MME Pooling

MME Pooling/S1 Flex:

•LTE brings the incorporation of a flexible architecture

•The S1 Flex concept or MME Pooling provides network redundancy and traffic load sharing

•With S1 Flex the eNB is allowed to connect to a maximum of sixteen MMEs

•The operator can increase the overall network availability

•In practice geographical redundancy is desired, connecting each eNB to two MMEs, in different locations. 

The equivalent feature in 3G is Iu Multipoint of SGSN Pooling. 

Please refer below figure.


 

 Multiple Operator Core Network: 

The MOCN enables the service providers to have separate core networks (MME, SGW, PDN GW) while the E-UTRAN (eNBs) is jointly shared by them.

This is enabled by the S1-flex mechanism by enabling each eNB to be connected to multiple core networks entities.

Options to design the transport between eNB and core networks when MOCN is in use

• Shared Access & Aggregation Network, Separate IP Core Networks

• VLAN Based Traffic Differentiation for Network Separation

 Please refer below figure.