3GPP TR 26.942 Change Request - Solution for Media Application Server Energy Management

Change Request Overview

CR Number: 0007 rev 6
Specification: 3GPP TR 26.942 v19.0.0
Work Item: FS_Energy_Ph2_MED
Category: B (Addition of feature)
Release: Rel-20

This CR proposes Solution #11 addressing Key Issue #5 (Media Application Server Energy management) by introducing a content steering mechanism based on energy characteristics for downlink media streaming service location selection.

References Added

• [88] 3GPP TS 26.512: "5G Media Streaming (5GMS); Protocols"
• [89] ETSI TS 103 998: "Content Steering for DASH"

Solution #11: Selection of Downlink Media Streaming Service Locations Driven by Content Steering Server Based on Energy Characteristics

Key Issue Mapping (Clause 7.12.1)

Addresses KI#5 specifically:
- Exposing energy-related information from the network (via EIF) to media delivery systems
- Enabling 5GMS AS to modify ongoing media delivery sessions based on energy-related characteristics shared by the network via Energy Information AF instantiated in the 5GMSAF

Functional Description (Clause 7.12.2)

Core Concept:
- Leverages existing content steering capabilities in MPEG-DASH and HLS (already supported in 5GMS from Rel-19 per TS 26.512 clause 10.3A.4)
- Extends steering server decision-making to include environmental impact considerations alongside traditional QoS criteria
- Utilizes network energy characteristics from EIF (Energy Information Function) to select delivery paths with lowest environmental impact

Key Differentiator:
- Compared to Solution #5, this approach adapts streaming sessions based on network environmental impact without affecting the UE or impacting the data plane
- Decision-making is implementation-dependent but could use metrics like kgCO₂e per Joule of energy supplying the AS
- Example use case: Content available on 2 Media 5GMSd AS service locations with different energy supply mixes; MNO adapts steering to maximize use of location with lower kgCO₂e per Joule

Applicability:
- Exclusively for downlink media streaming (as per TS 26.512 clause 10.3A.4)

Collaboration Scenario (Clause 7.12.3)

Requirements:
- Energy information reporting from EIF and/or 5GMSd AS
- No energy information from UE required
- Downlink media streaming only

Reference Architecture Mapping (Clause 7.12.4)

Architecture Components:

Based on TS 26.501 and TS 26.506, instantiating Solution #5 architecture with modifications:

1. Energy Information AF (instantiated within 5GMSd AF):
2. Subscribes to and consumes NF Energy Information from EIF (per TS 23.501 clause 5.51) with required granularities (e.g., per UE)
3. Subscribes to and consumes AS Energy Information from 5GMSd AS

4. Operates according to Energy Information Processing Configuration provisioned by 5GMSd Application Provider

5. Key Architectural Differences from Other Solutions:

6. Energy Information Collector NOT instantiated in 5GMSd Client (UE)
7. 5GMSd AF is the decision-making function for service location selection
8. Uses reference point M4d for communicating service modification recommendations via steering information

9. Energy characteristics assumed unchanged on UE side; selection relies solely on network-provided energy information

10. Reference Points:

11. E5 and Energy Information Collector not instantiated (not required)
12. M4d used for steering information communication

Advantages:
- No impact on UE
- Compatible with legacy devices
- Less efficient than solutions incorporating UE energy data, but broader applicability

Energy-Related Information (Clause 7.12.5)

Overview (7.12.5.1)

Objective: Dynamically select 5GMSd AS service location with energy information aligned with 5GMSd Application Provider configuration

Information Required:
- Energy consumed from EIF and various 5GMSd AS instances
- Environmental cost of energy supply
- Network energy consumption related to specific 5GMSd AS service locations (since AS typically only report direct consumption)

Relevant Granularities:

1. Per network slice and/or Data Network: Aggregating energy consumed by all NFs and AS instances active in particular slice/DN
2. Per service: Aggregating energy consumed by all Application Data Flows sharing same Application ID, service characteristics in IP 5-tuple, or served from all 5GMSd AS service locations sharing same AS host name
3. Per service location: Aggregating Media AS Energy Reports from all (Edge) Media AS instances to which service location has been deployed
4. Per media streaming session: Aggregating energy consumed by all Application Data Flows associated with same media delivery session identifier

Energy Configuration (7.12.5.2)

Editor's Note: Energy Information Configuration will be detailed in separate solution

High-level baseline parameters describing 5GMSd Application Provider's operational constraints regarding collection, reporting, and exposure of energy-related information.

NF Energy Report (7.12.5.3)

Source: TS 29.566 clause 6.1

Subscription Parameters:
- Initial: Application ID only
- During session: Refined using Service Data Flow Description per Service Location

Report Content:
- Total energy consumption in joules (per TS 29.122 clause 5.3.2.3.20)
- Provided at requested granularity
- For specific timestamp

5GMSd AS Energy Report (7.12.5.4)

Subscription Parameters:
- Initial: Application ID and Service Location Identifier
- During session: Fine-tuned using Service Data Flow Description (exchange between all UEs and particular Service Location)

Report Content:
- Energy consumed in joules at specified granularity
- Reports from currently used Service Location AND other available Service Locations
- Allows UE to be informed of Service Locations with better performance characteristics aligned with user mode requirements
- Uplink data volume not used in this solution

Procedures (Clause 7.12.6)

Procedure Overview:
Combines content steering procedure (TS 26.512 clause 10.3A.4) with baseline energy information sharing procedure (clause 7.6.3.2 Solution #5), omitting Energy Information Collector interactions.

Key Procedure Steps:

Step 0: Provisioning
- 5GMSd Application Provider creates Provisioning Session and Content Hosting Configuration in 5GMSd AF
- Content Hosting Configuration declares multiple service locations in different Distribution Configurations eligible for content steering
- 5GMSd AF provides:
- Endpoint of content steering service at M4d
- Base URLs of provisioned 5GMSd AS service locations at M4d
- Information included in Service Access Information advertised via M8d

Step 1: Energy Information Configuration
- 5GMS Application Provider provisions 5GMS AF via M1d
- Includes Provisioning Session resource and Energy Information exposure configuration for Energy Information AF
- Contains Application Identifier for filtering Energy information reports
- Flag indicating Energy Information Collector NOT instantiated in UE

Steps 4a-4c: Initial Content Steering Configuration
- 4a: Energy Information AF processes NF and AS Energy Information reports (moved from step 10 in baseline; no UE interaction expected)
- 4b: 5GMS AF makes content steering prioritization decision considering:
- Load on available service locations
- Energy-related information from step 4a
- Configures selected service location with higher priority in steering instructions
- 4c: 5GMSd AF provides content steering configuration via M3d to 5GMSd AS content steering service

Steps 15-17: Network Energy Reporting
- 15: EIF submits Network Energy Information report to Energy Information AF via E12
- 16: 5GMSd AS submits AS Energy Information report to Energy Information AF via E3
- 17: Energy Information AF processes reports and provides to 5GMSd AF

Steps 17a-17b: Content Steering Update (replaces baseline steps 18-25)
- 17a: 5GMSd AF makes content steering prioritization decision based on energy-related information
- 17b: 5GMSd AF provides updated content steering configuration via M3d

Steps 20, 20a, 20b: Session-based Updates
- Similar to steps 4a-4c, repeated during media streaming session

Steps 28a/28a bis: Media Player Entry Conditioning
- 5GMSd AS conditions Media Player Entry to add content steering service endpoint (if not already added by Application Provider)

Step 28b: Steering Instruction Request
- Media Player requests steering instruction from content steering service
- No specific energy information in steering instructions themselves

Step 29: Service Operation Point Selection
- Media Stream Handler selects based on steering instruction

Step 30/30bis: Transport Session Establishment
- Media Player establishes new transport session at M4d for acquiring media from selected Service Location (per content steering instruction)

Step 37/37bis: Media Content Request
- Media Player requests media content from selected 5GMSd AS service location

Gap Analysis (Clause 7.12.7)

Identified Gaps in Rel-19 Specifications:

1. Step 0: Ability for 5GMSd Application Provider to declare in Content Hosting Configuration that service locations are eligible for content steering

2. Step 0: Ability for 5GMSd AF to nominate endpoint address of content steering service instantiated in 5GMSd AS

3. Step 1: Ability to indicate Energy Information Collector NOT instantiated in UE

4. Steps 4b, 20a: Functionality for 5GMSd AF to make content steering decision incorporating energy-related information from Energy Information AF

5. Steps 4c, 20b: Ability for 5GMSd AF to provide content steering configuration to 5GMSd AS content steering service via M3d

6. Steps 28a, 28a bis: Functionality for 5GMSd AS to condition Media Player Entry to add content steering service endpoint address

Editor's Note: Additional gap regarding "steering request" to be explained

Proposed Normative Changes (Clause 7.12.8)

Stage 2 Changes (7.12.8.1)

New Stage 2 Specification for Energy Information AF:

1. Provisioning capability via M1d based on energy-related information requirements (clause 7.12.5), with option to not instantiate Energy Information Collector

2. Editor's Note: Specific provisioning requirements TBD

3. Energy-related information reporting by 5GMSd AS via E3 supporting aggregations:

4. Per network slice (for 5GMSd Client access to 5GMSd AS at M4d)
5. Per Data Network (for 5GMSd Client access to 5GMSd AS at M4d)
6. Per 5GMSd AS Distribution Configuration (service location)
7. Per Application ID
8. Per media streaming session

Changes to TS 26.501:

1. Inclusion of content steering service in 5GMSd AS as part of Energy Information AF instantiation

2. Documentation of content steering based on energy-related information in Energy Information AF procedures (per clause 7.12.6), either:

3. Included in baseline procedural definition, OR
4. Documented in separate procedure in Annex A of TS 26.501, motivated by collaboration scenario (clause 7.12.3)

Changes to TS 26.506:

Editor's Note: To be determined

Stage 3 Changes (7.12.8.2)

New Stage 3 Specification for Energy Information AF:

1. Provisioning capability via M1d based on energy-related information requirements (clause 7.12.5), with option to not instantiate Energy Information Collector

2. Editor's Note: Specific provisioning requirements TBD

3. Energy-related information reporting by 5GMSd AS supporting same aggregations as Stage 2

Changes to TS 26.510:

1. New clauses specifying extensions to procedures and service-based interfaces at E1, E3, and E12 reference points pertaining to 5GMS, regarding additional energy-related information from 5GMS AS and EIF for media streaming sessions enabling steering servers to select AS based on environmental impact

2. Step 1 (clause 7.12.6): New Energy Information Exposure Configuration resource (clauses 5.2 and 8) identifying which applications fall within scope

3. Content Hosting Configuration extensions (clauses 5.2.8 and 8.8.3.1):

4. Gap 1: Boolean flag in DistributionConfiguration indicating eligibility for content steering participation
5. Gap 2: URL of content steering service endpoint at M4d nominated by 5GMSd AF and passed to 5GMSd Application Provider

Changes to TS 26.512:

Extensions (as needed) to procedures and service-based interfaces at M1d, E3, and M5d reference points, particularly regarding additional energy-related information from 5GMS AS for media streaming sessions

Editor's Note: Specifics TBD

Changes to TS 26.113:

Editor's Note: To be determined

Summary (Clause 7.12.9)

Candidate Solution Proposal:

New mechanism enabling 5GMSd Application Providers to steer 5GMSd Client towards service location with lowest environmental impact based on:

1. Collection of network energy-related characteristics by MNO:

2. Information provided by EIF and 5GMSd AS to Energy Information AF (included in 5GMSd AF)

3. Standardized interfaces between 5GMSd AF and 5GMSd Application Provider:

4. Allows Application Provider to provision content steering mechanism with goal of reducing environmental impact of downlink media streaming

5. Dynamic steering by 5GMSd AS (acting as content steering server):

6. Uses energy information to steer 5GMSd Clients toward service locations with desired energy characteristics

Benefits:
- Optimizes energy efficiency of multimedia content delivery
- Contributes to reducing environmental footprint of media streaming services
- Applies to any 5GMSd Application Provider delivering content via 5GMSd System
- Integrates naturally into existing adaptive streaming architectures (MPEG-DASH, HLS)

Implementation Characteristics:
- No impact on UE (leverages existing adaptive streaming protocol mechanisms)
- No impact on data plane
- Service location selection achieved by prioritizing desired location in steering instructions
- Compatible with legacy devices

Additional Changes

Clause 7.1: Mapping of Solutions to Key Issues

Solution #11 added to table mapping, addressing KI#5 (Media Application Server Energy management).

Clause 7.6.3.2: Baseline Procedures

Steps 10a to 10d added to baseline procedures (specific details not provided in change markings).