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

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DATA OF CONTAINER NETWORK FUNCTIONS (CNFS) IN 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 specifically, to a system and a method to manage container network function based network-services via a dedicated interface (e.g., swarm adapter interface or the like) in a communication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A communication network comprises of many network elements which are configured to operate in specific manners to improve credibility of the communication network. The communication network incorporates inventories to safe-keep resources and mechanism to efficiently distribute resources to all Network Functions (NFs) in the communication network so as to process service requests in the communication network. Inventory Management (IM) service maintains a virtual inventory and a limited physical inventory. The IM service maintains the relation between physical and virtual resources with respect to overlay to manage storage memory allocation. Also, the IM service describes the physical and virtual resources in view of different attributes (e.g., subscription status, version information, error logs or the like) using updates from external micro-service. Thus, the data accuracy of the inventory depends on the micro-services which create, update, and delete the resources (e.g., network link, bandwidth, network node information or the like) and at the same time, the inventory updated an event with the IM service. Other services can query IM relations, attributes etc. using query Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the IM service.
[0003] To optimize network performance, new network functions like container network functions (CNF) and/or container network function components (CNFC) are incorporated. The network performance is achieved by creating nodes by a container service module (e.g., swarm adapter (SA)). A container service module micro service is used for creating the containers on sites as a swarm service. The CNF is managed by a CNF life-cycle manager (CNF-LM). The CNF-LM is a specialized management system or component responsible for overseeing an entire life cycle of Container Network Functions (CNFs). The CNF-LM handles the deployment, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of CNFs, ensuring they run efficiently and meet the network's performance and reliability requirements. The CNF-LM sends a CNF request with CNFC details to the container service module. Every CNFC can be deployed on different sites as per request with at least one replication. When a container runs successfully, an Agent Manager (AM) sends a response to the container service module per CNF. Then, the container service module sends a final response to the CNF-LM. However, there is no dedicated system in place to synchronize changes that are made to the CNF/CNFC which leads to discrepancy in between the real data and the stored data in the inventory.
[0004] In cases, where there is sudden server restart occurs due to overheat or overload or any other prevailing issues, then after restart the unique IDs of each node, instances, IP (internet protocols) etc., gets changed and it may happen that the same may have not been updated in the inventory. In such case, a new request related to CNF/CNFC instantiation or termination may not be processed or may be failed. There is a requirement of synchronizing the real time data with the stored data for successful execution of the request commands. There is a need for a system and a method therefore to notify and manage the data related to the CNF/CNFC amongst the associated network services (e.g., container service module, CNF-LM and inventory manager (IM) (e.g., physical and virtual inventory manager (PVIM)). There is a need for an interface solely constructed for updating, synchronizing and notifying the changes in any CNF/CNFC.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and a method for managing data of Container Network Functions (CNFs) in a network.
[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, the method for managing data of CNFs in the network is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by one or more processors, an update request from a user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network. Further, the method includes relaying, by the one or more processors, the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. Further, the method includes checking, by the one or more processors, utilizing the container service module, if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network. Further, the method includes updating, by the one or more processors, the inventory with at least one of: the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory; and the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service modulepertaining to the one or more network elements.
[0007] In an embodiment, the update request pertains to at least one of, add, delete or update data related to the one or more CNFs in the network.
[0008] In an embodiment, the step of, relaying, the update request to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory, includes the step of generating, by the one or more processors, a first communication channel. The first communication channel is used to relay the update request to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. In an embodiment, the first communication channel is an interface between a user interface and the inventory. In an embodiment, interface is at least one of, an Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface.
[0009] In an embodiment, the step of, relaying, the update request received from the user to the inventory, further includes the step of relaying the update request from the inventory to the container service module to update the container service module with data pertaining to the one or more CNFs.
[0010] In an embodiment, the update request is relayed from the inventory to the container service module based on generating, by the one or more processors, a second communication channel. The second communication channel is used to send and receive data pertaining to the one or more CNFs between the inventory and the container service module. In an embodiment, the second communication channel is the interface between the inventory and the container service module. In an embodiment, the interface is at least one of, the Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface.
[0011] In an embodiment, checking, utilizing the container service module, if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs includes the step of: retrieving, by the one or more processors, current data pertaining to the one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs from the network, comparing, by the one or more processors, the current data with pre-stored data at the container service module pertaining to the one or more network elements, and determining, by the one or more processors, changes to the prestored data pertaining to the one or more network elements if a mismatch is detected based on comparing the current data with the pre-stored data at the container service module.
[0012] In an embodiment, the update request is at least one of, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.
[0013] In an embodiment, the method further includes the step of receiving, by the one or more processors, an inventory updated response from the inventory subsequent to completion of updation of the inventory.
[0014] In an embodiment, the data pertaining to the one or more network elements includes at least one of, host or node identifier and swarm details.
[0015] In one aspect of the present invention, the system for managing data of CNFs in a network is disclosed. The system includes a transceiver, a relaying unit, a checking unit and an updating unit. The transceiver is configured to receive an update request from a user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network. The relaying unit is configured to relay the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. The checking unit is configured to check utilizing the container service module, if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network. The updating unit is configured to update the inventory with at least one of: the updated data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory, and the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module pertaining to the one or more network elements.
[0016] In one aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions is disclosed. The causes the processor to receive an update request from a user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network. Further, the processor relays the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. Further, the processor check utilizing the container service module, if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network. Further, the processor updates the inventory with at least one of: the updated data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory; and the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service modulepertaining to the one or more network elements.
[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 data of CNFs in a network is, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system of FIG. 1, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 3 is an example schematic representation of the system of FIG. 1 in which various entities operations are explained, according to various embodiments of the present system.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system architecture for managing data of CNFs in the network by a dedicated interface, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates an example workflow of the interaction between a container service module and a PVIM, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 7 illustrates a system architecture (e.g., management and orchestration (MANO) architecture) in which the present invention can be implemented, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network, when the user sends a request to update a CNF/CNFC via a user interface to an Inventory Manager_Swarm Adapter (IM_SA) interface, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 9 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network, when the user adds or deletes a host via the Inventory Manager_Swarm Adapter (IM_SA) interface, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0028] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.
[0029] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] 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.
[0031] 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.
[0032] 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.
[0033] Before discussing example, embodiments in more detail, it is to be noted that the drawings are to be regarded as being schematic representations and elements that are not necessarily shown to scale. Rather, the various elements are represented such that their function and general purpose becomes apparent to a person skilled in the art. Any connection or coupling between functional blocks, devices, components, or other physical or functional units shown in the drawings or described herein may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling. A coupling between components may also be established over a wireless connection. Functional blocks may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software or a combination thereof.
[0034] Further, the flowcharts provided herein, describe the operations as sequential processes. Many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently or simultaneously. In addition, the order of operations maybe re-arranged. The processes may be terminated when their operations are completed, but may also have additional steps not included in the figured. It should be noted, that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts/ steps noted may occur out of the order noted in the figured. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0035] Further, the terms first, second etc… may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, it should be understood that these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer, or a section. Thus, a first element, component, region layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing form the scope of the example embodiments.
[0036] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example, between modules) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,” “interfaced,” and “coupled.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the description below, that relationship encompasses a direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present between the first and second elements, and also an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly” connected, engaged, interfaced, or coupled to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between," versus "directly between," "adjacent," versus "directly adjacent," etc.).
[0037] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0038] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the terms “and/or” and “at least one of” include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[0039] Unless specifically stated otherwise, or as is apparent from the description, terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” of “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device/hardware, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical, electronic quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
[0040] The present system and method is configured to manage requests initiated by various CNF based micro-services and container service module (e.g., swarm adapter (DSA), to process requests to update, synchronize the inventory data, add or delete hosts, create or delete or update CNFC information in a network to achieve optimum time and data management without any down time or service disruption while avoiding request failure due to data discrepancy. The system activities and method steps are performed by using the IM_SA interface. The IM_SA interface relays requests received from a user interface to a PVIM via an interaction module if the request is about updating info of the CNFC and then the interface also notifies the container service module about the update in the inventory related to that the CNFC via the notification module. The IM_SA interface is also configured to execute request related to deletion or addition of host via the operation module and then sends out notification to the container service module and the PVIM via the notification module. However, the invention is not to be limited to only these embodiments.
[0041] The CNF/CNFC data update is important for request processing and resource distribution in the network. Any discrepancy in live CNF/CNFC data and stored data may lead to failure in CNF/CNFC instantiation or termination requests. When a server associated with the CNF/CNFC gets restarted due to any physical or virtual problems like over-heating or overload etc., the unique IDs of instances, nodes, CNFC etc. are subjected to change. Yet, if the data is not in sync with the inventory data then any related requests may fail.
[0042] To facilitate solution of this problem, the system and method can be used to relay and execute requests related to CNF/CNFC micro-service from a user to the PVIM and from the container service module to the PVIM by using the swarm adapter interface.
[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of an environment (100) for managing data of CNFs in the communication network (106), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The environment (100) comprises a plurality of user equipment’s (UEs) (102-1, 102-2, ……,102-n). The at least one UE (102-n) from the plurality of the UEs (102-1, 102-2, ……102-n) is configured to connect to a system (108) via a communication network (106). Hereafter, label for the plurality of UEs or one or more UEs is 102.
[0044] In accordance with yet another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of UEs (102) may be a wireless device or a communication device that may be a part of the system (108). The wireless device or the UE (102) may include, but are not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device (e.g., a head-mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch, a computer device, and so on), a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portable gaming system, and/or any other type of computer device with wireless communication or Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities. In an embodiment, the UEs (102) may include, but are not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical or an equipment or a combination of one or more of the above devices such as 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, where the computing device may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as camera, audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, input devices for receiving input from a user such as touch pad, touch enabled screen, electronic pen and the like. It may be appreciated that the UEs (102) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the plurality of UEs (102) may include a fixed landline, and a landline with assigned extension within the communication network (106).
[0045] The communication network (106), may use one or more communication interfaces/protocols such as, for example, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), 802.11 (Wi-Fi), 802.15 (including Bluetooth™), 802.16 (Wi-Max), 802.22, Cellular standards such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), CDMA2000, Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Radio Frequency Identification (e.g., RFID), Infrared, laser, Near Field Magnetics, etc.
[0046] The communication network (106) 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 communication network (106) may include, but is not limited to, a Third Generation (3G) network, a Fourth Generation (4G) network, a Fifth Generation (5G) network, a Sixth Generation (6G) network, a New Radio (NR) network, a Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), and the like.
[0047] The communication network (106) 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 communication network (106) 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.
[0048] One or more network elements can be, for example, but not limited to a base station that is located in the fixed or stationary part of the communication network (106). The base station may correspond to a remote radio head, a transmission point, an access point or access node, a macro cell, a small cell, a micro cell, a femto cell, a metro cell. The base station enables transmission of radio signals to the UE (102) or a mobile transceiver. Such a radio signal may comply with radio signals as, for example, standardized by a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or, generally, in line with one or more of the above listed systems. Thus, a base station may correspond to a NodeB, an eNodeB, a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), an access point, a remote radio head, a transmission point, which may be further divided into a remote unit and a central unit. The 3GPP specifications cover cellular telecommunications technologies, including radio access, core network, and service capabilities, which provide a complete system description for mobile telecommunications.
[0049] The system (108) is communicatively coupled to a server (104) via the communication network (106). The server (104) can be, for example, but not limited to a standalone server, a server blade, a server rack, an application server, a bank of servers, a business telephony application server (BTAS), a server farm, a cloud server, an edge server, home server, a virtualized server, one or more processors executing code to function as a server, or the like. In an implementation, the server (104) may operate at various entities or a single entity (include, but is not limited to, a vendor side, a service provider side, a network operator side, a company side, an organization side, a university side, a lab facility side, a business enterprise side, a defense facility side, or any other facility) that provides service.
[0050] The environment (100) further includes the system (108) communicably coupled to the server (e.g., remote server or the like) (104) and each UE of the plurality of UEs (102) via the communication network (106). The remote server (104) is configured to execute the requests in the communication network (106).
[0051] The system (108) is adapted to be embedded within the remote server (104) or is embedded as an individual entity. The system (108) is designed to provide a centralized and unified view of data and facilitate efficient business operations. The system (108) is authorized to access to update/create/delete one or more parameters of their relationship between the requests for CNFs, which gets reflected in real-time independent of the complexity of network.
[0052] In another embodiment, the system (108) may include an enterprise provisioning server (for example), which may connect with the remote server (104). The enterprise provisioning server provides flexibility for enterprises, ecommerce, finance to update/create/delete information related to the requests for the CNFs in real time as per their business needs. A user with administrator rights can access and retrieve the requests for the CNFs and perform real-time analysis in the system (108).
[0053] The system (108) 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 business telephony application server (BTAS), 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 implementation, system (108) may operate at various entities or single entity (for example include, but is not limited to, a vendor side, service provider side, a network operator side, a company side, an organization side, a university side, a lab facility side, a business enterprise side, ecommerce side, finance side, a defense facility side, or any other facility) that provides service.
[0054] However, for the purpose of description, the system (108) is described as an integral part of the remote server (104), without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Operational and construction features of the system (108) will be explained in detail with respect to the following figures.
[0055] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the system (108) provided for managing data of CNFs in the communication network (106), according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. As per the illustrated embodiment, the system (108) includes the one or more processors (202), the memory (204), an input/output interface unit (206), a display (208), an input device (210), and the database (214). Further the system (108) may comprise one or more processors (202). The one or more processors (202), hereinafter referred to as the processor (202) 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. As per the illustrated embodiment, the system (108) includes one processor. However, it is to be noted that the system (108) may include multiple processors as per the requirement and without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0056] An information related to the request associated with the CNFs may be provided or stored in the memory (204) of the system (108). Among other capabilities, the processor (202) is configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory (204). The memory (204) 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 (204) 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.
[0057] The memory (204) may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as Random-Access Memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like. In an embodiment, the system (108) may include an interface(s). The interface(s) may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as input/output (I/O) devices, storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) may facilitate communication for the system. The interface(s) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing unit/engine(s) and the database (214). The processing unit/engine(s) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine(s).
[0058] The information related to the CNFs may further be configured to render on the user interface (206). The user interface (206) may include functionality similar to at least a portion of functionality implemented by one or more computer system interfaces such as those described herein and/or generally known to one having ordinary skill in the art. The user interface (206) may be rendered on the display (208), implemented using Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display technology, Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display technology, and/or other types of conventional display technology. The display (208) may be integrated within the system (108) or connected externally. Further the input device(s) (210) may include, but not limited to, keyboard, buttons, scroll wheels, cursors, touchscreen sensors, audio command interfaces, magnetic strip reader, optical scanner, etc.
[0059] The database (214) may be communicably connected to the processor (202) and the memory (204). The database (214) may be configured to store and retrieve the request pertaining to features, or services or workflow of the system (108), access rights, attributes, approved list, and authentication data provided by an administrator. In another embodiment, the database (214) may be outside the system (108) and communicated through a wired medium and a wireless medium.
[0060] Further, the processor (202), 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 (202). 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 (202) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor (202) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the memory (204) may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processor (202). In such examples, the system (108) may comprise the memory (204) storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the memory (204) may be separate but accessible to the system (108) and the processing resource. In other examples, the processor (202) may be implemented by an electronic circuitry.
[0061] In order for the system (108) to manage data of CNFs in the network (106), the processor (202) includes a transceiver (216), a relaying unit (218), a checking unit (220), and an updating unit (222). The transceiver (216), the relaying unit (218), the checking unit (220), and the updating unit (222) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processor (202). 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 (202) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor (202) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the memory (204) may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processor. In such examples, the system (108) may comprise the memory (204) storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the memory (204) may be separate but accessible to the system (108) and the processing resource. In other examples, the processor (202) may be implemented by the electronic circuitry.
[0062] In order for the system (108) to manage data of CNFs in the network (106), the transceiver (216), the relaying unit (218), the checking unit (220) and the updating unit (222) are communicably coupled to each other. The transceiver (216) receives an update request from a user (e.g., operator of the system (108), service provider or the like) to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an embodiment, the update request pertains to add the data related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an example, the update request is used to instruct the system (106) to add specific CNFs identified by their IDs, types, and their associated network and host details. In another embodiment, the update request pertains to delete the data related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an example, the update request is used to instruct the system (106) to delete specific CNFs identified by their IDs, types, and their associated network and host details. In an embodiment, the update request pertains to update the data related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an example, the update request is used to instruct the system (106) to update specific CNFs identified by their IDs, types, and their associated network and host details. The update request can be a HTTP request. The data pertaining to the one or more network elements (e.g., server, eNB, gNB or the like) includes at least one of: a host identifier, a node identifier and swarm details. The host identifier refers to the specific server or machine where the network element is deployed. The node identifier uniquely identifies the network element itself (e.g., eNB, gNB). The swarm details provide information about the swarm managing the CNFs, including specific services running, their status, and resource usage (e.g., CPU usage, memory usage or the like).
[0063] The relaying unit (218) relays the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. In an embodiment, the relaying unit relays the update request to the inventory by generating a first communication channel (e.g., Inventory Manager_swarm adapter (IM_SA) interface or the like) with the inventory. The first communication channel is used to relay the update request to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory.
[0064] Further, the relaying unit (218) relays the update request from the inventory to the container service module (402) (as shown in FIG. 4) to update the container service module (402) with data pertaining to the one or more CNFs. Further, the relaying unit (218) relays the update request to the container service module (402) from the inventory by generating, a second communication channel between the inventory and the container service module (402). The second communication channel is used to send and receive data pertaining to the one or more CNFs between the inventory and the container service module (402).
[0065] The checking unit (220) checks utilizing the container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an embodiment, the checking unit (220) retrieves the current data pertaining to the one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs from the network. Further, the checking unit (220) compares the current data with pre-stored data at the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements. Further, the checking unit (220) determining changes to the pre-stored data pertaining to the one or more network elements at the container service module (402) if the mismatch is detected based on comparing the current data with the pre-stored data.
[0066] In an example, the checking unit (220) has records of CNF configurations, including their expected state, resource allocations, and network parameters. The container service module (402) provides real-time data about the CNFs, including their current states and configurations. The checking unit (220) periodically compares the current data from the container service module (402) with the pre-stored data. During a routine check, the checking unit (220) detects a mismatch. For example, it finds that a CNF which was supposed to have 4 CPU cores (according to the pre-stored data) is currently using 6 CPU cores (according to the current data). The checking unit (220) identifies the mismatch between the expected and actual resource allocations. Further, the checking unit (220) sends a notification to the container service module (402) or relevant network management systems, indicating that a discrepancy has been found. Depending on the system's design, corrective actions might be triggered, such as scaling down the CNF to the expected resource allocation or updating the pre-stored data if the change was authorized and expected.
[0067] In an embodiment, the updating unit (222) updates the inventory with at least one of: the updated data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory. In another embodiment, the updating unit (222) updates the inventory with the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements. Further, the transceiver (216) receives an inventory updated response from the inventory. The inventory updated response refers to a specific type of message or notification that indicates the status of inventory updates related to network functions, resources, or services. In an example, the inventory updated response may indicate a configuration update in the inventory and resource allocation update in the inventory.
[0068] In an example, when an operator of the system (108) makes any changes to CNF/CNFC image data from any user interface (206) then, the user interface (206) sends the HTTP request to the inventory to update the image details for the CNFC. The PVIM (406) updates the details and notifies the container service module (402) to change the image details and CNFC in order to the updated image via the swarm adapter interface (408). Similarly, when any hosts get deleted from the user interface (206) then the request comes to inventory to delete host details with having any CNFC running at that host. The inventory notifies the container service module (402) for deletion of the host via the swarm adapter interface (408). Also, if any problem occurs to the server (104) and the host id or the swarm info gets changed then, the container service module (402) sends out notification to the PVIM (406) via the swarm adapter interface (408). All the communication about update at backend/inventory and notification work is configured to be performed via the swarm adapter interface (408).
[0069] The example for managing the data of the CNFs is explained in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9.
[0070] FIG. 3 is an example schematic representation of the system (300) of FIG. 1 in which various entities operations are explained, according to various embodiments of the present system. It is to be noted that the embodiment with respect to FIG. 3 will be explained with respect to the first UE (102-1) and the system (108) for the purpose of description and illustration and should nowhere be construed as limited to the scope of the present disclosure.
[0071] As mentioned earlier, the first UE (102-1) includes one or more primary processors (305) communicably coupled to the one or more processors (202) of the system (108). The one or more primary processors (305) are coupled with a memory (310) storing instructions which are executed by the one or more primary processors (305). Execution of the stored instructions by the one or more primary processors (305) enables the UE (102-1). The execution of the stored instructions by the one or more primary processors (305) causes the UE (102-1) to transmit, an update request to the one or more processors (202), to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in a network (106).
[0072] As mentioned earlier, the one or more processors (202) is configured to transmit a response content related to the API call request to the UE (102-1). More specifically, the one or more processors (202) of the system (108) is configured to transmit the response content to at least one of the UE (102-1). A kernel (315) is a core component serving as the primary interface between hardware components of the UE (102-1) and the system (108). The kernel (315) is configured to provide the plurality of response contents hosted on the system (108) to access resources available in the communication network (106). The resources include one of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory components such as Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM).
[0073] As per the illustrated embodiment, the system (108) includes the one or more processors (202), the memory (204), the input/output interface unit (206), the display (208), and the input device (210). The operations and functions of the one or more processors (202), the memory (204), the input/output interface unit (206), the display (208), and the input device (210) are already explained in FIG. 2. For the sake of brevity, we are not explaining the same operations (or repeated information) in the patent disclosure. Further, the processor (202) includes the transceiver (216), the relaying unit (218), the checking unit (220), and the updating unit (222). The operations and functions of the transceiver (216), the relaying unit (218), the checking unit (220), and the updating unit (222) are already explained in FIG. 2. For the sake of brevity, we are not explaining the same operations (or repeated information) in the patent disclosure.
[0074] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system architecture (400) for managing data of CNFs in the communication network (106) by a dedicated interface (e.g., Inventory Manager_Swarm Adapter (IM_SA) interface or the like), and the components of the said system in accordance with some embodiments. The system architecture (400) includes container service module (402), an inventory manager (IM) (e.g., physical and virtual inventory manager (PVIM)) (406), and the IM_SA (408). The PVIM (406) communicates with the user interface (206). The container service module (402) communicates with the server (104). The container service module (402) monitors and obtains CNF/CNFC related data and communicates with a backend and the server (104) in the network (106).
[0075] The IM_SA (408) includes an interaction module (not shown) to interact with the user via the user interface (206), the inventory manger and the container service module (402). Also, the IM_SA (408) includes an operation module (not shown) to process user requests and a notification module (not shown) to notify the user, the container service module (402) and the inventory manger. The present system is also capable of interacting with servers and other network elements, CNF lifecycle manager to obtain data, manage design, deployment, instantiation and termination of CNF/CNFCs.
[0076] The IM_SA interface or the like relays the requests received from the user interface to the PVIM via the interaction module if the request is about updating info of the CNFC and then the interface also notifies the container service module (402) about the update in the inventory related to that the CNFC via the notification module. The IM_SA interface is also configured to execute request related to deletion or addition of host via the operation module and then sends out notification to the container service module (402) and the PVIM via the notification module. The IM_SA interface also enables the user to manually manage the CNFC when required. The PVIM (406) is configured to manage and store all available data, resource, and information in the network (106). The present system may further include one or more database(s) (214) interacting with the PVIM (406) in the PVIM cluster (404). The IM_SA interface (408) is configured to make required updates in CNFC image info if image has been changed and notify every concerned network services. The IM_SA interface (408) is also configured to update node swarm info, to update node ID and to notify the container service module (402) about deletion of the host.
[0077] When the user or operator makes any changes to CNF/CNFC image data from any user interface then, the system architecture (400) sends the HTTP request to the inventory to update the image details for the CNFC. The PVIM (406) updates the details and notifies the container service module (402) to change the image details and CNFC in order to the updated image via the swarm adapter interface. Similarly, when any hosts gets deleted from the user interface (206) then the request comes to inventory to delete host details with having any CNFC running at that host. The inventory notifies the container service module (402) for deletion of the host via the swarm adapter interface (408).
[0078] If any problem occurs to the server (104) and host id or swarm info gets changed then, the container service module (402) sends out notification to the PVIM via the IM_SA interface (408). All the communication about update at backend/inventory and notification work is configured to be performed via the IM_SA interface (408).
[0079] The system architecture (400) comprising the container service module (402), the swarm adapter interface (408), and the PVIM (406), is configured to interact with servers, CNF Life-cycle manager and one or more database(s), network elements and other network components present in the network (106). The system architecture (400) is also configured to interact with a management and orchestration module to manage various work-flows. The PVIM keeps all information in the network inventory and manages the inventory. The database may be one or more in number and may be index database, virtual database, or graphical database. The container service module micro service is used for creating the containers on sites as a swarm service. A CNF life-cycle manager (CNF-LM sends the CNF request with CNFC details to the container service module (402). Every CNFC can be deployed on different sites as per request with at least one replication. When container runs successfully, Agent Manager (AM) sends response to the container service module (402) per CNF and then the container service module (402) sends final response to the CNF-LM.
[0080] For any operation, the system architecture (400) may implement API as a medium of communication to communicate with server(s) in the network. The system architecture (400) may operate and exchange information in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format.
[0081] FIG. 5 illustrates an example workflow of the interaction in between the container service module (402) and the PVIM (406), according to various embodiments of the present system. As shown in FIG. 5, the first communication channel between the user interface (206) and the inventory (for example the PVIM (406)) and the second communication channel between the PVIM (406) and the container service module (402) is an interface. In an embodiment, the interface is at least one of, an Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface (408). The IM_SA interface (408) is configured to send and/or receive data between the user interface (206), the PVIM (406) and the container service module (402). The operations and functions of the container service module (402) and the PVIM (406) are already explained in FIG. 4. For the sake of brevity, we are not explaining the same operations (or repeated information) in the patent disclosure.
[0082] In preferred embodiments, the system and method executed by the said system by means of the PVIM (406) which may be based on management and orchestration framework which is a teleco-cloud infrastructure interface, as a key element of the network functions virtualization (NFV) architecture. The PVIM (406) may coordinate network resources for cloud-based applications and manage any virtual network functions (VNFs) or container network function (CNF) and/or other network services. The PVIM (406) may be configured to interact with various APIs (application programming interface).
[0083] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram (600) illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network (106), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0084] At 602, the method includes receiving the update request from the user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an embodiment, the method allows the transceiver (216) to receive the update request from the user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network (106).
[0085] At 604, the method includes relaying the update request to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory. In an embodiment, the method allows the relaying unit (218) to relay the update request to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory.
[0086] At 606, the method includes checking utilizing the container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106). In an embodiment, the method allows the checking unit (220) to check utilizing the container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106).
[0087] At 608, the method includes updating the inventory with at least one of: the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory and the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements. In an embodiment, the method allows the updating unit (222) to update the inventory with at least one of: the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory and the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements.
[0088] FIG. 7 illustrates a system architecture (700) (e.g., MANO architecture) in which the present invention can be implemented, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system architecture (700) includes the user interface (206), a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) design function module (702), a platform foundation service module (704), a platform core service module (706), and a platform resource adapter and utilities module (708).
[0089] The NFV and SDN design function module (702) is crucial for modernizing network infrastructure by enabling virtualized, scalable, and programmable network functions and management systems, particularly within the framework of CNFs. The platform foundation service module (704) refers to the underlying services and infrastructure components that support and enable the deployment, operation, and management of containerized network functions. The platform foundation service module (704) provides the essential capabilities and resources required for the CNF environment to function effectively.
[0090] The platform core service module (706) refers to the fundamental services and components that are essential for the core functionality and operation of containerized network functions. These services are critical for the effective deployment, execution, and management of CNFs, providing the necessary support and infrastructure for their operation. The platform resource adapter and utilities module (708) refers to a set of components and tools designed to manage and adapt various resources and services necessary for the operation of CNFs. The platform resource adapter and utilities module (708) plays a crucial role in integrating CNFs with underlying infrastructure and services, providing the necessary support for efficient operation, resource utilization, and interoperability.
[0091] The NFV and SDN design function module (702) includes a VNF lifecycle manger (702a), a VNF catalog (702b), a network service catalog (702c), a network slicing and service chaining manger (702d), a physical and virtual resource manager (702e), and a CNF lifecycle manager (702f).
[0092] The VNF lifecycle manager (702a) is responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). The VNF lifecycle manager (702a) ensures that VNFs or CNFs are deployed, configured, monitored, scaled, and eventually decommissioned effectively. The VNF catalog (702b) (referred to as a CNF catalog) is a repository or registry that stores information about various containerized network functions and their configurations. The VNF catalog (702b) serves as a central reference for managing and deploying CNFs, providing details about their capabilities, requirements, and how they can be used within the network environment. The network service catalog (702c) is a comprehensive repository that organizes and manages the information related to network services composed of multiple CNFs or other network functions. The network service catalog (702c) serves as a central resource for defining, deploying, and managing these services within a containerized network environment.
[0093] The network slicing and service chaining manger (702d) is a crucial component responsible for orchestrating and managing network slicing and service chaining functionalities. These functionalities are essential for efficiently utilizing network resources and delivering tailored network services in a dynamic and scalable manner. The physical and virtual resource manager (702e) is a critical component responsible for overseeing and managing both physical and virtual resources required to support the deployment, operation, and scaling of CNFs. The physical and virtual resource manager (702e) ensures that the necessary resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to meet the performance, availability, and scalability requirements of containerized network functions.
[0094] Further, the CNF lifecycle manager (702f) is a component responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of containerized network functions. This includes the management of CNFs from their initial deployment through ongoing operation and maintenance, up to their eventual decommissioning. The CNF lifecycle manager (702f) ensures that the CNFs are efficiently deployed, monitored, scaled, updated, and removed, facilitating the smooth operation of network services in a containerized environment.
[0095] The platform foundation service module (704) includes a microservice elastic load balancer (704a), an identity and access manager (704b), a command line interface (704c), a central logging manger (704d) and an event routing manger (704e).
[0096] The microservice elastic load balancer (704a) is a specific type of load balancer designed to dynamically distribute network traffic across a set of microservices running in a containerized environment. Its primary purpose is to ensure efficient resource utilization, maintain high availability, and improve the performance of network services by evenly distributing incoming traffic among multiple instances of microservices. The identity and access manager (704b) is a critical component responsible for managing and securing access to containerized network functions and their resources. The identity and access manager (704b) ensures that only authorized users and systems can access specific resources, and it enforces policies related to identity verification, authentication, authorization, and auditing within the CNF ecosystem.
[0097] The central logging manger (704d) is a component responsible for aggregating, managing, and analyzing log data from various containerized network functions and associated infrastructure components. This centralized approach to logging ensures that logs are collected from disparate sources, consolidated into a single repository, and made accessible for monitoring, troubleshooting, and auditing purposes. The event routing manger (704e) is a component responsible for handling the distribution and routing of events and notifications generated by various parts of the CNF environment. This includes events related to system status, performance metrics, errors, and other operational or application-level events. The event routing manger (704e) ensures that these events are efficiently routed to the appropriate consumers, such as monitoring systems, alerting systems, or logging infrastructure, for further processing and action.
[0098] The platform core service module (706) includes an NFV infrastructure monitoring manager (706a), an assurance manager (706b), a performance manger (706c), the policy execution engine (402), a capacity monitoring manger (706e),a release management repository (706f), a configuration manger and GCT (706g), a NFV platform decision analytics unit (706h), a platform NoSQL DB (706i), a platform scheduler and Cron Jobs module (706j), a VNF backup & upgrade manger (706k), a micro service auditor (706l), and a platform operation, administration and maintenance manager (706m).
[0099] The NFV infrastructure monitoring manager (706a) monitors the underlying infrastructure of NFV environments, including computing, storage, and network resources. The NFV infrastructure monitoring manager (706a) provides real-time visibility into resource health, performance, and utilization. Further, the NFV infrastructure monitoring manager (706a) detects and alerts on infrastructure issues. Further, the NFV infrastructure monitoring manager (706a) integrates with monitoring tools to ensure reliable operation of CNFs.
[00100] The assurance manager (706b) manages the quality and reliability of network services by ensuring compliance with service level agreements (SLAs) and operational standards. The performance manger (706c) optimizes the performance of CNFs by tracking and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs). The policy execution engine (402) enforces and applies policies within the CNF environment to manage operations and access. Further, the policy execution engine (402) executes policies related to security, resource allocation, and service quality. Further, the policy execution engine (402) executes policies translates policy rules into actionable configurations and enforces compliance across CNFs.
[00101] The capacity monitoring manger (706e) monitors and manages the capacity of resources within the CNF environment to ensure optimal usage and avoid resource shortages. The release management repository (706f) stores and manages software releases, configurations, and versions of CNFs. Further, the release management repository (706f) keeps track of different versions of CNFs.
[00102] The configuration manger and Generic Configuration Tool (GCT) (706g) manages the configuration of CNFs and related infrastructure components. The NFV platform decision analytics unit (706h) analyzes data from a NFV platform to support decision-making and strategic planning.
[00103] The platform NoSQL database (DB) (706i) is used for storing and managing large volumes of unstructured or semi-structured data within the CNF environment. The platform scheduler and Cron Jobs module (706j) manages scheduled tasks and periodic operations within the CNF environment. The VNF backup & upgrade manger (706k) oversees the backup and upgrade processes for Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) within the CNF environment.
[00104] The micro service auditor (706l) monitors and audits microservices to ensure compliance with operational and security standards. The platform operation, administration and maintenance manager (706m) manages the overall operation, administration, and maintenance of the CNF platform.
[00105] The platform resource adapter and utilities module (708) includes a platform external API adaptor and gateway (708a), a generic decoder and indexer (708b), a swarm adaptor (708c), an openstack API adaptor (708d) and a NFV gateway (708e).
[00106] The platform external API adaptor and gateway (708a) facilitates communication between the CNF platform and external systems or services by providing an interface for API interactions. The platform external API adaptor and gateway (708a) acts as a bridge, translating and managing API requests and responses to ensure compatibility and seamless integration with external systems. Also, the platform external API adaptor and gateway (708a) manages network traffic and API requests between the NFV platform and external networks for handling routing, load balancing, traffic management, and policy enforcement in a smooth manner. The generic decoder and indexer (708b) decodes and indexes various types of data and logs within the CNF environment. The swarm adaptor (708c) facilitates communication between a swarm clusters and the CNF environment, including container deployment, scaling, and management.
[00107] The openstack API adaptor (708d) provides an interface for the CNF platform to interact with OpenStack APIs, enabling operations such as provisioning, scaling, and managing virtual resources. The NFV gateway (708e) manages and facilitates communication between NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) components and external networks or services.
[00108] FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram (800) illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network (106), when the user sends the request to update the CNF/CNFC via the user interface (206) to the IM_SA interface (408), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00109] At 802, the user sends the request to update the CNF/CNFC via the user interface (206) to the IM_SA interface (408). At 804, the IM_SA interface (408) sends the user request as the HTTP request to the PVIM (406) to update the CNF/CNFC details. At 806, the IM_SA interface (408) sends the response to the user after the PVIM (406) completes the required operation and sends an acknowledgement response. At 808, the IM_SA interface (408) notifies the container service module (402) about the CNF/CNFC update.
[00110] FIG. 9 is an exemplary flow diagram (900) illustrating the method for managing data of CNFs in the network (106), when the user adds or deletes the host via the swarm adapter interface (408), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00111] At 902, the user may add or delete the host via the swarm adapter interface (408). At 904, the swarm adapter interface (408) notifies the PVIM (406) to update the details and the container service module (402) about the deletion of creation of the host. At 906, the container service module (402) monitors any changes in node ID, or host ID or swarm info due to server issues or backend intervention, and the container service module (402) notifies the PVIM via the swarm adapter interface (408). At 908, the PVIM (406) updates the inventory with live data from the container service module (402) and sends the response back via the swarm adapter interface (408).
[00112] The method can be used to achieve operation of adding-removing hosts, update CNF/CNFC data, CNF/CNFC live data synchronization and inventory data management efficiently. The method can be used to initiate the workflow of the interface to efficiently manage request commands from the user and CNF/CNFC micro-services. The method can be used to update CNF/CNFC data, add and remove hosts, serve as a mid-element of interaction in between the container service module (402), the PVIM (406) and the user, to relay commands, information to the inventory and notify the CNF micro-services about any changes in CNF/CNFC status.
[00113] Below is the technical advancement of the present invention:
[00114] The proposed method minimizes the error in the workflow. Based on the proposed method, the operation is less time consuming. The proposed method avoids the prolonging request processing time. Swift updating of the CNFC image is possible due to the interface without impacting any service in MANO. The updating of a node swarm information is possible due to the interface without impacting any service in the MANO. The updating of a node ID is possible due to the interface without impacting any service in the MANO. The method allows synchronization of the real time data and the inventory data. The synchronization of data generated due to any event at backend and the data stored in the inventory so that overall working and service of MANO may not get impacted. The proposed method allows the async event-based implementation to utilize interface efficiently. The proposed method enables fault tolerance for any event failure. The interface works in a high availability mode and if one inventory instance went down during request processing then the next available instance will take care of this request. The interface is configured to manage CNF/CNFC related request both from user and CNF micro-services like container service module (402) and a CNF life cycle manager (CNFLM) services without any service interruption. The interface notifies the container service module (402) and the PVIM (406) about any changes in CNFs/CNFCs and performs auto-synchronization. The interface provides a dedicated platform to manage network services associated with CNF without downtime and thus enhances user experience.
[00115] A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily ascertain that the illustrated embodiments and steps in description and drawings (FIGS. 1-9) 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.
[00116] Method steps: A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily ascertain that the illustrated steps 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.
[00117] 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
[00118] Environment - 100
[00119] UEs– 102, 102-1-102-n
[00120] Server - 104
[00121] Communication network – 106
[00122] System – 108
[00123] Processor – 202
[00124] Memory – 204
[00125] User Interface – 206
[00126] Display – 208
[00127] Input device – 210
[00128] Database – 214
[00129] Transceiver – 216
[00130] Relaying unit – 218
[00131] Checking unit – 220
[00132] Updating unit – 222
[00133] Primary processors -305
[00134] Memory– 310
[00135] Kernel– 315
[00136] NFV and SDN design function – 702
[00137] VNF lifecycle manger - 702a
[00138] VNF catalog - 702b
[00139] Network service catalog - 702c
[00140] Network slicing and service chaining manger - 702d
[00141] Physical and virtual resource manager - 702e
[00142] CNF lifecycle manger - 702f
[00143] Platform foundation service module - 704
[00144] Microservice elastic load balancer - 704a
[00145] identity and access manager - 704b
[00146] Command line interface - 704c
[00147] Central logging manger - 704d
[00148] Event routing manger - 704e
[00149] platform core service module – 706
[00150] NFV infrastructure monitoring manager - 706a
[00151] Assurance manager - 706b
[00152] Performance manger - 706c
[00153] Capacity monitoring manger - 706e
[00154] Release management repository - 706f
[00155] Configuration manger and GCT - 706g
[00156] NFV platform decision analytics - 706h
[00157] Platform NoSQL DB - 706i
[00158] Platform scheduler and cron Jobs module - 706j
[00159] VNF backup & upgrade manger - 706k
[00160] IM_SA interface (408)
[00161] Micro service auditor - 706l
[00162] Platform operation, administration and maintenance manager - 706m
[00163] Platform resource adapter and utilities module – 708
[00164] Platform External API adaptor and gateway - 708a
[00165] Generic decoder and indexer - 708b
[00166] Swarm adaptor 708c
[00167] Openstack API adaptor - 708d
[00168] NFV gateway - 708e
,CLAIMS:CLAIMS:
We Claim:
1. A method for managing data of Container Network Functions (CNFs) in a network (106), the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, by one or more processors (202), an update request from a user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network (106);
relaying, by the one or more processors (202), the update request received from the user to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory;
checking, by the one or more processors (202), utilizing a container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106);
updating, by the one or more processors (202), the inventory with at least one of:
the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory; and
the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the update request pertains to at least one of, add, delete or modify data related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, relaying, the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory, includes the step of:
generating, by the one or more processors (202), a first communication channel, wherein the first communication channel is used to relay the update request from the one or more processors (202) to the inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first communication channel is an interface between a user interface and the inventory.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interface is at least one of, an Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface (408).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, relaying, the update request received from the user to an inventory, further includes the step of:
relaying, by the one or more processors (202), the update request from the inventory to the container service module (402) to update the container service module (402) with data pertaining to the one or more CNFs.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the update request is relayed from the inventory to the container service module (402) based on generating, by the one or more processors (202), a second communication channel, wherein the second communication channel is used to send and receive data pertaining to the one or more CNFs between the inventory and the container service module (402).

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second communication channel is the interface between the inventory and the container service module (402).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the interface is at least one of the Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface (408).

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of, checking, utilizing the container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs includes the steps of:
retrieving, by the one or more processors (202), current data pertaining to the one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs from the network (106); and
comparing, by the one or more processors (202), the current data with pre-stored data at the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements; and
if a mismatch is detected based on comparing the current data with the pre-stored data, determining, by the one or more processors (202), changes to the pre-stored data pertaining to the one or more network elements at the container service module (402).

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the update request is at least one of, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of:
receiving, by the one or more processors (202), an inventory updated response from the inventory subsequent to completion of updation of the inventory.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data pertaining to the one or more network elements includes at least one of, host or node identifier and swarm details.

14. A system (108) for managing data of Container Network Functions (CNFs) in a network (106), the system (108) comprising:
a transceiver (216), configured to, receive, an update request from a user to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in the network (106);
a relaying unit (218), configured to, relay the update request to an inventory to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory;
a checking unit (220), configured to, check, utilizing a container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106);
an updating unit (222), configured to, update, the inventory with at least one of:
the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs based on the update request relayed to the inventory; and
the data pertaining to changes detected by the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements.

15. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the update request pertains to at least one of, add, delete or modify data related to the one or more CNFs in the network (106).

16. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the relaying unit (218), relays, the update request to the inventory, by:
generating, a first communication channel, wherein the first communication channel is used to relay the update request to the inventory by the one or more processors (202), to update the data pertaining to the one or more CNFs at the inventory.

17. The system (108) as claimed in claim 16, the first communication channel is an interface between a user interface and the inventory.

18. The system (108) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the interface is at least one of, an Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface (408).

19. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the relaying unit (218), is further configured to relay, the update request from the inventory to the container service module (402) to update the container service module (402) with data pertaining to the one or more CNFs.

20. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the relaying unit (218) is configured to, relay, the update request to the container service module (402) from the inventory, by:
generating, a second communication channel, wherein the second communication channel is used to send and receive data pertaining to the one or more CNFs between the inventory and the container service module (402).

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second communication channel is the interface between the inventory and the container service module (402).

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the interface is at least one of the Inventory Manager_Swarm Adaptor (IM_SA) interface (408).

23. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the checking unit (220), checks, utilizing the container service module (402), if changes are detected to data pertaining to the one or more network elements, by:
retrieving, current data pertaining to the one or more network elements related to the one or more CNFs from the network (106); and
comparing, the current data with pre-stored data at the container service module (402) pertaining to the one or more network elements; and
if a mismatch is detected based on comparing the current data with the pre-stored data, determining, changes to the pre-stored data pertaining to the one or more network elements at the container service module (402).

24. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the update request is at least one of, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

25. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transceiver (216) is configured to, receive, an inventory updated response from the inventory subsequent to completion of the updation of the inventory.

26. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the data pertaining to the one or more network elements includes at least one of, host or node identifier and swarm details.

27. A User Equipment (UE) (102), comprising:
one or more primary processors (305) communicatively coupled to one or more processors (202) of a system (108), the one or more primary processors (305) coupled with a memory (310), wherein said memory (310) stores instructions which when executed by the one or more primary processors (305) causes the UE (102-1) to:
transmit, an update request to the one or more processors (202), to update data pertaining to one or more CNFs in a network (106);
wherein the one or more processors (202) is configured to perform the steps as claimed in claim 1.