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Cisco® User Plane Function (UPF) is a critical piece of the 5G Cloud Core, 5G Edge, converged services, and latency-sensitive use cases that can grow new revenue streams.
User Plane Function (UPF) is one of the 5G core (5GC) Network Functions (NF). UPF is responsible for packet routing and forwarding, packet inspection, QoS handling, and external PDU session for interconnecting Data Network (DN) in the 5G architecture. UPF is a critical component for mobile edge computing and edge services.
The Cisco UPF, using Vector Packet Processing (VPP) technology, achieves ultra-fast packet forwarding while retaining compatibility with all the user plane functionality. Examples of network core functions that benefit from Cisco VPP technology includes Shallow Packet Inspection and Deep Packet Inspection (SPI/DPI), traffic optimization, and inline services like NAT, Firewall, and DNS snooping. Additionally, UPF is designed to offer integrated DPI services and traffic optimization functions like Cisco Ultra Services Proxy (CUSP) and Cisco Ultra Traffic Optimization (CUTO).
A single instance of UPF provides:
● Anchor point for Intra/Inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility (when applicable)
● External PDU session point of interconnect to data network
● Packet routing and forwarding
● Packet inspection
● User Plane part of policy rule enforcement
● Lawful intercept (UP collection)
● Traffic usage reporting
● QoS handling for User Plane
● Uplink traffic verification (SDF to QoS flow mapping)
● Transport-level packet marking in the uplink and downlink
● Downlink packet buffering and data notification triggering
● Sending and forwarding of “end marker” to the source NG-RAN node
| Feature |
Benefit |
| Remote UPF |
What is it: Enables remote/edge placement of UPF without need to backhaul subscriber traffic Results: Reduce latency and backhauled traffic by localizing subscriber services at the edge (such as gaming, video, etc.) |
| In-line services |
What it is: Shallow and Deep Packet Inspection (SPI/DPI), traffic optimization, and inline services ADC/NAT/Firewall/DNS snooping, etc. Results: Integrates key billing, security, policing, traffic shaping, traffic optimization, and services |
| UPF automation |
What is it: Integrated combination of Cisco’s industry-leading automation and orchestration software tools Result: Faster, easier deployment and management of centralized UPF, distributed UPF, and Edge networks |
| Subscriber tracing |
What it is: Protocol level monitoring of subscriber traffic Result: A new level of visibility of subscriber traffic flows through UPF |
Integrated subscriber services eliminate the need for external third-party service functions to deliver the experiences and functionalities your customers need and want.
Benefits include:
● Faster deployment
● Reduced costs
● Fewer third-party integration headaches
Vector Packet Processing for Mobile (VPP-M) is a Cisco-open source software innovation that acts as a turbocharger for your UPF and Edge Compute system.
Benefits include:
● Increased performance
● Fewer integration issues
Cisco UPF reduces latency and the amount of backhauled traffic to centralized data centers by localizing important and popular subscriber services at the edge (for example, video streaming, gaming, etc.).
Benefits include:
● Delighted customers
● Reduced costs
| Product family |
Platforms supported |
| Cisco Ultra Cloud Core – User Plane Function |
VMware 6.5 OpenStack Bare metal Google Cloud Amazon Cloud Microsoft Azure |
| License level: Applications or number of sessions |
Model |
| Application base |
Per 5G application, per cluster |
| Sessions (increments of 1000) |
Per 5G application, network-wide |
| Service specification |
Cisco UPF |
| Supported hypervisor |
KVM, VMWare, OpenStack |
| HA mode |
1:1, N+M, N:M |
| Supported virtual network i/f |
virtIO (Management, Orchestration) SR-IOV, PCI-PT, VMXNet3 (Service) |
| Supported deployment mode |
Collocated with SMF, Remote |
| Key supported interfaces |
3GPP TS 29.281 3GPP TS 38.415 3GPP TS 29.244 3GPP TS 29.561 |
| Host server |
UCS C220 M5 |
| Processor |
2 x Intel® Xeon® Gold 6148 (20 cores @ 2.4GHz) |
| NIC |
2 x Intel XL710 Dual-Port 40G QSFP+ |
| Memory |
384 GB |
| Local disk storage |
2 x 1.6 TB SSD Raid-1 |
| Part # |
Product description |
| UCC5G-UPF-INS-L |
At least 1 UPF instance must be purchased for the first installation. This item is nondiscountable. |
| UCC5G-BAS-L-K9 |
To support up to 50K sessions, this is the minimum purchase for the first installation. This item is nondiscountable. |
| UCC5G-UPF-S31-L |
For sessions beyond 50K - please enter the desired quantity when ordering for more than 50,000 session support. |
Cisco Ultra Cloud Core Network Functions (including UPF) has the standard Cisco software warranty.
Using the Cisco lifecycle services approach, Cisco and our partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your network’s business value and return on investment. This approach defines the minimum set of activities needed, by technology and by network complexity, to help you deploy and operate Cisco technologies and optimize their performance throughout the network lifecycle.
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