Enhanced IoT Call Model Support on UCS M7 Server

The UCS 220 M7 server now supports the same IoT call model for sessions as the UCS M6 server, ensuring seamless 7M session support with UPF.

IPv6 Prefix Delegation Support to the requesting UE or CPE

UPF supports IPv6 Prefix Delegation to the requesting User Equipment (UE) or Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).

This feature ensures efficient and dynamic allocation of IPv6 prefixes, facilitating seamless connectivity and address management for devices within the network.

This feature requires a valid license. Contact your Cisco account representative for more information.

Command Introduced: The existing CLI ipv6 address alloc-method no-dynamic allow-prefix-delegation pd-alloc-method no-dynamic in the APN Configuration mode must be configured to enable this feature. Additionally, DHCP service should also be associated to the APN configuration.

Default Setting: Disabled – Configuration Required to Enable

Power Management using VRCC

The Variable Relinquishing of CPU Cycles (VRCC) feature in 5G UPF introduces a dynamic CPU management system to reduce power consumption in packet processing systems based on traffic demands. This feature allows the CPU to reduce its clock frequency during low traffic periods and engage the power saving mode.

This feature requires a valid license and is supported on VPP instances of VPC-SI for 5G UPF only.

Command Introduced: require power-saving vpp in Global Configuration mode

Default Setting: Disabled – Configuration Required to Enable

Accurate Reporting of Time and Volume Thresholds during Sx/N4 Modify Request Process

As part of the N4/Sx modification process, UPF reports various trigger IEs during Update URR. In this report, UPF contains information about usage of traffic and resources based on time and volume thresholds.

Previous Behavior: If Update URR does not have the time and volume threshold values for a specific URR, the old threshold values were retained. It causes UPF to send an incorrect usage report to SMF.

New Behavior: As part of Update URR processing, UPF replaces the old time and volume thresholds with the new values. UPF only processes the latest values. If Update URR does not contain any time or volume threshold values, then that threshold is not monitored after that point.

Increased BGP Monitoring Capacity in RCM

This release supports the following enhancements for BGP monitoring in RCM:

• Configurable number of BGP monitors is increased from 16 to 26

• Configurable number of BGP monitor groups is increased from 10 to 13

Previous Behavior: You were allowed to configure a maximum number of 16 BGP monitors and 10 BGP monitor groups in RCM.

New Behavior: You can now configure up to 26 BGP monitors and 13 BGP monitor groups in RCM. Use the monitor bgp context context_name peer-ip [ group group_number ] CLI command in RCM Config mode to enable the configuration.

Management of Subscriber Traces Exclusively on CUPS CP

Previous Behavior: The "W - UP PCAP Trace (ON)" option was visible on both the CUPS CP and UP when running the monitor subscriber command. However, the upcoming call and IMSI monitoring outputs were not captured.

New Behavior: The "W - UP PCAP Trace (ON)" option is now visible and manageable only on the CUPS CP. Users cannot toggle the "W - UP PCAP Trace" option (ON/OFF) on the CUPS UP.

Customer Impact: This change allows subscribers to capture traces on the CP independently from the UP, eliminating the need to start traces on both planes.

Reject Update FAR with Cause IE

Previous Behavior: The session manager on UPF used to crash when SMF sends Update FAR for any FAR without an associated PDR.

New Behavior: When SMF sends Update FAR for an unassociated FAR, UPF will now reject it with the MANDATORY_IE_INCORRECT (69) PFCP cause.

Customer Impact: UPF will handle Update FAR gracefully and reject Sx Modify Request, while SMF is expected to tear down the session.

UPF Drop Statistics for Flow Termination

Previous Behavior: When a packet triggered a flow action to terminate, the packet was dropped. The drop statistics were not incremented and led to incomplete and inaccurate statistics. This behavior impacted network performance monitoring, effectiveness of flow control mechanisms, and troubleshooting of network events.

New Behavior: The packet that causes the flow to terminate is counted in the drop statistics. The drop statistics display the accurate number of packets dropped due to flow action termination.

The show user-plane-service statistics drop-counter and show subscribers user-plane-only callid callid drop-statistics commands are enhanced to include a new "Terminate Flow" field. This counter displays the number of packets dropped due to flow action termination.