Automatic operation and maintenance method for network resources
Through SDN and Ansible automation technology, the problems of high requirements, error-prone and long cycles of operation and maintenance personnel in traditional network resource activation and maintenance methods are solved, and efficient and reliable network resource management and maintenance are achieved, reducing costs and delays.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411052692.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-02
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-10
AI Technical Summary
Traditional network resource activation and maintenance methods rely on manual operations, resulting in high requirements for operation and maintenance personnel, prone to errors, long cycles, and increasing costs and delays.
Using the SDN+Ansible method, the SDN controller and Ansible script are used to automatically issue and execute commands, block equipment differences, reduce human errors and improve efficiency.
It lowers the threshold for operation and maintenance personnel, reduces the probability of errors, improves the efficiency of network resource management and maintenance, improves network failure tolerance and security, and saves costs.
Smart Images
Figure HDA0004975392940000011 
Figure HDA0004975392940000012
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of network operation and maintenance, and in particular to an automatic operation and maintenance method for network resources. Background Art
[0002] Currently, the resource management and operation and maintenance operations of network data centers vary greatly due to differences between different basic equipment manufacturers and models. In order to overcome these differences, the system's automated command scheduling and delivery function can be used to shield the differences between devices, which helps reduce users' learning costs and maintenance difficulties.
[0003] A Chinese patent discloses a management method, device and electronic equipment for data center operation and maintenance (authorization announcement number CNN114765571U). The patented technology can achieve the following: the method realizes automatic determination and automatic repair of network resource faults through the operation and maintenance platform, thereby avoiding manual monitoring of operation information and repairing faults, saving time and effort, and thus improving the management efficiency of the operation and maintenance platform. However, the traditional network resource opening and maintenance method usually involves the following process: after the user submits a demand order or operation and maintenance work order, professional operation and maintenance personnel must go to the network equipment to perform relevant operations. However, this method has some problems:
[0004] High requirements for operation and maintenance personnel: The traditional method requires operation and maintenance personnel to have extensive knowledge and skills of network equipment and in-depth understanding of various types of equipment and protocols. This requires a high level of professionalism and is difficult to train and recruit.
[0005] Manual operation is prone to errors: Since the operation relies on manual input and configuration, there is a risk of human error. Even experienced operation and maintenance personnel can hardly avoid errors in configuration and operation, which may lead to network failures and security issues.
[0006] Long manual operation processing cycle: Manual operation takes time and may result in a long network resource activation and maintenance cycle. This may delay meeting user needs, reduce network response speed, and increase the time and cost of operation and maintenance work.
[0007] To address these issues, many organizations are turning to automation and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies. SDN can reduce the technical requirements for operations and maintenance personnel through centralized control, automated policy delivery, and intelligent analysis, reduce human errors, and speed up processing, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of network resource management and maintenance. This approach helps improve the fault tolerance, security, and flexibility of the network while reducing the burden on operations and maintenance personnel.
[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources to solve the problems raised in the above background technology. Summary of the invention
[0009] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources to solve the problems raised in the above background technology.
[0010] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:
[0011] A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources, using SND+ansible to implement the issuance and activation of network commands for switches and routers, specifically including the following steps:
[0012] Step 1: Operate according to the resources selected by the user in the system.
[0013] Step 2: Generate the device scheduling instructions based on the resource device type and model information selected by the user.
[0014] Step 3: The system sends the generated orchestration instructions to specific devices for execution and obtains the instruction execution results.
[0015] Preferably, the process of issuing instructions mainly involves the following steps and components:
[0016] 1. SDN architecture: SDN networks are usually composed of three main components: SDN controller, SDN switch / router, and SDN application;
[0017] 2. Control plane operations: When SDN applications or network administrators need to issue instructions, they send requests to the SDN controller. These requests can include requests for new flow table rules, path changes, QoS (Quality of Service) settings, etc.
[0018] 3. Network status monitoring: The SDN controller monitors the status of the entire network in real time, including traffic, topology, link load, etc. This information is crucial for intelligent decision-making and command issuance.
[0019] 4. Policy formulation and path calculation: Based on application requirements and network status information, the SDN controller formulates policies and calculates the best path.
[0020] 5. Instruction issuance: Once the strategy and path are established, the SDN controller will generate corresponding instructions and send them to the relevant SDN switches or routers through the Southbound API. These instructions include operations such as adding, modifying, deleting flow table rules, and updating routes.
[0021] 6. Packet forwarding: SDN switches / routers process and forward packets accordingly based on the instructions received to ensure that the network operates according to the defined policies.
[0022] Preferably, the principle of sending the device is as follows:
[0023] 1. Ansible Playbook: Ansible scripts are defined in the form of Playbooks, which are YAML files that contain a series of tasks and configuration information to guide Ansible to perform operations. The tasks in the Playbook define the steps to be performed on the target device.
[0024] 2. Inventory file: Ansible uses a file called Inventory to manage the inventory of target devices. The Inventory file lists the host names or IP addresses of all devices to be managed, and can divide devices into different groups. Playbooks usually determine the target devices to be operated by specifying the Inventory file.
[0025] 3.SSH connection: Ansible uses the SSH protocol to connect to the target device, so you need to ensure that the SSH service is enabled on the target device and that you have SSH access rights. Ansible will connect to the target device via SSH and then perform the specified tasks on the target device.
[0026] 4. Module execution: Ansible uses modules to execute tasks. Each task is executed using a specific module in the Playbook, which contains specific instructions and parameters for the operation. Ansible provides a variety of built-in modules for performing different types of operations, such as file operations, package management, user management, etc.
[0027] 5. Task execution: Ansible executes tasks in the order defined in the Playbook. Each task is distributed to the target device and executed on the target device. The results of task execution are reported back to the Ansible control node.
[0028] 6.Idempotence: A key feature of Ansible is the idempotence of its tasks. This means that no matter how many times a task is executed, the state of the system will converge to the same state. If a task has been successfully executed, executing the same task again will not have any additional impact.
[0029] 7. Result feedback: Ansible returns the execution results of each task to the control node and generates reports, which helps administrators understand the status of the task and possible errors. These reports can be used for troubleshooting and auditing purposes.
[0030] Preferably, SDN technology realizes centralized network control by separating the network control plane from the data plane. The SDN controller can communicate with upper-layer applications and management systems through northbound APIs to achieve automated instruction delivery.
[0031] Preferably, Ansible scripts automatically perform various operations by defining tasks and using modules, connecting to the target device through SSH. This automation method provides a convenient and repeatable way to manage and configure devices, reducing human errors and improving the efficiency of system management. It mainly includes user actions, action command combinations, command orchestration flow, automatic delivery of devices for execution and activation, and feedback on successful activation.
[0032] Preferably, the method includes a resource operation module 100 , an instruction issuing module 200 and an execution result monitoring module 300 .
[0033] The resource operation module 100 is used to provide a resource operation interface for the user;
[0034] After the user selects a network device on the system to initiate operations including resource activation, modification, and recycling, the system will match the corresponding orchestration instructions according to the selected device model. In order to accurately generate the device orchestration instructions, it is necessary to pre-adapt the instructions according to the operations of each model of device;
[0035] The instruction issuing module 200 sends the instruction to the device for execution through the northbound interface of the device according to the device resources specified by the user;
[0036] The execution result monitoring module 300 needs to obtain the execution status information of the instruction after the instruction is sent to the device for execution.
[0037] Preferably, the process of automatically issuing operations and maintenance operations is as follows:
[0038] S10: The user selects a resource operation.
[0039] Users select resource operations through the system, including opening, changing, and reclaiming ports. The resource objects and specific operation types are determined through the user's independent selection.
[0040] S20: Based on the order information generated by the operation selected by the user, the system generates corresponding arrangement instructions.
[0041] S30: Send the generated orchestration instruction to the network device selected by the user and execute it.
[0042] S40: Obtain the execution result of the arrangement instruction on the device.
[0043] Ensure the accuracy of execution by obtaining execution results and status information.
[0044] Preferably, the operation selected by the user is to open a port resource, and the specific steps are: the user logs in to the system through authentication and authorization, selects a network device resource in the system service, selects the port opening operation, and submits to successfully generate an order.
[0045] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0046] By adopting the above method and system, the corresponding orchestration instructions can be automatically generated according to user needs, and sent to the basic network equipment for execution, and the execution results are fed back to the system. The automatic delivery and execution of operations can lower the threshold for operation and maintenance personnel, reduce the probability of errors, improve operation and maintenance efficiency, and greatly save costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the flowchart automatically issued for operation and maintenance operations.
[0048] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of a structure automatically issued by a network equipment operation and maintenance operation.
[0049] In the figure: 100, resource operation module; 200, instruction issuing module; 300, execution result monitoring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0050] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0051] See also Figures 1-2 In an embodiment of the present invention, a method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources uses SND+ansible to implement the issuance and activation of switch and router network instructions. SDN technology realizes centralized network control by separating the network control plane from the data plane. The SDN controller can communicate with the upper-level application and management system through the northbound API to realize automated instruction issuance. Ansible scripts are an automation tool for configuring and managing remote devices. Ansible scripts define tasks and use modules to connect to the target device through SSH to automatically perform various operations. This automation method provides a convenient and repeatable way to manage and configure devices, reduces human errors and improves the efficiency of system management. It mainly includes user actions, action instruction combinations, instruction orchestration and flow, automated issuance of devices for execution and activation, and feedback on successful activation.
[0052] The specific steps include:
[0053] Step 1: Operate according to the resources selected by the user in the system.
[0054] Step 2: Generate the device scheduling instructions based on the resource device type and model information selected by the user.
[0055] Step 3: The system sends the generated orchestration instructions to specific devices for execution and obtains the instruction execution results.
[0056] The method includes a resource operation module 100 , an instruction issuing module 200 and an execution result monitoring module 300 .
[0057] The resource operation module 100 is used to provide a resource operation interface for the user.
[0058] After the user selects a network device on the system to initiate operations including resource activation, modification, and recovery, the system will match the corresponding orchestration instructions based on the selected device model.
[0059] In order to accurately generate the arrangement instructions of the device, it is necessary to adapt the instructions according to the operations of each model of device in advance.
[0060] The instruction issuing module 200 sends the instruction to the device for execution through the northbound interface of the device according to the device resources specified by the user.
[0061] The execution result monitoring module 300 needs to obtain the execution status information of the instruction after the instruction is sent to the device for execution.
[0062] Figure 1 It is a flowchart automatically issued by operation and maintenance operations. The working principle of the present invention is:
[0063] S10: The user selects a resource operation.
[0064] The user selects resource operations through the system, including opening, changing, and reclaiming ports.
[0065] In this embodiment, the operation selected by the user is to open a port resource;
[0066] The specific steps are as follows: the user logs in to the system through authentication and authorization, selects the network device resource in the system service, chooses the port opening operation, and submits the successful order generation.
[0067] The resource object and specific operation type are determined through the user's independent selection.
[0068] S20: Based on the order information generated by the operation selected by the user, the system generates corresponding arrangement instructions.
[0069] S30: Send the generated orchestration instruction to the network device selected by the user and execute it.
[0070] S40: Obtain the execution result of the arrangement instruction on the device.
[0071] Ensure the accuracy of execution by obtaining execution results and status information.
[0072] The present invention uses the SND+ansible approach to implement the issuance and activation of network instructions for switches and routers. SDN technology achieves centralized network control by separating the network control plane from the data plane. The SDN controller can communicate with upper-layer applications and management systems through the northbound API to achieve automated instruction issuance. SDN can effectively shield the differences between different devices and provide a consistent management interface. Using these technologies and methods, organizations can achieve efficient, reliable and secure issuance and activation of network instructions for switches and routers, improve the level of automation in network management, and reduce errors and complexity in manual operations.
[0073] The principle of issuing instructions in SDN (Software Defined Network) is based on its core concept, which is to separate the network control plane (Control Plane) from the data plane (Data Plane). In SDN, the process of issuing instructions mainly involves the following steps and components:
[0074] 1. SDN architecture: SDN networks are usually composed of three main components:
[0075] SDN controller: The controller is the brain of the SDN network, responsible for centrally managing the global view and control of the network. It executes network policies, monitors network status, and issues instructions to network devices. Popular SDN controllers include OpenDaylight, ONOS, and controllers from manufacturers such as Huawei and Cisco.
[0076] SDN switches / routers: These devices are the data plane in the network and are responsible for the actual packet forwarding. They communicate with the SDN controller through the Southbound API (such as OpenFlow), receive instructions from the controller and perform corresponding operations.
[0077] SDN applications: These applications run on top of the SDN controller and communicate with the SDN controller through the Northbound API. Applications can be network management, traffic engineering, security policies, etc. They implement specific network functions through instructions issued by the SDN controller.
[0078] 2. Control plane operations: When SDN applications or network administrators need to issue instructions, they send requests to the SDN controller, usually through the Northbound API (such as REST API). These requests can include requests for new flow table rules, path changes, QoS (quality of service) settings, etc.
[0079] 3. Network status monitoring: The SDN controller monitors the status of the entire network in real time, including traffic, topology, link load, etc. This information is crucial for intelligent decision-making and command issuance.
[0080] 4. Policy formulation and path calculation: Based on application requirements and network status information, the SDN controller will formulate policies and calculate the best path. This may involve the selection of routing paths, the generation of flow table rules, etc.
[0081] 5. Instruction issuance: Once the strategy and path are established, the SDN controller will generate corresponding instructions and send them to the relevant SDN switches or routers through the Southbound API (such as the OpenFlow protocol). These instructions include operations such as adding, modifying, deleting flow table rules, and updating routes.
[0082] 6. Packet forwarding: SDN switches / routers process and forward packets accordingly based on the instructions received to ensure that the network operates according to the defined policies.
[0083] The principle of SDN issuing instructions involves abstracting network control from traditional devices, centralizing management and automating decision-making, and issuing instructions to data plane devices through controllers and corresponding interfaces, thereby achieving network flexibility, programmability and intelligence. This architecture makes the network easier to manage, optimize and adapt to changing needs.
[0084] Ansible script is an automation tool used to configure and manage remote devices. The principle of sending devices is as follows:
[0085] 1. Ansible Playbook: Ansible scripts are defined in the form of Playbooks, which are YAML files that contain a series of tasks and configuration information to guide Ansible to perform operations. The tasks in the Playbook define the steps to be performed on the target device.
[0086] 2. Inventory file: Ansible uses a file called Inventory to manage the inventory of target devices. The Inventory file lists the host names or IP addresses of all devices to be managed, and can divide devices into different groups. Playbooks usually determine the target devices to be operated by specifying the Inventory file.
[0087] 3.SSH connection: Ansible uses the SSH protocol to connect to the target device, so you need to ensure that the SSH service is enabled on the target device and that you have SSH access rights. Ansible will connect to the target device via SSH and then perform the specified tasks on the target device.
[0088] 4. Module execution: Ansible uses modules to execute tasks. Each task is executed using a specific module in the Playbook, which contains specific instructions and parameters for the operation. Ansible provides a variety of built-in modules for performing different types of operations, such as file operations, package management, user management, etc.
[0089] 5. Task execution: Ansible executes tasks in the order defined in the Playbook. Each task is distributed to the target device and executed on the target device. The results of task execution are reported back to the Ansible control node.
[0090] 6.Idempotence: A key feature of Ansible is the idempotence of its tasks. This means that no matter how many times a task is executed, the state of the system will converge to the same state. If a task has been successfully executed, executing the same task again will not have any additional impact.
[0091] 7. Result feedback: Ansible returns the execution results of each task to the control node and generates reports, which helps administrators understand the status of the task and possible errors. These reports can be used for troubleshooting and auditing purposes.
[0092] Ansible scripts automate various operations by defining tasks and using modules to connect to target devices through SSH. This automation method provides a convenient and repeatable way to manage and configure devices, reducing human errors and improving the efficiency of system management.
[0093] It mainly includes functions such as user actions, action command combinations, command orchestration and transfer, automatic delivery to devices for execution and activation, and feedback on successful activation.
[0094] The above description is only a preferred specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can make equivalent replacements or changes according to the technical scheme and inventive concept of the present invention within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources, using SND+ansible to implement the issuance and activation of network instructions for switches and routers, characterized in that: The specific steps include: Step 1: Operate according to the resources selected by the user in the system; Step 2: Generate the arrangement instruction of the device according to the resource device type and model information selected by the user; Step 3: The system sends the generated orchestration instructions to specific devices for execution and obtains the execution results of the instructions.
2. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process of issuing instructions mainly involves the following steps and components:
1. SDN architecture: SDN network consists of three main components: SDN controller, SDN switch / router, and SDN application; 2. Control plane operations: When SDN applications or network administrators need to issue instructions, they send requests to the SDN controller. These requests include requests for new flow table rules, path changes, and QoS (quality of service) settings; 3. Network status monitoring: The SDN controller monitors the status of the entire network in real time, including traffic, topology, and link load information; 4. Policy formulation and path calculation: Based on application requirements and network status information, the SDN controller will formulate policies and calculate the best path; 5. Instruction issuance: Once the strategy and path are established, the SDN controller will generate corresponding instructions and send them to the relevant SDN switches or routers through the Southbound API. These instructions include adding, modifying, deleting flow table rules, and routing update operations; 6. Packet forwarding: SDN switches / routers process and forward packets accordingly based on the instructions received to ensure that the network operates according to the defined policies.
3. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: The principle of sending the device is as follows:
1. Ansible Playbook: Ansible scripts are defined in the form of Playbooks. Playbooks are YAML files that contain a series of tasks and configuration information to guide Ansible to perform operations. The tasks in the Playbook define the operation steps to be performed on the target device.
2. Inventory file: Ansible uses a file called Inventory to manage the inventory of target devices. The Inventory file lists the host names or IP addresses of all devices to be managed and divides the devices into different groups. Playbook determines the target devices to be operated by specifying the Inventory file; 3.SSH connection: Ansible uses the SSH protocol to connect to the target device, so you need to ensure that the SSH service is enabled on the target device and that you have SSH access rights. Ansible will connect to the target device via SSH and then perform the specified tasks on the target device.
4. Module execution: Ansible uses modules to execute tasks. Each task is executed using a specific module in the Playbook. The module contains specific instructions and parameters for the operation. Ansible provides various built-in modules for performing different types of operations, such as file operations, package management, user management, etc.
5. Task execution: Ansible executes tasks in the order defined in the Playbook. Each task will be distributed to the target device and executed on the target device. The results of the task execution will be reported back to the Ansible control node. 6.Idempotence: No matter how many times a task is executed, the state of the system will converge to the same state. If the task has been successfully executed, executing the same task again will not have any additional impact; 7. Result feedback: Ansible returns the execution results of each task to the control node and generates reports, which helps administrators understand the status of the task and possible errors. These reports can be used for troubleshooting and auditing purposes.
4. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: SDN technology achieves centralized network control by separating the network control plane from the data plane. The SDN controller can communicate with upper-layer applications and management systems through northbound APIs to implement automated command issuance.
5. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: Ansible scripts define tasks and use modules to connect to target devices through SSH to automatically perform various operations. They mainly include user actions, action command combinations, command orchestration and flow, automatic delivery of devices for execution and activation, and feedback on successful activation.
6. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method includes a resource operation module 100, an instruction issuing module 200 and an execution result monitoring module 300: The resource operation module 100 is used to provide the user with a resource operation interface; after the user selects a network device on the system to initiate operations including resource activation, modification, and recycling, the system will match the corresponding arrangement instructions according to the selected device model. In order to accurately generate the arrangement instructions of the device, it is necessary to pre-adapt the instructions according to the operations of each model of device; The instruction issuing module 200 sends the instruction to the device for execution through the northbound interface of the device according to the device resources specified by the user; The execution result monitoring module 300 needs to obtain the execution status information of the instruction after the instruction is sent to the device for execution.
7. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The process of automatic delivery of operations and maintenance operations is as follows: S10: User selects resource operation; The user selects resource operations through the system, including opening, changing, and reclaiming ports. The user determines the resource object and specific operation type through independent selection; S20: Based on the order information generated by the operation selected by the user, the system generates corresponding arrangement instructions; S30: Send the generated orchestration instruction to the network device selected by the user and execute it; S40: Obtaining the execution result of the arrangement instruction on the device; Ensure the accuracy of execution by obtaining execution results and status information.
8. A method for automatic operation and maintenance of network resources according to claim 7, characterized in that: The operation selected by the user is to open the port resources, and the specific steps are: the user logs in to the system through authentication and authorization, selects the network device resources in the system service, selects the port opening operation, and submits to successfully generate the order.