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 PROVIDING INFORMATION
RELATING TO NETWORK RESOURCES IN A NETWORK
ENVIRONMENT”
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 PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATING TO
NETWORK RESOURCES IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT
TECHNICAL FIELD
5
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network performance
management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
methods and systems for providing information relating to network resources in a network
environment.
10
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background
information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects
15 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.
[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few
20 decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first
generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered
only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology,
digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced.
3G technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling,
25 and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless
communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security.
Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data
speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each
generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and
30 capable of delivering more services to its users.
3
[0004] A network function virtualization (NFV) software defined networking (SDN)
server acts as a single server/platform to manage all the virtual network functions (VNFs) and
container network functions (CNFs) deployed in the network. The NFV SDN server is
completely based on micro service architecture and is highly scalable and will be able to handle
hundreds of NFV. The NFV SDN server is also 5 event driven and is based on representational
state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (APIs).
[0005] A SA interface updates inventory for instantiation of CNF using IM interface, if
CNF inventory is saved on the same interface. If the SA interface goes down (due to some
10 reason) other servers will not be able to see the CNF inventory and communicate with CNFs.
There does not exist an interface server by which information can be received and transmitted
at service adapter or docker service adapter server.
[0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art for a method and a system for
15 receiving and transmitting information at DSA server, which the present disclosure aims to
address.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
20 [0007] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment
disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for
providing information relating to network resources in a network environment.
25
[0009] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that reduces nonservice
impact.
[0010] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that is less
30 time consuming.
4
[0011] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that enables
manual checking of instantiated CNF information.
[0012] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that enables
5 updating restricted information at a database server.
[0013] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that achieves
high data availability.
10 SUMMARY
[0014] 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. This summary is
not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.
15
[0015] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for providing
information relating to network resources in a network environment. The method comprises
receiving, by a transceiver unit, at a container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a set of
operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Further, the
20 method comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit, from the container orchestrator unit to
an inventory manager unit, the set of operational details. Thereafter, the method comprises
storing, by a storage unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, at the inventory manager
unit, the set of operational details.
25 [0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in an event of a change in a status
of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method comprises
retrieving, by the transceiver unit, at the container orchestrator unit, from the inventory
manager unit, the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more network resources.
Thereafter, the method comprises reverting, by a revival unit connected at least to the
30 transceiver unit, at the container orchestrator unit, the one or more network resources based on
the retrieved set of operational details.
5
[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the container orchestrator unit and
the inventory manager unit are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the
interface is an SA_IM interface.
[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, 5 the update is related to at least
one of instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native
network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs
and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at
least one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at
10 least one of CNFs and CNFCs.
[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the set of operational details
comprises configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.
15 [0020] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the step of receiving, at the
container orchestrator unit, the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit,
at the container orchestrator unit, from the inventory manager unit, a request for an update in
the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.
20 [0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for providing
information relating to network resources in a network environment. The system comprises a
transceiver unit configured to receive, at a container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a
set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Further, the
transceiver unit transmits from the container orchestrator unit to an inventory manager unit, the
25 set of operational details. Further, the system comprises a storage unit connected at least to the
transceiver unit, the storage unit configured to store, at the inventory manager unit, the set of
operational details.
[0022] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory
30 computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions for providing information relating to
network resources in a network environment, the storage medium comprising executable code
which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes: a transceiver unit to: receive,
at a container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of
6
network resources in the network environment; and transmit, from the container orchestrator
unit to an inventory manager unit, the set of operational details; and a storage unit to store, at
the inventory manager unit, the set of operational details.
5 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] 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.
10 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 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
15 includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such
components.
[0024] FIG.1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a manifestation and orchestration
(MANO) architecture.
20
[0025] 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 exemplary
implementation of the present disclosure.
25 [0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for providing
information relating to network resources in a network environment, in accordance with
exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for providing information relating to
30 network resources in a network environment in accordance with exemplary implementations
of the present disclosure.
7
[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a system architecture for providing information relating to
network resources in a network environment in accordance with exemplary implementations
of the present disclosure.
[0029] The foregoing shall be 5 more apparent from the following more detailed description
of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
10 [0030] 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 another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature
15 may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the
problems discussed above.
[0031] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not
intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing
20 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 disclosure as set forth.
25 [0032] 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 may be shown as components in block
diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.
30
[0033] 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 diagram, or a block
8
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.
5
[0034] 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 necessarily to be construed as preferred or
10 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 similar
to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without precluding any additional or
15 other elements.
[0035] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor”
includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing
instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a
20 conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality 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, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the
25 working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor or
processing unit is a hardware processor.
[0036] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”, “a
smart-device”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”, “a wireless
30 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 phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital
9
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.
5
[0037] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or computerreadable
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”), magnetic disk storage media, optical
10 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.
[0038] As used herein “interface” or “user interface” refers to a shared boundary across
15 which two or more separate components of a system exchange information or data. The
interface may also refer 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.
20 [0039] 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 microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a
controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field
25 Programmable Gate Array circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0040] As used herein the transceiver unit includes at least one receiver and at least 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
30 system.
[0041] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several
shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other
10
existing problems in this field of technology by providing method and system of providing
information relating to network resources in a network environment. The present solution
facilitates a physical and virtual inventory management server to manage network inventory
i.e. manage list of active and inactive instances of each server.
5
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a management and
orchestration (MANO) architecture [100], in accordance with exemplary implementation of
the present disclosure. The MANO architecture [100] is developed for managing telecom cloud
infrastructure automatically, managing design or deployment design, managing instantiation
10 of a network node(s) etc. The MANO architecture [100] deploys the network node(s) in the
form of Virtual Network Function (VNF) and Cloud-native/ Container Network Function
(CNF). The system may comprise one or more components of the MANO architecture. The
MANO architecture [100] is used to auto-instantiate the VNFs into the corresponding
environment of the present disclosure so that it could help in onboarding other vendor(s) CNFs
15 and VNFs to the platform. In an implementation, the system comprises a NFV Platform
Decision Analytics (NPDA) [1096] component.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO architecture [100] comprises a user interface layer,
a network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined network (SDN) design function
20 module [104], a platforms foundation services module [106], a platform core services module
[108] and a platform resource adapters and utilities module [112], wherein all the components
are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the
art for implementing features of the present disclosure.
25 [0044] The NFV and SDN design function module [104] further comprises a VNF
lifecycle manager (compute) [1042], a VNF catalogue [1044], a network services catalogue
[1046], a network slicing and service chaining manager [1048], a physical and virtual resource
manager [1050] and a CNF lifecycle manager [1052]. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute)
[1042] is responsible for on which server of the communication network the microservice will
30 be instantiated. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute) [1042] will manage the overall flow of
incoming/ outgoing requests during interaction with the user. The VNF lifecycle manager
(compute) [1042] is responsible for determining which sequence to be followed for executing
the process. For e.g. in an AMF network function of the communication network (such as a 5G
11
network), sequence for execution of processes P1 and P2 etc. The VNF catalogue [1044] stores
the metadata of all the VNFs (also CNFs in some cases). The network services catalogue [1046]
stores the information of the services that need to be run. The network slicing and service
chaining manager [1048] manages the slicing (an ordered and connected sequence of network
service/ network functions (NFs)) that must be applied to a 5 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 (compute) [1042], the CNF lifecycle manager
[1052] is similarly used for the CNFs lifecycle management.
10 [0045] The platforms foundation services module [106] further comprises a microservices
elastic load balancer [1062], an identify & 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] is used for maintaining the load balancing of the
request for the services. The identify & access manager [1064] is used for logging purposes.
15 The command line interface (CLI) [1066] is used to provide commands to execute certain
processes which requires changes during the run time. The central logging manager [1068] is
responsible for keeping the logs of every services. Theses logs are generated by the MANO
platform [100]. These logs are used for debugging purposes. The event routing manager [1070]
is responsible for routing the events i.e., the application programming interface (API) hits to
20 the corresponding services.
[0046] The platforms core services module [108] further comprises NFV infrastructure
monitoring manager [1082], an assure manager [1084], a performance manager [1086], a
policy execution engine [1088], a capacity monitoring manager [1090], a release management
25 (mgmt.) repository [1092], a configuration manager & (GCT) [1094], an NFV platform
decision analytics [1096], a platform NoSQL DB [1098], a platform schedulers and cron jobs
[1100], a VNF backup & upgrade manager [1102], a micro service auditor [1104], and a
platform operations, administration and maintenance manager [1106]. The NFV infrastructure
monitoring manager [1082] monitors the infrastructure part of the NFs. For e.g., any metrics
30 such as CPU utilization by the VNF. The assure manager [1084] is responsible for supervising
the alarms the vendor is generating. The performance manager [1086] is responsible for
manging the performance counters. The policy execution engine (PEEGN) [1088] is
responsible for all the managing the policies. The capacity monitoring manager (CPM) [1090]
12
is responsible for sending the request to the PEEGN [1088]. The release management (mgmt.)
repository (RMR) [1092] is responsible for managing the releases and the images of all the
vendor network node. 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 5 is further noted that the policy execution
engine (PEEGN) [1088], the configuration manager & (GCT) [1094] and the (NPDA) [1096]
work together. The platform NoSQL DB [1098] is 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 narrow implementation of the present
10 disclosure, and any other kind of structure for the database may be implemented for the
platform database such as relational or non-relational database. The platform schedulers and
cron jobs [1100] schedules 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
15 server failure. The micro service auditor [1104] audits the microservices. For e.g., in a
hypothetical case, instances not being instantiated by the MANO architecture [100] using the
network resources then the micro service auditor [1104] audits and informs the same so that
resources can be released for services running in the MANO architecture [100], thereby
assuring the services only run on the MANO platform [100]. The platform operations,
20 administration and maintenance manager [1106] is used for newer instances that are spawning.
[0047] 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 API adapter [1128], and a NFV gateway
25 [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] gets directly the data of the vendor
system in the XML, CSV, JSON format. The docker service adaptor [1126] may be the
interface provided between the telecom cloud and the MANO architecture [100] for
30 communication. The API adapter [1128] may be used to connect with the virtual machines
(VMs). The NFV gateway [1130] may be responsible for providing the path to each services
going to/incoming from the MANO architecture [100].
13
[0048] The docker service adapter (DSA) [1126] is a microservices-based system designed
to deploy and manage Container Network Functions (CNFs) and their components (CNFCs)
across Docker nodes. The DSA [1126] offers REST endpoints for key operations, including
uploading container images to a Docker registry, terminating CNFC instances, and creating
Docker volumes and networks. CNFs, which are 5 network functions packaged as containers,
may consist of multiple CNFCs. The DSA [1126] 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 provides a modular and
flexible framework for handling network functions in a virtualized network setup.
10
[0049] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device [200] (herein,
also referred to as a computer system [200]) upon which one or more features of the present
disclosure may be implemented in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the
present disclosure. The present disclosure can be implemented on a computing device [200] as
15 shown in FIG. 2. The computing device [200] implements the present disclosure in accordance
with the MANO architecture (as shown in FIG. 1). In an implementation, the computing device
[200] may also implement a method for providing information relating to network resources in
a network environment, utilising a system, or one or more sub-systems, provided in the
network. In another implementation, the computing device [200] itself implements the method
20 for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, using one
or more units configured within the computing device [200], wherein said one or more units
are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.
[0050] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other communication
25 mechanism(s) for communicating information, and a hardware processor [204] coupled with
bus [202] for processing said 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 random-access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device,
coupled to the bus [202], for storing information and instructions to be executed by the
30 processor [204]. The 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 a non-transitory storage media accessible to
the processor [204], render the computing device [200] into a special purpose device that is
14
customized to perform operations according to the 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].
[0051] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic 5 disk, optical disk, or solid-state 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 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 user of the computing device [200]. An
10 input device [214], including alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may
be coupled to the 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
15 [212]. The cursor controller [216] typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis
(e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the cursor controller [216] to specify positions
in a plane.
[0052] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described herein using
20 customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/or program logic
which, in combination with the computing device [200], causes or programs the computing
device [200] to be a special-purpose device. 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
25 [206]. The one or more instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another
storage medium, such as the storage device [210]. Execution of the one or more sequences of
the one or more 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, software
30 instructions.
[0053] The computing device [200] also may include a communication interface [218]
coupled to the bus [202]. The communication interface [218] provides two-way data
15
communication coupling to a network link [220] that is connected to a local network [222]. For
example, the communication interface [218] may be an integrated services digital network
(ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication
connection to a corresponding type of telecommunication line. In another example, the
communication interface [218] may be a local area network 5 (LAN) card to provide a data
communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In
any such implementation, the communication interface [218] sends and receives electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing different types of
information.
10
[0054] The computing device [200] can send and receive data, including program code,
messages, etc. through the network(s), the network link [220] and the communication interface
[218]. In an 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
15 communication interface [218]. The received code may be executed by the processor [204] as
it is received, and/or stored in the storage device [210], or other non-volatile storage for later
execution.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system [300] for providing
20 information relating to network resources in a network environment, is shown, in accordance
with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system [300] comprises at
least one transceiver unit [302], at least one storage unit [304], and at least one revival unit
[306]. 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 the figures all units shown within
25 the system [300] should also be assumed to be connected to each other. Also, in Figure 3 only
a few units are shown, however, the system [300] 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.
30 The system [300] may be a part of the user device or may be independent of but in
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 another
16
implementation, the system [300] may reside partly in the server/ network entity and partly in
the user device.
[0056] The system [300] is configured for providing information relating to network
resources in a network environment, with 5 the help of the interconnection between the
components/units of the system [300].
[0057] 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.
10 While specific embodiments may disclose a particular functionality of these units for clarity, it
is recognized that various configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the
disclosure. The 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
15 described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0058] The system [300] comprises the transceiver unit [302] configured to receive, at a
container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of
network resources in the network environment. Herein, the container orchestrator unit [308] is
20 responsible for deploying and managing cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloudnative
network function components (CNFCs), across multiple nodes. The container
orchestrator unit [308] facilitates representational state transfer (REST) endpoints (interfaces
that allows external systems or devices to interact with the container orchestrator unit [308]).
25 [0059] In one aspect, the container orchestrator unit [308] may facilitate an uploading one
or more container images into a docker memory of said container orchestrator unit [308]. The
images mentioned herein may encapsulate CNFs and CNFCs, which are then deployed to
various nodes (such as docker nodes) within the network.
30 [0060] In another aspect, the container orchestrator unit [308] may terminate or stop one
or more network instances of CNFCs that are no longer needed or require replacement for
efficient management of resources.
17
[0061] In another aspect, the container orchestrator unit [308] facilitates a creation of
docker volumes (for storage) and docker networks (for enabling communication between
containers) to support CNFs and CNFCs.
5
[0062] Herein, the CNFs are network functions packaged as containers and consist of
multiple CNFCs. The container orchestrator unit [308] manages the CNFs and CNFCs by
interacting with docker's API, that may provide a set of tools to deploy, configure, and scale
CNFs and CNFCs across the network environment, which ensures proper setup, monitoring,
10 and management of network functions in the network environment. In an example of the
present disclosure, the container orchestrator unit [308] can be a docker service adaptor [1126]
as mentioned in the FIG. 1.
[0063] Further, in an implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated with
15 the operational details may include an instantiation of at least one of the CNFs, and CNFCs.
Herein, the instantiation of CNFs and CNFCs may refers to the process of creating or
initializing one or more CNFs or CNFCs in the network environment. The instantiation process
involves allocating resources, loading the appropriate container images, and ensuring that the
network function or component is correctly configured to perform their role. The container
20 orchestrator unit [308] is responsible for managing the instantiation process by arranging the
deployment of CNF or CNFCs across docker nodes.
[0064] Furthermore, in another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates
associated with the operational details may include current status of operation of the at least
25 one of CNFs and CNFCs. The operational status mentioned herein may provide real-time data
about how the CNFs or CNFCs is performing within the network environment. The operational
status may include but not limited to an information about resource usage, one or more metrics
related to the health of the CNF, and similar that would be known to a person skilled in the art.
30 [0065] Further, in yet another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates
associated with the operational details may include identities and operating statuses of one or
more service units connected to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs. The service units may
18
refer to virtual machines, containers, or other network elements that work in conjunction with
CNFs to provide network services.
[0066] Further, in another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated
with the operational details may include consumption 5 of one or more network resources by the
at least one of CNFs and CNFCs. The CNFs may require one or more resources to perform
their functions, therefore monitoring resource consumption may further ensures that no CNF
or CNFC is over-utilizing resources, which may lead to network congestion or performance
bottlenecks.
10
[0067] Further, the set of operational details include details relating to an identity of the
CNFs and/or CNFCs, and information that is essential for operation and up-running of the
CNFs and/or CNFCs. The set of operational details includes configuration details of the at least
one of the CNFs, and the CNFCs. The set of operational details may further include details that
15 provide information about the physical or virtual locations where the CNFs and CNFCs are
deployed. The set of operational details may include, without limitations, site details, region
details, etc. of the CNFs and/or CNFCs.
[0068] In one example, the regional details may refer to geographical areas or cloud
20 regions where CNFs are hosted. For instance, a region may correspond to a specific data centre
or cloud zone, that allows the CNFs to be deployed across multiple regions for fault tolerance.
Such as, if a CNF in one region fails, another CNF in a different region may take over the
responsibilities of said failed CNF.
25 [0069] In another example, the site details may point out an exact location within a region
where the CNF or CNFC is deployed. Herein, a site may refer to a specific server, or cluster
within the data centre. Further, the site details may assist the container orchestrator unit [308]
in managing deployments, monitoring site-specific performance metrics, and responding to
site-level issues such as hardware failures or network disruptions of the CNFs or the CNFCs.
30
[0070] Furthermore, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to transmit, from the container
orchestrator unit [308] to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details. The
inventory manager unit [310] mentioned here is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date
19
record of all physical and virtual network resources within the network environment. The
inventory manager unit [310] may further track the deployment, configuration, status, and
location of resources such as CNFs, CNFCs, virtual machines, and other units.
[0071] It is to be noted that the container 5 orchestrator unit [308] and the inventory manager
unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the interface is an SA_IM
interface. The SA_IM interface herein is a communication protocol for enabling data exchange
between different units within the network environment. The SA_IM interface allows for
bidirectional communication, allowing the that the container orchestrator unit [308] is able to
10 send updates and receive confirmations or responses from the inventory manager unit [310].
[0072] In an embodiment, the interface is 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
15 media.
[0073] In another embodiment, the interface is configured to facilitate exchange of
information by establishing a web-socket connection between the inventory manager unit
[310], and the container orchestrator unit [308]. A web-socket connection may involve
20 establishing a persistent connectivity between the inventory manager unit [310], and the
container orchestrator unit [308]. An example of the web-socket based communication
includes, without limitation, a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection. In such a
connection, information, such as operational status, health, etc. of different components may
be exchanged through the interface using a ping-pong based communication.
25
[0074] Further, the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the update
occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit
[308], from the inventory manager unit [310], a request for an update in the set of operational
details related to the set of network resources. The inventory manager unit [310] may transmit
30 the request to the container orchestrator unit [308] at one or more necessary conditions that
may trigger based on one or more operational needs within the network environment.
20
[0075] In one example, the inventory manager unit [310] may transmit the request to the
container orchestrator unit [308] in an event, there is a change in resource allocation such as if
a new CNF or CNFC is instantiated, terminated, or modified, the inventory manager unit [310]
may request an update for obtaining the set of operational details about said changes.
5
[0076] In another example, the inventory manager unit [310] may transmit the request to
the container orchestrator unit [308] in an event, if the inventory manager unit [310] may detect
a drop in performance metrics (such as excessive resource consumption, service outages, or
degraded performance), then in such event, the inventory manager unit [310] may request the
10 set of updated operational details from the container orchestrator unit [308].
[0077] In yet another example, the inventory manager unit [310] may transmit the request
to the container orchestrator unit [308] in an event of routine check-up which may state that
the inventory manager unit [310] may require the set of updated operational details after a pre15
defined time period.
[0078] Further, in an implementation of the present disclosure, post receiving the request
from the inventory manager unit [310], the container orchestrator unit [308] may collect the
required data (the set of operational details) and transmit back to the inventory manger unit via
20 the transceiver unit [302].
[0079] The system [300] further comprise the storage unit [304] connected at least to the
transceiver unit [302], the storage unit [304] configured to store, at the inventory manager unit
[310], the set of operational details. The storage unit [304] stored the set of operational details
25 (mentioned above) ensuring that the set of operational details are easily available for future
access.
[0080] In one implementation, the storage unit [304] may store the set of operational
details in a chronological order. For instance, the storage unit [304] may store the set of
30 operational details based on a time period of each update, which may easily be tracked based
on a history of the set of operational details.
21
[0081] In one implementation, the storage unit [304] may store the set of operational
details in resource-based order. For instance, the set of operational details for each CNF or
CNFC is stored in one place, which may allow an easy access to analyse the set of operational
details for a particular network function or network function component.
5
[0082] In an event of a change in a status of operation of any one or more of the set of
network resources, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to retrieve, at the container
orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational
details relating to the one or more network resources. Herein, the change in status of operation
10 of the one or more of the set of network resources may occur in one or more conditions.
[0083] In one implementation, the status of operation of the one or more of the set of
network resources is an active status, implying that the one or more of the set of network
resources are functional and are operating as per the operational requirements in the network
15 environment.
[0084] In another implementation, the status of operation of the one or more set of network
resources is an inactive status, implying that that the one or more of the set of network resources
are non-functional, and are facing any one of a hardware or software issues, communication
20 breakdowns, or any other conditions that would be known to a person skilled in the art.
[0085] Further, the status of operation for one or more set of network resources (whether
active or inactive) may change due to one or more factors, including resource failure,
performance degradation, misconfiguration, or any other external factors.
25
[0086] The system [300] further comprises the revival unit [306], connected at least to the
transceiver unit [302], is configured to revert, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the one
or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details. The revival unit
[306] may retrieve the stored set of operational details that are associated with the failed
30 resource, and post retrieving the set of operational details, the revival unit [306] may utilize the
retrieved set of operational details to revert the failed network resource to their previous
configuration, ensuring that the failed network resource is reverted to the active status again.
22
[0087] In one example, in an event a specific container orchestrator unit [308] within the
communication network is down or inactive, then in such event, a neighbouring container
orchestrator unit [308] via the revival unit [306] may retrieves the operational details of the
resources that were active on said specific container orchestrator 5 unit [308] before failure and
may further update the node status (status of operation) of said specific container orchestrator
unit [308] as active state.
[0088] In another example, in an event, a specific CNF or CNFC fails then the status of
10 operation of said specific CNF or CNFC is inactive, therefore in such conditions the revival
unit [306] may retrieve the set of operational details related to said specific CNF or CNFC and
may then update the node status (from inactive to active).
[0089] In yet another example, in an event, any other network functions (such as load
15 balancer, firewall) apart from the CNF/CNFC may fail, then in such event the revival unit [306]
retrieves the set of operational details such as the configuration of the failed network function,
the connectivity of said network function and may then change the node status of said network
function.
20 [0090] It is to be noted that the system [300] utilizes an asynchronous event-based
implementation for communication via the SA-IM interface.
[0091] In one example, the asynchronous event-based implementation facilitates the
retrieval set of operational details from the inventory management unit in a non-blocking,
25 asynchronous manner, implying that the revival unit [306] may not require to wait for
immediate responses and the revival of the one or more network resources will be continued
without affecting other tasks running on the container orchestrator unit [308].
[0092] In another example, if in an event, a plurality of network resources fails
30 simultaneously, then the asynchronous event-based implementation facilitates multiple
recovery operations in parallel.
23
[0093] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram [400] for providing
information relating to network resources in a network environment, in accordance with
exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation the
method [400] is performed by the system [300]. Further, in an implementation, the system
[300] may be present in a server device 5 to implement the features of the present disclosure.
[0094] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method [400] initially starts at step [402].
[0095] At step [404], the method [400] comprises receiving, by the transceiver unit [302],
10 at the container orchestrator unit [308], the update relating to the set of operational details of
the set of network resources in the network environment.
[0096] The method [400] further explains that the update is related to at least one of
instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network
15 function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and
CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at least
one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at least
one of CNFs and CNFCs.
20 [0097] The method [400] further explains that the set of operational details comprises
configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.
[0098] At step [406], the method [400] further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver
unit [302], from the container orchestrator unit [308] to the inventory manager unit [310], the
25 set of operational details.
[0099] The method [400] further explains that the container orchestrator unit [308] and the
inventory manager unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and the interface is
the SA_IM interface.
30
[0100] Further, the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the update
occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit
24
[308], from the inventory manager unit [310], the request for the update in the set of operational
details related to the set of network resources.
[0101] At step [408], the method [400] comprises storing, by the storage unit [304]
connected at least to the transceiver unit 5 [302], at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of
operational details.
[0102] The method [400] further explains that in an event of a change in the status of
operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method [400] comprises
10 retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the
inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more
network resources.
[0103] Further, in the event of a change in the status of operation of any one or more of
15 the set of network resources, the method [400] comprises reverting, by a revival unit [306]
connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], the one
or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details.
[0104] The method [400] herein terminates at step [410].
20
[0105] Referring to FIG. 5, a system architecture [500] for providing information relating
to network resources in a network environment, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary
implementations of the present disclosure. The system [500] comprises an inventory manager
unit [502], a container orchestrator unit [504], the system [300], a cloud [508], and a database
25 [510].
[0106] Herein, the inventory manager unit [502] is responsible for managing and storing
operational details and inventory related to the one or more network resources. As seen in the
FIG. 5, the inventory manager unit [502] is connected to the database [510], which stores the
30 operational data of the network resources.
25
[0107] Further, the database [510] is configured to store the operational details received
from various components of the network including the container orchestrator unit [504]. The
operational details mentioned herein may include CNF/CNFC status, resource allocation, and
other related data, which are possible to be retrieved during failure events for restoration.
5
[0108] Further, the container orchestrator unit [504] interacts with the inventory manager
unit [502] and the system [300] to manage the deployment and recovery of CNFs and CNFCs.
In an event of failure, the container orchestrator unit [504] retrieves the necessary operational
details from the inventory manager unit via the SA-IM interface and works with the system
10 [300] to reconfigure and restore the network resources.
[0109] Further, the system [300] may utilize the operational details from the container
orchestrator unit [504] and may further apply the necessary business rules to either update or
revert the status of network resources.
15
[0110] Further, the cloud [508] is connected to the container orchestrator unit [504] and
represents the broader network environment in which CNFs and CNFCs are currently
operating.
20 [0111] Further, the inventory manager unit [502] receives event requests from the
container orchestrator unit [504] via a SA-IM interface. Further, in an event such as the failure
of a CNF or a site going down, occurs, the container orchestrator unit [504] sends an event
request to the inventory manager unit [502] through the SA-IM interface. The inventory
manager unit [502] responds with the stored operational details, including information on the
25 failed resources.
[0112] Thereafter, the system [300] processes the information retrieved by the container
orchestrator unit [504] and decides one or more actions which may include a re-instantiating
the failed resources or updating the operational status of the said CNF. The database [510]
30 stores all the relevant data needed to recover or manage the resources effectively.
26
[0113] The present disclosure further provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium, storing instructions for providing information relating to network resources in a
network environment, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed
by one or more units of a system, causes: a transceiver unit [302] to: receive, at a container
orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set 5 of operational details of a set of network
resources in the network environment; and transmit, from the container orchestrator unit [308]
to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details; and a storage unit [304] to
store, at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.
10 [0114] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically
advanced solution for providing information relating to network resources in a network
environment. The present solution provides pertains to asynchronous event-based
implementation to utilize interface efficiently. Moreover, the present invention focuses on
saving data and getting CNF component data on other interface for availability.
15
[0115] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed
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
20 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 and non-limiting.
27
We Claim:
1. A method [400] for providing information relating to network resources in a network
5 environment, the method [400] comprising:
- receiving, by a transceiver unit [302], at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update
relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network
environment;
- transmitting, by the transceiver unit [302], from the container orchestrator unit [308],
10 to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details; and
- storing, by a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], at the
inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.
2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in an event of a change in a status of
15 operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method [400] comprises:
- retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from
the inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational details relating to the
one or more network resources; and
- reverting, by a revival unit [306] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], at
20 the container orchestrator unit [308], the one or more network resources based on
the retrieved set of operational details.
3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container orchestrator unit [308] and
the inventory manager unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein
25 the interface is an SA_IM interface.
4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the update is related to at least one of
instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native
network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of
30 CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected
to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources
by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.
28
5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 4, wherein the set of operational details comprises
configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.
6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein 5 the step of receiving, at the container
orchestrator unit [308], the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit
[302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], a
request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.
10 7. A system [300] for providing information relating to network resources in a network
environment, the system [300] comprising:
- a transceiver unit [302] configured to:
- receive, at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of
operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment;
15 and
- transmit, from the container orchestrator unit [308] to an inventory manager unit
[310], the set of operational details; and
- a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the storage unit
[304] configured to store, at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational
20 details.
8. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in an event of a change in a status of
operation of any one or more of the set of network resources:
- the transceiver unit [302] is configured to retrieve, at the container orchestrator unit
25 [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational details
relating to the one or more network resources; and
- a revival unit [306], connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], is configured to
revert, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the one or more network resources
based on the retrieved set of operational details.
30
29
9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the container orchestrator unit [308] and
the inventory manager unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein
the interface is an SA_IM interface.
10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein 5 the update is related to at least one of
instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native
network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of
CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected
to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources
10 by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.
11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the set of operational details comprises
configuration details of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.
15 12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of receiving, at the container
orchestrator unit [308], the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit
[302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], a
request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.