UPF: User Plane Function

The UPF — Data Forwarding Engine

The User Plane Function is the only network function in the 5G core that touches user data packets. It sits in the data path between the gNB on the N3 interface and the external data network on the N6 interface. Every packet that a subscriber sends or receives passes through the UPF. The function performs packet routing and forwarding, QoS enforcement including rate limiting and DSCP marking, usage measurement and reporting for billing, lawful intercept when required by authorities, and traffic detection for application-aware policy enforcement. Despite handling massive throughput, the UPF…