FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
“METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT OF
NETWORK FUNCTION VIRTUALISATION PLATFORM
DECISION ANALYTICS (NPDA) INSTANCES”
We, Jio Platforms Limited, an Indian National, of Office - 101, Saffron, Nr. Centre
Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed.
2
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT OF NETWORK
FUNCTION VIRTUALISATION PLATFORM DECISION ANALYTICS
(NPDA) INSTANCES
5 FIELD OF DISCLOSURE
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of
wireless communication systems. More particularly, embodiment of the present
disclosure relates to a method and system for management of network function
10 virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide
15 background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may
include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the
present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only
to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure,
and not as admissions of the prior art.
20
[0003] The prevailing challenge in traditional systems lies in the microservices'
individual responsibility for maintaining interactions with one another. This not
only encompasses core functionalities, but also entails ensuring the availability of
other microservices, adding a layer of complexity to their operation.
25
[0004] Therefore, there are a number of limitations to the existing solutions and in
order to overcome these and such other limitations of the known solutions it is
necessary to provide an efficient solution for managing Network Function
Virtualization Platform Decision Analytics (NPDA) instances and further,
30 automatically detecting active and inactive NPDA instances via NPDA_OA.
3
SUMMARY
[0005] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure
in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description.
5 This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0006] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for management
of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances.
10 The method comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit at an orchestrator, an NPDA
instance registration information. The method further comprises detecting, by a
detection unit at the orchestrator, one of: existence and non-existence of an NPDA
instance, associated with the NPDA instance registration information, in a preexisting list of NPDA instances of the orchestrator, wherein the pre-existing list of
15 NPDA instances comprises an active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA
instance list. The method further comprises performing, by a processing unit at the
orchestrator, one or more actions pertaining to registration management of the
NPDA instance, based on the detection.
20 [0007] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in an event of existence of
the NPDA instance in the inactive list of pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the
step of performing, by the processing unit, the one or more actions pertaining to
registration management of the NPDA instance, comprises re-registering the NPDA
instance associated with the NPDA instance registration information.
25
[0008] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in an event of nonexistence of the NPDA instance in the pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the step
of performing, by the processing unit, the one or more actions pertaining to
registration management of the NPDA instance, comprises registering a new NPDA
30 instance, wherein the new NPDA instance is associated with the NPDA registration
information. The performing step further comprises establishing a connection with
4
the NDPA instance. The performing step further comprises adding the new NPDA
instance into the active NPDA instance list. The performing step further comprises
broadcasting the NPDA instance registration information to one or more
microservices subscribed with the orchestrator.
5
[0009] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the connection established
by the processing unit with the NPDA instance is an NPDA_OA interface.
[0010] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further
10 comprises monitoring, by the processing unit, a health status associated with one or
more active NPDA instances in the active NPDA instance list, at a configurable
time period, wherein the health status is one of a positive health status and a
negative health status.
15 [0011] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further
comprises automatically detecting, by the processing unit, the negative health status
associated with at least one target NPDA instance from the one or more active
NPDA instances.
20 [0012] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further
comprises automatically performing, by the processing unit, a de-registering action
associated with target NPDA instance based on the detection of the negative health
status pertaining to the NPDA instance.
25 [0013] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the de-registering action
comprises enabling the orchestrator to configure target NPDA instance in the
inactive NPDA instance list, and wherein the orchestrator broadcasts one or more
target NPDA instance details associated with the target NPDA instance to at least
one of the load balancer and the one or more subscribed micro service instances.
30
5
[0014] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the NPDA instance
registration information comprises at least one of an IP information, a port
information, a Path information, a Component Broadcast Context information, a
Subscribe Component Type information, and a combination thereof.
5
[0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further
comprises establishing, by the processing unit, an interface between the orchestrator
and the NPDA instance for communication.
10 [0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further
comprises receiving, by the transceiver unit at the orchestrator, one or more FCAPS
(Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) details from the
NPDA instance. The method further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit
at the orchestrator, the FCAPS details to an element management system (EMS).
15
[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, based on the one or more
FCAPS details received from the orchestrator, the EMS is configured to perform a
target action, pertaining to the at least one NPDA instance, and wherein the target
action is one of a monitoring FCAPS action and a managing FCAPS action.
20
[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for
management of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA)
instances. The system may include an orchestrator. The orchestrator may include a
transceiver unit. The transceiver unit may be configured to receive an NPDA
25 instance registration information. The system further comprises a detection unit
connected at least to the transceiver unit. The detection unit may be configured to
detect one of: existence and non-existence of an NPDA instance, associated with
the NPDA instance registration information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA
instances of the orchestrator, wherein the pre-existing list of NPDA instances
30 comprises an active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list. The
system further comprises a processing unit connected at least to the detection unit.
6
The processing unit may be configured to perform one or more actions pertaining
to registration management of the NPDA instance, based on the detection.
[0019] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory
5 computer readable storage medium storing instructions for management of network
function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances. The
instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of
a system, causes a transceiver unit of the orchestrator of the system to receive an
NPDA instance registration information. Further, the instructions include
10 executable code which, when executed, causes a detection unit to detect one of:
existence and non-existence of an NPDA instance, associated with the NPDA
instance registration information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA instances of the
orchestrator, wherein the pre-existing list of NPDA instances comprises an active
NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list. Further, the instructions
15 include executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit to perform
one or more actions pertaining to registration management of the NPDA instance,
based on the detection.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
20
[0020] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
[0021] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for
25 management of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA)
instances.
[0022] It is another object of the invention is to provide that allows automatically
registering, the new NPDA instance in an active instance list via an HTTP request
30 with the OAM.
7
[0023] It is yet another object of the present invention is to provide a solution that
automatically de-registering the target down NPDA instance in an inactive instance
list based on the negative health status associated with a target down NPDA
instance.
5
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute
a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods
10 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. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are not to be construed as
limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method and system
15 according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the advantages of the
disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such
drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used
to implement such components.
20 [0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a
management and orchestration (MANO) architecture;
[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device upon
which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with
25 exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for management
of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances in
accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
30
8
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary network environment comprising an
orchestrator for management of network function virtualisation platform decision
analytics (NPDA) instances in accordance with exemplary implementations of the
present disclosure.
5
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a method flow diagram for management of network
function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances in accordance
with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
10 [0030] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed
description of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
15 [0031] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that
embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific
details. Several features described hereafter may each be used independently of one
20 another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not
address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the
problems discussed above.
[0032] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not
25 intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather,
the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in
the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment.
It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and
arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the
30 disclosure as set forth.
9
[0033] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough
understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these
specific details. For example, circuits, systems, processes, and other components
5 may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the
embodiments in unnecessary detail.
[0034] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process
which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure
10 diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as
a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or
concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process
is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not
included in a figure.
15
[0035] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean
serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the
subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any
aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not
20 necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or
designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques
known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms
“includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed
description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive—in a manner
25 similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without precluding
any additional or other elements.
[0036] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor”
includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for
30 processing instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special
purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality
10
of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a Digital
Signal Processing (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific
Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of
integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing,
5 input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the working of
the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor or
processing unit is a hardware processor.
[0037] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”,
10 “a smart-device”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”,
“a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a
communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and/or computing device
or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The
user equipment/device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart
15 phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant,
tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable
of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may
contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from unit(s) which
are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.
20
[0038] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or
computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a
form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable
medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”),
25 magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other
types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data
that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective
functions.
30 [0039] As used herein “interface” or “user interface refers to a shared boundary
across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information
11
or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define
communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with
each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be
called.
5
[0040] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded
herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a
general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a
digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more
10 microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller,
Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array
circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0041] As used herein the transceiver unit include at least one receiver and at least
15 one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data, signals,
information or a combination thereof between units/components within the system
and/or connected with the system.
[0042] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have
20 several shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the abovementioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing
method and system of management of network function virtualisation platform
decision analytics (NPDA) instances.
25 [0043] The approach of the present subject matter facilitates seamless interaction
between an orchestrator and NPDA instances through the NPDA_OA interface.
This interface streamlines operations related to CNF/CNFC or VNF/VNFC policy
CRUD actions, as well as the evaluation of threshold-based or restoration-based
policies. Furthermore, it enables the invocation of the PEEGN microservice,
30 essential for relaying scaling and healing decisions that need to be applied to
CNF/CNFC or VNF/VNFC instances. This orchestrated approach aims to alleviate
12
the burden on individual microservices and promote a more efficient and reliable
system.
[0044] The present subject matter encompasses several significant technical
5 advancements. Firstly, an asynchronous event-based implementation optimizes
interface utilization, enhancing overall efficiency. This approach enables seamless
communication and task execution, significantly improving response times.
Secondly, the implementation incorporates fault tolerance measures, ensuring
uninterrupted service in high availability mode. In the event of an NPDA instance
10 failure during request processing, the system seamlessly redirects the task to the
next available instance with the highest priority. This dynamic failover mechanism
guarantees uninterrupted service delivery. The NPDA_OA interface serves as the
central hub for NPDA operations, facilitating crucial functions like registration,
deregistration, and reregistration. The Orchestrator/Central server acts as the nerve
15 center, receiving vital information such as IP, port, path, and component details.
With successful registration, a robust web socket connection is established,
allowing seamless communication between the central server and NPDA instance.
This interface also enables efficient data broadcast, empowering microservices to
circulate information among their instances, thus enhancing high availability
20 strategies. Moreover, it plays a pivotal role in relaying FCAPS details from NPDA
to OAM, which subsequently forwards them to EMS for effective monitoring and
management. In cases of new NPDA instances coming online, OAM efficiently
handles registration via HTTP request, updating the active instances list and
broadcasting essential details to load balancer and other services. OAM's
25 continuous health checks on active NPDA instances further fortify the system's
robustness. Should an NPDA instance experience downtime, OAM promptly
deregisters it, updating the inactive instances list and broadcasting the necessary
information to essential services, ensuring seamless continuity of service. This
comprehensive approach embodies a significant stride towards a more reliable and
30 efficient NPDA ecosystem.
13
[0045] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a
5 management and orchestration (MANO) architecture/platform [100], in accordance
with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. The MANO architecture
[100] may be developed for managing telecom cloud infrastructure automatically,
managing design or deployment design, managing instantiation of a network
node(s) etc/service(s). The MANO architecture [100] deploys the network node(s)
10 in the form of Virtual Network Function (VNF) and Cloud-native/ Container
Network Function (CNF). The system as provided by the present disclosure may
comprise one or more components of the MANO architecture [100]. The MANO
architecture [100] may be used to automatically instantiate the VNFs into the
corresponding environment of the present disclosure so that it could help in
15 onboarding other vendor(s) CNFs and VNFs to the platform. In an implementation,
the system may comprise a NFV Platform Decision Analytics (NPDA) [1096]
component.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO architecture [100] comprises a user
20 interface layer [102], a network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined
network (SDN) design function module [104], a platform foundation services
module [106], a platform core services module [108] and a platform resource
adapters and utilities module [112] All the components may be assumed to be
connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for
25 implementing features of the present disclosure.
[0048] The NFV and SDN design function module [104] comprises a VNF
lifecycle manager [1042], a VNF catalog [1044], a network services catalog [1046],
a network slicing and service chaining manager [1048], a physical and virtual
30 resource manager [1050] and a CNF lifecycle manager [1052]. The VNF lifecycle
manager [1042] may be responsible for deciding on which server of the
14
communication network the microservice may be instantiated. The VNF lifecycle
manager [1042] may manage the overall flow of incoming/ outgoing requests
during interaction with the user. The VNF lifecycle manager [1042] may be
responsible for determining which sequence to be followed for executing the
5 process. For e.g. in an AMF network function of the communication network (such
as a 5G network), sequence for execution of processes P1 and P2 etc. The VNF
catalog [1044] stores the metadata of all the VNFs (also CNFs in some cases). The
network services catalog [1046] stores the information of the services that need to
be run. The network slicing and service chaining manager [1048] manages the
10 slicing (an ordered and connected sequence of network service/ network functions
(NFs)) that must be applied to a specific networked data packet. The physical and
virtual resource manager [1050] stores the logical and physical inventory of the
VNFs. Just like the VNF lifecycle manager [1042], the CNF lifecycle manager
[1052] may be similarly used for the CNFs lifecycle management.
15
[0049] The platforms foundation services module [106] comprises a
microservices elastic load balancer [1062], an identity & access manager [1064], a
command line interface (CLI) [1066], a central logging manager [1068], and an
event routing manager [1070]. The microservices elastic load balancer [1062]
20 may be used for maintaining the load balancing of the request for the services. The
identity & access manager [1064] may be used for logging purposes. The
command line interface (CLI) [1066] may be used to provide commands to
execute certain processes which requires changes during the run time. The central
logging manager [1068] may be responsible for keeping the logs of every service.
25 These logs are generated by the MANO platform [100]. These logs may be used for
debugging purposes. The event routing manager [1070] may be responsible for
routing the events i.e., the application programming interface (API) hits to the
corresponding services.
30 [0050] The platforms core services module [108] comprises NFV infrastructure
monitoring manager [1082], an assure manager [1084], a performance manager
15
[1086], a policy execution engine [1088], a capacity monitoring manager [1090], a
release management (mgmt.) repository [1092], a configuration manager & golden
configuration template (GCT) [1094], an NFV platform decision analytics [1096],
a platform NoSQL DB [1098], a platform schedulers and cron jobs [1100], a VNF
5 backup & upgrade manager [1102], a micro service auditor [1104], and a platform
operations, administration and maintenance manager [1106]. The NFV
infrastructure monitoring manager [1082] may monitor the infrastructure part of
the NFs. For e.g., any metrics such as CPU utilization by the VNF. The assure
manager [1084] may be responsible for supervising the alarms the vendor may be
10 generating. The performance manager [1086] may be responsible for managing
the performance counters. The policy execution engine (PEE) [1088] may be
responsible for managing all the policies. The capacity monitoring manager
(CMM) [1090] may be responsible for sending the request to the PEE [1088]. The
release management repository (RMR) [1092] may be responsible for managing
15 the releases and the images of all of the vendor’s network nodes. The configuration
manager & GCT [1094] manages the configuration and GCT of all the vendors.
The NFV platform decision analytics (NPDA) [1096] helps in deciding the
priority of using the network resources. It is further noted that the policy execution
engine (PEE) [1088], the configuration manager & (GCT) [1094] and the
20 (NPDA) [1096] work together. The platform NoSQL DB [1098] may be a platform
database for storing all the inventory (both physical and logical) as well as the
metadata of the VNFs and CNF. It may be noted that the platform NoSQL DB
[1098] may be just a narrower implementation of the present disclosure, and any
other kind of structure for the database may be implemented for the platform
25 database such as relational or non-relational database. The platform schedulers
and cron jobs [1100] may schedule the task such as but not limited to triggering of
an event, traverse the network graph etc. The VNF backup & upgrade manager
[1102] takes backup of the images, binaries of the VNFs and the CNFs and produces
those backups on demand in case of server failure. The microservice auditor
30 [1104] audits the microservices. For e.g., in a hypothetical case, instances not being
instantiated by the MANO architecture [100] may be using the network resources.
16
In such case, the microservice auditor [1104] audits and informs the same so that
resources can be released for services running in the MANO architecture [100]. The
audit assures that the services only run on the MANO platform [100]. The platform
operations, administration and maintenance manager [1106] may be used for
5 newer instances that are spawning.
[0051] The platform resource adapters and utilities module [112] further
comprises a platform external API adaptor and gateway [1122], a generic decoder
and indexer (XML, CSV, JSON) [1124], a docker service adaptor [1126], an
10 OpenStack API adapter [1128], and a NFV gateway [1130]. The platform external
API adaptor and gateway [1122] may be responsible for handling the external
services (to the MANO platform [100]) that requires the network resources. The
generic decoder and indexer (XML, CSV, JSON) [1124] may get directly the data
of the vendor system in the XML, CSV, JSON format. The docker service adaptor
15 [1126] may be the interface provided between the telecom cloud and the MANO
architecture [100] for communication. The Docker Service Adapter (DSA) is a
microservices-based system designed to deploy and manage Container Network
Functions (CNFs) and their components (CNFCs) across Docker nodes. It offers
REST endpoints for key operations, including uploading container images to a
20 Docker registry, terminating CNFC instances, and creating Docker volumes and
networks. CNFs, which are network functions packaged as containers, may consist
of multiple CNFCs. The DSA facilitates the deployment, configuration, and
management of these components by interacting with Docker's API, ensuring
proper setup and scalability within a containerized environment. This approach
25 provides a modular and flexible framework for handling network functions in a
virtualized network setup.
[0052] The OpenStack API adapter [1128] may be used to connect with the
virtual machines (VMs). The NFV gateway [1130] may be responsible for
30 providing the path to each services going to/incoming from the MANO architecture
[100].
17
[0053] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device [200]
upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in
accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an
5 implementation, the computing device [200] may also implement a method for
management of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA)
instances utilising the system. In another implementation, the computing device
[200] itself implements the method for management of network function
virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances one or more units
10 configured within the computing device [200], wherein said one or more units are
capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.
[0054] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other
communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware
15 processor [204] coupled with bus [202] for processing information. The hardware
processor [204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The
computing device [200] may also include a main memory [206], such as a randomaccess memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus [202]
for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor [204]. The
20 main memory [206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other
intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the
processor [204]. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media
accessible to the processor [204], render the computing device [200] into a specialpurpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the
25 instructions. The computing device [200] further includes a read only memory
(ROM) [208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus [202] for storing static
information and instructions for the processor [204].
[0055] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state
30 drive is provided and coupled to the bus [202] for storing information and
instructions. The computing device [200] may be coupled via the bus [202] to a
18
display [212], such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD),
Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for
displaying information to a computer user. An input device [214], including
alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the
5 bus [202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor
[204]. Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller [216], such as a
mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction
information and command selections to the processor [204], and for controlling
cursor movement on the display [212]. This input device typically has two degrees
10 of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow
the device to specify positions in a plane.
[0056] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described
herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware
15 and/or program logic which in combination with the computing device [200] causes
or programs the computing device [200] to be a special-purpose machine.
According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the
computing device [200] in response to the processor [204] executing one or more
sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory [206]. Such
20 instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another storage medium,
such as the storage device [210]. Execution of the sequences of instructions
contained in the main memory [206] causes the processor [204] to perform the
process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present
disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with
25 software instructions.
[0057] The computing device [200] also may include a communication interface
[218] coupled to the bus [202]. The communication interface [218] provides a twoway data communication coupling to a network link [220] that is connected to a
30 local network [222]. For example, the communication interface [218] may be an
integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or
19
a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of
telephone line. As another example, the communication interface [218] may be a
local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a
compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such
5 implementation, the communication interface [218] sends and receives electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing
various types of information.
[0058] The computing device [200] can send messages and receive data, including
10 program code, through the network(s), the network link [220] and the
communication interface [218]. In the Internet example, a server [230] might
transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet [228], the
ISP [226], the local network [222], the host [224] and the communication interface
[218]. The received code may be executed by the processor [204] as it is received,
15 and/or stored in the storage device [210], or other non-volatile storage for later
execution.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system [300] for
management of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA)
20 instances, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present
disclosure, is shown. In one example, the system [300] may be implemented as or
within an orchestrator. As would be understood, in the context of the present subject
matter, the orchestrator may be understood as a central entity/server device, where
the orchestrator, among other functionalities, may perform operations,
25 administrator, and maintenance management (OAM). The orchestrator may manage
and coordinate NPDA instances within a network function.
[0060] In another example, as depicted in FIG. 3, the system [300] may include the
orchestrator [300A]. The system [300] may also include additional components in
30 communication with the orchestrator [300A], which have not been depicted in FIG.
3, and would be understood to a person skilled in the art.
20
[0061] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary network environment [400] comprising an
orchestrator [300A] for management of network function virtualisation platform
decision analytics (NPDA) instances in accordance with exemplary
5 implementations of the present disclosure.
[0062] It may be noted that FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 have been explained simultaneously
and may be read in conjunction with each other.
10 [0063] In one example, the orchestrator [300A] may be in communication with
other network entities/components as depicted in FIG. 4. It may be further noted
that any other network entities/components known to a person skilled in the art and
not depicted in FIG. 4, may also be in communication with the orchestrator [300A].
Such network entities/components have not been explained here for the sake of
15 brevity.
[0064] As depicted in FIG. 3, the system [300] may include the orchestrator
[300A]. The orchestrator [300A] may include at least one transceiver unit [302], at
least one detection unit [304], at least one processing unit [306].
20
[0065] Also, all of the components/ units of the system [300] are assumed to be
connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in FIG. 3, all
units shown within the system [300] should also be assumed to be connected to
each other. Also, in FIG. 3, only a few units are shown, however, the system [300]
25 may comprise multiple such units or the system [300] may comprise any such
numbers of said units, as required to implement the features of the present
disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a user
device/ user equipment to implement the features of the present disclosure. The
system [300] may be a part of the user device / or may be independent of but in
30 communication with the user device (may also referred herein as a UE). In another
implementation, the system [300] may reside in a server or a network entity. In yet
21
another implementation, the system [300] may reside partly in the server/ network
entity and partly in the user device.
[0066] The system [300] is configured for management of network function
5 virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances with the help of the
interconnection between the components/units of the system [300]. The
management is made possible through the interconnection and communication
between various components of the system [300], including but not limited to the
transceiver unit [302], processing unit [306], and an orchestrator.
10
[0067] In operation, initially, the processing unit [306] may establish an interface
between the orchestrator [300A] and the NPDA instance [402] for communication.
Such interface, in the context of the present subject matter, may be referred to
NPDA_OA interface.
15
[0068] The interface refers to a communication channel or connection, such as an
API, HTTP interface, or network protocol, that allows the orchestrator [300A] to
interact with the NPDA instance [402]. It may be used to send data like registration
information, monitor the instance's health status.
20
[0069] Once the communication interface has been established, the transceiver unit
[302] may receive an NPDA instance registration information. The NPDA
registration information may be received from the NPDA instance [402]. This has
been depicted by Step [404] in FIG. 4.
25
[0070] The NPDA instance registration information refers to the data associated
with an NPDA instance [402] that may necessary for its registration and
management within the network. In an example, the NPDA instance registration
information may include at least one of an IP information, a port information, a Path
30 information, a Component Broadcast Context information, a Subscribe Component
Type information, and a combination thereof.
22
[0071] The IP information refers to the IP address of the NPDA instance [402]. The
port information used for communication with the NPDA instance [402]. The Path
information is the logical or physical path required for accessing the NPDA instance
5 [402]. The component broadcast context information refers to the data in which the
NPDA instance [402] may broadcast relevant analytics to other components. The
subscribe component type information is about the type of components subscribing
to receive data from the NPDA instance.
10 [0072] However, it may be noted that the aforementioned NPDA instance
registration information is only exemplary, and not be construed to limit the scope
of the present subject matter in any manner. The NPDA instance registration
information may include any other exemplary registration as well, and all such
examples would lie within the scope of the present subject matter.
15
[0073] In another example, along with receiving the NPDA instance registration
information, the transceiver unit [302] may also receive, at the orchestrator [300A],
one or more FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security)
details from the NPDA instance [402]. The FCAPS is a framework, well understood
20 to a person skilled in the art, that may be used in telecommunications and network
management to monitor and manage network systems.
[0074] Once the FCAPS details are received by the transceiver unit [302], the
orchestrator [300A] may transmit these FCAPS details to an Element Management
25 System (EMS). The EMS is responsible for control the health and performance of
network elements and components, including the NPDA instances, based on the
FCAPS data. The EMS may use the received FCAPS details to perform various
management functions, referred to as a target action, pertaining to the NPDA
instance [402], such as monitoring the state of NPDA instances, managing FCAPS,
30 triggering alarms for faults, etc.
23
[0075] The target action refers to operations the EMS undertakes in response to the
FCAPS details. These actions are considered into two primary types.
[0076] The monitoring FCAPS action involves the continuous observation of the
5 NPDA instance's behaviour. The EMS monitors parameters such as fault
occurrences, configuration changes, performance metrics (e.g., bandwidth,
latency), and security statuses.
[0077] In addition to monitoring, the EMS may actively manage the NPDA
10 instance based on the FCAPS details. This management action may include
adjusting configurations to optimize performance or address faults, allocating or
reallocating resources based on accounting and performance data, initiating
recovery actions to rectify issues such as fault occurrences or degraded
performance.
15
[0078] Returning to the present example, on receiving the NPDA registration
information, the detection unit [304] may detect one of existence and non-existence
of an NPDA instance, associated with the NPDA instance registration information,
in a pre-existing list of NPDA instances of the orchestrator. The pre-existing list of
20 NPDA instances may include an active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA
instance list.
[0079] For example, the detection unit [304] checks whether the NPDA instance
[402], based on its registration information, is already known to the system [300].
25 The detection unit [304] performs by searching through a pre-existing list of NPDA
instances maintained by the orchestrator. This list contains information about all
previously registered NPDA instances, which may categorize into two instance list.
[0080] The active NPDA instance list includes instances that are currently
30 functioning as expected. These instances are actively involved in the network's
decision analytics processes. On the other hand, the inactive NPDA instance list
24
contains instances that were once registered but are currently not in use or have
been deactivated due to various reasons, such as performance issues or manual
shutdown.
5 [0081] Continuing further, based on the detection, the processing unit [306] may
perform one or more actions pertaining to registration management of the NPDA
instance [402].
[0082] In an implementation of the present disclosure, as would be described later
10 in further details, the one or more actions are carried out based on the earlier
detection of the NPDA instance's status, such as whether it is newly registered,
active, or experiencing issues like a negative health status.
[0083] Depending on what was detected, the registration management actions may
15 include reregistering an inactive NPDA instance if it was previously deregistered
or inactive, registering a new instance if the NPDA instance had not been previously
listed, deregistering an NPDA instance with a negative health status and moving it
to the inactive list and broadcasting instance information to network components
like microservices or a load balancer to keep the system updated.
20
[0084] It may be noted that other types of information, such as registration,
deregistration, reregistration, communication with other microservices, or the
transmission of FCAPS data, are sent using HTTP REST APIs in the form of JSON
messages.
25
[0085] In an example, in an event of existence of the NPDA instance in the inactive
list of pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the processing unit [306] may re-register
the NPDA instance [402] associated with the NPDA instance registration
information.
30
25
[0086] When the NPDA instance is in the inactive list, it means the instance was
once registered but has since been deactivated for some reason, such as
maintenance, performance issues. The re-registration is the process of bringing this
instance back into an active state within the network.
5
[0087] To re-register the NPDA instance, the orchestrator uses the same registration
information that was originally provided by the NPDA instance. This information
includes details like the instance's IP address, port, and other configuration data
within the network. Once reregistered, the NPDA instance is moved from the
10 inactive list to the active NPDA instance list.
[0088] In another example, in an event of non-existence of the NPDA instance in
the pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the processing unit [306] may perform a
series of steps. For example, in the case where the NPDA instance is not found in
15 the pre-existing list of NPDA instances (both the active and inactive lists), the
orchestrator, through its processing unit [306], may take steps to handle the
registration of this new instance. This means the orchestrator identifies that the
NPDA instance is new and has not been registered before.
20 [0089] The processing unit [306] may register a new NPDA instance, wherein the
new NPDA instance is associated with the NPDA registration information. By
completing this registration, the NPDA instance becomes known to the system
[300]. Thereafter, the processing unit [306] may establish a connection with the
NPDA instance, and add the new NPDA instance into the active instance list.
25
[0090] The processing unit [306] may also broadcast the NPDA instance
registration information to one or more microservices [406] subscribed with the
orchestrator. This has been depicted by Step [408] in FIG. 4.
30 [0091] The one or more microservices may be subscribed with the orchestrator to
receive updates from the orchestrator. These microservices depend on the
26
registration information to interact with the NPDA instance, share data, and to stay
updated on the status and availability of the NPDA instance. Such microservices
[406] may be understood as the different microservices explained under platform
foundation services module [106] and platform core services module [108], in
5 conjunction with FIG. 1. However, other microservices may also be included, and
would lie within the scope of the present subject matter.
[0092] The connection that may be established by the processing unit [306] with
the NPDA instance, may be referred to as NPDA_OA interface. The interface acts
10 as a communication link between the orchestrator and the NPDA instance, and may
be used for broadcasting information and monitoring health status.
[0093] In an embodiment, the NPDA_OA interface may be one of a HTTP-based
connection, web-socket based connection, or a combination thereof.
15
[0094] As would be understood, the HPPT-based connection may be configured to
facilitate exchange of information using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) rest
application programming interface (API). In an embodiment, the HTTP REST API
is used in conjunction with JSON and/or XML communication media.
20
[0095] Further, the web-socket based connection may involve establishing a
persistent connectivity between the NPDA instance and the orchestrator. An
example of the web-socket based communication includes, without limitation, a
transmission control protocol (TCP) connection. In such a connection, information,
25 such as operational status, health, etc. of different components may be exchanged
through the interface using a ping-pong based communication.
[0096] Continuing further, once the NPDA instance is active, the processing unit
may further monitor, a health status associated with one or more active NPDA
30 instances in the active NPDA instance list. The processing unit may monitor the
27
health status at a configurable time period, wherein the health status is one of a
positive health status and a negative health status.
[0097] The monitoring is done by sending HTTP requests to the NPDA instance to
5 check whether it is functioning properly. The monitoring occurs at configurable
time intervals, meaning the orchestrator may be set to check the health status of the
NPDA instance at specific intervals, such as every few seconds or minutes.
[0098] The health status of the NPDA instance may be either positive or negative.
10 The positive health status indicates that the NPDA instance is functioning normally,
performing its tasks as expected. The negative health status means there is an issue
with the NPDA instance, such as performance problems, failure to response.
[0099] In an example, a NPDA instance with the negative health status from the
15 one or more active NPDA instances, referred to as the target NPDA instance, may
be automatically detected by the processing unit [306] in an event a unresourceful
response is received from the orchestrator.
[0100] The processing unit [306] at the orchestrator automatically detects that an
20 NPDA instance has a negative health status when it receives an unresourceful
response from the instance. The unresourceful response means that the NPDA
instance is unable to provide a valid reply to the orchestrator’s request. This may
happen if the instance is overloaded or experiencing connectivity issues. When the
orchestrator detects this issue, it flags the NPDA instance (target NPDA instance)
25 as having a negative health status.
[0101] If the processing unit [306] detects a negative health status for an NPDA
instance, it identifies that there is an issue with at least one of the active NPDA
instances. The processing unit [306] focuses on the NPDA instance with the issue.
30 This detection process permits the orchestrator to recognize which instance is facing
problems among the active NPDA instances.
28
[0102] Upon detecting a negative health status, the processing unit [306]
automatically performs a de-registering action associated with target NPDA
instance based on the detection of the negative health status pertaining to the NPDA
5 instance.
[0103] Once the processing unit [306] detects that a target NPDA instance has the
negative health status, it automatically takes action to deregister the instance. This
means the NPDA instance is removed from the active NPDA instance list and its
10 status within the network is changed. The deregistering action is initiated because
the NPDA instance is no longer functioning properly or responding as expected.
Once deregistered, the NPDA instance may be placed in the inactive list, where
further actions such as reregistration may be taken if needed.
15 [0104] In an example, the de-registering action comprises enabling the orchestrator
to configured target NPDA instance in the inactive NPDA instance list.
[0105] The deregistering action involves the orchestrator moving the target NPDA
instance, which has been detected with a negative health status, to the inactive
20 NPDA instance list.
[0106] Once the NPDA instance is moved to the inactive list, the orchestrator then
broadcasts details about the target NPDA instance the network. This information is
sent to the load balancer and to any subscribed microservices. The broadcast
25 includes details about the NPDA instance, such as its identification and health
status, to inform these components of the instance's change in status.
[0107] The load balancer uses this information to adjust traffic distribution, and it
no longer routes traffic to the deregistered NPDA instance. Similarly, subscribed
30 microservices are notified so they may avoid interacting with the inactive NPDA
instance.
29
[0108] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary method flow diagram [500] for
management of network function virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA)
instances in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure
5 is shown. In an implementation the method [500] is performed by the system [300].
Further, in an implementation, the system [300] may be present in a server device
to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the
method [500] starts at Step [502].
10 [0109] In operation, initially, the processing unit [306] may establish an interface
between the orchestrator [300A] and the NPDA instance [402] for communication.
Such interface, in the context of the present subject matter, may be referred to
NPDA_OA interface.
15 [0110] At Step [504], the method [500] comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit
at an orchestrator, an NPDA instance registration information.
[0111] Once the communication interface has been established, the transceiver unit
[302] may receive an NPDA instance registration information. The NPDA
20 registration information may be received from the NPDA instance [402].
[0112] The NPDA instance registration information refers to the data associated
with an NPDA instance [402] that may necessary for its registration and
management within the network. In an example, the NPDA instance registration
25 information may include at least one of an IP information, a port information, a Path
information, a Component Broadcast Context information, a Subscribe Component
Type information, and a combination thereof.
[0113] In another example, along with receiving the NPDA instance registration
30 information, the transceiver unit [302] may also receive, at the orchestrator [300A],
one or more FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security)
30
details from the NPDA instance [402]. The FCAPS is a framework, well understood
to a person skilled in the art, that may be used in telecommunications and network
management to monitor and manage network systems.
5 [0114] Once the FCAPS details are received by the transceiver unit [302], the
orchestrator [300A] may transmit these FCAPS details to an Element Management
System (EMS). The EMS is responsible for control the health and performance of
network elements and components, including the NPDA instances, based on the
FCAPS data. The EMS may use the received FCAPS details to perform various
10 management functions, referred to as a target action, pertaining to the NPDA
instance [402], such as monitoring the state of NPDA instances, managing FCAPS,
triggering alarms for faults, etc.
[0115] The target action refers to operations the EMS undertakes in response to the
15 FCAPS details. These actions are considered into two primary types.
[0116] The monitoring FCAPS action involves the continuous observation of the
NPDA instance's behaviour. The EMS monitors parameters such as fault
occurrences, configuration changes, performance metrics (e.g., bandwidth,
20 latency), and security statuses.
[0117] In addition to monitoring, the EMS may actively manage the NPDA
instance based on the FCAPS details. This management action may include
adjusting configurations to optimize performance or address faults, allocating or
25 reallocating resources based on accounting and performance data, initiating
recovery actions to rectify issues such as fault occurrences or degraded
performance.
[0118] At Step [506], the method [500] comprises detecting, by a detection unit at
30 the orchestrator, one of: existence and non-existence of an NPDA instance,
associated with the NPDA instance registration information, in a pre-existing list of
31
NPDA instances of the orchestrator, wherein the pre-existing list of NPDA instances
comprises an active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list.
[0119] On receiving the NPDA registration information, the detection unit [304]
5 may detect one of existence and non-existence of an NPDA instance, associated
with the NPDA instance registration information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA
instances of the orchestrator. The pre-existing list of NPDA instances may include
an active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list.
10 [0120] For example, the detection unit [304] checks whether the NPDA instance
[402], based on its registration information, is already known to the system [300].
The detection unit [304] performs by searching through a pre-existing list of NPDA
instances maintained by the orchestrator. This list contains information about all
previously registered NPDA instances, which may categorize into two instance list.
15
[0121] The active NPDA instance list includes instances that are currently
functioning as expected. These instances are actively involved in the network's
decision analytics processes. On the other hand, the inactive NPDA instance list
contains instances that were once registered but are currently not in use or have
20 been deactivated due to various reasons, such as performance issues or manual
shutdown.
[0122] At Step [508], the method [500] comprises performing, by a processing unit
at the orchestrator, one or more actions pertaining to registration management of
25 the NPDA instance, based on the detection.
[0123] Continuing further, based on the detection, the processing unit [306] may
perform one or more actions pertaining to registration management of the NPDA
instance [402].
30
32
[0124] In an implementation of the present disclosure, as would be described later
in further details, the one or more actions are carried out based on the earlier
detection of the NPDA instance's status, such as whether it is newly registered,
active, or experiencing issues like a negative health status.
5
[0125] Depending on what was detected, the registration management actions may
include reregistering an inactive NPDA instance if it was previously deregistered
or inactive, registering a new instance if the NPDA instance had not been previously
listed, deregistering an NPDA instance with a negative health status and moving it
10 to the inactive list and broadcasting instance information to network components
like microservices or a load balancer to keep the system updated.
[0126] It may be noted that other types of information, such as registration,
deregistration, reregistration, communication with other microservices, or the
15 transmission of FCAPS data, are sent using HTTP REST APIs in the form of JSON
messages.
[0127] In an example, in an event of existence of the NPDA instance in the inactive
list of pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the processing unit [306] may re-register
20 the NPDA instance [402] associated with the NPDA instance registration
information.
[0128] When the NPDA instance is in the inactive list, it means the instance was
once registered but has since been deactivated for some reason, such as
25 maintenance, performance issues. The re-registration is the process of bringing this
instance back into an active state within the network.
[0129] To re-register the NPDA instance, the orchestrator uses the same registration
information that was originally provided by the NPDA instance. This information
30 includes details like the instance's IP address, port, and other configuration data
33
within the network. Once reregistered, the NPDA instance is moved from the
inactive list to the active NPDA instance list.
[0130] In another example, in an event of non-existence of the NPDA instance in
5 the pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the processing unit [306] may perform a
series of steps. For example, in the case where the NPDA instance is not found in
the pre-existing list of NPDA instances (both the active and inactive lists), the
orchestrator, through its processing unit [306], may take steps to handle the
registration of this new instance. This means the orchestrator identifies that the
10 NPDA instance is new and has not been registered before.
[0131] The processing unit [306] may register a new NPDA instance, wherein the
new NPDA instance is associated with the NPDA registration information. By
completing this registration, the NPDA instance becomes known to the system
15 [300].
[0132] Thereafter, the processing unit [306] may establish a connection with the
NPDA instance, referred to as NPDA_OA interface, and may add the new NPDA
instance into the active instance list.
20
[0133] The processing unit [306] may also broadcast the NPDA instance
registration information to one or more microservices [406] subscribed with the
orchestrator. The one or more microservices may be subscribes to receive updates
from the orchestrator. These microservices depend on the registration information
25 to interact with the NPDA instance, share data, and to stay updated on the status
and availability of the NPDA instance.
[0134] The NPDA_OA interface acts as a communication link between the
orchestrator and the NPDA instance, and may be used for broadcasting information
30 and monitoring health status. The NPDA_OA interface may be one of a HTTPbased connection, web-socket based connection, or a combination thereof.
34
[0135] The HTTP-based interface is configured to facilitate exchange of
information using HTTP REST API. In another embodiment, the HTTP REST API
may be used in conjunction with JSON and/or XML communication media. In yet
5 another embodiment, the web-socket based interface may be configured to facilitate
exchange of information by establishing a web-socket connection.
[0136] Continuing further, once the NPDA instance is active, the processing unit
may further monitor, a health status associated with one or more active NPDA
10 instances in the active NPDA instance list. The processing unit may monitor the
health status at a configurable time period, wherein the health status is one of a
positive health status and a negative health status.
[0137] The monitoring is done by sending HTTP requests to the NPDA instance to
15 check whether it is functioning properly. The monitoring occurs at configurable
time intervals, meaning the orchestrator may be set to check the health status of the
NPDA instance at specific intervals, such as every few seconds or minutes.
[0138] The health status of the NPDA instance may be either positive or negative.
20 The positive health status indicates that the NPDA instance is functioning normally,
performing its tasks as expected. The negative health status means there is an issue
with the NPDA instance, such as performance problems, failure to response.
[0139] In an example, a NPDA instance with the negative health status from the
25 one or more active NPDA instances, referred to as the target NPDA instance, may
be automatically detected by the processing unit [306] in an event a unresourceful
response is received from the orchestrator.
[0140] The processing unit [306] at the orchestrator automatically detects that an
30 NPDA instance has a negative health status when it receives an unresourceful
response from the instance. The unresourceful response means that the NPDA
35
instance is unable to provide a valid reply to the orchestrator’s request. This may
happen if the instance is overloaded or experiencing connectivity issues. When the
orchestrator detects this issue, it flags the NPDA instance (target NPDA instance)
as having a negative health status.
5
[0141] If the processing unit [306] detects a negative health status for an NPDA
instance, it identifies that there is an issue with at least one of the active NPDA
instances. The processing unit [306] focuses on the NPDA instance with the issue.
This detection process permits the orchestrator to recognize which instance is facing
10 problems among the active NPDA instances.
[0142] Upon detecting a negative health status, the processing unit [306]
automatically performs a de-registering action associated with target NPDA
instance based on the detection of the negative health status pertaining to the NPDA
15 instance.
[0143] Once the processing unit [306] detects that a target NPDA instance has the
negative health status, it automatically takes action to deregister the instance. This
means the NPDA instance is removed from the active NPDA instance list and its
20 status within the network is changed. The deregistering action is initiated because
the NPDA instance is no longer functioning properly or responding as expected.
Once deregistered, the NPDA instance may be placed in the inactive list, where
further actions such as reregistration may be taken if needed.
25 [0144] In an example, the de-registering action comprises enabling the orchestrator
to configured target NPDA instance in the inactive NPDA instance list.
[0145] The deregistering action involves the orchestrator moving the target NPDA
instance, which has been detected with a negative health status, to the inactive
30 NPDA instance list.
36
[0146] Once the NPDA instance is moved to the inactive list, the orchestrator then
broadcasts details about the target NPDA instance the network. This information is
sent to the load balancer and to any subscribed microservices. The broadcast
includes details about the NPDA instance, such as its identification and health
5 status, to inform these components of the instance's change in status.
[0147] The load balancer uses this information to adjust traffic distribution, and it
no longer routes traffic to the deregistered NPDA instance. Similarly, subscribed
microservices are notified so they may avoid interacting with the inactive NPDA
10 instance.
[0148] Thereafter, the method terminates at Step [510].
[0149] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer readable
15 storage medium storing instructions for management of network function
virtualisation platform decision analytics (NPDA) instances. The instructions
include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system,
causes a transceiver unit [302] of the orchestrator of the system to receive an NPDA
instance registration information. Further, the instructions include executable code
20 which, when executed, causes a detection unit [304] to detect one of: existence and
non-existence of an NPDA instance, associated with the NPDA instance registration
information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA instances of the orchestrator, wherein
the pre-existing list of NPDA instances comprises an active NPDA instance list and
an inactive NPDA instance list. Further, the instructions include executable code
25 which, when executed, causes a processing unit [306] to perform one or more
actions pertaining to registration management of the NPDA instance, based on the
detection.
[0150] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically
30 advanced solution for management of network function virtualisation platform
decision analytics (NPDA) instances. The present solution brings forth a host of
37
technical advantages that significantly enhance the NPDA ecosystem. Firstly, it
enables the seamless management of threshold and restoration policies, allowing
for efficient CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations. Additionally, the
hysteresis-based evaluation results can be promptly communicated to adjacent
5 microservices via this interface, ensuring timely and informed decision-making.
Secondly, the solution excels in instance management, providing a robust
framework for the registration, deregistration, and reregistration of NPDA
instances. This not only streamlines operations but also ensures optimal resource
utilization. Moreover, the system exhibits proficient alarm management
10 capabilities, allowing for the prompt identification, notification, and resolution of
critical events. This proactive approach to alarm handling bolsters system reliability
and availability. Lastly, the solution boasts comprehensive counter management
functionalities, enabling the efficient tracking and utilization of various
performance metrics. This ensures that resources are allocated judiciously,
15 optimizing overall system performance. These technical advantages collectively
fortify the NPDA ecosystem, paving the way for a more efficient, reliable, and
responsive operational framework.
[0151] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed
20 implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and
that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the
principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations
of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to
be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative
25 and non-limiting.
[0152] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged
that the functionality described for the various components/units can be
implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a
30 particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various
configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The
38
functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed
as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative
arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended
functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope
5 of the present disclosure.
39
We Claim:
1. A method for management of network function virtualisation platform
decision analytics (NPDA) instances, the method comprising:
5 - receiving, by a transceiver unit at an orchestrator, an NPDA instance
registration information;
- detecting, by a detection unit at the orchestrator, one of: existence and nonexistence of an NPDA instance, associated with the NPDA instance
registration information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA instances of the
10 orchestrator, wherein the pre-existing list of NPDA instances comprises an
active NPDA instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list; and
- performing, by a processing unit at the orchestrator, one or more actions
pertaining to registration management of the NPDA instance, based on the
detection.
15
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in an event of existence of the
NPDA instance in the inactive list of pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the step
of performing, by the processing unit, the one or more actions pertaining to
registration management of the NPDA instance, comprises:
20 - re-registering the NPDA instance associated with the NPDA instance
registration information.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in an event of non-existence of
the NPDA instance in the pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the step of
25 performing, by the processing unit, the one or more actions pertaining to
registration management of the NPDA instance, comprises:
- registering a new NPDA instance, wherein the new NPDA instance is
associated with the NPDA registration information;
- establishing a connection with the NDPA instance;
30 - adding the new NPDA instance into the active NPDA instance list;
40
- broadcasting the NPDA instance registration information to one or more
microservices subscribed with the orchestrator.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connection established by
5 the processing unit with the NPDA instance is an NPDA_OA interface.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, by the
processing unit, a health status associated with one or more active NPDA instances
in the active NPDA instance list, at a configurable time period, wherein the health
10 status is one of a positive health status and a negative health status.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: automatically
detecting, by the processing unit, the negative health status associated with at least
one target NPDA instance from the one or more active NPDA instances.
15
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: automatically
performing, by the processing unit, a de-registering action associated with target
NPDA instance based on the detection of the negative health status pertaining to
the NPDA instance.
20
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the de-registering action
comprises enabling the orchestrator to configure target NPDA instance in the
inactive NPDA instance list, and wherein the orchestrator broadcasts one or more
target NPDA instance details associated with the target NPDA instance to at least
25 one of a load balancer and one or more subscribed micro service instances.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the NPDA instance registration
information comprises at least one of an IP information, a port information, a Path
information, a Component Broadcast Context information, a Subscribe Component
30 Type information, and a combination thereof.
41
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: establishing, by the
processing unit, an interface between the orchestrator and the NPDA instance for
communication.
5 11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
- receiving, by the transceiver unit at the orchestrator, one or more FCAPS
(Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) details from
the NPDA instance; and
- transmitting, by the transceiver unit at the orchestrator, the FCAPS details
10 to an element management system (EMS).
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein based on the one or more
FCAPS details received from the orchestrator, the EMS is configured to perform a
target action, pertaining to the at least one NPDA instance, and wherein the target
15 action is one of a monitoring FCAPS action and a managing FCAPS action.
13. A system for management of network function virtualisation platform
decision analytics (NPDA) instances, the system comprising an orchestrator, the
orchestrator comprising:
20 - a transceiver unit, wherein the transceiver unit is configured to: receive an
NPDA instance registration information;
- a detection unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, wherein the
detection unit is configured to: detect one of: existence and non-existence
of an NPDA instance, associated with the NPDA instance registration
25 information, in a pre-existing list of NPDA instances of the orchestrator,
wherein the pre-existing list of NPDA instances comprises an active NPDA
instance list and an inactive NPDA instance list; and
- a processing unit connected at least to the detection unit, wherein the
processing unit is configured to: perform one or more actions pertaining to
30 registration management of the NPDA instance, based on the detection.
42
14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in an event of existence of the
NPDA instance in the inactive list of pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the
processing unit, to perform the one or more actions pertaining to registration
management of the NPDA instance, is configured to:
5 - re-register the NPDA instance associated with the NPDA instance
registration information.
15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in an event of non-existence of
the NPDA instance in the pre-existing list of NPDA instances, the processing unit,
10 to perform the one or more actions pertaining to registration management of the
NPDA instance, is configured to:
- register a new NPDA instance, wherein the new NPDA instance is
associated with the NPDA registration information;
- establish a connection with the NDPA instance;
15 - add the new NPDA instance into the active NPDA instance list;
- broadcast the NPDA instance registration information to one or more
microservices subscribed with the orchestrator.
16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the connection established with
20 the NPDA instance is an NPDA_OA interface.
17. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further
configured to: monitor a health status associated with one or more active NPDA
instances in the active NPDA instance list, at a configurable time period, wherein
25 the health status is one of a positive health status and a negative health status.
18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further
configured to: automatically detect the negative health status associated with at least
one target NPDA instance from the one or more active NPDA instances.
30
43
19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the processing unit is further
configured to: automatically perform a de-registering action associated with target
NPDA instance based on the detection of the negative health status pertaining to
the NPDA instance.
5
20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the de-registering action
comprises enabling the orchestrator to configure target NPDA instance in the
inactive NPDA instance list, and wherein the orchestrator broadcasts one or more
target NPDA instance details associated with the target NPDA instance to at least
10 one of a load balancer and one or more subscribed micro service instances.
21. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the NPDA instance registration
information comprises at least one of an IP information, a port information, a Path
information, a Component Broadcast Context information, a Subscribe Component
15 Type information, and a combination thereof.
22. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further
configured to: establish an interface between the orchestrator and the NPDA
instance for communication.
20
23. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transceiver unit is further
configured to:
- receive one or more FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting,
Performance, and Security) details from the NPDA instance; and
25 - transmit the FCAPS details to an element management system (EMS).
24. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein based on the one or more
FCAPS details received from the orchestrator, the EMS is configured to perform a
target action, pertaining to the at least one NPDA instance, and wherein the target
30 action is one of a monitoring FCAPS action and a managing FCAPS action.