A method of allocating user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network is described. The method comprises maintaining at a Domain Name System (DNS) server one or more DNS resource records for each available user plane node in the packet core network, wherein the one or more DNS resource records comprises a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for each area identity, each area identity represents a group of user plane nodes, associated with a user plane node in the packet core network; processing a connection establishment request originating from a user equipment (UE) to a core network node within the packet core network; sending a DNS query to a DNS server, the query containing at least one criterion for selecting a user plane node; receiving the query at the DNS server and, on the basis of the or each criterion, identifying one or more DNS resource records satisfying the criteria/criterion, and returning the identified DNS resource record(s) to said core network node; and receiving the DNS resource record(s) at the core network node, and using the fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) representing each area identity associated with a user plane node in the packet core network that are contained in the or each DNS resource record(s) when allocating a user plane node to said connection. A core network node arranged to allocate user plane nodes to a connection being established across a packet core network, and an apparatus configured to operate as a Domain Name System (DNS) server are also described.