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 INSTANTIATION OF
CONTAINER NETWORK FUNCTIONS ON HOST”
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 INSTANTIATION OF CONTAINER
NETWORK FUNCTIONS ON HOST
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
5
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of
wireless communication systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present
disclosure relate to instantiation of container network function component(s)
(CNFCs) on a host.
10
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following description of related art is intended to provide background
information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include
15 certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present
disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to
enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and
not as an admission of prior art.
20 [0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few
decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and
advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was
based on antilog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the
advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data
25 services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. The third-generation
(3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile
video calling, 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
30 being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to
3
connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless
communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable
of delivering more services to its users.
[0004] 5 Container Network Functions Components (CNFCs) are applications
operating on a cloud server (preferably a telecom cloud) that are beneficial as they
have the capability to replace specialized hardware in deploying network
infrastructure. CNFCs are built using microservice architecture and operate natively
over virtual machines hosted on the cloud server. CNFCs are an alternative to
10 monolithic models of computing and utilize individual as well as interconnected
microservices. These microservices are run in software containers (also known as
container nodes/ container network function(s)/ container network function
component) which are responsible for providing a run-time environment including
the application code, system binaries, and dependencies needed for microservices
15 to operate.
[0005] CNFCs are usually instantiated on their dedicated respective hosts, i.e., each
CNFC is instantiated on a dedicated virtual machine. However, instantiating the
CNFCs in this manner introduces a delay in network calls being exchanged between
20 the CNFCs.
[0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide techniques for
reducing delays in network calls being exchanged between the CNFCs, which the
present disclosure aims to address.
25
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the
present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the
30 description. To overcome at least a few problems associated with the known
4
solutions as provided in the previous section, an object of the present disclosure is
to substantially reduce the limitations and drawbacks of the prior arts as described
hereinabove.
[0008] Some of the 5 objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.
[0009] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method
that reduce the delay in network calls being exchanged between container network
10 function components (CNFCs).
[0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that
facilitates instantiating multiple CNFCs on a single host.
15 SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0011] 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
20 subject matter.
[0012] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for instantiation
of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) on a host. The
method comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit, from a container network
25 function lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the one or more
container network functions components (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA).
The request comprises details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to
be instantiated. The method further comprises receiving, by the OA, via the
transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the
30 host. The method further comprises causing, by a processing unit, the CNFLM to
receive an instantiation response from the OA. The instantiation response is
5
indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs. The method further
comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit, to a physical virtual inventory
manager (PVIM) by the CNFLM, a request for inventory management. The request
is related to updating an inventory mapping.
5
[0013] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted
to the OA from the CNFLM via a first interface. The first interface is at least a
CM_OA interface.
10 [0014] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises
identifying, by the OA, host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or
more CNFCs. The method further comprises instantiating, by the OA, the one or
more CNFCs on the host.
15 [0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, instantiating the one or
more CNFCs on the host further comprises configuring, by the OA, one or more
CNFCs to communicate directly with each other to reduce network latency and
number of calls for inter CNFC communication.
20 [0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, details of the host comprise
at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more
CNFCs.
[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises
25 creating, by the CNFLM, at least one of a container network function (CNF), and
an individual CNFC.
[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises
subscribing, by the PVIM, to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status
30 of at least one of an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC. The method
6
further comprises updating, by the PVIM, the inventory mapping of the at least one
of the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.
[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the PVIM is in
communication with the 5 CNFLM via a second interface, wherein the second
interface is at least an IM_CM interface.
[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for
instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) on
10 a host. The system comprises a transceiver unit configured to transmit, from a
container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the
one or more container network functions (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA).
The request comprises details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to
be instantiated. The system further comprises the OA configured to receive, via the
15 transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the
host. The system further comprises a processing unit configured to cause the
CNFLM to receive an instantiation response from the OA. The instantiation
response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs. The
system further comprises the transceiver unit further configured to transmit, to a
20 physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) via the CNFLM, a request for inventory
management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping.
[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for instantiation of one or
25 more container network functions components (CNFCs) on a host, the storage
medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units
of a system, causes a transceiver unit to transmit, from a container network function
lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the one or more container
network functions (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA). The request comprises
30 details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to be instantiated. Further,
7
the executable code which, when executed, causes the OA to receive, via the
transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the
host. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit
to cause the CNFLM to receive an instantiation response from the OA. The
instantiation response is indicative of 5 a status of instantiation of the one or more
CNFCs. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes the transceiver
unit to transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) via the CNFLM, a
request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory
mapping.
10
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute
a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods
15 and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the
different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale,
emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present
disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and
may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated
20 by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of
electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to
implement such components.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a
25 management and orchestration (MANO) architecture, in accordance with
exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.
[0024] 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
30 exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.
8
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a network environment
having a system for instantiation of one or more CNFCs on a host, in accordance
with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.
5
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method for the instantiation of the one or
more CNFCs on the host, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the
present disclosure.
10 [0027] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process flow diagram of system architecture
for facilitating instantiating one or more CNFCs on the host, in accordance with
exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in accordance with exemplary
embodiments of the present disclosure.
15 [0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence flow for instantiating the one or more CNFCs
on the host, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0029] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed
description of the disclosure.
20
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
25 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 can each be used independently of one
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
30 problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be
9
fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of
the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in
which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different
drawings.
5
[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 description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in
the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment.
10 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.
[0032] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough
15 understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of
ordinary skills in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these
specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other
components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to
obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known
20 circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without
unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[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
25 diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as
a sequential process, many of the operations can 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.
30
10
[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 5 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 similar
10 to the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any
additional or other elements.
[0035] Further, the user device and/or a system as described herein to implement
technical features as disclosed in the present disclosure may also comprise
15 a “processor” or “processing unit”, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry
for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a
special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a
plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a
Digital Signal Processor (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application
20 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
working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the
processor is a hardware processor.
25
[0036] As used herein “interface” or “user interface” refers to a shared boundary
across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information
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
11
each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be
called.
[0037] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded
herein, may be software 5 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 Programmable Gate Array
10 circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.
[0038] 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
15 and/or connected with the system.
[0039] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions for
instantiation of the CNFCs have several shortcomings. As already described, the
one or more CNFCs are usually instantiated on their dedicated respective hosts, i.e.,
20 each CNFC is instantiated on a dedicated virtual machine. However, instantiating
the CNFCs in this manner introduces a delay in network calls being exchanged
between the CNFCs. Thus, the present disclosure aims to overcome the abovementioned
and other existing problems in this field of technology by facilitating
instantiation of multiple CNFCs on a single host.
25
[0040] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a
30 management and orchestration (MANO) architecture [100], in accordance with an
exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. The MANO architecture [100]
12
may be developed for managing telecom cloud infrastructure automatically,
managing design or deployment design, managing instantiation of network node(s)/
service(s) etc. The MANO architecture [100] deploys the network node(s) in the
form of Virtual Network Function (VNF) and Cloud-native/ Container Network
5 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 auto-instantiate the VNFs into the corresponding environment
of the present disclosure so that it could help in recovery of network function(s) to
the platform.
10
[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO architecture [100] comprises a user
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
15 adapters and utilities module [112]. 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.
[0043] The NFV and SDN design function module [104] comprises a VNF
20 lifecycle manager (compute)/ LM module [1042], a VNF catalog [1044], a network
services catalog [1046], a network slicing and service chaining manager [1048], a
physical and virtual resource manager (such as PVIM [1050]) and a CNF lifecycle
manager (CNFLM) [1052]. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute)/ LM module
[1042] may be responsible for deciding on which server of the communication
25 network the microservice will be instantiated. The VNF lifecycle manager
(compute) / LM module [1042] may manage the overall flow of incoming/ outgoing
requests during interaction with the user. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute) /
LM module [1042] may be responsible for determining which sequence to be
followed for executing the process. For e.g. in an AMF network function of the
30 communication network (such as a 5G network), sequence for execution of
13
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 slicing (an ordered and connected sequence
of network service/ network 5 functions (NFs)) that must be applied to a specific
networked data packet. The physical and virtual resource manager (such as physical
virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050]) stores the logical and physical inventory
of the VNFs. Just like the VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module [1042],
the CNF lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052] may be used for the CNFs lifecycle
10 management.
[0044] 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
15 manager (ERM) (such as ERM module [1070]). The microservices elastic load
balancer [1062] 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 require changes during the run time.
20 The central logging manager [1068] may be responsible for keeping the logs of
every service. These logs are generated by the MANO architecture [100]. These
logs are used for debugging purposes. The event routing manager (ERM) (such as
event routing manger (ERM) module [1070]) may be responsible for routing the
events i.e., the application programming interface (API) hits to the corresponding
25 services.
[0045] The platforms core services module [108] comprises NFV infrastructure
monitoring manager [1082], an assure manager [1084], a performance manager
[1086], a policy execution engine (PEGN) [1088], a capacity monitoring manager
30 [1090], a release management (mgmt.) repository [1092], a configuration manager
14
& golden configuration template (GCT) [1094], an NFV platform decision analytics
(NPDA) module [1096], a platform NoSQL DB [1098]; a platform schedulers and
cron jobs [1100], a VNF backup & upgrade manager [1102], a microservice auditor
[1104], and a platform operations, administration and maintenance manager [1106].
The NFV infrastructure monitoring 5 manager [1082] monitors 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
generating. The performance manager [1086] may be responsible for managing the
performance counters. The policy execution engine (PEGN) (such as PEGN module
10 [1088]) may be responsible for managing all of the policies. The capacity
monitoring manager (CMM) [1090] may be responsible for sending the request to
the PEGN [1088]. The release management (mgmt.) repository (RMR) [1092] may
be responsible for managing the releases and the images of all of the vendor's
network nodes. The configuration manager & golden configuration template (GCT)
15 [1094] manages the configuration and GCT of all the vendors. The NFV platform
decision analytics (NPDA) (such as NFV platform decision analytics (NPDA)
module [1096]) helps in deciding the priority of using the network resources. It may
be further noted that the policy execution engine (PEGN) module [1088], the
configuration manager & GCT [1094] and the NPDA [1096] work together. The
20 platform NoSQL DB [1098] may be a database for storing all the inventory (both
physical and logical) as well as the metadata of the VNFs and CNF. The platform
schedulers and cron jobs [1100] schedules the task such as but not limited to
triggering of an event, traversing the network graph etc. The VNF backup &
upgrade manager [1102] takes backup of the images, binaries of the VNFs and the
25 CNFs and produces those backup on demand in case of server failure. The
microservice auditor [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. In such cases, the microservice auditor [1104] audits and
informs the same so that resources can be released for services running in the
30 MANO architecture [100]. The audit assures that the services only run on the
15
MANO architecture [100]. The platform operations, administration and
maintenance manager [1106] may be used for newer instances that are spawning.
[0046] The platform resource adapters and utilities module [112] further comprises
a platform external 5 API adaptor and gateway [1122]; a generic decoder and indexer
(XML, CSV, JSON) [1124]; an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126]; an 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
architecture [100]) that requires the network resources. The generic decoder and
10 indexer (XML, CSV, JSON) [1124] gets directly the data of the vendor system in
the XML, CSV, JSON format. The orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126] may be the
interface provided between the telecom cloud and the MANO architecture [100] for
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
15 path to each service going to/incoming from the MANO architecture [100].
[0047] The present disclosure can be implemented on a computing device [200] as
shown in FIG. 2. The computing device [200] implements the present disclosure in
accordance with the MANO architecture (as shown in FIG. 1). FIG. 2 illustrates
20 an exemplary block diagram of the 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 implementation, the computing
device [200] may also implement a method [400] (as shown in FIG. 4) for
instantiation of one or more CNFCs [306] on a host [302]. In another
25 implementation, the computing device [200] itself implements the method [400] for
instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302] in a communication
network using one or more units configured within the computing device [200],
wherein said one or more units can implement the features as disclosed in the
present disclosure.
30
16
[0048] The computing device [200] may include a bus [202] or other
communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor [204]
coupled with bus [202] for processing information. The processor [204] may be, for
example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The computing device [200] may also
include a main memory [5 206], 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 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
10 instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to the processor
[204], render the computing device [200] into a special-purpose machine that is
customized to perform the operations specified in 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
15 instructions for the processor [204].
[0049] A storage device [210], such as a magnetic 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
20 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
bus [202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor
25 [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]. The input device typically has two degrees
of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow
30 the device to specify positions in a plane.
17
[0050] The computing device [200] may implement the techniques described
herein using 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 5 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
instructions may be read into the main memory [206] from another storage medium,
10 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
software instructions.
15
[0051] 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
local network [222]. For example, the communication interface [218] may be an
20 integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or
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
25 implementation, the communication interface [218] sends and receives electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing
various types of information.
[0052] The computing device [200] can send messages and receive data, including
30 program code, through the network(s), the network link [220] and the
18
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,
and/or stored in the storage device [5 210], or other non-volatile storage for later
execution.
[0053] The present disclosure is implemented by the system [300] (as shown in
FIG. 3). The system [300] may be implemented using the computing device [200]
10 (as shown in FIG. 2). In an implementation, the computing device [200] may be
connected to the system [300] to perform the present disclosure.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a network environment
having a system [300] for instantiation of one or more CNFCs [306] on a host [302],
15 is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present
disclosure. The system [300] comprises at least one orchestrator adaptor (OA)
[1126], at least one container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052]
and at least one physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050]. The at least one
orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126] and the at least one container network function
20 lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052] are connected via a first interface [310] i.e.,
CM_OA interface, wherein the interface is a REST API or event based on HTTP
protocol. The CNFLM [1052] and the at least one physical virtual inventory
manager (PVIM) [1050] are connected via a second interface [312] REST API or
event based on HTTP protocol i.e., IM_CM interface. The system [300] is
25 connected to the one or more CNFCs [306]. The one or more CNFCs [306] is
connected to the host [302] for them to be instantiated. 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 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
30 units are shown, however, the system [300] may comprise multiple such units or
19
the system [300] may comprise any such number of said units, as required to
implement the features of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the system
[300] may reside in a server or a network entity. In another implementation, the
system [300] may reside partly in the server/ network entity.
5
[0055] The system [300] is configured for instantiation of the one or more CNFCs
[306] on a host [302] in a network environment, with the help of the interconnection
between the components/units of the system [300]. The instantiation here refers to
deploying a network function (preferably a network service or a network
10 application) inside a CNFC [306] on a host [302] (such as physical or virtual host).
For e.g., a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G network can be instantiated on the
host [302] to manage user traffic.
[0056] In an exemplary aspect, instantiating the one or more CNFCs [306] on the
15 host [302] comprises configuring the one or more CNFCs [306] to communicate
directly with each other via inter-host communication, thereby reducing network
latency and minimising the number of network calls required for inter-CNFC
communication. The technique leverages the proximity of the one or more CNFCs
[306] residing on the same physical host, enabling them to exchange data and
20 signals through internal communication channels rather than external network
interfaces. By facilitating direct intra-host network protocols, resulting in faster
connection times between the one or more CNFCs [306].
[0057] The transceiver unit [304] is configured to transmit, from a container
25 network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the
one or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126]. The request
comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs [306] are to
be instantiated. The host [302] may include a physical or virtual network
infrastructure where a virtual network function (VNF) or a container network
30 function (CNF) can be deployed. The host details may comprise computation
20
resources (like CPU or memory), network connections, types of virtualization
layers etc.
[0058] Thereafter, the OA [1126] receives, via the transceiver unit [304], the details
5 of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302].
[0059] Upon receiving the details of the host [302], for instantiating the one or more
CNFCs [306] on the host [302], the processing unit [308] causes the CNFLM
[1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA [1126]. The instantiation
10 response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306].
It is to be noted that the status of instantiation indicates the current state of the
deployment of the CNFCs. The status may be ‘pending’, ‘active’, ‘failed’ etc.
[0060] Once the instantiation response is received, the transceiver unit [304]
15 transmits, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] via the CNFLM
[1052], a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to
updating an inventory mapping. The inventory mapping is the task of tracking and
managing the available network resources (for e.g., compute, storage and network)
across the physical or virtual network infrastructures. This is performed by
20 allocating network resources, monitoring their usage and optimizing performance
of the network system in order to balance load and scale network functions as and
when required.
[0061] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted to
25 the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310], wherein the first
interface [310] is at least a CM_OA interface.
[0062] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the OA [1126] is configured
to identify host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs
30 [306]. The OA [1126] is further configured to instantiate the one or more CNFCs
21
[306] on the host [302]. The host configuration refers to a setup or specifications of
the host [302] for its ideal performance. Similarly, the identifiers of the host [302]
are used for identifying and managing the host in a communication network. The
identifiers may include hostname, IP address etc.
5
[0063] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the details of the host [302]
comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or
more CNFCs [306].
10 [0064] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the CNFLM [1052] is
configured to create at least one of: a container network function (CNF), and an
individual CNFC.
[0065] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM [1050] is
15 configured to subscribe to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at
least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC. The PVIM [1050] is
further configured to update the inventory mapping of the at least one of: the
instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.
20 [0066] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM [1050] is in
communication with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312], wherein the
second interface [312] is at least an IM_CM interface.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram [400] for
25 instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306] on a host [302] in a network
environment, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present
disclosure is shown. The instantiation here refers to deploying a network function
(preferably a network service or a network application) inside a CNFC [306] on a
host [302] (such as physical or virtual host). For e.g., a user plane function (UPF)
30 of a 5G network can be instantiated on the host [302] to manage user traffic. In an
22
implementation the method [400] is performed by the system [300] (as shown in
FIG. 3). 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.
4, the method [400] starts at step [402].
5
[0068] At step [404], the method [400] comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit
[304], from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a
request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA)
[1126]. The request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more
10 CNFCs [306] are to be instantiated. The host [302] may include a physical or virtual
network infrastructure where a virtual network function (VNF) or a container
network function (CNF) can be deployed. The host details may comprise
computation resources (like CPU or memory), network connections, types of
virtualization layers etc.
15
[0069] At step [406], the method [400] further comprises receiving, by the OA
[1126], via the transceiver unit [304], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the
one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302].
20 [0070] At step [408], the method [400] further comprises causing, by a processing
unit [308], the CNFLM [1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA
[1126], wherein the instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation
of the one or more CNFCs [306]. It is to be noted that the status of instantiation
indicates the current state of the deployment of the CNFCs. The status may be
25 ‘pending’, ‘active’, ‘failed’ etc.
[0071] At step [410], the method [400] further comprises transmitting, by the
transceiver unit [304], to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] by
the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory management. The request is related to
30 updating an inventory mapping. The inventory mapping is the task of tracking and
23
managing the available network resources (for e.g., compute, storage and network)
across the physical or virtual network infrastructures. This is performed by
allocating network resources, monitoring their usage and optimizing performance
of the network system in order to balance load and scale network functions as and
5 when required.
[0072] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted to
the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310], wherein the first
interface [310] is at least a CM_OA interface.
10
[0073] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the method [400] comprises
identifying, by the OA [1126], host configuration and respective identifiers of the
one or more CNFCs [306]. The method [400] further comprises instantiating, by
the OA [1126], the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302].
15
[0074] In an implementation of the present disclosure, details of the host [302]
comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or
more CNFCs [306]. The host configuration refers to a setup or specifications of the
host [302] for its ideal performance. Similarly, the identifiers of the host [302] are
20 used for identifying and managing the host in a communication network. The
identifiers may include hostname, IP address etc.
[0075] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method [400]
comprises creating, by the CNFLM [1052], at least one of: a container network
25 function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.
[0076] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method [400]
comprises subscribing, by the PVIM [1050], to a CNFLM acknowledge event to
determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC.
30 The method [400] further comprises updating, by the PVIM [1050], the inventory
24
mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC,
from reserved to use.
[0077] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM [1050] is in
communication 5 with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312], wherein the
second interface [312] is at least an IM_CM interface.
[0078] Thereafter, the method [400] terminates at step [412].
10 [0079] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process [500] flow diagram of system
architecture for facilitating instantiating one or more CNFCs [306] on the host
[302], in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in
accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
15 [0080] At step S1, the process [500] comprises an instantiation request being
initiated from the user interface (UI) [502]. The request is directed towards the
container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], which manages
the lifecycle of the one or more CNFCs [306].
20 [0081] At step S2, the CNFLM [1052] forwards the instantiation request to the
orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], responsible for orchestrating the deployment of
the one or more CNFCs [306] on a host.
[0082] At step S3, the one or more CNFCs [306] are run on a host [302] (such as
25 single host) within a telco cloud [504], and the OA [1126] manages the deployment.
[0083] At step S4, the OA [1126] gathers the necessary CNFC details for
instantiation.
30 [0084] At step S5, the CNFLM [1052] receives a response regarding the status or
completion of the instantiation process.
25
[0085] At step S6, the response is relayed back to the user interface (UI) [502],
completing the instantiation cycle.
[0086] FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence [600] flow for instantiating the one or more
CNFCs [306] on 5 the host [302], in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0087] At step P1, the process begins with the user interface (UI) [502] sending a
CNF instantiation request to the container network function lifecycle manager
10 (CNFLM) [1052].
[0088] At step P2, the CNFLM [1052] receives the instantiation request from the
UI [502].
15 [0089] At step P3, the CNFLM [1052] communicates with the PEGN [1088],
sending a request to reserve resources and fetch regional details necessary for the
CNF instantiation.
[0090] At step P4, the PEGN [1088] responds with a reservation acknowledgement
20 to the CNFLM [1052].
[0091] At step P5, the CNFLM [1052] instructs the OA [1126] to instantiate the
CNF on the host [302].
25 [0092] At step P6, the OA [1126] instantiates the CNF on the host [302].
[0093] At step P7, the host [302] sends the instantiation status back to the OA
[1126], confirming the successful deployment of the CNF.
30 [0094] At step P8, the OA [1126] sends an acknowledgement of the instantiation
to the CNFLM [1052].
26
[0095] At step P9, the CNFLM [1052] sends a request to the PVIM [1050] to update
the inventory records based on the newly instantiated CNF.
[0096] At step P10, the PVIM [1050] acknowledges the update by sending an
5 inventory acknowledgement back to the CNFLM [1052].
[0097] At step P11, the CNFLM [1052] sends the update instantiation status request
to release management repository (RMR) [506].
10 [0098] At step P12, the RMR [506] sends an acknowledgement of the update
instantiation status request to the CNFLM [1052].
[0099] At step P13, the CNFLM [1052] sends a final instantiation
acknowledgement to the user interface (UI) [502], indicating that the process is
15 completed, and the CNF is successfully deployed.
[0100] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for instantiation of one or
more CNFCs [306] on a host [302], the storage medium comprising executable code
20 which, when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes a transceiver
unit [304] to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager
(CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] to an
orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126]. The request comprises details of the host [302]
on which the one or more CNFCs [306] are to be instantiated. Further, the
25 executable code which, when executed, causes the OA [1126] to receive, via the
transceiver unit [304], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more
CNFCs [306] on the host [302]. Further, the executable code which, when executed,
causes a processing unit [308] to cause the CNFLM [1052] to receive an
instantiation response from the OA [1126]. The instantiation response is indicative
30 of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306]. Further, the executable
code which, when executed, causes the transceiver unit [304] to transmit, to a
27
physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] via the CNFLM [1052], a
request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory
mapping.
[0101] Further, in accordance 5 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
particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various
configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The
10 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 encompassed within the scope of the present
disclosure.
15
[0102] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically
advanced solution for instantiating one or more CNFCs [306] on a host [302]. Thus,
the present disclosure enables an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126] to identify the
host configuration with identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306] due to which
20 the multiple CNFCs [306] are initiated on a host [302] (such as single host). In this
manner, the one or more CNFCs [306] will be able to connect with each other
without delay.
[0103] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed
25 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
30 and non-limiting.
28
We Claim:
1. A method [400] for instantiation of one or more container network functions
components (CNFCs) [306] on a host [302], the method [400] comprising:
transmitting, by a transceiver unit [304], from a container network
function lifecycle 5 manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one
or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], wherein the
request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs
[306] are to be instantiated;
receiving, by the OA [1126], via the transceiver unit [304], the details of
10 the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302];
causing, by a processing unit [308], the CNFLM [1052] to receive an
instantiation response from the OA [1126], wherein the instantiation
response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs
[306]; and
15 transmitting, by the transceiver unit [304], to a physical virtual inventory
manager (PVIM) [1050] by the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory
management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory
mapping.
2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request is transmitted
20 to the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310],
wherein the first interface [310] is at least a CM_OA interface.
3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method [400]
comprises:
identifying, by the OA [1126], a host configuration and respective
25 identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and
instantiating, by the OA [1126], the one or more CNFCs [306] on the
host [302].
4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 3, wherein instantiating the one or
more CNFCs [306] on the host [302] further comprises:
29
configuring, by the OA [1126], one or more CNFCs [306] to
communicate directly with each other to reduce network latency and
number of calls for inter CNFC communication.
5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 3, wherein details of the host [302]
comprises at 5 least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the
one or more CNFCs [306].
6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method [400]
comprises creating, by the CNFLM [1052], at least one of: a container
network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.
10 7. The method [400] as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method [400]
comprises:
subscribing, by the PVIM [1050], to a CNFLM acknowledge event to
determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated
CNFC; and
15 updating, by the PVIM [1050], the inventory mapping of the at least one
of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.
8. The method [400] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the PVIM [1050] is in
communication with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312],
wherein the second interface [312] is at least an IM_CM interface.
20 9. A system [300] for instantiation of one or more container network functions
components (CNFCs) [306] on a host [302], the system [300] comprising:
a transceiver unit [304] configured to transmit, from a container network
function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one
or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], wherein the
25 request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs
[306] are to be instantiated;
the OA [1126] configured to receive, via the transceiver unit [304], the
details of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the
host [302];
30
a processing unit [308] connected to at least the transceiver unit [304],
the processing unit [308] configured to cause the CNFLM [1052] to receive
an instantiation response from the OA [1126], wherein the instantiation
response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs
5 [306]; and
the transceiver unit [304] further configured to transmit, to a physical
virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] via the CNFLM [1052], a request
for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an
inventory mapping.
10 10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the request is transmitted
to the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310],
wherein the first interface [310] is at least a CM_OA interface.
11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the OA [1126] is
configured to:
15 identify a host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more
CNFCs [306]; and
instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302].
12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 11, wherein for instantiating
the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302] the OA [1126] is further
20 configured to:
configure one or more CNFCs [306] to communicate directly with each
other to reduce network latency and number of calls for inter CNFC
communication.
13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 11, wherein the details of the host
25 [302] comprises at least the host configuration and the respective
identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306].
14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the CNFLM [1052] is
configured to create at least one of: a container network function (CNF),
and an individual CNFC.
31
15. The system [300] as claimed in claim 13, wherein the PVIM [1050] is
configured to:
subscribe to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at
least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC; and
update the inventory 5 mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF,
and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.
16. The system [300] as claimed in claim 15, wherein the PVIM [1050] is in
communication with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312],
wherein the second interface [312] is at least an IM_CM interface.