There are other states in which EPS security contexts can be: 'current and 'non-current'.
- The current security context is the one that has been activated most recently.
- A non-current security context is sitting on the side and waiting to replace the current one.
A partial native EPS security context can be non-current, namely when it has been pushed aside by a mapped EPS security context in a handover from UTRAN or GERAN to EPS.
A mapped EPS security context never becomes non-current. The different handling of native and mapped in this respect is explained by the fact that a native context is considered of higher value as it originates from within the EPS itself. It may therefore be used later (again), while a mapped context may be discarded when no longer used as a current context. The type of a context does not change during its lifetime. The state of a context can change, but it can be only in one state at a time.
I hope i have answered your query.
