5G Architecture

model and
concepts
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5G Architecture model &
concepts

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Key principles :
● Seperate UP functions from CP functions.
● Enable flexible & efficient network slicing.
● Define procedures as services, so that their re-use is possible.
● Enable each NF to interact with other NF directly .
● Minimize dependencies between Access network and core
network.

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Key principles :
● Minimize dependencies between Access network and core
network.
● Support a unified authentication framework.
● Support “stateless” NFs, where the “compute” resource is
decoupled from the “storage” resource.
● Support capability exposure.
● Support roaming

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Architecture reference model

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General :
The 5G architecture is defined as service based and the interaction
between NFs is represented in two ways as :
● A service based representation
● A reference point representation

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Network functions and entities :
● AUSF
● AMF
● DN
● UDSF
● NEF
● NRF
● NSSF
● PCF
● SMF
● UDM

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Network functions and entities :
● UDR
● UPF
● AP
● UE
● RAN
● 5G-EIR
● SEPP
● NWDAF

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Non-roaming reference
architecture

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5G system architecture :

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5G system architecture :

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5G system architecture :
● Non roaming architecture for UE’s concurrently accessing two
(local and central ) data networks using multiple PDU sessions ,
using reference point representation.
● This architecture is for multiple PDU sessions where two SMFs
are selected for two different PDU sessions .
● Each SMF may have the capability to control both a local and a
central UPF within a PDU session.

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Roaming reference architecture :

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Data storage architectures

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Data storage architectures :
● The 5G system architecture allows any NF to store and retrieve
its unstructured data into/from a UDSF.
● The UDSF belongs to the same PLMN where the network
function is located.

N18/Nudsf
Any NF UDSF

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Data storage architectures :
● The 5G system architecture allows the UDM, PCF and NEF to
store data in the UDR, including subscription data and policy
data by UDM and PCF, structured data for exposure and
application data for application detection, AF request
information for multiple UE’s by the NEF.

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UDR deployment :
● UDR accessed by the NEF belongs to the same PLMN where
the NEF is located.
● UDR accessed by the UDM belongs to the same PLMN where
the UDM is located if UDM supports a split architecture.
● UDR accessed by the PCF belongs to the same PLMN where
the PCF is located.

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Data storage architecture :

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Data storage architectures :
● The Nudr interface is defined for the network functions such as
UDM,PCF and NEF to access a particular set of data stored and
to read , update , delete and subscribe to notification of relevant
data changes in the UDR.

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Data storage architectures :
● Data in the UDR sets exposed via Nudr to the respective NF
service consumer and stored shall be standardized :
subscription data, policy data , structured data for exposure,
application data : packet flow descriptions for application
detection and AF request information for multiple UE’s.

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Data storage architectures :
● The service based Nudr interface defines the content and
format / encoding of 3GPP defined information elements
exposed by data sets.

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Service based interfaces

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Service based interfaces :
● Namf
● Nsmf
● Nnef
● Npcf
● Nudm
● Naf
● Nnrf
● Nnssf
● Nausf
● Nudr

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Service based interfaces :
● Nudsf
● N5g-eir
● Nnwdaf

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Reference points

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Reference points :
● N1
● N2
● N3
● N4
● N6
● N9
● N5
● N7
● N8

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Reference points :
● N 10
● N11
● N12
● N13
● N14
● N15
● N16
● N17
● N18
● N22

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Reference points :
● N23
● N24
● N27
● N31
● N32
● N33
● N34
● N35
● N36
● N37
● N40
● N50
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Support of non-3GPP access

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General concepts :
● Non - 3GPP access networks shall be connected to the 5G core
network via non-3GPP interworking function ( N31WF).
● The N31WF interfaces the 5G core network CP and UP functions
via N2 and N3 interfaces respectively.
● The N2 and N3 reference points are used to connect standalone
non-3GPP accesses to 5G core network control plane and user
plane functions respectively.

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General concepts :
● A UE that accesses the 5G core network over a standalone
non-3GPP access shall, after UE attachment , support NAS
signalling with 5G core network control plane functions using
the N1 reference point.
● The PLMN selection for the 3GPP access does not depend on
the N31WF selection. If a UE is registered over a non-3GPP, the
UE performs PLMN selection for the 3GPP access
independently of the PLMN to which the N31WF belongs.

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General concepts :
● A UE shall establish an IPsec tunnel with the N31WF to attach to
the 5G core network over untrusted non-3GPP access.
● N1 NAS signalling over standalone non-3GPP accesses shall be
protected with the same security mechanism applied for N1
over a 3GPP access.

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Architecture reference model
for non-3GPP accesses

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Non roaming architecture for non-3GPP accesses

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Interworking with EPC

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Non-roaming architecture :

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Registration & connection
management

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 General :
● The registration management is used to register or deregister a
UE/user with the network, and establish the user context in the
network.
● The connection management is used to establish and release
the signalling connection between UE and the AMF.

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 Registration management :
● A UE/user needs to register with the network to receive
services that requires registration.
● Periodic registration update
● Mobility registration update

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 Registration management :
● The initial registration procedure involves execution of network
access control functions i.e user authentication and access
authorization based on subscription profiles in UDM.

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5GS Registration
management states

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 5GS registration management states :
Two RM states are used in the UE and the AMF that reflect the
registration status of the UE in the selected PLMN :
● RM-DEREGISTERED
● RM-REGISTERED

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 RM-DEREGISTERED state :
In this state, the UE shall :
● Attempt to register with the selected PLMN using the initial
registration procedure if it needs to receive service that requires
registration.
● Remain in RM-DEREGISTERED state if receiving a registration
reject upon initial registration.
● Enter RM-registered state upon receiving a registration accept.

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 RM-REGISTERED STATE :
In this state the UE shall :
● Perform mobility registration update procedure if the current
TAI of the serving cell is not in the list of TAI’s that the UE has
received from the network in order to maintain the registration
and enable the AMF to page the UE.
● Perform periodic registration update procedure triggered by
expiration of the periodic update timer to notify the network that
the UE is still alive.

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5GS registration management
state models

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RM State model in UE :

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RM state model in AMF :

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 Registration area management :
● It comprises the functions to allocate and reallocate a
registration area to a UE.
● Registration area is managed per access type i.e 3GPP access or
non-3GPP access.

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 Registration area management :
● When a UE registers with the network over the 3GPP access,
the AMF allocates a set of tracking areas in TAI list to the UE.
● An AMF which has the whole PLMN as serving area may
alternatively allocate the whole PLMN as registration area to a
UE in MICO mode.

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 Registration area management :
● The 5G system shall support allocating a Registration area using
a single TAI list which includes tracking areas of any NG-RAN
nodes in the registration area for a UE.
● A single TAI dedicated to a non-3GPP access, the N3GPP TAI, is
defined in a PLMN and applies within the PLMN.
● When a UE registers with the network over the non-3GPP
access, the AMF allocates a registration area that only includes
the N3GPP TAI to the UE.

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Connection Management

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 General :
● It comprises the functions of establishing and releasing a NAS
signalling connection between a UE and the AMF over N1.
● It comprises both the AN Signalling connection between the UE
and the AN.
● N2 connection for this UE between the AN and the AMF.

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 5G connection management states :
● Two CM states are used to reflect the NAS signalling
connection of the UE with the AMF: CM-IDLE , CM-CONNECTED
● The CM state for 3GPP access and non-3GPP are independent
of each other, i.e one can be in CM-IDLE state at the same time
when the other in CM-CONNECTED state.

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CM-IDLE state

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 CM-IDLE state :
● A UE in CM-IDLE state has no NAS signalling connection
established with the AMF over N1.
● There are no AN signalling connection , N2 connection and N3
connections for the UE in the CM-IDLE state.
● The AMF shall be able to retrieve stored information required
for initiating communication with the UE using 5G-GUTI.

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 CM-IDLE state :
● The AMF shall enter CM-CONNECTED state for the UE
whenever an N2 connection is established for this UE between
the AN and AMF.
● The reception of initial N2 message initiates the transition of
AMF from CM-IDLE to CM-CONNECTED state.
● The UE and AMF may optimize the power efficiency and
signalling efficiency of the UE by activating MICO mode.

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CM-CONNECTED state

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 CM-CONNECTED state :
● A UE in CM-CONNECTED state has a NAS signalling connection
with the AMF over N1.
● A NAS signalling connection uses an RRC connection between
UE and NG-RAN and an NGAP UE association between the AN
and AMF for 3GPP access.

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 CM-CONNECTED state :
● In this state, the UE shall enter CM-IDLE state whenever the AN
signalling connection is released.
● When the UE CM state in the AMF is CM-CONNECTED , the
AMF shall : enter CM-IDLE state for the UE whenever the
logical NGAP signalling connection and the N3 user plane
connection for this UE are released upon completion of the AN
release procedure.

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5GS Connection management
state models

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Connection management models :

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Connection management models :

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NAS signalling connection
management

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 NAS signalling connection establishment :
● NAS signalling connection establishment function is provided
by the UE and AMF to establish a NAS signalling connection for
a UE in CM-IDLE state.
● The AMF shall provide the list of recommended cells/ TA’s/
NG-RAN node identifiers.

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 NAS signalling connection release :
● The procedure of releasing a NAS signalling connection is
initiated by the AN node .
● The NG-RAN node may include the list of recommended cells /
TAs / NG-RAN node identifiers for paging, during the AN
release procedure in the AN.
● The AMF stores this information , if provided by NG-RAN.

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UE Mobility

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 Mobility restrictions :
● It restrict mobility handling or service access of a UE.
● Service area restrictions and handling of forbidden areas for
CM-IDLE state and for CM-CONNECTED state when in RRC
inactive state are executed by the UE based on information
received from the core network.

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 Mobility restrictions :
● Mobility restrictions consists of RAT restriction, forbidden area,
service area restrictions and core network type restriction .

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Core network assistance
information for RAN
optimization

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 General :
● Core network assistance information for RAN aids the RAN to
optimize the uE state transition steering and the RAN paging
strategy formulation in RRC inactive state.

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 CN assisted RAN parameters tuning :
● If the expected UE behaviour parameters of the uE is available,
the AMF may use this information for selecting the CN assisted
RAN parameter values.
● The expected UE behaviour parameters can be provisioned by
external party via NEF.

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 CN assisted RAN parameters tuning :
● Expected UE activity behavior
● Expected HO behavior
● Expected UE mobility
● Expected UE moving trajectory

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Session management

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Overview :
● The 5GC supports a PDU connectivity service i.e a service that
provides exchange of PDUs between a UE and a data network
identified by a DNN.
● The PDU connectivity service is supported via PDU sessions
that are established upon request from the UE.

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Overview :
● The subscription information for each S-NSSAI may contain a
subscribed DNN list and one default DNN.
● If the DNN provided by the UE is not supported by the network
and ANF cannot select an SMF by querying NRF, the AMF shall
reject the NAS message containing PDU session establishment
request from the UE with a cause that the DNN is not supported.

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Overview :
● PDU session types are defined : IPv4, IPV6, IPv4v6, ethernet,
unstructured.
● PDU sessions are established ( upon UE request) , modified (
upon UE and 5GC request) and released ( upon UE and 5GC
request) using NAS SM signalling exchanged over N1 between
UE and SMF.

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5G QoS parameters

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5QI :
● Access node specific parameters that control QoS forwarding
treatment for the QoS flow.
● Scheduling weights, admission thresholds, queue management
thresholds, link layer protocol configuration etc.

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ARP :
● The QoS parameter ARP contains information about the priority
level.
● The priority level defines the relative importance of a resource
request.
● The range of ARP priority level is 1 to 15 with 1 is the highest
level of priority.

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RQA :
● It is an optional parameter which indicates that certain traffic
carried on this QoS flow is subject to reflective QoS.
● The RQA may be signalled to NG-RAN via N2 reference point at
UE context establishment in NG-RAN and at QoS flow
establishment or modification.

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5G QoS characteristics

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Characteristics :
● Resource type ( GBR, delay critical GBR and non-GBR)
● Priority level
● Packet delay budget
● Packet error rate
● Averaging window
● Maximum data burst volume

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User plane management

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General :
● User plane functions handle the user plane path of PDU
sessions.
● Support deployments with a single UPF or multiple UPF’s for a
given PDU session.

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UPF traffic detection :
● Traffic detection
● Traffic reporting
● QoS enforcement
● Traffic routing

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UE IP address management :
● The UE sets the requested PDU session type during the PDU
session establishment procedure based on its IP stack
capabilities.
● A UE shall support IPV4,IPV6 or IPv4v6.
● When the IP version capability of the UE is unknown in the UE,
the UE shall request for PDU session type IPv4v6.

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The 5GC and UE support mechanisms :
● During PDU session establishment procedure, the SMF sends
the IP address to the UE via SM NAS signalling.
● The IPv4 address allocation and/or IPv4 parameter
configuration via DHCPv4 can also be used once PDU session is
established.
● IPv6 prefix allocation shall be supported via IPv6 stateless auto
- configuration if IPv6 is supported.

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The 5GC and UE support mechanisms :
● When the 5GC network supports DHCPv4 and allows that, it
does not provide the IPv4 address for the UE as part of PDU
session establishment procedure.
● The IP address/prefix is released by the SMF upon release of
the PDU session.

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Identifiers

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General :
● Each subscriber in the 5G system shall be allocated one 5G
subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) for use within 3GPP
system .
● Each UE accessing the 5G system shall be assigned a
permanent equipment identifier ( PEI).

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Subscription permanent identifier :
● A globally unique 5G subscription permanent identifier ( SUPI)
shall be allocated to each subscriber in the 5G system and
provisioned in the UDM/UDR.
● The SUPI may contain : an IMSI , a network specific identifier
used for private networks.

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Permanent equipment equipment :
● A PEI is defined for the 3GPP UE accessing the 5G system.
● If the UE supports at least one 3GPP access technology, the UE
must be allocated a PEI in the IMEI format.

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5G-GUTI :
● The AMF shall allocate a 5G-GUTI to the UE that is common to
both 3GPP and non-3GPP access.
● An AMF may re-assign a new 5G-GUTI to the UE at any time.

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AMF name :
● An AMF is identified by an AMF name.

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Data network name :
● A DNN is equivalent to an APN.
● DNN may be used to : select a SMF & UPF for a PDU session ,
select N6 interface(s) for a PDU session , determine policies to
apply to this PDU session.

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Internal - group identifier :
● The subscription data for an UE in UDR may associate the
subscriber with groups.
● A group is identified by an internal group identifier.

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Generic public subscription identifier :
● It is needed for addressing a 3GPP subscription in different data
network outside the 3GPP system.
● GPSI’s are public identifiers used both inside and outside of
3GPP system.

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AMF UE NGAP ID :
● An AMF UE NGAP ID is an identifier used to identify the UE in
AMF on N2 reference point.
● AMF allocates the AMF UE NGAP ID and send it to the 5G-AN.

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5G security aspects

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5G Security aspects :
● Mutual authentication between UE and network.
● Security context generation & distribution.
● User plane data confidentiality and integrity protection.
● Control plane signalling confidentiality and integrity protection.
● User identity confidentiality.
● Support of L1 requirements.

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 Security model for non-3GPP access :
Signalling security
● When a UE is connected via NG-RAN and via stand-alone non -
3GPP accesses, the multiple N1 instances are secured using
independent NAS security contexts

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 PDU session user plane security :
It indicates : whether UP integrity & confedentiality protection is ..
● Required for all the traffic on the PDU session UP integrity
protection shall apply.
● Preferred for all the traffic on the PDU session UP integrity
protection shall apply.
● Not required

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Security aspects :
● The SMF determines at PDU session establishment of a user
plane security enforcement information.
● User plane security policy from UDM takes precedence over
locally configured user plane security policy.

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Security aspects :
● The user plane security enforcement information is
communicated from SMF to NG-RAN for enforcement as part of
PDU session related information.

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Support for dual Connectivity,
multi-connectivity

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Support for dual Connectivity

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Dual-connectivity :
● It involves two radio network nodes in providing radio resources
to a given UE.
● Master RAN node which may use resources of another RAN
node, the secondary RAN node, to exchange user plane traffic
of an UE.

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 Dual-connectivity :
Dual- connectivity provides the possibility for the master node RAN
to request SMF :
● For some or all PDU sessions of an UE
● For some other PDU sessions of an UE

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