Configuration and Deployment Requirement for UPF

With 5G deployment, interoperability is required between Cisco UPF with non-Cisco SMF, and Cisco SMF with non-Cisco UPF. Also, decoupling of configuration-related messaging between SMF and UPF has the following benefits:

  • Alignment with 3GPP standards for configuration bifurcation between User Plane and Control Plane.

  • Reduced complexity for configuration management on SMF.

  • Simplicity and efficiency for the configuration and change management for User Plane related configuration, as it does not require SMF to manage and distribute the configuration.

  • Can be enhanced to achieve interworking between non-Cisco SMF and UPFs.

The Cisco UPF supports 3GPP-specified attributes on the N4 interface. In the current architecture, only UPF associates with the SMF.

The following features are related to this use case: