TCP Fast Open

TCP Fast Open (TFO) is an extension to speed up the opening of successive TCP connections between two endpoints. It works by using a TFO cookie (a TCP option), which is a cryptographic cookie stored on the client and set upon the initial connection with the server. When the client reconnects, it sends the initial SYN packet along with the TFO cookie data to authenticate itself. If successful, the server starts sending data to the client even before the reception of the final ACK packet of the three-way handshake. Due to this, the difference between following packets are recorded to calculate and record time difference between control packets of TCP flow in EDR:

• SYN and SYN-ACK packet

• SYN-ACK and ACK packet

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Deep Packet Inspection and Inline Services chapter.

IP Access Lists, commonly known as Access Control Lists (ACLs), control the flow of packets into and out of the system. The configuration is per-context basis and consists of "rules" (ACL rules) or filters that control the action applicable for packets that match the filter criteria. Once configured, an ACL can be applied to an individual subscriber. Separate ACLs can be created for IPv4 and IPv6 access routes.

The following are the two main aspects of ACLs:

• Rule(s)

• Rule Order

With this release, a configurable mechanism has been introduced to apply traffic classification and policy enforcement on selective subscriber sessions.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > APN ACL Support chapter.

The maximum number of groups that can be configured per bandwidth policy has been increased.

The following are the bandwidth-policy configuration limits:

• Maximum number of bandwidth policies that can be configured: 64

• Maximum number of Groups per bandwidth policy that can be configured: 1000

• Maximum number of bandwidth IDs per bandwidth policy that can be configured: 1000

• Maximum number of Groups across bandwidth policies that can be configured: 10000

• Maximum number of bandwidth IDs across bandwidth policies that can be configured: 10000

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Dynamic and Static PCC Rules chapter.

Bulk statistics is a collection of software features and framework that collects and exports the important performance and health-related statistics of the packet core node to an external node.

The following new bulk statistic schemas are now supported:

• P2P Schema

• Sx Schema

• System Schema

• Userplane Schema

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Bulk Statistics Support chapter.

The Converged Datapath feature allows interconnection of the same UE session at UPF instance with SGW-C/cnSGW and Session Management Function (SMF)/Inter-Working Function (IWF) to build converged/collapsed datapath and achieve higher throughput.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Converged Datapath chapter.

The Device ID in EDNS0 Records allows each enterprise with a customized domain-blocking functionality through Umbrella. To enable this functionality:

• The UPF must reformat a subscriber DNS request into an EDNS0 request, and

• The UPF must include an Umbrella “Device ID” in the EDNS0 packet so that the Umbrella DNS resolver can use the Device ID to apply the domain filter associated/configured with the Device ID in the EDNS0 packet.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Device ID in EDNS0 Records chapter.

Event Data Records (EDRs) are usage records with support to configure content information, format, and generation of triggers by the system administrative user. When a flow is terminated, the UPF generates EDRs with detail information of the terminated flow.

With this release, the following new DNS attributes have been introduced in EDRs.

• rule-variable dns answer-ip-list

• rule-variable dns answer-name

• rule-variable dns previous-state

• rule-variable dns query-name

• rule-variable dns query-type

• rule-variable dns return-code

• rule-variable dns state

• rule-variable dns tid

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Deep Packet Inspection and Inline Services chapter.

The policing configuration uses inputs from the Session Manager. The inputs are received either from PCF as AMBR or from flow-level QoS information. The values received from the PCF are always accepted for session-level AMBR policing. However, the flow-level policing is prioritized, if available, and AMBR policing is applied sequentially. That is to say, the policer engine applies the hierarchical policing—first the flow-level/rule bandwidth limiting and then the session-level bandwidth limiting.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Dynamic and Static PCC Rules chapter.

In accordance with 3GPP TS 29.244, node-level Heartbeat procedures between the Session Management Function (SMF) and User Plane Function (UPF) over N4/Sx interface is added.

The Heartbeat procedure contains the following two messages:

• Heartbeat Request

• Heartbeat Response

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Heartbeat Support for N4/Sx Interface chapter.

Cisco 5G UPF is integrated with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) based services. DPI is the examination of layer 7 (L7) which contains Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) information. In some cases, layer 3 (L3) and layer 4 (L4) analyzers that identify a trigger condition are insufficient for billing purposes. So, layer 7 (L7) examination is used. DPI performs packet inspection beyond L4 inspection and is typically deployed for detection of URI information at L7.

The following L7 protocols are supported as part of DPI:

• DNS

• FTP

• HTTP

• HTTPS

• RTP/RTSP

• SIP

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Deep Packet Inspection and Inline Services chapter.

The Multiple N4 Interface feature enables a single UPF to establish multiple N4 interfaces with as many SMFs. Integration of multiple SMFs with a single UPF results in optimal usage of resources.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Multiple N4/Sx Interface chapter.

The Redundancy Configuration Manager (RCM) is a Cisco proprietary node/network function (NF) that provides redundancy for StarOS-based UP/UPFs. The RCM provides N:M redundancy of UP/UPFs wherein “N” is number of Active UP/UPFs and is less than 10, and “M” is the number of Standby UP/UPF in the redundancy group.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > N:M Redundancy and Redundancy Configuration Manager chapter.

In compliance with 3GPP TS 29.244, the UPF supports the following IEs:

• Averaging Window

• Paging Policy Indicator (PPI)

• Outer Header

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > N4 Interface Compliance with 3GPP Specification chapter.

Overlapping pools share and use a range of IP addresses. Overlapping pools can either be of type STATIC or PRIVATE. No public pools can be configured as overlapping pools. Each overlapping pool is part of different VRF (routing domain) and pool-group. Since an APN can use only one pool-group, overlapping pools are part of different APN as well.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Virtual Routing and Forwarding chapter.

The Subscriber Microservices Infrastructure (SMI) supports deploying 5G NFs and StarOS-based UPF.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > N:M Redundancy and Redundancy Configuration Manager chapter.

Cisco 5G User Plane Function (UPF) supports Smart Licensing which is a cloud-based approach to licensing that simplifies the purchase, deployment, and management of Cisco software assets. Entitlements are purchased through your Cisco account via Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW) and immediately deposited into your Virtual Account for usage. This eliminates the need to install license files on every device. Products that are smart-enabled, communicate directly to Cisco to report consumption. A single location is available to customers to manage Cisco software licenses—the Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM). License ownership and consumption are readily available to help make better purchase decision based on consumption or business need.

For more information, refer to the UCC 5G UPF Configuration and Administration Guide > Smart Licensing chapter.

This UPF release is qualified with OSP and the Subscriber Microservices Infrastructure (SMI). The SMI platform is responsible for deploying and managing the 5G network functions.

For more information, refer to the Ultra Cloud Core Subscriber Microservices Infrastructure — Operations Guide.