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Open Packet Broker: GTP Support for 5G Networks

April 23, 2025

Overview

GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) is a vital protocol in mobile networks, enabling the encapsulation and transport of user and signaling data across network domains. Traditionally, GTP packets contain a standard header that carries essential control or user-plane information. However, modern network demands have led to the introduction of GTP Extension Headers, which provide additional metadata for advanced use cases. To address these evolving requirements in Dual Connectivity (DC) and Monitoring fabric networks, GTP with Extension Header Support parsing and filtering has been introduced in Aviz OPBNOS Product. This feature ensures seamless processing of GTP packets containing extension headers, allowing enhanced Packet filtering and forwarding capabilities.

Supported GTP Extension Headers

GTP Extension: PDU Session Container for 5G

With the introduction of 5G Standalone (SA), mobile networks rely on Power Distribution Unit (PDU) (Protocol Data Unit) sessions to manage data flows. The 0x85 extension header is specifically designed for session info, allowing for more precise Quality of Service (QoS) enforcement and network slicing.

  • Advanced Traffic Management: Optimizes routing and reduces congestion for efficient data flow.
  • Enabling Network Slicing: Allocates Bandwidth, latency, and reliability for industries like healthcare, Internet of Things (IoT), and autonomous vehicles.
  • QoS Prioritization: Ensures high-priority traffic (voice, video, low-latency apps) is managed with real-time adjustments.

GTP Extension: Advanced QoS Handling

This extension header enhances QoS enforcement by introducing parameters for real-time traffic optimization.

  • Fine-Grained QoS Control: Includes Packet Delay Budget (PDB), jitter control, and loss rate, ensuring precise handling for latency-sensitive applications like cloud gaming, AR/VR, and mission-critical IoT.
  • Adaptive Traffic Steering: Works with 5G’s Policy Control Function (PCF) to adjust QoS dynamically, prioritizing emergency services and time-sensitive applications.
  • Better Performance in Congested Networks: Prevents Packet loss and delays under peak traffic conditions, ensuring efficient resource allocation without service degradation.

What Open Packet Broker Does?

Extension Header Filtering & Load Balancing

  • This feature is supported only on NVIDIA Spectrum-2 and above platforms. Additionally, the GTP parser must be enabled via Command-Line Interface (CLI) to ensure proper handling of packets with extension headers.
  • The existing GTP Parser is modified to support predominant extension headers of GTP protocol to enable the NVIDIA Spectrum Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) to parse and filter based on the GTP header parameters.

Configuration

Open Packet Broker provides the capability to filter GTP packets based on Tunnel EndPoint Identifier (TEID), Inner Internet Protocol Header including Source-ip, Destination-ip, and L4 Ports.

Benefits

  • Seamless Compatibility: Ensures smooth handling of both standard and extended GTP packets.
  • Advanced Packet Filtering: Supports filtering based on inner headers even when extension headers are present.
  • Optimized Network Performance: Enables efficient traffic management for modern mobile networks.
  • Future-Proof Networking: Allows integration of advanced GTP functionalities required for next-generation mobile technologies such as 5G and network slicing.

With GTP extension header support, open networking solutions can better accommodate next-generation mobile applications while maintaining compatibility with existing infrastructure.

For more details on GTP deployment scenarios, refer to GTP Deployment Use Cases.

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