Orchestration management method and device, network equipment, program product and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses an orchestration management method and device, network equipment, a program product and a storage medium, and the method comprises the steps: transmitting an orchestration request to an orchestration management node through an SCU proxy function, and receiving an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request transmitted by the orchestration management node; and sending a service request to the second SCU based on the arrangement response, and receiving a service response corresponding to the service request.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of core network technology, and in particular to an orchestration and management method and apparatus, network equipment, program products, and storage media. Background Technology

[0002] In network design, a Distributed Autonomous Network (DAN) architecture is proposed for the 6th Generation Mobile Networks (6G) standard. It comprises three core characteristics: distributed architecture, network autonomy, and self-contained units. The DAN network architecture consists of distributed Small Cloud Units (SCUs) and their related protocols. The SCU is the most critical module (basic unit) constituting the DAN architecture. However, research on SCU cluster management is still lacking. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an orchestration management method and apparatus, network equipment, program product, and storage medium.

[0004] The orchestration management method provided in this application is applied to a first SCU, which has an SCU agent function; the method includes:

[0005] The SCU agent function sends orchestration requests to the orchestration management node and receives orchestration responses corresponding to the orchestration requests sent by the orchestration management node.

[0006] Based on the orchestration response, a service request is sent to the second SCU, and the corresponding service response is received.

[0007] The orchestration management method provided in this application is applied to an orchestration management node, and the method includes:

[0008] The system receives an orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function and sends an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein, the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

[0009] The orchestration management device provided in this application is applied to a first SCU, the first SCU having an SCU agent function; the device includes:

[0010] The first communication unit is used to send an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function and receive the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node; based on the orchestration response, it sends a service request to the second SCU and receives the service response corresponding to the service request.

[0011] The orchestration management device provided in this application is applied to an orchestration management node, and the device includes:

[0012] The second communication unit is used to receive the orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, and send the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

[0013] The network device provided in this application includes a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store computer programs, and the processor being used to call and run the computer programs stored in the memory to execute any of the above-described orchestration and management methods.

[0014] This application provides a computer program product comprising: a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements any of the methods described above.

[0015] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application is used to store a computer program that causes a computer to perform any of the methods described above.

[0016] In the technical solution of this application, the first SCU sends an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function and receives the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node; based on the orchestration response, it sends a service request to the second SCU and receives the service response corresponding to the service request. Thus, by using the SCU proxy function and the orchestration management node to achieve orchestration management of the SCU cluster, the utilization efficiency of the SCU is improved for service processing. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall logical architecture of 6G provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an SCU cluster deployment configuration that includes only core network capabilities, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the minimum set of the 6G core network provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a 6G DAN network provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 ;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 4 ;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the programming management device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the programming management device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0027] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 12 This is a schematic structural diagram of the chip according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] In the following description, references are made to “some implementations”, which describe a subset of all possible implementations. However, it is understood that “some implementations” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible implementations and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0031] It should also be noted that the terms "first" and "second" used in the embodiments of this application are only used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific order of objects. It is understood that "first" and "second" can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0032] In this document, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. It should also be understood that "instruction" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a direct instruction, an indirect instruction, or an indication of a related relationship. For example, A instructing B can mean that A directly instructs B, for example, B can be obtained through A; it can also mean that A indirectly instructs B, for example, A instructs C, B can be obtained through C; or it can mean that there is a related relationship between A and B. It should also be understood that "correspondence" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can indicate a direct or indirect correspondence between two things, or an related relationship between two things, or an instruction and being instructed, configuration and being configured, etc. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the term "protocol" can refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as the NR protocol and related protocols applied to future communication systems; this application does not limit this.

[0033] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the relevant technologies of the embodiments of this application are described below. The following relevant technologies are optional solutions and can be combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application in any way, and they all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0034] In some technologies, the latest research results on the development drivers, design concepts, overall design, system design, and networking design of 6G network architecture are presented. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall logical architecture of 6G provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 1As shown, the overall design of the 6G network architecture outlines a "three-body, four-layer, five-face" logical architecture. The three bodies include the Network Body, the Management Orchestration Body, and the Digital Twin Body. The four layers include the Resource and Computing Power Layer, the Routing and Connection Layer, the Service-Based Network Function Layer, and the Exposure Layer. The five faces include the Control Plane, the User Plane, the Data Plane, the Intelligence Plane / Computing Plane, and the Security Plane.

[0035] In network design, a Distributed Autonomous Network (DAN) architecture is proposed for 6G network design. It includes three core characteristics: distributed, network autonomy, and self-contained units. The DAN network architecture consists of distributed Small Cloud Units (SCUs) and their related protocols. The SCU is the most critical module (basic unit) constituting the DAN architecture. The characteristics of the SCU include, but are not limited to: 1) A consistent organizational framework, encompassing the aforementioned "four layers and five aspects" capabilities. The service-oriented functional layer is organized and communicates according to a Holistic Service-Based Architecture (HSBA) architecture, possessing the ability to locally complete data and signaling processing, achieving efficient network response. 2) On-demand customization; its infrastructure specifications, connection protocols, service-oriented capabilities, and open capabilities can all be customized according to scenario requirements. 3) It possesses autonomous capabilities, enabling unmanned management, autonomous operation, automatic perception of environmental changes, and real-time network adjustments to meet diverse and differentiated business needs; 4) SCUs have two potential deployment forms: one containing only core network capabilities, and the other integrating access and core networks; 5) SCUs have three networking forms: ring networking, star networking, and hybrid networking. In star networking mode... Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an SCU cluster deployment configuration that includes only core network capabilities, provided in an embodiment of this application. Each SCU can be simply understood as a minimal 6G core network set. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the minimum set of the 6G core network provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 The network elements, devices, and protocols involved include: Unified Data Management (UDM), Unified Data Repository (UDR), Unstructured Data Storage Function (UDSF), Policy Control function (PCF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Network Repository Function (NRF), Service Communication Proxy (SCP), User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), User Plane Function (UPF), Data Network (DN), Non-Access Stratum (NAS), Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP), and User-level GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GPRS). The core network devices include the Tunnelling Protocol for the User Plane (GTP-U), the Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP), and the Internet Protocol (IP). During network evolution, these core network devices may also be called by other names, or new network entities may be formed by dividing the core network functions; this application embodiment does not impose restrictions on this. As the network evolves, the names of the above protocols may also change; this application embodiment does not impose restrictions on this.

[0036] However, existing solutions lack research on overall management and scheduling schemes for SCU clusters, such as SCU status monitoring and capability monitoring. They also lack management interaction processes between nodes in a distributed architecture, and mechanisms for dynamically selecting the SCU's central node, load balancing, and computing power optimization. Therefore, the following technical solutions, as proposed in this application, are presented.

[0037] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions of this application are described in detail below through specific embodiments. The above-mentioned related technologies are optional solutions and can be arbitrarily combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, all of which fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. The embodiments of this application include at least some of the following contents.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 This is applied to the first SCU, which has SCU proxy functionality; such as... Figure 4 As shown, the orchestration management method includes the following steps:

[0039] Step 401: Send an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU agent function, and receive the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node.

[0040] Step 402: Send a service request to the second SCU based on the orchestration response, and receive the service response corresponding to the service request.

[0041] In some implementations, the first SCU has an SCU proxy function. It can be an independent network element, shared with some other SCU network elements, or a proxy function added to an existing network element. This application does not specifically limit this. It should be noted that as the network evolves, the name of the SCU proxy function may change, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0042] In some implementations, the SCU agent function of the first SCU includes: acquiring key information of the SCU and registering the SCU with the SCU orchestration management node; collecting new requests from the SCU, including user intelligent computing requests or specific business requests, and forwarding the requests to the SCU orchestration management node for processing. Specific functions can be configured according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0043] In some implementations, the orchestration management node has functions such as SCU network registration, information backup, load balancing (e.g., dynamically allocating the maximum number of access UEs), managing SCU cluster mutual discovery, calculating and invoking key capabilities, and SCU node switching. This orchestration management node can be a newly added independent network element or node, and multiple SCUs can share a single SCU orchestration management node. It should be noted that the name of the orchestration management node may change as the network evolves; this application does not specifically limit this.

[0044] In some implementations, the orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements; the orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

[0045] In some implementations, the orchestration request sent by the first SCU to the orchestration management node may be: a request to obtain current SCU cluster information, a request to obtain current central node information of the SCU cluster, a request to obtain SCU node information with high computing power in the SCU cluster, or a request to obtain SCU node information in the SCU cluster that can handle special services, etc. The specific orchestration request can be determined according to the actual situation, and this application does not impose specific limitations on it. Among them, special services refer to services that can only be handled by a certain SCU node.

[0046] In some implementations, after receiving an orchestration request from the first SCU, the orchestration management node performs tasks such as selecting the SCU cluster center node, selecting SCU cluster computing power nodes, and marking SCU cluster special service processing capability nodes, based on the request content. Specific operations are determined according to the actual orchestration request, and this application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0047] In some implementations, the orchestration response received by the first SCU carries: information about the central node of the current SCU cluster, information about computing power nodes, and information about nodes with special business processing capabilities. The specific orchestration response is determined according to the specific orchestration request, and different information is returned according to different orchestration requests. This application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0048] In some implementations, before the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) sends an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function, the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) sends a registration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function and receives a registration response from the orchestration management node; wherein, the registration request carries key information of the first SCU.

[0049] In some implementations, the key information of the first SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the first SCU, the network element information contained in the first SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the first SCU, the operating environment information of the first SCU, the operating status information of the first SCU, the functional information of the first SCU, the address information of the first SCU, the indication information of whether the first SCU can be discovered, the role information of the first SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of user equipment (UE) connected to the first SCU.

[0050] In some implementations, the functional information of the first SCU includes the current computing power information of the SCU.

[0051] In some implementations, the key information of the first SCU can be represented in a table or in other forms, and this application does not make any specific limitation on this.

[0052] In some implementations, sending a service request to a second SCU based on an orchestration response includes: sending a service request to a second SCU based on information about the SCU specified in the orchestration response, wherein the SCU specified in the orchestration response is the second SCU.

[0053] The technical solution provided in this application embodiment sends an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function and receives the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node; based on the orchestration response, it sends a service request to the second SCU and receives the service response corresponding to the service request. In this way, by utilizing the SCU proxy function to send orchestration requests and receive orchestration responses, the needs of various service processing can be met according to the responses, completing the processing of corresponding services and improving the utilization efficiency of the SCU.

[0054] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 It is applied to orchestration management nodes, such as Figure 5 As shown, the orchestration management method includes the following steps:

[0055] Step 501: Receive the orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, and send the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein, the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

[0056] In some implementations, the first SCU has an SCU proxy function. It can be an independent network element, shared with some other SCU network elements, or a proxy function added to an existing network element. This application does not specifically limit this. It should be noted that as the network evolves, the name of the SCU proxy function may change, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0057] In some implementations, the SCU agent function of the first SCU includes: acquiring key information of the SCU and registering the SCU with the SCU orchestration management node; collecting new requests from the SCU, including user intelligent computing requests or specific business requests, and forwarding the requests to the SCU orchestration management node for processing. Specific functions can be configured according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0058] In some implementations, the orchestration management node has functions such as SCU network registration, information backup, load balancing (e.g., dynamically allocating the maximum number of access UEs), SCU cluster mutual discovery, critical capability calculation and invocation, and SCU node switching. This orchestration management node can be a newly added independent network element or node, and multiple SCUs can share a single SCU orchestration management node. It should be noted that the name of the orchestration management node may change as the network evolves; this application does not specifically limit its name in this regard.

[0059] In some implementations, the orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements; the orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

[0060] In some implementations, the orchestration request received by the orchestration management node may be: a request to obtain current SCU cluster information, a request to obtain current SCU cluster central node information, a request to obtain SCU node information with high computing power in the SCU cluster, or a request to obtain SCU node information in the SCU cluster capable of handling special services, etc. The specific orchestration request can be determined according to the actual situation, and this application does not impose specific limitations on it. Among them, special services refer to services that can only be handled by a certain SCU node.

[0061] In some implementations, after receiving an orchestration request from the first SCU, the orchestration management node performs tasks such as selecting the SCU cluster center node, selecting SCU cluster computing power nodes, and marking SCU cluster special service processing capability nodes, based on the request content. Specific operations are determined according to the actual orchestration request, and this application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0062] In some implementations, after receiving an orchestration management request, the orchestration management node returns an orchestration response, which carries information about the current SCU cluster's central node, computing power nodes, and nodes with special business processing capabilities. The specific orchestration response is determined based on different requests, and different information is returned depending on the request. This application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0063] In some implementations, before the orchestration management node receives the orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, the orchestration management node receives the registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function respectively, and sends registration responses to each of the N SCUs, where N is a positive integer; wherein, the registration request sent by the i-th SCU among the N SCUs carries the key information of the i-th SCU, where i is a positive integer less than or equal to N.

[0064] In some implementations, the settings and functions of the SCU proxy function for each of the N SCUs are as described in the proxy function of the first SCU, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] In some implementations, the key information of the i-th SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the i-th SCU, the network element information contained in the i-th SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the i-th SCU, the operating environment information of the i-th SCU, the operating status information of the i-th SCU, the functional information of the i-th SCU, the address information of the i-th SCU, the indication information of whether the i-th SCU can be discovered, the role information of the i-th SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of UEs accessed by the i-th SCU.

[0066] In some implementations, the functional information of the i-th SCU includes the current computing power information of the SCU.

[0067] In some implementations, the key information of the i-th SCU can be represented by a table or other forms, and this application does not make any specific limitation on this.

[0068] In some implementations, after the orchestration management node receives registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function, it calculates the capabilities of the N SCUs based on the key information of the N SCUs; based on the capabilities of the N SCUs, it generates or updates an SCU form, which records the capabilities of the N SCUs.

[0069] In some implementations, the capabilities of the SCU include one or more of the following: the SCU's load capacity, the SCU's computing power, and the SCU's status information.

[0070] In some implementations, after the orchestration management node receives registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function, the orchestration management node processes the registration requests, including processing key information. For example, it filters out key information, calculates the load capacity, computing power, status information, etc. of the SCUs, and then updates its own SCU form.

[0071] The technical solution provided in this application embodiment receives an orchestration request sent by a first SCU through the SCU proxy function, and sends an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein, the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to a second SCU. In this way, the orchestration management node can obtain nodes that meet the needs of various services by receiving orchestration requests and sending corresponding responses, realize the overall management and scheduling of the SCU cluster, and thus realize service processing, improving the utilization efficiency of SCU.

[0072] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application are illustrated below with specific application examples.

[0073] Based on the foregoing embodiments, this application proposes an SCU orchestration and management method or system based on a 6G distributed architecture to address the above-mentioned problems and improve the self-organization and self-management capabilities of 6G SCUs. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a 6G DAN network provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 6 As shown, based on the existing SCU network element architecture, a new SCU orchestration management node, hereinafter referred to as the "orchestration management node," is added. This node possesses functions such as SCU network registration, information backup, load balancing (e.g., dynamically allocating the maximum number of access UEs), SCU cluster mutual discovery management, key capability calculation and invocation, and SCU node switching. This orchestration management node can be a newly added independent network element or node, and multiple SCUs can share a single SCU orchestration management node. Based on the existing SCU network element architecture, an SCU registration agent (hereinafter referred to as SCU-RA) is added to each independent SCU. The SCU-RA can be an independent network element, shared with certain SCU network elements, or a newly added agent function on an existing network element. The registration agent carries all key information of the SCU (SCU-Key-Info), including network element information contained in the SCU, network element operating status, SCU operating environment information, SCU network status, and UE-related information accessing the SCU. SCU-RA has two main functions: it is responsible for acquiring key information about the SCU and registering the SCU with the SCU orchestration management node; it is also responsible for collecting new requests from the SCU, including user intelligent computing requests or specific business requests, and forwarding these requests to the SCU orchestration management node for processing. Based on this, the orchestration management method provided by the embodiments of this application will be further described.

[0074] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management node method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 . Figure 7 The nodes included are: SCU-RA of SCU1, SCU-RA of SCU2, SCU-RA of SCU3, and the SCU orchestration management node. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the orchestration management method includes:

[0075] Step 701: After SCU-RA starts, collect key information of SCU and populate Key-lnfo.

[0076] Each SCU-RA obtains key information about its SCU, such as network element information, SCU operating environment information, and current computing power information. It maintains the SCU-Key-Info of the SCU. For example, the format of the key-Info can be as shown in Table 1.

[0077] Table 1 Key-Info Format

[0078]

[0079]

[0080] Step 702: SCU-RA sends a registration request to the SCU orchestration management node, carrying the Key-lnfo.

[0081] Each SCU-RA carries the SCU's Key-Info information and sends a registration request to the SCU orchestration management node.

[0082] Step 703: The SCU orchestration management node returns a registration success response and processes the registration request.

[0083] The SCU orchestration management node sends a registration success response to the SCU-RA.

[0084] Step 704: Registration request processing.

[0085] The SCU orchestration management node processes registration requests, including processing Key-Info information, filtering key information, calculating SCU load capacity, computing power, status information, etc., and then updating its own SCU form (SCU-Capacity-List). For example, the format of the SCU-Capacity-List can be as shown in Table 2.

[0086] Table 2 SCU-Capacity-List Format

[0087] SCU-ID SCU - Status Information SCU - Load Capacity SCU - Computing Capacity ...... 1 2 3

[0088] Step 705: SCU-RA sends an orchestration request (e.g., to find a central node, to find computing power nodes, to find special business processing nodes, etc.).

[0089] SCU-RA sends orchestration requests to the SCU orchestration management node, such as requesting to obtain current SCU cluster information, obtain current SCU cluster central node information, obtain SCU node information with high computing power in the SCU cluster, obtain SCU node information in the SCU cluster that can handle special services, etc.

[0090] Step 706: The SCU orchestration management node processes orchestration requests (computes central nodes or returns information on existing central nodes, computes computing power nodes, and queries information on nodes with special capabilities).

[0091] After receiving the SCU-RA request, the SCU orchestration management node performs tasks such as selecting the SCU cluster center node, selecting SCU cluster computing power nodes, and marking SCU cluster special business processing capability nodes according to the request content.

[0092] Step 707: The SCU orchestration management node returns an orchestration response.

[0093] The SCU orchestration management node returns an orchestration response, which may carry information about the current SCU cluster's central node, computing power nodes, and nodes with special business processing capabilities. Different information is returned depending on the request.

[0094] Step 708: The SCU node performs business requests based on the orchestration response and performs corresponding business processing.

[0095] After receiving the orchestration response, the SCU node that issued the request will perform the corresponding business request and business processing.

[0096] The method provided in this application adds an SCU registration agent and an SCU orchestration management node. The SCU registration agent is used to report relevant key information of the SCU, and the SCU orchestration management node is used to manage SCU cluster mutual discovery, information synchronization, load sharing, key capability calculation and invocation, etc. (different from network elements that only manage registration information). Through the interaction process between the SCU registration agent and the SCU orchestration management node in the 6G distributed autonomous network, the overall management and scheduling of the SCU cluster is realized, and the mechanisms for dynamically selecting the SCU central node, load balancing, and computing power optimization are dynamically implemented, thereby improving the self-organization and self-management capabilities of 6G SCU.

[0097] Based on the foregoing embodiments, Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the orchestration management method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 4 . Figure 8The nodes and devices included are: SCU-RA of SCU1, SCU-RA of SCU2, SCU-RA of SCU3, SCU-RA of SCU4, SCU orchestration and management node, UE RAN, and Intelligent Computing Function (ICF). The interaction process by which the current SCU obtains an SCU with intelligent computing capabilities and retrieves those capabilities is as follows: Figure 8 As shown.

[0098] Step 801: Initiate a registration application with Key-Info.

[0099] All SCUs register with the SCU orchestration management node via the SCU-RA agent, carrying Key-Info information, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the SCU-RA of SCU1, SCU-RA of SCU2, SCU-RA of SCU3 and SCU-RA of SCU4 are registered to the SCU orchestration management node with their respective SCU Key-Info.

[0100] Step 802: Request to invoke intelligent computing capabilities.

[0101] The UE RAN node connected to SCU1 requests the core network where it resides to invoke intelligent computing capabilities.

[0102] Step 803: Query Key-lnfo to check if there are network elements or nodes with intelligent computing capabilities.

[0103] SCU1 queries Key-Info information through SCU-RA and discovers that it does not possess intelligent computing capabilities.

[0104] Step 804: Send a request to the SCU orchestration management node to obtain nodes or network elements with intelligent computing capabilities.

[0105] SCU1 requests the SCU orchestration management node to obtain information about nodes with intelligent computing capabilities.

[0106] Step 805: The SCU orchestration management node calculates the status information, load capacity, and computing power of the registered SCUs from their Key-Info information, and selects suitable SCU nodes according to the request information. The SCU orchestration management node calculates and updates the SCU-Capacity-List based on the Key-Info information of the registered SCUs, and selects SCU nodes with intelligent computing capabilities that meet the request. The SCU-Capacity-List includes the SCU's status information, load capacity, computing power, etc.

[0107] Step 806: The SCU orchestration management node returns SCU information with intelligent computing capabilities and the corresponding intelligent computing node network element information.

[0108] The SCU orchestration management node returns information about SCU nodes with intelligent computing capabilities and corresponding network element information, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the example assumes SCU4 and its Intelligent Computing Function (ICF), which returns SCU4 node information and SCU4's intelligent computing function information.

[0109] Step 807: Send a request to the SCU with intelligent computing capabilities to invoke its intelligent computing capabilities.

[0110] SCU1 sends an intelligent computing request to the ICF of SCU4.

[0111] Step 808: Return the intelligent calculation results.

[0112] After completing the intelligent calculation, SCU4's ICF returns the calculation result to SCU1.

[0113] Specifically, in step 805, the process of the orchestration management node acquiring SCU computing power is as follows:

[0114] The SCU computing power calculation process is as follows:

[0115] 1) The SCU orchestration management node obtains the following information about all SCUs:

[0116]

[0117]

[0118]

[0119] 2) After receiving the information reported by each SCU, the SCU orchestration management node finds the nodes involved in computation (here, ICF network elements) and the idle load of the SCU (here, SCU-Idle-Load), as shown in the following list:

[0120] SCU1:{ICF:Tensorflow,Caffe,Keras,Sklearn,SCU-be-Discovered:No,SCU-Idle-Load:20}

[0121] SCU2:{ICF:Tensorflow, Caffe, Keras, Sklearn,SCU-be-Discovered:Yes,SCU-Idle-Load:20}

[0122] SCU3:{ICF:Tensorflow, Caffe, Keras, Sklearn,SCU-be-Discovered:Yes,SCU-Idle-Load:40}

[0123] SCU4:{SCU-be-Discovered:Yes,SCU-Idle-Load:40}

[0124] 3) The SCU orchestration management node obtains information through the filtering in step 2. Suppose we want to find SCUs with Sklearn computing capabilities. The SCU orchestration management node will first find discoverable SCUs from the list, check whether they have intelligent computing nodes, and then check whether the intelligent computing nodes have Sklearn framework computing capabilities. The query finds that only SCU2 and SCU3 meet the requirements.

[0125] 4) Based on the results of step 3, the idle load SCU-Idle-Load of SCU2 and SCU3 is compared. It is found that the idle load SCU-Idle-Load of SCU3 is larger, indicating that the current computing power of SCU3 is stronger.

[0126] 5) Based on the result of step 4, return the SCU3 access address SCU-Ad:127.0.0.3 to the requesting node.

[0127] 6) The business request node (the node that wants to obtain Sklearn's computing power) requests SCU3 to obtain the corresponding computing power and perform the corresponding business calculations.

[0128] The method provided in this application adds an SCU registration agent and an SCU orchestration management node. The SCU registration agent is used to report relevant key information of the SCU, and the SCU orchestration management node is used to manage SCU cluster mutual discovery, information synchronization, load sharing, key capability calculation and invocation, etc. (different from network elements that only manage registration information). Through the interaction process between the SCU registration agent and the SCU orchestration management node in the 6G distributed autonomous network, the process of SCU calling the computing capabilities of other SCUs is realized, which improves the self-organization and self-management capabilities of 6G SCUs.

[0129] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the programming management device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 This is applied to the first micro-cloud unit (SCU), which has an SCU proxy function; such as... Figure 9 As shown, the scheduling management device 900 includes:

[0130] The first communication unit 901 is used to send an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function, and receive the orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node; based on the orchestration response, it sends a service request to the second SCU, and receives the service response corresponding to the service request.

[0131] In some implementations, before sending an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function, the first communication unit 901 is used to send a registration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function and receive a registration response sent by the orchestration management node; wherein, the registration request carries key information of the first SCU.

[0132] In some implementations, the key information of the first SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the first SCU, the network element information contained in the first SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the first SCU, the operating environment information of the first SCU, the operating status information of the first SCU, the functional information of the first SCU, the address information of the first SCU, the indication information of whether the first SCU can be discovered, the role information of the first SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of user equipment (UE) connected to the first SCU.

[0133] In some implementations, the orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements; the orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

[0134] In some implementations, the first communication unit 901 is configured to send a service request to a second SCU based on information of a specified SCU carried in the orchestration response, wherein the specified SCU is the second SCU.

[0135] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 9 The functions of each unit in the arrangement management device shown can be understood by referring to the relevant description of the aforementioned method. Figure 9 The functions of each unit in the arrangement management device shown can be implemented by a program running on a processor or by specific logic circuits.

[0136] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the programming management device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 It is applied to orchestration management nodes, such as Figure 10 As shown, the scheduling management device 1000 includes:

[0137] The second communication unit 1001 is used to receive an orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, and send an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

[0138] In some implementations, before receiving the orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, the second communication unit 1001 is used to receive the registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function respectively, and send registration responses to the N SCUs respectively, where N is a positive integer; wherein, the registration request sent by the i-th SCU among the N SCUs carries the key information of the i-th SCU, where i is a positive integer less than or equal to N.

[0139] In some implementations, the key information of the i-th SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the i-th SCU, the network element information contained in the i-th SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the i-th SCU, the operating environment information of the i-th SCU, the operating status information of the i-th SCU, the functional information of the i-th SCU, the address information of the i-th SCU, the indication information of whether the i-th SCU can be discovered, the role information of the i-th SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of UEs accessed by the i-th SCU.

[0140] In some embodiments, after receiving registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function, the device 1000 further includes: a first processing unit 1002; the first processing unit 1002 is used to calculate the capabilities of the N SCUs based on the key information of the N SCUs; and to generate or update an SCU form based on the capabilities of the N SCUs, the SCU form being used to record the capabilities of the N SCUs.

[0141] In some implementations, the capabilities of the SCU include one or more of the following: the SCU's load capacity, the SCU's computing power, and the SCU's status information.

[0142] In some implementations, the orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements; the orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

[0143] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 10 The functions of each unit in the arrangement management device shown can be understood by referring to the relevant description of the aforementioned method. Figure 10 The functions of each unit in the arrangement management device shown can be implemented by a program running on a processor or by specific logic circuits.

[0144] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a network device 1100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The network device can be a first micro-cloud unit (SCU) or an orchestration and management node. Figure 11 The network device 1100 shown includes a processor 1110, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0145] Optionally, such as Figure 11 As shown, the network device 1100 may further include a memory 1120. The processor 1110 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 1120 to implement the methods described in this embodiment.

[0146] The memory 1120 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1110, or it can be integrated into the processor 1110.

[0147] Optionally, such as Figure 11 As shown, the network device 1100 may also include a transceiver 1130, and the processor 1110 may control the transceiver 1130 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, it may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0148] The transceiver 1130 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1130 may further include an antenna, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0149] Optionally, the network device 1100 may specifically be the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the embodiments of this application, and the network device 1100 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0150] Optionally, the network device 1100 may specifically be an orchestration management node in the embodiments of this application, and the network device 1100 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the orchestration management node in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0151] Figure 12 This is a schematic structural diagram of the chip according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 12 The chip 1200 shown includes a processor 1210, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0152] Optionally, such as Figure 12As shown, chip 1200 may further include memory 1220. Processor 1210 can retrieve and run computer programs from memory 1220 to implement the methods described in this embodiment.

[0153] The memory 1220 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1210, or it can be integrated into the processor 1210.

[0154] Optionally, the chip 1200 may also include an input interface 1230. The processor 1210 can control the input interface 1230 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can acquire information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0155] Optionally, the chip 1200 may also include an output interface 1240. The processor 1210 can control the output interface 1240 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, to output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0156] Optionally, the chip can be applied to the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the embodiments of this application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0157] Optionally, the chip can be applied to the orchestration management node in the embodiments of this application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the orchestration management node in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0158] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0159] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, the steps of the above method embodiments can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor described above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. The storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0160] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0161] It should be understood that the above-described memory is exemplary and not a limiting description. For example, the memory in the embodiments of this application may also be static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DR RAM), etc. That is to say, the memory in the embodiments of this application is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0162] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program.

[0163] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the embodiments of this application, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the corresponding processes implemented by the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0164] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the orchestration management node in the embodiments of this application, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the corresponding processes implemented by the orchestration management node in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0165] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs.

[0166] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the first micro-cloud unit (SCU) in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0167] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the orchestration management node in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the orchestration management node in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0168] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0169] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0170] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0171] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0172] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0173] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0174] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A scheduling and management method, characterized in that, Applied to a first micro-cloud unit (SCU), the first SCU having an SCU proxy function; the method includes: The SCU proxy function sends orchestration requests to the orchestration management node and receives orchestration responses corresponding to the orchestration requests sent by the orchestration management node. Based on the orchestration response, a service request is sent to the second SCU, and a service response corresponding to the service request is received.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before sending the orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function, the method further includes: The SCU proxy function sends a registration request to the orchestration management node and receives a registration response from the orchestration management node; wherein the registration request carries key information of the first SCU.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The key information of the first SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the first SCU, the network element information contained in the first SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the first SCU, the operating environment information of the first SCU, the operating status information of the first SCU, the functional information of the first SCU, the address information of the first SCU, the indication information of whether the first SCU can be discovered, the role information of the first SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of user equipment (UE) connected to the first SCU.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements. The orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster to which the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Sending a service request to the second SCU based on the orchestration response includes: Based on the SCU information of the specified requirements carried in the orchestration response, a service request is sent to the second SCU, where the SCU of the specified requirements is the second SCU.

6. A scheduling and management method, characterized in that, Applied to orchestration management nodes, the method includes: The system receives an orchestration request sent by a first SCU through the SCU proxy function and sends an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Before receiving the orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, the method further includes: Receive registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function, and send registration responses to each of the N SCUs, where N is a positive integer; wherein, the registration request sent by the i-th SCU among the N SCUs carries the key information of the i-th SCU, where i is a positive integer less than or equal to N.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The key information of the i-th SCU includes one or more of the following: the identification information of the i-th SCU, the network element information contained in the i-th SCU, the list of network elements in operation in the i-th SCU, the operating environment information of the i-th SCU, the operating status information of the i-th SCU, the functional information of the i-th SCU, the address information of the i-th SCU, the indication information of whether the i-th SCU can be discovered, the role information of the i-th SCU in the SCU cluster, and the number of UEs accessed by the i-th SCU.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, After receiving the registration requests sent by N SCUs through the SCU proxy function, the method further includes: Based on the key information of the N SCUs, calculate the capabilities of the N SCUs; Based on the capabilities of the N SCUs, generate or update an SCU form, which records the capabilities of the N SCUs.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The capabilities of the SCU include one or more of the following: the load capacity of the SCU, the computing power of the SCU, and the status information of the SCU.

11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that, The orchestration request is used to request information about the SCU cluster where the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements. The orchestration response carries information about the SCU cluster to which the first SCU is located and / or information about the SCUs in the SCU cluster that meet the specified requirements.

12. A scheduling and management device, characterized in that, The device is applied to a first micro-cloud unit (SCU), which has an SCU proxy function; the device includes: The first communication unit is configured to send an orchestration request to the orchestration management node through the SCU proxy function, and receive an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request sent by the orchestration management node; based on the orchestration response, it sends a service request to the second SCU, and receives a service response corresponding to the service request.

13. A scheduling and management device, characterized in that, The device, applied to an orchestration management node, includes: The second communication unit is used to receive an orchestration request sent by the first SCU through the SCU proxy function, and to send an orchestration response corresponding to the orchestration request to the first SCU; wherein the orchestration response is used by the first SCU to send a service request to the second SCU.

14. A network device, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for calling and running the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A computer program product, characterized in that, include: A computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

16. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store a computer program that causes a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images