function shall support the Sx association setup initiated by the CP function. The CP function and the UP function may additionally support the Sx association setup initiated by the UP function.

The CP function should only establish an Sx association with a UP function that supports F-TEID allocation at the UP function.

6.5.4 Sx Association Update Procedure

The Sx Association Update procedure is used to modify an existing Sx association between the CP function and the UP function. It may be initiated by the UP function or by the CP function, as described in clause 6.2.7 of TS 29.244 [12].

6.5.5 Sx Association Release Procedure

The Sx Association Release procedure is used to terminate the Sx association between the CP function and the UP function due to e.g. OAM reasons. The Sx Association Release procedure can be only initiated by the CP function, as described in clause 6.2.8 of TS 29.244 [12].