A method, apparatus, device and storage medium for configuring a network element

Abstract

The application provides a method, device and equipment for configuring a network element and a storage medium, which can be applied to the field of cloud data centers and the like, and is used to solve the problem of low configuration flexibility of the network element. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining pre-stored device information of each network element; in the process of data processing of a first network element, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachable state of the first network element is unreachable, a second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from each network element; among the first network element and the second network element, a first priority and a second priority are configured respectively, and the first priority is higher than the second priority; a first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element, so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, to replace the first network element to process data; and the third priority is higher than the first priority.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method, apparatus, device and storage medium for configuring network elements. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of technology, more and more devices can deploy network elements to establish sessions with clients in order to achieve data processing between them.

[0003] In related technologies, to avoid single points of failure in network elements, a primary-backup redundancy strategy is usually adopted, which involves deploying multiple network elements with related relationships. One network element is pre-configured as the primary network element with the highest priority, and the other network elements are pre-configured as backup network elements with lower priority. Therefore, when the primary network element fails, the backup network element is called in a timely manner to process the data, so as to avoid the situation where the data cannot be processed.

[0004] However, in some scenarios, such as when the primary network element fails after establishing a session with the client, and a backup network element rebuilds the session for data processing, if the primary network element recovers during the session, it will preempt the current session due to its pre-configured highest priority. This preempts the session between the backup network element and the client, interrupting the session between the primary network element and the client, and then rebuilds the session between the primary network element and the client. This can lead to session interruption or failure. Therefore, due to the low configuration flexibility of network elements, data processing becomes unstable.

[0005] It is evident that the configuration flexibility of network elements is relatively low in related technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a method, apparatus, computer device, and storage medium for configuring network elements, which addresses the problem of low configuration flexibility of network elements.

[0007] Firstly, a method for configuring network elements is provided, including:

[0008] Obtain pre-stored device information for each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing.

[0009] During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained information of each device, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements; wherein, the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority;

[0010] A first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in performing data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0011] Optionally, obtaining the pre-stored device information of each network element includes:

[0012] For each of the aforementioned network elements, perform the following operations respectively:

[0013] Receive a connection establishment request sent from a network element; wherein the connection establishment request is used to request the establishment of a network connection with a specified network protocol;

[0014] Based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request, establish a network connection with the network element;

[0015] The device information of the network element is obtained through the established network connection.

[0016] Optionally, the device information further includes information representing the network address of the corresponding network element; then, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements, including:

[0017] Based on the network address information in the device information, a reachability detection command is sent to each network element at a preset time interval, so that each network element returns corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection command; wherein, the reachability response information is used to indicate that the corresponding network element is reachable;

[0018] If a reachability response is received, the information representing the reachability status in the corresponding device information is updated based on the received reachability response.

[0019] Based on the updated device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained.

[0020] Optionally, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements, including:

[0021] Based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then multiple candidate network elements that are associated with the first network element are determined.

[0022] Based on the device information of the multiple candidate network elements, the candidate network element with the highest priority is selected as the second network element.

[0023] Optionally, the first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element, and the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing.

[0024] Optionally, after sending the first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, the method further includes:

[0025] If the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be reachable, a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction are sent to the first network element and the second network element respectively, so that the first network element adjusts its priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction, and the second network element adjusts its priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

[0026] Secondly, a method for configuring network elements is provided, including:

[0027] After being enabled, the device information of the second network element is sent to the SDN controller. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing by the first network element, the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and a first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first network element and the second network element are configured with a first priority and a second priority, respectively, with the first priority being higher than the second priority.

[0028] Receive the first priority configuration instruction;

[0029] Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the configured second priority is adjusted to the third priority, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0030] Optionally, adjusting the priority to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction includes:

[0031] Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the third priority; wherein, the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority when the second network element's data is processed.

[0032] Optionally, after configuring the priority attribute of the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, the method further includes:

[0033] Receive a third priority configuration instruction from the SDN controller, the third priority configuration instruction being sent by the SDN controller to the second network element when it determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable;

[0034] Based on the third priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the first priority.

[0035] Thirdly, a device for configuring network elements is provided, comprising:

[0036] Acquisition module: used to acquire pre-stored device information of each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing;

[0037] Processing module: During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then obtain the second network element associated with the first network element from the network elements; wherein the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority;

[0038] The processing module is further configured to: send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in performing data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0039] Optionally, the acquisition module is specifically used for:

[0040] For each of the aforementioned network elements, perform the following operations respectively:

[0041] Receive a connection establishment request sent from a network element; wherein the connection establishment request is used to request the establishment of a network connection with a specified network protocol;

[0042] Based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request, establish a network connection with the network element;

[0043] The device information of the network element is obtained through the established network connection.

[0044] Optionally, the device information may also include information representing the network address of the corresponding network element; the processing module is specifically used for:

[0045] Based on the network address information in the device information, a reachability detection command is sent to each network element at a preset time interval, so that each network element returns corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection command; wherein, the reachability response information is used to indicate that the corresponding network element is reachable;

[0046] If a reachability response is received, the information representing the reachability status in the corresponding device information is updated based on the received reachability response.

[0047] Based on the updated device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained.

[0048] Optionally, the processing module is specifically used for:

[0049] Based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then multiple candidate network elements that are associated with the first network element are determined.

[0050] Based on the device information of the multiple candidate network elements, the candidate network element with the highest priority is selected as the second network element.

[0051] Optionally, the first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element, and the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing.

[0052] Optionally, the processing module is further configured to:

[0053] After sending the first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable, then a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction are sent to the first network element and the second network element respectively, so that the first network element adjusts its priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction, and the second network element adjusts its priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

[0054] Fourthly, a device for configuring network elements is provided, comprising:

[0055] Transceiver module: When in the enabled state, it sends device information of the second network element to the SDN controller. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing of the first network element, the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and to send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first network element and the second network element are respectively configured with a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority.

[0056] The transceiver module is further configured to: receive the first priority configuration instruction;

[0057] Processing module: used to adjust the configured second priority to a third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0058] Optionally, the processing module is specifically used for:

[0059] Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the third priority; wherein, the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority when the second network element's data is processed.

[0060] Optionally, the transceiver module is further configured to: after configuring the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, receive a third priority configuration instruction from the SDN controller, wherein the third priority configuration instruction is sent by the SDN controller to the second network element when it determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable;

[0061] The processing module is further configured to: configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the first priority based on the third priority configuration instruction.

[0062] Fifthly, a system for configuring network elements is provided, comprising at least an SDN controller, a first network element, and a second network element, wherein:

[0063] The first network element is used to: send device information of the first network element to the SDN controller after being in the enabled state;

[0064] The second network element is used to: send device information of the second network element to the SDN controller after being in the enabled state;

[0065] The SDN controller is configured to: during the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained device information of each network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then obtain the second network element associated with the first network element from among the network elements; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing; the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured with a first priority and a second priority, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority;

[0066] The SDN controller is also configured to: send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element;

[0067] The second network element is further configured to: adjust the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0068] Optionally, the first network element and the second network element are specifically used to: send a connection establishment request to the SDN controller after being in the enabled state; wherein the connection establishment request is used to request the establishment of a network connection with a specified network protocol;

[0069] The SDN controller is specifically used to: establish a network connection with the corresponding network element based on the specified network protocol of the received connection establishment request indication;

[0070] The first network element is specifically used to: send device information of the first network element to the SDN controller through the established network connection;

[0071] The second network element is specifically used to: send device information of the second network element to the SDN controller through the established network connection.

[0072] Optionally, the device information may also include information representing the network address of the corresponding network element; then the SDN controller is specifically used to: based on the information representing the network address in each device information, send reachability detection commands to each network element at a preset time interval;

[0073] The second network element is specifically used to: return corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection command; wherein, the reachability response information is used to characterize the reachability of the corresponding network element;

[0074] The SDN controller is specifically used to: update the information representing the reachability status in the device information of the first network element and the device information of the second network element based on the received reachability response information;

[0075] The SDN controller is specifically used to: based on the updated device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then obtain the second network element associated with the first network element.

[0076] Optionally, the first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element, and the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing.

[0077] Optionally, the SDN controller is further configured to: after sending a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable, send a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction to the first network element and the second network element respectively;

[0078] The first network element is further configured to: adjust the priority of the first network element to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction;

[0079] The second network element is further configured to: adjust the priority of the second network element to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

[0080] A sixth aspect provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0081] Seventhly, a computer device is provided, comprising:

[0082] Memory, used to store program instructions;

[0083] A processor is configured to invoke program instructions stored in the memory and execute the method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect according to the obtained program instructions.

[0084] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0085] In this embodiment, the priority of network elements is configured through the SDN controller, making the priority of network elements flexible and adjustable. This avoids situations such as session preemption that occur when the priority of network elements can only be adjusted through preset methods or manual settings. This improves the configuration flexibility of network elements and makes the data processing of network elements more stable.

[0086] Furthermore, the SDN controller pre-stores device information for each network element. Therefore, during data processing by the first network element, if the device information indicates that the higher-priority first network element is unreachable, a lower-priority second network element associated with the first network element is selected from the pre-stored network elements. By sending a first priority configuration command to the second network element, the second network element adjusts its configured priority to the highest priority, thus allowing the second network element to perform data processing in place of the first network element.

[0087] During the process of the second network element replacing the first network element to process data, since the second network element currently has the highest priority, even if the first network element is restored to reachability at this time, it will not preempt the second network element due to its higher priority. By improving the configuration flexibility of the network element, the stability of network data processing is guaranteed. Attached Figure Description

[0088] Figure 1A A schematic diagram illustrating an application field of the method for configuring network elements provided in this application embodiment;

[0089] Figure 1B A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the method for configuring network elements provided in this application embodiment;

[0090] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for configuring network elements provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0091] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the principle of a method for configuring network elements provided in this application embodiment;

[0092] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the principle of the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0093] Figure 5A A schematic diagram of the principle of the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 ;

[0094] Figure 5B A schematic diagram of the principle of the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 4 ;

[0095] Figure 6 A schematic diagram five illustrating the principle of a method for configuring network elements provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the principle of the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 6 ;

[0097] Figure 8A schematic diagram of a device for configuring network elements provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the device for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0099] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the device for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 . Detailed Implementation

[0100] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0101] The following explanations of some terms used in the embodiments of this application are provided to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0102] (1) Software Defined Network (SDN):

[0103] SDN is an independent network architecture developed by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF). SDN can address problems caused by the complexity of existing networks, such as slow protocol development, lack of consistent policy control, poor scalability, and strong vendor dependence. The SDN architecture mainly consists of two components: the SDN controller and network devices.

[0104] (2) Network Functions Virtualization (NFV):

[0105] NFV builds a data center network by combining many types of network devices (such as servers, switches, and storage) into virtual machines (VMs) using information technology (IT) virtualization technology. Traditional CT services are then deployed on the VMs.

[0106] (3) Border Gateway Protocol (BGP):

[0107] BGP is a distance-vector routing protocol that enables route reachability between Autonomous Systems (AS) and selects the best route.

[0108] (4) Open vSwitch:

[0109] Open vSwitch is an open-source virtual switch software specifically designed to manage multi-tenant public cloud computing environments, providing network administrators with visibility and control over traffic between and within virtual VMs.

[0110] (5) Stateful network elements:

[0111] Stateful network elements are devices that provide data processing for users. Their characteristic is that they can execute different processing schemes based on the data request and response status.

[0112] (6) Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM):

[0113] KVM is an open-source system virtualization module that uses Linux's own scheduler for management and has very little core source code. KVM virtualization requires hardware support and is a fully hardware-based virtualization solution.

[0114] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, data related to device information is involved. When the above embodiments of this application are applied to specific products or technologies, user permission or consent is required, and the collection, use and processing of related data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the relevant countries and regions.

[0115] The application areas of the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below.

[0116] With the continuous development of technology, more and more devices can deploy network elements to establish sessions with clients in order to achieve data processing between them.

[0117] Please refer to Figure 1A It includes a first access switch and a second access switch, a first physical server and a second physical server; the first physical server includes a first switch, a first network element NFV-1 Active and a third network element NFV-2 Standby; the second physical server includes a second switch, a second network element NFV-1 Standby and a fourth network element NFV-2 Active.

[0118] In most public cloud data centers today, stateful network elements that provide network application services to tenants are typically deployed as KVM virtual machines on physical servers within a computing resource pool. Figure 1A In this context, an NFV represents a stateful network element.

[0119] The client can transmit data with different physical servers through the access switch. Please refer to the following: Figure 1A For example, data transmission is performed between the first access switch and the first physical server or the second physical server; or, for example, data transmission is performed between the second access switch and the first physical server or the second physical server.

[0120] Multiple KVM virtual machines can be deployed on a single physical server, depending on the server's hardware configuration. Open vSwitch will also be deployed on each physical server as an access switch for the stateful network elements running on that server. Please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 1A For example, data transmission can be performed with the first network element or the third network element through the first switch; or, for example, data transmission can be performed with the second network element or the fourth network element through the second switch.

[0121] In related technologies, to avoid single points of failure in network elements, a primary-backup redundancy strategy is usually adopted, deploying multiple network elements with related relationships. One network element is pre-configured as the primary network element with the highest priority, and the other network elements are pre-configured as backup network elements with lower priority. Therefore, when the primary network element fails, the backup network element is called in a timely manner to process the data, so as to avoid the situation where the data cannot be processed.

[0122] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1A In customer cloud scenarios, to avoid single points of failure in stateful network elements, stateful network elements providing network services to the same tenant, such as the first network element NFV-1Active and the second network element NFV-1Standby, are typically deployed on multiple physical servers using a primary-backup redundancy approach. During the network element creation phase, its primary-backup deployment relationship is confirmed. During BGP protocol initialization, automated deployment pre-configures the corresponding BGP metric information on the relevant network elements, thus achieving primary-backup routing configuration.

[0123] However, because the metric parameters of the BGP protocol are fixed, in some scenarios, such as when the primary network element fails after establishing a session with the client and a backup network element rebuilds the session for data processing, if the primary network element recovers during the session, it will preempt the current session due to its pre-configured highest priority. This will interrupt the session between the backup network element and the client and rebuild the session between the primary network element and the client, leading to session interruption or failure. Therefore, due to the low configuration flexibility of network elements, data processing becomes unstable.

[0124] It is evident that the configuration flexibility of network elements is relatively low in related technologies.

[0125] To address the issue of low configuration flexibility of network elements, this application proposes a method for configuring network elements. This method is applied in an SDN controller, first acquiring pre-stored device information for each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element selected for data processing.

[0126] During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained information of each device, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from each network element; wherein, the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as first priority and second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority.

[0127] A first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to the third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0128] In this embodiment, the priority of network elements is configured through the SDN controller, making the priority of network elements flexible and adjustable. This avoids situations such as session preemption that occur when the priority of network elements can only be adjusted through preset methods or manual settings. This improves the configuration flexibility of network elements and makes the data processing of network elements more stable.

[0129] Furthermore, the SDN controller pre-stores device information for each network element. Therefore, during data processing by the first network element, if the device information indicates that the higher-priority first network element is unreachable, a lower-priority second network element associated with the first network element is selected from the pre-stored network elements. By sending a first priority configuration command to the second network element, the second network element adjusts its configured priority to the highest priority, thus allowing the second network element to perform data processing in place of the first network element.

[0130] During the process of the second network element replacing the first network element to process data, since the second network element currently has the highest priority, even if the first network element is restored to reachability at this time, it will not preempt the second network element due to its higher priority. By improving the configuration flexibility of the network element, the stability of network data processing is guaranteed.

[0131] The following describes the application scenarios of the method for configuring network elements provided in this application.

[0132] Please refer to Figure 1B This diagram illustrates an application scenario of the method for configuring network elements provided in this application. The application scenario includes a client 101 and a server 102. The client 101 and the server 102 can communicate with each other. The communication method can be wired, such as through a network cable or serial cable; or wireless, such as through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. No specific limitation is imposed.

[0133] Client 101 generally refers to devices that can interact with network elements, such as terminal devices, third-party applications accessible by the terminal devices, or web pages accessible by the terminal devices. Terminal devices include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, computers, smart medical devices, smart home appliances, vehicle terminals, or aircraft. Server 102 generally refers to devices that can configure network elements, such as terminal devices or servers. Servers include, but are not limited to, cloud servers, local servers, or associated third-party servers. Both client 101 and server 102 can use cloud computing to reduce the consumption of local computing resources; similarly, they can also use cloud storage to reduce the consumption of local storage resources.

[0134] As one embodiment, the client 101 and the server 102 can be the same device, and there is no specific limitation. In this embodiment, the client 101 and the server 102 are described as different devices.

[0135] The following is based on Figure 1B From the perspective of the SDN controller, the method for configuring network elements provided in this application embodiment will be described in detail. Please refer to... Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for configuring network elements provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0136] S201, retrieve the pre-stored device information of each network element.

[0137] The SDN controller can pre-store the device information of each network element. The device information of each network element can be added to the SDN controller after the network element is created; or it can be sent by the network element to the SDN controller after establishing a communication connection with the SDN controller after the communication connection is established; or the SDN controller can obtain the device information from each created network element at a certain time interval, etc. There are no specific restrictions.

[0138] Device information may include information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element. The reachability status may include reachability or unreachability. The reachability status can be used to indicate whether the network element can interact with other devices for data.

[0139] Equipment information can also include information representing the relationships between corresponding network elements and other network elements. These relationships can be primary / standby, for example, for network elements A and B, network element A is the primary network element of network element B, and network element B is the standby network element of network element A. A primary / standby relationship exists between network elements A and B. This relationship can be pre-set when the network element is created, or it can be automatically paired based on the physical server where the network element resides, etc., without specific limitations. For example, if network elements C and D are located on the first physical server, and network element E is located on the second physical server, then if there is a relationship between network elements C and D, then when the first physical server fails, neither network element C nor D can be used. Therefore, network elements C and E can be automatically paired to establish a relationship between them.

[0140] The equipment information may also include information representing the priority of the corresponding network element for data processing. The higher the priority, the more likely it is to be selected for data processing. For example, the priority of the primary network element is higher than that of the backup network element. When processing data, the primary network element is selected first for data processing.

[0141] Please refer to Table 1, which shows one possible format for pre-stored device information.

[0142] Table 1

[0143] equipment reachable state Relationship Priority Network Element A Reachable Network Element B a Network Element B Reachable Network Element A b Network Element C Reachable Network Element E a Network Element E Reachable Network Element C b

[0144] In this scenario, network element A and network element B are both reachable, and there is an association between them. Network element A is configured with priority 'a', and network element B is configured with priority 'b', with priority 'a' being higher than priority 'b'. Similarly, network element C and network element E are both reachable, and there is an association between them. Network element C is configured with priority 'a', and network element E is configured with priority 'b', with priority 'a' being higher than priority 'b'.

[0145] As one implementation, the device information pre-stored by the SDN controller can be obtained through network connections established using a specified network protocol. Taking a network element as an example, the controller receives a connection establishment request from the network element. This request requests the establishment of a network connection using a specified network protocol, such as Netconf, etc., with no specific limitations. After receiving the connection establishment request, the SDN controller can establish a network connection with the network element based on the specified network protocol indicated in the connection establishment request, and obtain the device information of the network element through the established network connection.

[0146] based on Figure 1A Please refer to Figure 3 The SDN controller establishes network connections with the first, second, third, and fourth network elements using a specified network protocol. After establishing these connections, the SDN controller can manage and control each network element. For example, using the first and second network elements as examples, please refer to... Figure 4 The SDN controller can obtain the device information A of the first network element and the device information B of the second network element through this network connection, and store the obtained device information.

[0147] As one example, if the priority of a network element needs to be configured in the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) priority attribute to take effect, then after obtaining the device information of each network element, the SDN controller can send BGP configuration instructions to each network element based on the device information. These BGP configuration instructions are used to instruct the network element to configure the priority attribute in the BGP protocol. Thus, the network element configures the priority attribute in the BGP protocol based on the received BGP configuration instructions.

[0148] Please refer to Figure 5A If the SDN controller stores the priority of the first network element as A and the priority of the second network element as B, then the SDN controller can send a BGP configuration command A to the first network element, instructing it to configure the priority attribute in BGP to A; and send a BGP configuration command B to the second network element, instructing it to configure the priority attribute in BGP to B.

[0149] S202, during the data processing of the first network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable based on the obtained information of each device, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from each network element.

[0150] The SDN controller can periodically determine the reachability of each network element, or it can determine the reachability of a network element during data processing, without any specific limitations. If the reachability of the first network element is determined to be unreachable during data processing, then the controller retrieves the associated second network element from among the network elements and uses the second network element to replace the first network element for data processing.

[0151] In the first and second network elements, priority is configured as first priority and second priority, respectively, with the first priority being higher than the second priority. That is to say, in two network elements with a relationship, the network element with the higher priority is used for data processing by default. When the network element with the higher priority is unavailable, the network element with the lower priority is selected for data processing, and so on.

[0152] As one embodiment, the device information may also include information representing the network address of the corresponding network element, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Therefore, the reachability of each network element can be determined by its network address.

[0153] Please refer to Table 2, which shows one possible format for pre-stored device information.

[0154] Table 2

[0155] equipment Network address reachable state Relationship Priority Network Element A 1.1.1.1 Reachable Network Element B a Network Element B 1.1.1.2 Reachable Network Element A b Network Element C 1.1.1.3 Reachable Network Element E a Network Element E 1.1.1.4 Reachable Network Element C b

[0156] Among them, the network address of network element A is 1.1.1.1, the network address of network element B is 1.1.1.2, the network address of network element C is 1.1.1.3, and the network address of network element E is 1.1.1.4.

[0157] Based on the network address information in each device's information, reachability detection commands are sent to each network element at preset intervals. Each network element then returns corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection commands. The reachability response information is used to indicate that the corresponding network element is reachable. That is, if a network element can receive the reachability detection command sent by the SDN controller and can return reachability response information to the SDN controller, it means that the network element can interact with other devices, and the network element is reachable.

[0158] If a reachability response is received, the reachability status information in the corresponding device information is updated based on the received reachability response. For example, if the SDN controller sends a reachability detection command to the first network element and receives a reachability response from the first network element within a certain time period, then the reachability status information of the first network element in the stored device information of the first network element is updated to indicate that the first network element is reachable.

[0159] For network elements that do not receive a return reachability response within a certain time period, the reachability information in the corresponding device information is updated to indicate that the network element is unreachable. Alternatively, when the number of reachability detection commands sent to a certain network element is not less than a preset threshold, the reachability information in the corresponding device information is updated to indicate that the network element is unreachable, etc., without specific restrictions.

[0160] For example, if the SDN controller sends an reachability detection command to the first network element and does not receive a reachability response from the first network element within a certain period of time, then the information representing the reachability status of the first network element in the stored device information of the first network element will be updated to represent that the first network element is unreachable.

[0161] For example, if the SDN controller sends reachability detection commands to the first network element three times in a row, and does not receive any reachability response information from the first network element in response to any one or more of the three reachability detection commands when sending the reachability detection command to the first network element for the fourth time, then the information in the stored device information of the first network element that represents the reachability status of the first network element will be updated to represent that the first network element is unreachable.

[0162] Since the device information stored in the SDN controller is updated in real time, the SDN controller can determine whether the reachability status of the first network element is reachable based on the updated device information. If the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be reachable, no processing is performed; if the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be unreachable, the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained.

[0163] As one embodiment, there may be more than two network elements with an association relationship. Based on the obtained device information, if the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be unreachable, then multiple candidate network elements with an association relationship with the first network element are determined. Based on the device information of the multiple candidate network elements, the candidate network element with the highest priority is selected as the second network element.

[0164] S203 sends the first priority configuration command to the second network element.

[0165] After acquiring the second network element, the SDN controller can send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, so that the second network element can adjust the configured second priority to the third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in data processing. The third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0166] By setting a third priority, which is higher than the first priority, when the first network element loses network connectivity, although its priority cannot be configured, the second network element can still be configured with a higher priority than the first. Therefore, even if the first network element regains network connectivity while the second network element is processing data, it will not preempt the second network element because its priority is lower, thus avoiding frequent data processing interruptions.

[0167] For example, if the first network element restores the network connection after the second network element has established a session with the client, the second network element will not terminate the current session because the first network element has a lower priority than the second network element, thus ensuring session stability.

[0168] As one embodiment, the first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) of the second network element. The priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing. The priority attribute is, for example, the metric attribute in the BGP protocol.

[0169] Please refer to Figure 5B After the first network element loses its network connection, the SDN controller can update the priority information in the stored device information of the second network element, changing the priority from the second priority to the third priority, i.e., from B to C. At the same time, the SDN controller can send a first priority configuration command to the second network element through the southbound channel. After receiving the first priority configuration command, the second network element updates the metric attribute in the BGP protocol to C.

[0170] As one embodiment, after sending a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable, a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction are sent to the first network element and the second network element respectively, so that the first network element adjusts its priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction, and the second network element adjusts its priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

[0171] Since the first network element is reachable, it means that the first network element has restored network connectivity. Therefore, a second priority configuration command can be sent to the first network element through the southbound channel to adjust the priority of the first network element to the second priority. At the same time, a third priority configuration command can be sent to the second network element through the southbound channel to adjust the priority of the second network element to the first priority. This avoids the situation where the second network element is always at the third priority, which would require setting a priority higher than the third priority when the second network element is unreachable, thus reducing the complexity of configuring network elements.

[0172] Please refer to Figure 6 After the first network element restores its network connection, the SDN controller can update the priority information in the stored device information of the first network element, changing the priority from first priority to second priority (i.e., from A to B). Simultaneously, it updates the priority information in the stored device information of the second network element, changing the priority from third priority to first priority (i.e., from C to A). At the same time, the SDN controller can send a second priority configuration command to the first network element via the southbound channel. After receiving the second priority configuration command, the first network element updates the metric attribute in the BGP protocol to B. Simultaneously, the SDN controller can send a third priority configuration command to the second network element via the southbound channel. After receiving the third priority configuration command, the second network element updates the metric attribute in the BGP protocol to A.

[0173] The method for configuring network elements provided in this application utilizes an SDN controller to configure the forwarding plane of devices, enabling non-preemptive primary / backup for stateful network elements and resolving the issue of session reconstruction during the recovery of a faulty primary / backup device in preemptive primary / backup configurations. Furthermore, it allows for on-demand configuration and status monitoring of the forwarding plane for stateful network element services, such as on-demand configuration of announcement delays and additional route announcements; and notifying maintenance personnel upon identifying abnormal jitter in the primary service.

[0174] The method for configuring network elements provided in this application can solve the problem of fault recovery of stateful network element devices without changing the functions of existing VXLAN node devices (English: VXLAN Tunnel EndPoint, abbreviation: VTEP) in the VXLAN network virtualization technology scenario, including physical switches, virtual switches, etc.

[0175] The following continues based on Figure 1B From the perspective of the second network element, the method for configuring network elements provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0176] After the second network element is enabled, its device information is sent to the SDN controller. Details can be found in the previous description and will not be repeated here. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing by the first network element, the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and a first priority configuration command is sent to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability of the corresponding network element, information representing the association between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first and second network elements are configured with a first priority and a second priority, respectively, with the first priority being higher than the second priority.

[0177] The second network element receives the first priority configuration command and, based on this command, adjusts the configured second priority to the third priority, where the third priority is higher than the first priority. For details, please refer to the previous explanation; further elaboration will not be repeated here.

[0178] As one embodiment, when adjusting the priority to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, it can be done by configuring the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction. The priority attribute is used to indicate the priority when the second network element's data is processed. For details, please refer to the preceding description, which will not be repeated here.

[0179] As one embodiment, after configuring the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, if a third priority configuration instruction is received from the SDN controller (which is sent by the SDN controller to the second network element when it determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable), then the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured to the first priority based on the third priority configuration instruction. For details, please refer to the preceding description; further elaboration will not be repeated here.

[0180] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a system for configuring network elements; please refer to... Figure 7 The system includes an SDN controller, a first network element, and a second network element. The system for configuring network elements may also include other network elements; the configuration process is similar to that of the first and second network elements, and will not be repeated here. The following describes a system for configuring network elements according to an embodiment of this application. For specific details, please refer to the preceding description; further elaboration is not required here.

[0181] In S701, after the first network element is in the enabled state, it sends a connection establishment request to the SDN controller; after the second network element is in the enabled state, it also sends a connection establishment request to the SDN controller. Specifically, the metric attribute in the BGP protocol of the first network element is configured as A, and the metric attribute in the BGP protocol of the second network element is configured as B. A has a higher priority than B.

[0182] S702, the SDN controller establishes a network connection with the first network element based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request received from the first network element; the SDN controller establishes a network connection with the second network element based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request received from the second network element.

[0183] In step S703, the first network element sends its device information to the SDN controller through the established network connection; the second network element sends its device information to the SDN controller through the established network connection. Thus, the SDN controller obtains the device information of both the first and second network elements.

[0184] In the S704, the SDN controller sends reachability detection commands to the first network element and the second network element respectively during the data processing of the first network element.

[0185] S705: The second network element returns the corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection command.

[0186] S706, based on the received reachability response information, the SDN controller updates the information representing the reachability status in the device information of the first network element to represent the unreachability status; and updates the information representing the reachability status in the device information of the second network element to represent the reachability status.

[0187] S707, the SDN controller obtains the second network element associated with the first network element from each network element.

[0188] S708, the SDN controller sends the first priority configuration command to the second network element.

[0189] In S709, based on the received first priority configuration instruction, the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to the third priority to replace the first network element in data processing. For example, based on the first priority configuration instruction, the second network element adjusts the metric attribute in the BGP protocol from B to C. C has a higher priority than A.

[0190] If the S710 SDN controller determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable, it sends a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction to the first network element and the second network element, respectively.

[0191] S711, the first network element adjusts its configured first priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction. For example, the first network element adjusts the metric attribute in the BGP protocol from A to B based on the second priority configuration instruction. The second network element adjusts its configured third priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction. For example, the second network element adjusts the metric attribute in the BGP protocol from C to A based on the third priority configuration instruction.

[0192] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus for configuring network elements, capable of implementing the functions corresponding to the aforementioned method for configuring network elements. Please refer to... Figure 8 The device includes an acquisition module 801 and a processing module 802, wherein:

[0193] Acquisition module 801: used to acquire pre-stored device information of each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing.

[0194] Processing module 802: During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained information of each device, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then obtain the second network element associated with the first network element from each network element; wherein the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority;

[0195] The processing module 802 is further configured to: send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0196] In one possible embodiment, the acquisition module 801 is specifically used for:

[0197] For each network element, perform the following operations respectively:

[0198] Receive connection establishment requests sent from network elements; where the connection establishment request is used to request the establishment of a network connection with a specified network protocol;

[0199] Establish a network connection with a network element based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request;

[0200] By establishing a network connection, device information of network elements can be obtained.

[0201] In one possible embodiment, the device information further includes information representing the network address of the corresponding network element; the processing module 802 is specifically used for:

[0202] Based on the network address information in each device's information, reachability detection commands are sent to each network element at preset intervals, so that each network element returns corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection commands; wherein, the reachability response information is used to indicate that the corresponding network element is reachable;

[0203] If a reachability response is received, the information representing the reachability status in the corresponding device information is updated based on the received reachability response.

[0204] Based on the updated device information, if the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained.

[0205] In one possible embodiment, the processing module 802 is specifically used for:

[0206] Based on the obtained information from each device, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then multiple candidate network elements that are associated with the first network element are determined.

[0207] Based on the device information of multiple candidate network elements, the candidate network element with the highest priority is selected as the second network element.

[0208] In one possible embodiment, the first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element, and the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing.

[0209] In one possible embodiment, the processing module 802 is further configured to:

[0210] After sending the first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable, then a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction are sent to the first network element and the second network element respectively, so that the first network element adjusts its priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction, and the second network element adjusts its priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

[0211] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus for configuring network elements, capable of implementing the functions corresponding to the aforementioned method for configuring network elements. Please refer to... Figure 9 The device includes a transceiver module 901 and a processing module 902, wherein:

[0212] Transceiver module 901: After being in the enabled state, it sends device information of the second network element to the SDN controller. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing of the first network element, the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and to send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first network element and the second network element are respectively configured with a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority.

[0213] The transceiver module 901 is also used to: receive the first priority configuration command;

[0214] Processing module 902: Used to adjust the configured second priority to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

[0215] In one possible embodiment, the processing module 902 is specifically used for:

[0216] Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the third priority; wherein, the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority when the second network element's data is processed.

[0217] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver module 901 is further configured to: after configuring the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, receive a third priority configuration instruction from the SDN controller, wherein the third priority configuration instruction is sent by the SDN controller to the second network element when it determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable;

[0218] The processing module 902 is also used to: configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the first priority based on the third priority configuration instruction.

[0219] Please refer to Figure 10 The aforementioned network element configuration device can run on computer device 1000. The current and historical versions of the data storage program, as well as the application software corresponding to the data storage program, can be installed on computer device 1000, which includes processor 1080 and memory 1020. In some embodiments, computer device 1000 may include display unit 1040, which includes display panel 1041 for displaying user-interactive interfaces, etc.

[0220] In one possible embodiment, the display panel 1041 may be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

[0221] The processor 1080 is used to read a computer program and then execute the methods defined by the computer program. For example, the processor 1080 reads a data storage program or file, thereby running the data storage program on the computer device 1000 and displaying the corresponding interface on the display unit 1040. The processor 1080 may include one or more general-purpose processors, and may also include one or more DSPs (Digital Signal Processors) for performing related operations to implement the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0222] The memory 1020 generally includes main memory and secondary storage. Main memory can be random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and cache, etc. Secondary storage can be a hard disk, optical disk, USB flash drive, floppy disk, or magnetic tape drive, etc. The memory 1020 is used to store computer programs and other data. The computer programs include applications corresponding to each client, etc. Other data may include data generated after the operating system or applications are run, including system data (e.g., operating system configuration parameters) and user data. In this embodiment, program instructions are stored in the memory 1020, and the processor 1080 executes the program instructions in the memory 1020 to implement any of the methods described in the preceding figures.

[0223] The aforementioned display unit 1040 is used to receive input digital information, character information, or contact touch operations / non-contact gestures, and to generate signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the computer device 1000. Specifically, in this embodiment, the display unit 1040 may include a display panel 1041. The display panel 1041, for example, is a touch screen, which can collect touch operations performed by the user on or near it (such as operations performed by the user using a finger, stylus, or any suitable object or accessory on or on the display panel 1041), and drive corresponding connection devices according to a pre-set program.

[0224] In one possible embodiment, the display panel 1041 may include two parts: a touch detection device and a touch controller. The touch detection device detects the player's touch position and the signal generated by the touch operation, and transmits the signal to the touch controller. The touch controller receives touch information from the touch detection device, converts it into touch point coordinates, and sends it to the processor 1080. It can also receive and execute commands from the processor 1080.

[0225] The display panel 1041 can be implemented using various types such as resistive, capacitive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave. In addition to the display unit 1040, in some embodiments, the computer device 1000 may also include an input unit 1030. The input unit 1030 may include an image input device 1031 and other input devices 1032, wherein the other input devices may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: a physical keyboard, function keys (such as volume control buttons, power buttons, etc.), a trackball, a mouse, and a joystick.

[0226] In addition to the above, the computer device 1000 may also include a power supply 1090 for powering other modules, an audio circuit 1060, a near-field communication module 1070, and an RF circuit 1010. The computer device 1000 may also include one or more sensors 1050, such as an accelerometer, a light sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. The audio circuit 1060 specifically includes a speaker 1061 and a microphone 1062, for example, the computer device 1000 can use the microphone 1062 to collect the user's voice and perform corresponding operations.

[0227] As one embodiment, the number of processors 1080 can be one or more, and the processors 1080 and memory 1020 can be coupled together or relatively independent.

[0228] As one example, Figure 10 The 1080 processor in the system can be used to implement, for example... Figure 8 The functions of the acquisition module 801 and the processing module 802 in the middle, or as follows Figure 9 The functions of the transceiver module 901 and the processing module 902 in the middle.

[0229] As one example, Figure 10 The processor 1080 in the text can be used to implement the functions of the server or terminal devices discussed above.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it performs the steps of the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as mobile storage devices, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0231] Alternatively, if the integrated units of this invention are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of software products, for example, through a computer program product. This computer program product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device to execute all or part of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as mobile storage devices, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0232] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for configuring network elements, characterized in that, Applications in software-defined networking (SDN) controllers include: Obtain pre-stored device information for each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing. During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained information of each device, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements; wherein, the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority; A first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in performing data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the pre-stored device information for each network element includes: For each of the aforementioned network elements, perform the following operations respectively: Receive a connection establishment request sent from a network element; wherein the connection establishment request is used to request the establishment of a network connection with a specified network protocol; Based on the specified network protocol indicated by the connection establishment request, establish a network connection with the network element; The device information of the network element is obtained through the established network connection.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device information also includes information representing the network address of the corresponding network element; then, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements, including: Based on the network address information in the device information, a reachability detection command is sent to each network element at a preset time interval, so that each network element returns corresponding reachability response information based on the received reachability detection command; wherein, the reachability response information is used to indicate that the corresponding network element is reachable; If a reachability response is received, the information representing the reachability status in the corresponding device information is updated based on the received reachability response. Based on the updated device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the obtained device information, if the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be unreachable, then the second network element associated with the first network element is obtained from the network elements, including: Based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then multiple candidate network elements that are associated with the first network element are determined. Based on the device information of the multiple candidate network elements, the candidate network element with the highest priority is selected as the second network element.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first priority configuration instruction is used to configure the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element, and the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority at which the second network element is selected for data processing.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, After sending the first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, the process also includes: If the reachability status of the first network element is determined to be reachable, a second priority configuration instruction and a third priority configuration instruction are sent to the first network element and the second network element respectively, so that the first network element adjusts its priority to the second priority based on the received second priority configuration instruction, and the second network element adjusts its priority to the first priority based on the received third priority configuration instruction.

7. A method for configuring network elements, characterized in that, Applied to the second network element, including: After being enabled, the device information of the second network element is sent to the SDN controller. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing by the first network element, the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and a first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first network element and the second network element are configured with a first priority and a second priority, respectively, with the first priority being higher than the second priority. Receive the first priority configuration instruction; Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the configured second priority is adjusted to the third priority, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the priority to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction includes: Based on the first priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the third priority; wherein, the priority attribute is used to indicate the priority when the second network element's data is processed.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, After configuring the priority attribute of the border gateway protocol of the second network element to the third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, the method further includes: Receive a third priority configuration instruction from the SDN controller, the third priority configuration instruction being sent by the SDN controller to the second network element when it determines that the reachability status of the first network element is reachable; Based on the third priority configuration instruction, the priority attribute in the border gateway protocol of the second network element is configured as the first priority.

10. A device for configuring network elements, characterized in that, include: Acquisition module: used to acquire pre-stored device information of each network element; wherein, the device information includes information representing the reachability status of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority of the corresponding network element being selected for data processing; Processing module: During the data processing of the first network element, based on the obtained device information, if it is determined that the reachability status of the first network element is unreachable, then obtain the second network element associated with the first network element from the network elements; wherein the first network element and the second network element are respectively configured as a first priority and a second priority, with the first priority being higher than the second priority; The processing module is further configured to: send a first priority configuration instruction to the second network element, so that the second network element adjusts the configured second priority to a third priority based on the received first priority configuration instruction, so as to replace the first network element in performing data processing; wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

11. A device for configuring network elements, characterized in that, include: Transceiver module: When in the enabled state, it sends device information of the second network element to the SDN controller. This allows the SDN controller, after obtaining the device information of each network element, to retrieve the associated second network element from among the network elements if, during data processing of the first network element, the first network element is determined to be unreachable, and a first priority configuration instruction is sent to the second network element. The device information includes information representing the reachability of the corresponding network element, information representing the association relationship between the corresponding network element and other network elements, and information representing the priority at which the corresponding network element is selected for data processing. The first network element and the second network element are configured with a first priority and a second priority, respectively, with the first priority being higher than the second priority. The transceiver module is further configured to: receive the first priority configuration instruction; Processing module: used to adjust the configured second priority to a third priority based on the first priority configuration instruction, wherein the third priority is higher than the first priority.

12. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A computer device, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store program instructions; A processor is configured to invoke program instructions stored in the memory and execute the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 according to the obtained program instructions.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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