Technical field
[0001]
(Related description of the application)
The present invention, Japanese Patent Application: is based on the priority claim of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-011810 (January 23, 2015 application), all the description of the same application with the quotation It is assumed to be built in this document.
The present invention relates to network management and orchestration techniques, of a preferred method and apparatus and a program particularly applicable to management and orchestration of the network functions virtualization (Network Functions Virtualization).
Background technique
[0002]
Virtual machine mounted on the hypervisor on the server (Hypervisor) etc. virtualization layer (Virtualization Layer): a (VM Virtual Machine), virtualizing hardware resources of the server (computing, storage and network functions, etc.) using virtualization technology that, NFV to provide network equipment such as software (network Functions virtualization) and the like are known. NFV is realized, for example, based on MANO (Management & Orchestration) architecture. Figure 1 is a view taken from Figure 5.1 of page 23 Non-patent Document 1 (The NFV-MANO architectural framework with reference points).
[0003]
　Referring to FIG. 1, VNF (Virtualized Network Function) corresponds to the application that operates in a virtual machine on the server (VM), to implement the network functions by software. As VNF, for example LTE (Long Term Evolution) MME in EPC, a core network of a network (Evolved Packet Core) (Mobility Management Entity) or S-GW (Serving Gateway), software P-GW (PDN Gateway) etc. (Virtual it may be realized on the machine). In the example of FIG. 1, EM for example, every VNF: management feature called (Element Manager element management) are provided.
[0004]
　NFVI forming the execution base of VNF (Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure) comprises computing, storage, network functions like a physical machine virtualized computing a virtualization of hardware resources (server) in virtualization layer such as a hypervisor, the virtual storage, a foundation that can be handled flexibly as virtualized hardware resources such as virtual network.
[0005]
　ＮＦＶ　ＭＡＮＯ（Management & Orchestration）は、NFV-Orchestrator（ＮＦＶＯ）、VNF-manager（ＶＮＦＭ）、Virtualized Infrastructure Manager（ＶＩＭ）を備えている。
[0006]
　NFV-Orchestrator (NFVO) performs NFVI resource orchestration, and NS (Network Service) Lifecycle Management (of NS instance Instantiation, Scaling, Termination, Update, etc.). In addition, NS catalog (NSD / VLD / VNFFGD), and VNF performed a catalog (VNFD / VM image / manifest file, etc.) management of, with the NFV instance repository, NFVI resources of the repository.
[0007]
　VNF-Manager (VNFM) performs life cycle management of VNF (instantiation, update, query, scaling, termination, etc.) and event notification.
[0008]
　Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) via the virtualization layer controls NFVI (computing, Sutorejji, network resource management, NFVI fault monitoring is performed foundation of NFV, such as monitoring the resource information).
[0009]
　OSS (Operations Support Systems) is, for example, network operators (carriers) to build a service, the system needed to continue to operate (equipment and software, how it works, etc.) is obtained by collectively. BSS (Business Support systems) is, for example, charging network operators (carriers) such as user fees, billing, is a generic name of information system used for, such as customer support (equipment and software, mechanisms, etc.).
[0010]
　NS Catalog (NS catalog: NS Catalog of Figure 1) represents a repository of network service (NS). NS catalog (NS catalog), the network service (NS) deployment templates provide support of the generation and management of (Network Service Descriptor (NSD), Virtual Link Descriptor (VLD), VNF Forwarding Graph Descriptor (VNFFGD)).
[0011]
　VNF Catalog (VNF catalog: VNF Catalog of Figure 1) represents the VNF package repository. VNF catalog, VNF Descriptor (VNFD), software image, and generates and support of the management of VNF packages, such as manifest file.
[0012]
　NFV instance repository (NFV instance Repository: NFV Instances of FIG. 1), the total VNF, holds the instance information for all network service (NS). VNF instance, NS instance each of VNF, is described in the NS record. These records lifecycle of each instance, VNF lifecycle management operations is updated to reflect the execution result of NS lifecycle management operations.
[0013]
　NFVI resource repository (NFVI Resources Repository: NFVI Resources in FIG. 1) is extracted by VIM beyond the infrastructure domain of the operator, is available (available) / reserved (reserved) / allocated (allocated The) resources to hold the information.
[0014]
　In Figure 1, the reference point Os-Nfvo is, OSS (Operation Service Systems) / BSS is a reference point between (Business Service Systems) and NFVO, network service lifecycle management requests, VNF lifecycle management requests, related NFV transfer of status information, used for exchange of the policy management information.
[0015]
　See point VNFM-Vi, the resource allocation request from VNFM, used to exchange configuration and status information of the virtualized resources.
[0016]
　Reference point Ve-Vnfm-em is, EM and, VNF instantiation between VNFM, VNF instance retrieval, update, end, scale-out / in, scale up / down, the configuration from the EM to VNFM, transfer of events, from VNFM the configuration of the VNF to VNF, used in the event of notification, or the like.
[0017]
　Reference point Ve-Vnfm-Vnf is, and VNF, VNF instantiation between VNFM, VNF instance retrieval, update, end, scale-out / in, scale up / down, the configuration from the VNF to VNFM, transfer of events, from VNFM the configuration of the VNF to VNF, used in the event of notification, or the like.
[0018]
　See point Nf-Vi is the assignment of VM with an indication of the computing / storage resources, VM resource allocation update, VM migration, VM Exit, generation and deletion of the connection between the VM, allocation of virtualized resources to the resource allocation request , the transfer of state information of virtualized resources, used for exchange of information in the configuration and status of the hardware resources.
[0019]
　See point Vn-Nf represents the execution environment provided in VNF by NFVI.
[0020]
　See point Nfvo-Vnfm is, VNF-manager (VNFM) resource related requests by the (authentication, reservation (reservation), allocated, etc.), the transfer configuration information to VNFM, used to collect the state information of VNF.
[0021]
　See point Nfvo-Vi resource reservation from NFVO, used to exchange configuration and status information of the assignment request and virtualized resources (see Non-Patent Document 1 for details).
[0022]
　Figure 2 is a quoted in page 40 of Non-Patent Document 1 Figure6.2 (Information elements in different context). Instantiation input parameters are entered.
[0023]
　2, the network service descriptor (Network Service Descriptor: NSD) is a network service deployment template referencing other descriptors to describe the components forming part of the network service (NS).
[0024]
　VNF descriptor (VNF Descriptor: VNFD) is a deployment template describing VNF in terms of behavior on the deployment and operation request.
[0025]
　VNFD is, in the VNF instantiation: mainly used by VNFM in the life cycle management of (instantiation instantiated) and VNF instance. VNFD, depending NFVO, network services used virtualized resources management and orchestration on NFVI (automated deployment / setting / management of the computer system / middleware / service). VNFC instances in NFVI, or includes a VNF instance, for the virtual link constructed between the end points of the other network functions, the connectivity interface · KPI (Key Performance Indicators) requirements utilized in NFVO.
[0026]
　VNF Forwarding Graph Descriptor (VNFFGD) is a network service topology, or a portion, VNF, PNF, by referring to the Virtual Link connecting them, a deployment template described.
[0027]
　Virtual link descriptor (Virtual Link Descriptor: VLD) is among the available in NFVI VNF, a PNF between the deployment template that describes the resource request necessary link between endpoints (endpoints) of NS.
[0028]
　Physical network function descriptor (Physical Network Function Descriptor: PNFD) describes to attach the physical network capabilities, connectivity virtual link (connectivity) interface, a KPI requirements. It is required when the physical device is incorporated in the NS, to facilitate network expansion.
[0029]
　NSD, VNFFGD, VLD is included in NS catalog (Network Service Catalog in FIG. 2), VNFD as VNF package included in VNF catalog (VNF Catalog of Figure 2).
[0030]
　NS respect NFVO from OSS / BSS and VNFM or VNF instantiation operation is performed. Instantiation result of the operation, records representing the newly generated instance is created. For example, information provided in each descriptor, each record that is generated based on the additional runtime information associated with the component instance provide data for modeling instance state of the network service (NS).
[0031]
As the type of the instance records generated (NFV Instances), for example,
· Network Service Record (NSR),
· VNFFG Record (VNFFGR),
· Virtual Link Record (VLR),
· VNF (Virtualized Network Function) Record (VNFR),
· PNF (Physical Network Function) Record (PNFR)
there is.
[0032]
　NSR, VNFR, VNFFGR, VVLR information element provides NS, VNF, VNFFG, the data item set required for modeling the state of an instance of the VL.
[0033]
　PNF record represents an instance associated with PNF preexisting forms a portion of the NS, including run-time attributes of PNF information (connectivity to NFVO). It should be noted, are summarized in the list provides an overview of each of the elements of NFV in Tables 1 and 2 below

Claim 1]
　In VNF (Virtualized Network Function) Descriptor (VNFD), the information element and the same layer of the VDU (Virtual Deployment Unit), provided an entry describing the definition of at least one device a predetermined connecting to VDU, the entry It is under its stores VNFD which tied the definition element including the device name of the device in the storage unit,
　inputs the VNFD from the storage unit, to generate the associated instance,
　a network, characterized in that function virtualization management and orchestration methods.
[Claim 2]
　In the VDU, to specify the entries defined in the VNFD,
　the generated instance on the basis of the VNFD, by using the same device name among VDU, to allow sharing the same devices between VDU, that network function virtualization management and orchestration process according to claim 1, wherein.
[Claim 3]
　The device comprises a storage,
　as the information elements defining the storage,
　in the VNFD, the information element and the same layer of the VDU, comprising a storage definition entry describing definitions relating to the storage,
　the storage definition entry, its subordinate to include at least a storage name, have a storage definition elements of the element type is a leaf type,
　in the VDU, as a storage to be used, specify the storage definition entry of defined VDU information elements the same layer on the VNFD and, by using the same storage name among VDU, to allow sharing the same storage between VDU, claim 1 or 2 network function virtualization management and orchestration method wherein a.
[Claim 4]
　In the same VDD, storage connected becomes as possible deploy different VNFC (Virtualized Network Functions Components), according to claim 3 network functions virtualization management and orchestration method, wherein a.
[Claim 5]
　A VNF (Virtualized Network Function) Descriptor (VNFD), the information element and the same layer of the VDU (Virtual Deployment Unit), provided an entry describing the definition of at least one device a predetermined connecting to VDU,
　the the entry under its, a storage unit for storing VNFD which tied the definition element including at least a device name of the device,
　and enter the VNFD from the storage unit, means for generating an associated instance,
　the comprising a network function virtualization management and orchestration and wherein the.
[Claim 6]
　Wherein the VDU, to specify the entries defined in the VNFD,
　based on the VNFD, the created instance, by using the same device name among VDU, to allow sharing the same devices between VDU, network function virtualization management and orchestration system according to claim 5, wherein a.
[Claim 7]
　The device comprises a storage,
　as the information elements defining the storage,
　in the VNFD, the information element and the same layer of the VDU, comprising a storage definition entry describing definitions relating to the storage, the storage definition entry, the under, has a storage definition elements of the element type is a leaf type comprising at least a storage name,
　the said VDU, as a storage to be used, specify the storage definition entry of defined VDU information elements the same layer on the VNFD and, by using the same storage name among VDU, to allow sharing the same storage between VDU, network functions virtualization management and orchestration system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the.
[8.]
　In the same VDD, storage connected becomes as possible deploy different VNFC (Virtualized Network Functions Components), that the network function virtualization management and orchestration system according to claim 7, wherein.
[Claim 9]
　A VNF (Virtualized Network Function) Descriptor (VNFD), the information element and the same layer of the VDU (Virtual Deployment Unit), provided an entry describing the definition of at least one device a predetermined connecting to VDU,
　the the entry under the program to be executed from the storage unit which stores VNFD which tied the definition element comprising at least a device name of the device, and enter the VNFD, a process of generating an associated instance on a computer.
[Claim 10]
　In the VDU, to specify the entries defined in the VNFD,
　processing based on the VNFD, the created instance, by using the same device name among VDU, to allow sharing the same devices between VDU the claim 9, wherein the program causing the computer to perform.
[Claim 11]
　The device comprises a storage,
　as the information elements defining the storage,
　in the VNFD, the information element and the same layer of the VDU, comprising a storage definition entry describing definitions relating to the storage, the storage definition entry, the under, at least a storage name, have a storage definition elements of the element type is a leaf type,
　in the VDU, as a storage to be used, the storage definition entry of defined VDU information elements the same layer on the VNFD specified,
　by using the same storage name among VDU, claim 9 or 10, wherein the program to execute processing to enable share the same storage between VDU to the computer.
[Claim 12]
　In the same VDD, storage connected becomes as possible deploy different VNFC (Virtualized Network Functions Components), according to claim 9, wherein the program