DESC:
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING SERVICE INSTANCES IN A NETWORK
2. APPLICANT(S)
NAME NATIONALITY ADDRESS
JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED INDIAN OFFICE-101, SAFFRON, NR. CENTRE POINT, PANCHWATI 5 RASTA, AMBAWADI, AHMEDABAD 380006, GUJARAT, INDIA
3.PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communication network management and more particularly relates to manage service instances in a network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With instances in number of users, a communication network is rapidly evolving to accommodate the surge of request commands and improve user experience. A communication network comprises of many network elements which are configured to operate in specific manner to improve credibility of the communication network. The network incorporate inventories to safe-keep resources required to perform request processing. Inventory Management (IM) service maintains the virtual inventory and limited physical inventory. It maintains relation between physical and virtual resources with respect to overlay to manage storage memory allocation. Also, it describes physical and virtual resources in view of different attributes using updates from external micro-service. Thus, data accuracy of the inventory management service is dependent upon the micro-services which create, update, delete these resources and at the same time update these events with IM. Other services can query IM relations, attributes etc. using query APIs (application programming interface) provided by IM. However, changing configuration of IM using micro-services may fail if the running instances are not healthy and may cause disruption of service known as downtime. The inventory manager in a network is subjected to massive request processing at a particular instance. In some cases, a service request is sent to an unhealthy instance or an instance which is inactive due to repair or maintenance, which may yield unsuccessful or failed results, and may cause failure of system. Therefore, to avoid this type of scenario and to ensure that no service request is allocated to an inactive instance, a mechanism is required to be implemented that will orchestrate and manage the instances of the inventory management module. There is therefore a need for system having an interface to access available resources and via which active-inactive instances may be registered, deregistered and reregistered and the service request may be easily distributed among all healthy inventory service instances, and a method to manage the service instances efficiently.
[0003] Presently, there is no mechanism available where the service requests can be swiftly distributed amongst the healthy service instances of the IM via an interface with access to inventory resources, capable of monitoring and sorting the service instances based on their working or idle mode, and with provision of user flexibility. There is a need of a mechanism to perform simultaneous service request distribution by means of an orchestration interfaces when an inventory is running and processing requests. The said mechanism should be capable of on demand FCAPS (fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security) Management, which would increase network efficiency. There is a need of an orchestrator service which manages all the IM service instances in order to perform smooth interaction with other services.
[0004] Thus, there is requirement of a system and a method to manage service instances via a single platform or interface by which all the operation at IM can be performed without any possible service disruption and that can be performed with ease and without consuming too much time, so that operation efficacy of a network improves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for managing service instances in a network.
[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, the system for managing service instances in the network are disclosed. The method includes a step of registering one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user. The method further includes the step of adding the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration. The method further includes the step broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The method further includes the step of periodically monitoring health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The method further includes the step of deregistering and removing one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance. The method further includes the step of broadcasting information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
[0007] In an embodiment, the one or more operations include at least one of, register, deregister, re-register, monitor via an interface. The interface acts a common connection for the plurality of service instances present in the network.
[0008] In an embodiment, the interface is at least one of, an Orchestration and Management (OAM) interface.
[0009] In an embodiment, the step of registering the one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user includes the steps of receiving a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the one or more new service instances, retrieving information related to the one or more new service instances based on the received HTTP request. The information pertains to at least one of, Internet Protocol (IP) address, port and path data, Component Broadcast Context (CBC) and Subscribe Component Type (SCT) and storing the retrieved information in a database.
[0010] In an embodiment, the step of broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes the step of, broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list subsequent to retrieving the information related to the one or more new service instances from a database.
[0011] In an embodiment, monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes, monitoring whether each of the plurality of service instances are in the working condition or not in a working condition.
[0012] In an embodiment, the step of, deregistering and removing the one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition, further includes the step of adding the removed one or more service instances to an inactive list.
[0013] In an embodiment, periodically monitoring health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes the steps of, transmitting the HTTP request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, inferring one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are in the working condition when a response is received from the respective one or more service instances within a pre-defined time interval and inferring one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are not in the working condition when the response is not received from the respective one or more service instances within the pre-defined time interval.
[0014] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of transmitting a Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list and consolidating one or more responses received from the one or more of the plurality of service instances and transmitting the consolidated responses to an Element Management System (EMS).
[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, the system to manage service instances in the network are disclosed. The system includes a registration unit configured to register one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user. The system includes an adding unit configured to add the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list after registration. The system further includes a broadcasting unit configured to broadcast information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The system further includes a monitoring unit configured to periodically monitor health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The system further includes a deregistering unit configured to deregister and remove one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. Further the system includes the broadcasting unit configured to broadcast information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
[0016] In another aspect of the invention, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions is disclosed. The computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor. The processor is configured to register, one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user. The processor is further configured to, add, the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration. The processor is further configured to broadcast, information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor is further configured to periodically monitor, health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor is further configured to deregister and remove, one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor is further configured to broadcast, information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
[0017] Other features and aspects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. The features and advantages described in this summary and in the following detailed description are not all-inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art, in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
[0019] FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of an environment for managing service instances in a network, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a system for managing service instances in the network, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of an architecture implemented in the system of the FIG. 2, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is an exemplary representation of a flowchart diagram for managing service instances in the network, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and
[0023] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method of managing service instances in the network, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Some embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0026] Various modifications to the embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the present disclosure including the definitions listed here below are not intended to be limited to the embodiments illustrated but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
[0027] A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily ascertain that the illustrated steps detailed in the figures and here below are set out to explain the exemplary embodiments shown, and it should be anticipated that ongoing technological development will change the manner in which particular functions are performed. These examples are presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Further, the boundaries of the functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Alternatives (including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments.
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of an environment 100 for manage service instances in a network, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, the environment 100 includes a User Equipment (UE) 110, a server 115, a network 105 and a system 120 communicably coupled to each other for managing service instances in the network 105.
[0029] As per the illustrated embodiment and for the purpose of description and illustration, the UE 110 includes, but not limited to, a first UE 110a, a second UE 110b, and a third UE 110c, and should nowhere be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In alternate embodiments, the UE 110 may include a plurality of UEs as per the requirement. For ease of reference, each of the first UE 110a, the second UE 110b, and the third UE 110c, will hereinafter be collectively and individually referred to as the “User Equipment (UE) 110”.
[0030] In an embodiment, the UE 110 is one of, but not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical or an equipment and a combination of one or more of the above devices such as a smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device.
[0031] The environment 100 includes the server 115 accessible via the network 105. The server 115 may include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a standalone server, a server blade, a server rack, a bank of servers, a server farm, hardware supporting a part of a cloud service or system, a home server, hardware running a virtualized server, one or more processors executing code to function as a server, one or more machines performing server-side functionality as described herein, at least a portion of any of the above, some combination thereof. In an embodiment, the entity may include, but is not limited to, a vendor, a network operator, a company, an organization, a university, a lab facility, a business enterprise side, a defense facility side, or any other facility that provides service.
[0032] The network 105 includes, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof. The network 105 may include, but is not limited to, a Third Generation (3G), a Fourth Generation (4G), a Fifth Generation (5G), a Sixth Generation (6G), a New Radio (NR), a Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), and the like.
[0033] The network 105 may also include, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. The network 105 may also include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, a VOIP or some combination thereof.
[0034] The environment 100 further includes the system 120 communicably coupled to the server 115 and the UE 110 via the network 105. The system 120 is configured to determine the cause of the anomaly in the network 105. As per one or more embodiments, the system 120 is adapted to be embedded within the server 115 or embedded as an individual entity.
[0035] Operational and construction features of the system 120 will be explained in detail with respect to the following figures.
[0036] FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of the system 120 for managing service instances in the network 105, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0037] As per the illustrated embodiment, the system 120 includes one or more processors 205, a memory 210, a user interface 215, and a database 220. For the purpose of description and explanation, the description will be explained with respect to one processor 205 and should nowhere be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In alternate embodiments, the system 120 may include more than one processor 205 as per the requirement of the network 105. The one or more processors 205, hereinafter referred to as the processor 205 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, single board computers, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions.
[0038] As per the illustrated embodiment, the processor 205 is configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 210. The memory 210 may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory 210 may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as RAM, or non-volatile memory such as disk memory, EPROMs, FLASH memory, unalterable memory, and the like.
[0039] In an embodiment, the user interface 215 includes a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for a graphical user interface, a web user interface, a Command Line Interface (CLI), and the like. The user interface 215 facilitates communication of the system 120. In one embodiment, the user interface 215 provides a communication pathway for one or more components of the system 120. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, the UE 110 and the database 220.
[0040] The database 220 is one of, but not limited to, a centralized database, a cloud-based database, a commercial database, an open-source database, a distributed database, an end-user database, a graphical database, a No-Structured Query Language (NoSQL) database, an object-oriented database, a personal database, an in-memory database, a document-based database, a time series database, a wide column database, a key value database, a search database, a cache databases, and so forth. The foregoing examples of database 220 types are non-limiting and may not be mutually exclusive e.g., a database can be both commercial and cloud-based, or both relational and open-source, etc.
[0041] In order for the system 120 to manage service instances in the network 105, the processor 205 includes one or more modules. In one embodiment, the one or more modules/units includes, but not limited to, a registration unit 225, an adding unit 230, a broadcasting unit 235, a monitoring unit 240, a deregistering unit 245, a transmitting unit 250, and a consolidating unit 255 communicably coupled to each other for manage service instances in the network 105.
[0042] In one embodiment, each of the registration unit 225, the adding unit 230, the broadcasting unit 235, the monitoring unit 240, the deregistering unit 245, the transmitting unit 250, and the consolidating unit 255 can be used in combination or interchangeably for managing service instances in the network 105.
[0043] The registration unit 225, the adding unit 230, the broadcasting unit 235, the monitoring unit 240, the deregistering unit 245, the transmitting unit 250, and the consolidating unit 255, in an embodiment, may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processor 205. In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processor 205 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the memory 210 may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processor. In such examples, the system 120 may comprise the memory 210 storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the memory 210 may be separate but accessible to the system 120 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processor 205 may be implemented by electronic circuitry.
[0044] In an embodiment, the registration unit 225 is configured to register one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105 by a user. In an embodiment, the one or more service instances refer to individual components or units of functionality that are deployed within the network 105. Theone or more service instances are responsible for performing specific tasks or services and can be dynamically managed, scaled, and monitored. The one or more service instances encompass various types of services or functions that can be registered and integrated into the network 105. The one or more new service instances pertain to at least one of, network functions, micro-services, or applications running within the network 105. The micro-service instances defined as the discrete, modular software component within the network 105 that performs the specific function or service. Each microservice is designed to operate independently and interact with other microservices through well-defined interfaces. The microservices collectively form the larger, distributed system that can be managed and scaled according to the needs of the network 105. The one or more service instance is the specific operational occurrence of the microservice, enabling scalability and management of the microservices deployment. The type of the microservice instances include, but not limited to, Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances, database service instances, Container Network Function (CNF) service instances, network slicing, and authentication and authorization services..
[0045] In an embodiment, an interface operates on the one or more new service instances in the network 105. The operations performed by the interface on the one or more new service instances include at least one of, register, deregister, re-register and monitor. The interface acts as the common connection for the plurality of service instances present in the network 105. The interface is at least one of, an Orchestration and Management (OAM) interface 305 (as shown in FIG.3). The OAM interface 305 in the network 105 plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating various network functions and resources. The OMA interface 305 performs functions such as, but not limited to, centralized management, resource orchestration, service orchestration, monitoring and fault management, configuration management, and data management and synchronization. By performing the functions, the OAM interface 305 helps to ensure that the network 105 runs smoothly, efficiently, and in alignment with operational requirements.
[0046] Further, the registering unit 225 registers the one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105. In an embodiment, the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user. The registration unit 225 registers the one or more new service instances by receiving a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the one or more new service instances. The HTTP request serves as the means for the new service instances to communicate with the OAM interface 305. The HTTP request initiates the process of registering the instance with the network 105. The HTTP request includes details such as, but not limited to, VNF registration, CNF registration, network slice registration, and edge computing service registration.
[0047] Once the registration unit 225 receives the HTTP request from the one or more new service instances, the registration unit 225 retrieves the information related to the one or more new service instances based on the received HTTP request. In an embodiment, the information pertains to at least one of, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a port and path data, a Component Broadcast Context (CBC) and a Subscribe Component Type (SCT). The IP address is the unique identifier assigned to the instance within the network 105. The IP address allows the service instances to communicate with other network components. The IP address is crucial for routing and ensuring that data reaches the correct destination within the network 105. The IP address includes details such as, but not limited to, address format, network and host identification, subnet mask, configuration information, and private and public addresses. The port is the communication endpoint used by the one or more service instances to interact with other the network functions. Each service running on the one or more service instances may use different ports for different types of communication. The port includes, but not limited to, port number, service or application, protocol, endpoint identification, and security and access control. The path data refers to the specific URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) or endpoint within the one or more instance where the service or function can be accessed. The path includes, but not limited to, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), services routes, and resources hosted by the one or more instance. The CBC refers to the context or environment in which the instance is expected to broadcast the information with other components. The CBC helps define the scope and nature of data broadcasting within the network 105. The CBC includes, but not limited to, contextual information, data type and format, component roles and relationships, and broadcast frequency and timing. The SCT indicates the type of service instances that are subscribed to receive updates from the newly registered one or more service instances. The SCT helps in defining the communication and subscription relationships between one or more service instances. The types of SCT are, but not limited to, subscription protocols, update frequency and timing, subscription scope, filtering and selection criteria, and authentication and authorization.
[0048] Once the OAM interface 305 retrieves the information from the HTTP request the registration unit 225stores the data in the database 220. The database 220 serves as the repository of all active service instances details and storing information allows the system 120 to keep track of the one or more service instances, manage the lifecycle, monitor the status, and facilitate communication and coordination. The database 220 stores details of all service instances such as, but not limited to, User Plane Functions (UPFs), Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), and Container Network Functions (CNFs) to make easier for the system 120 to and manage the traffic routing, service chaining, and other network functions.
[0049] Upon registering the one or more new service instances, the adding unit 230 is configured to add the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration. The primary function of the adding unit 230 is to ensure that registered one or more new service instances are properly included in the active instance list. In an embodiment, the active instance list includes the service instances which are active, i.e. at least one of, in a working condition and operational and available for communication within the network 105. As an example, the adding unit 230 adds the registered one or more new service instances to the active instance list by receiving registration confirmation from the registration unit 225. Thereafter, the adding unit 230updates the active instance list by adding the registered one or more new service instances, thereby advantageously managing instance status, facilitating interaction, and ensure consistency.
[0050] Pursuant to adding the one or more new service instances in the active instance list, the broadcasting unit 235 is configured to broadcast in real time information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The active instance list is the dynamic inventory maintained by the OAM interface 305 that keeps track of all currently operational and registered one or more service instances within the network 105. The active instance list enables to manage and monitor operational service instances in real-time, supports load balancing by identifying available service instances for handling requests, facilitates fault detection and recovery through status tracking, and aids in resource allocation and scaling decisions by providing current information on active service instances.
[0051] The broadcasting unit 235 broadcasts information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list by broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list subsequent to retrieving the information related to the one or more new service instances from the database 220. The information includes at least one of, but not limited to, instance identifiers, IP addresses, port information, path data, CBC, SCT, and instance state or status. By retrieving information from the database 220 advantageously ensures that the broadcasting unit 235 has the latest and most accurate details about the one or more new service instances before broadcasting to the rest of the service instances in the active instance list.
[0052] Upon broadcasting the information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, the monitoring unit 240 is configured to periodically monitor health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The periodic monitoring helps to keep a check of whether the one or more service instances are functioning properly.
[0053] The monitoring unit 240 monitors the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list by monitoring whether each of the plurality of service instances is in the working condition or not in the working condition. The one or more instance is considered to be in the working condition if the one or more service instances are at least one of, but not limited to, operational, able to perform designated tasks, and respond to requests as expected and the one or more service instances execute the functions or services accurately without errors. The one or more instance is considered to be not in the working condition if the one or more instance is at least one of, not functioning properly, fails to respond to requests, or encounters errors that prevent from performing the proposed functions and the one or more instance experiences errors or malfunctions that affect the ability to perform tasks, the one or more service instances has connectivity problems that prevent from communicating with other one or more service instances and unable to connect to the database 220 due to network configuration issues.
[0054] The monitoring unit 240 periodically monitors health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list by transmitting the HTTP request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. Once the HTTP request is transmitted, the monitoring unit 240 infers one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are in the working condition when the response is received from the respective one or more service instances within a pre-defined time interval. Further, the monitoring unit 240 infers that the one or more service instances of the plurality of service instances not in the working condition when the response is not received from the respective one or more service instances within the pre-defined time interval.
[0055] The deregistering unit 25 is configured to deregister and remove the one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined by the monitoring unit 240 that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in the working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list.
[0056] Once the deregistration unit 245 deregisters and removes the one or more service instances from the active instance list, the broadcasting unit 235 broadcasts the information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list. Advantages of, constantly updating the rest of the service instances in the active instance list of the removed service instances.
[0057] The deregistering unit 245 is further configured to add the removed one or more service instances from the active instance list to an inactive instance list. The inactive instance list includes the service instances which are not in the working condition.
[0058] Due to adding the one or more service instances to the inactive instance list by the deregistering unit 245, advantageously serves to track the non-operational service instances, facilitate potential reactivation or troubleshooting, and aid in resource management and load balancing by distinguishing between active and inactive service instances.
[0059] Upon deregistering and removing the one or more service instances from the active instance list, the transmitting unit 250 configured to transmit a Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security (FCAPS) 420 (as shown in FIG.4) request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The one or more instance responds with the relevant data based on the FCAPS 420 request. With respect to the FCAPS, fault parameter relates to detecting and managing faults or issues within the network 105. The FCAPS 420 request requests the one or more service instances to report any errors or malfunctions that they are experiencing. The configuration parameter pertains to the setup and configuration details of the one or more instance. The FCAPS 420 request may request the one or more service instances to provide the current configuration settings, such as, but not limited to, network parameters or service configurations. The accounting parameter involves tracking and reporting usage statistics and accounting data. The FCAPS 420 request gathers information on resource utilization, traffic volume, or other metrics related to the one or more instance operation. The performance parameter focuses on the performance metrics of one or more instance and the request could include performance indicators such as, but not limited to, response times, throughput, or latency measurements. The security pertains to security-related information, such as, but not limited to, compliance with security policies, detected security threats, and any security breaches.
[0060] Upon gathering the responses from the one or more of the plurality of service instances, the consolidating unit 255 is configured to consolidate the one or more responses received from the one or more of the plurality of service instances and transmit the consolidated responses to an Element Management System (EMS). The EMS is the network management system used to manage and monitor the individual network elements. The EMS provides functionalities for the configuration management, fault management, inventory management, security management and performance management of network elements, and helps network administrators maintain the health and performance of the network 105.
[0061] FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of an architecture 300 implemented in the system of the FIG. 2, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0062] The architecture 300 includes an Orchestration and Management (OAM) 305, a Physical and Virtual Inventory Management (PVIM) 310, and an Inventory Management Orchestration and Administration (IM_OA) 315.
[0063] The architecture shows the process and interactions between the OAM 305 and the PVIM 310 service instances within the network 105. The IM_OA 315 interface facilitates the communication between the OAM 305 and the PVIM 310. The OAM 305 is the central management unit responsible for handling the lifecycle of the PVIM 310 service instances within the network 105. The OAM 305 performs various tasks such as registration, monitoring, broadcasting information, and deregistration of the one or more new service instances. Within the OAM 305, the active instance list is maintained, which tracks all the PVIM 310 service instances currently operational in the network 105. The active instance list is essential for managing active service instances that can handle requests or perform tasks. When the new PVIM 310 service instances are added to the network 105, the one or more PVIM 310 registers with OAM 305 by sending the HTTP request containing relevant information such as the IP address, the port data, and other configuration details. Upon successful registration, the OAM 305 adds the one or more new service instances to the active instance list.
[0064] Upon registration, the OAM 305 broadcasts information related to the newly registered PVIM 310 service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The OAM 305 ensures that all the active service instances are aware of the new addition and can update the internal states or configurations accordingly. The OAM 305 periodically monitors the health of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list by sending HTTP requests to the one or more instance to verify the operational status.
[0065] If the one or more instance responds within the predefined time interval, the one or more service instances are considered to be in the working condition or healthy. Conversely, if no response is received, the one or more instance is flagged as unhealthy or not in the working condition.
[0066] Thereafter, if the one or more instance is found to be unhealthy or not in working condition, the OAM 305 deregisters and removes from the active instance list. The removed service instances are then added to the inactive list for tracking purposes and potential future reactivation.
[0067] Upon removing the inactive service instances, the OAM 305 broadcasts the deregistration information of the one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list. The OAM 305 ensures that the one or more service instances are aware of the change in the network 105. The OAM 305 can also send FCAPS 420 requests to the plurality of service instances in the active instance list. The responses from the one or more service instances are consolidated by the OAM 305 and transmitted to the EMS for further analysis and management.
[0068] FIG. 4 is an exemplary representation of a flowchart for managing service instances in the network 105, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
[0069] At step 405, when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105, the one or more new service instances are registered with the OAM 305. The registration allows the load balancer to identify and send requests to healthy service instances, in other words service instances which are in the working condition within the network 105. The OAM 305 acts as the central management unit that handles various operations, including the registration of one or more new service instances, monitoring the health, and managing the active instance list. The OAM 305 registers the one or more new service instances by receiving the HTTP request from the one or more new instance and retrieves information such as IP address, port and path data, the CBC and the SCT and storing the retrieved information in the database 220.
[0070] At step 410, upon registering the one or more new service instances in the OAM 305, the OAM 305 fetches the FCAPS 420 information from the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list based on transmitting the FCAPS request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The responses received for the request are consolidated and transmitted to the EMS.
[0071] At step 415, once the one or more new service instances are registered, the one or more new service instances details are broadcasted to all existing active service instances present in the active instance list within the network 105. The broadcasting ensures that the shared graph database, which stores information relevant to the networks operations is updated and consistent across the one or more service instances is synchronized. The responses from the one or more service instances present in the active instance list are consolidated by OAM 305 and transmitted to the EMS for further analysis and management.
[0072] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a method 500 of manage service instances in the network 105, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. For the purpose of description, the method 500 is described with the embodiments as illustrated in FIG. 2 and should nowhere be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.
[0073] At step 505, the method 500 includes the step of registering one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105 by the user. The interface acts the common connection for the plurality of service instances present in the network 105. The interface is at least one of, the OAM 305 interface.
[0074] At step 510, the method 500 includes the step of adding the registered one or more new service instances to the active instance list subsequent to registration. The registering of the one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105 by the user includes the steps of receiving the HTTP request from the one or more new service instances, retrieving information related to the one or more new service instances based on the received HTTP request, wherein the information pertains to at least one of, IP address, port and path data, CBC and SCT and storing the retrieved information in the database 220. Thereafter, the retrieved information is stored in the database 220.
[0075] At step 515, the method 500 includes the step of broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes broadcasting information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list subsequent to retrieving the information related to the one or more new service instances from the database 220.
[0076] At step 520, the method 500 includes the step of periodically monitoring health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. Monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes, monitoring whether each of the plurality of service instances is in the working condition or not in a working condition.
[0077] At step 525, the method 500 includes the step of deregistering and removing the one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. Upon deregistration and removing the one or more service instances from the active instance list, further includes the step of adding the removed one or more service instances to an inactive list.
[0078] At step 523, the method 500 includes the step of broadcasting information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
[0079] The present invention further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions. The computer-readable instructions are executed by processor 205. The processor 205 is configured to register one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network 105 by the user. The processor 205 is further configured to add the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration. The processor 205 is further configured to broadcast, information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor 205 is further configured to periodically monitor health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor 205 is further configured to deregister and remove one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in the working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list. The processor 205 is further configured to broadcast information related to the de-registered and remove one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
[0080] A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily ascertain that the illustrated embodiments and steps in description and drawings (FIG.1-5) are set out to explain the exemplary embodiments shown, and it should be anticipated that ongoing technological development will change the manner in which particular functions are performed. These examples are presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Further, the boundaries of the functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Alternatives (including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments.
[0081] The present disclosure incorporates technical advancement to improves network reliability through automated instance management, enhances resource utilization with centralized tracking, and offers better visibility and control for administrators through detailed monitoring and Integration with Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security (FCAPS) integration. The invention enhances visibility and control by providing detailed instance status and network health insights, supports scalability and flexibility for diverse instance types, and reduces operational complexity through centralized communication and automated management.
[0082] The present invention offers multiple advantages, enhances network instance management in the environment with advanced registration, monitoring, and deregistration functionalities. It features the centralized communication interface for efficient data exchange between Orchestration and Management (OAM) and Provisioning and Virtual Inventory Management (PVIM) systems. The real-time updates to the dynamic instance list and automated health monitoring ensure optimal resource management and fault detection. Integration with Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security (FCAPS) management provides a comprehensive view of network health, improving reliability, resource utilization, visibility, scalability, and reducing operational complexity.
[0083] The present invention offers multiple advantages over the prior art and the above listed are a few examples to emphasize on some of the advantageous features. The listed advantages are to be read in a non-limiting manner.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0084] Environment- 100
[0085] User Equipment (UE) - 110
[0086] Server - 115
[0087] Network- 105
[0088] System -120
[0089] Processor - 205
[0090] Memory - 210
[0091] User interface - 215
[0092] Database – 220
[0093] Registration unit - 225
[0094] Adding unit - 230
[0095] Broadcasting unit - 235
[0096] Monitoring unit - 240
[0097] Deregistering unit - 245
[0098] Transmitting unit - 250
[0099] Consolidating unit - 255
[00100] Orchestration and Management OAM - 305
[00101] Provisioning and Virtual Inventory Management (PVIM) - 310
[00102] Inventory Management Orchestration and Administration (IM_OA) interface – 315
[00103] Fault Configuration Accounting Performance and Security (FCAPS) - (420)

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We Claim:
1. A method (500) to manage service instances in a network (105), the method (500) comprises the steps of:
registering, by one or more processors (205), one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network (105) by a user;
adding, by the one or more processors (205), the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration;
broadcasting, by the one or more processors (205), information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
periodically monitoring, by the one or more processors (205), health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
deregistering and removing, by the one or more processors (205), one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list; and
broadcasting, by the one or more processors (205), information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.

2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors (205), performs one or more operations including at least one of, register, deregister, re-register, monitor via an interface, wherein the interface acts a common connection for the plurality of service instances present in the network.

3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interface is at least one of, an Orchestration and Management (OAM) interface.

4. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, registering, one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network by a user, includes the steps of:
receiving, by the one or more processors (205), a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the one or more new service instances;
retrieving, by the one or more processors (205), information related to the one or more new service instances based on the received HTTP request, wherein the information pertains to at least one of, Internet Protocol (IP) address, port and path data, Component Broadcast Context (CBC) and Subscribe Component Type (SCT); and
storing, by the one or more processors (205), the retrieved information in a database.

5. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, broadcasting, information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, includes the step of:
service instances broadcasting, by the one or more processors (205), information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list subsequent to retrieving the information related to the one or more new service instances from a database.

6. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list includes, monitoring whether each of the plurality of service instances is in the working condition or not in a working condition.

7. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, deregistering and removing, one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition, , further includes the step of:
adding, by the one or more processors (205), the removed one or more service instances to an inactive list.
8. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, periodically monitoring, health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, includes the steps of:
transmitting, by the one or more processors (205), the HTTP request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
inferring, by the one or more processors (205), one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are in the working condition when a response is received from the respective one or more service instances within a pre-defined time interval; and
inferring, by the one or more processors (205), one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are not in the working condition when the response is not received from the respective one or more service instances within the pre-defined time interval.

9. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, further comprises the steps of:
transmitting, by the one or more processors (205), a Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) request (420) to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list; and
consolidating, by the one or more processors (205), one or more responses received from the one or more of the plurality of service instances and transmitting the consolidated responses to an Element Management System (EMS).

10. A system (120) to manage service instances in a network (105), the system (120) comprising:
a registration unit (225), configured to, register, one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network (105) by a user;
an adding unit (230), configured to, add, the registered one or more new service instances to an active instance list subsequent to registration;
a broadcasting unit (235), configured to, broadcast, information related to the one or more new service instances to a rest of a plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
a monitoring unit (240), configured to, periodically monitor, health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
a deregistering unit (245), configured to, deregister and remove, one or more service instances from the active instance list when determined that the one or more service instances from the active instance list are not in a working condition based on monitoring the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list; and
the broadcasting unit (235), configured to, broadcast, information related to the de-registered and removed one or more service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active list.
11. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operations including at least one of, register, deregister, re-register, monitor are performed via an interface, wherein the interface acts a common connection for the plurality of service instances present in the network (105).

12. The system (120) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the interface is at least one of, an Orchestration and Management (OAM) interface (305).

13. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the registering unit (225), registers, one or more new service instances when the one or more new service instances are added to the network (105) by a user, by:
receiving, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the one or more new service instances;
retrieving, information related to the one or more new service instances based on the received HTTP request, wherein the information pertains to at least one of, Internet Protocol (IP) address, port and path data, Component Broadcast Context (CBC) and Subscribe Component Type (SCT); and
storing, the retrieved information in a database (220).

14. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the broadcasting unit (235), broadcasts information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, by:
broadcasting, information related to the one or more new service instances to the rest of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list subsequent to retrieving the information related to the one or more new service instances from a database.

15. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the monitoring unit (240) monitors the health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list by monitoring whether each of the plurality of service instances is in a working condition or not in a working condition.

16. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the deregistering unit (245), is further configured to:
add, the removed one or more service instances from the active list to an inactive list.

17. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the monitoring unit (240), periodically monitors, health of each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list, by:
transmitting, the HTTP request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list;
inferring, one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are in the working condition when a response is received from the respective one or more service instances within a pre-defined time interval; and
inferring, one or more of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list are not in the working condition when the response is not received from the respective one or more service instances within the pre-defined time interval.

18. The system (120) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the system (120) further comprising:
a transmitting unit (250), configured to, transmit, a Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) (420) request to each of the plurality of service instances present in the active instance list; and
a consolidating unit (255), configured to, consolidate, one or more responses received from the one or more of the plurality of service instances and transmitting the consolidated responses to an Element Management System (EMS).