Optimizing 3GPP 5G NEF Integration: Enhancing Programmable Networks Through NEF and UPF Interoperability

This paper investigates a novel approach to enhancing the 3GPP Network Exposure Function (NEF) within 5G core networks, aimed at advancing programmable network capabilities. The research identifies key challenges currently hindering NEF adoption by Communication Service Providers (CSPs), including complexities in user application traffic identification and security concerns associated with CSP-specific Software Development Kits (SDKs). To address these issues, we propose an integration of NEF with the User Plane Function (UPF) at the control plane level. This integration optimizes Business to Customer/Business to Business (B2C/B2B) use cases, such as automatic Quality of Service (QoS) upgrades within a Network as a Service (NaaS) framework. By relying on the direct communication between UPF and NEF—rather than on the 3PP server to provide Traffic Flow Template (TFT) parameters—our approach eliminates the need for 3PP involvement in traffic flow management, significantly reducing delays in QoS adjustments and enhancing real-time network responsiveness. This integration facilitates immediate traffic flow identification at the network layer, leading to faster QoS provisioning and enhanced resource allocation. The proposed framework demonstrates improvements for 5G and beyond-5G (B5G) deployments, potentially enabling CSPs to optimize service delivery and support network monetization.