METHOD FOR DIMENSIONING THE ELECTRICAL POWER RESERVED BY BASE STATIONS

Description

Background of the invention

[0001] This description relates to the field of telecommunications networks and, more specifically, to methods and devices for dimensioning reserved electrical power for base stations connected to a network infrastructure.

[0002] Today's telecommunications networks implement radio sites that include various types of equipment and offer fixed, wireless, and mobile communication services. This equipment includes antennas, computers, and networked servers. In particular, this equipment is electrically powered and configured to meet the quality of service requirements of telecommunications operators.

[0003] However, the constant increase in data rates required by users of telecommunications networks means that the electrical power consumption of the base stations of these networks is always higher. In addition, this consumption may vary over time due to events, planned or not, as well as depending on the geographical location of the mobile terminals of the users that connect to these base stations.

[0004] Currently, it is difficult to configure base stations and base station equipment to meet needs that can change suddenly and significantly.

[0005] For example, a geographically isolated radio site may be suddenly called upon during the organization of a one-off social event organized nearby, for example a music festival organized on the periphery of the geographical coverage of a telecommunications operator, and during which a large number of users wish to establish communications, which places a strain on the radio site beyond its usual and normally planned capacity.

[0006] To take into account a sudden and possibly significant variation in the load of base stations, techniques are known for dimensioning the electrical power supplied to base stations.

[0007] An example of a known sizing technique involves assessing the average power consumption of a radio site, adding to this assessment the amount of load that can be provided by means of possible power batteries to power this radio site, and possibly including an additional margin that depends on power levels.

[0008] This type of dimensioning technique makes it possible to approximately evaluate the electrical power reserved for a base station. It is recalled here that an electrical power reserved by a set of base stations is defined as being the corresponding power capacity that can be made available by the manager of these base stations in order to satisfy a given demand in a limited time interval.

[0009] Thus, most of the electrical systems that comprise these base stations are designed so that, under normal operating conditions, the power reserve is always at least equal to the capacity of the largest generator.

[0010] The sizing of the reserved electrical power therefore makes it possible to limit the electrical consumption of a system by imposing a power threshold lower than or equal to a given value. This also makes it possible to ensure that the entire electrical power allocated to the base station is not used, possibly to be shared or redirected elsewhere.

[0011] However, known techniques have many drawbacks, particularly during significant or unforeseen demands. To overcome this, the reserved electrical power is generally oversized to ensure sufficient margin.

[0012] For example, a power plant may be designed to supply electrical power to two radio sites. Consequently, the power that the plant must be capable of delivering must be greater than or equal to the sum of the maximum powers consumed by these two radio sites. In particular, the plant will be sizing so that the reserved electrical power is equal to the sum of the maximum powers consumed by each of the two radio sites.

[0013] However, such oversizing implies that the distribution of electrical power between one or more base stations is neither optimally nor flexibly distributed between each of the base stations. This is the case, in particular, in the event of a sudden increase or decrease in the electrical power consumed by one or more of the base stations at the same time, for example due to a corresponding increase or decrease in network traffic handled by a plurality of base stations.

[0014] Furthermore, known sizing techniques do not allow for the best distribution of the reserved electrical power, and are not applicable in practice for base stations comprising a large number of devices.

[0015] In addition, oversizing imposes additional constraints in terms of the resources used by these base stations, or when the associated infrastructure is of low capacity. For example, the size of the base station power batteries must also be oversized, which implies a larger footprint. Similarly, the electrical cables used to connect a power plant to base stations must also be oversized to allow the associated power to flow, and therefore avoid problematic heating due to the Joule effect.

[0016] This also poses various problems of waste of materials and energy, and of resource allocation in general.

[0017] Since it is not necessary to constantly supply oversized electrical power to base stations, there is a need for methods and devices that allow more flexibility in how to power base stations, and in particular to manage the distribution of electrical power between several radio sites.

[0018] There is also a need for methods and devices to optimize the quality of service provided by the operators of these base stations, in particular to reduce the amount of resources used by them, to limit the amount of energy consumed, to avoid wasting resources.

[0019] US 2018 / 349195 A1 discloses a method and a system for optimizing the scaling of an application comprising a set of virtual machines. To this end, D1 anticipates the adaptation of high and low threshold values ​​associated with internal performance indicators (system key performance indicators), the detection of an exceeding of these thresholds triggering a scaling action (scale-in or scale-out). Values ​​of external performance indicators (external key performance indicators) then make it possible to evaluate the effect of such a scaling action. Scaling within the meaning of D1 may then include the adaptation of a number of virtual machines or of a quantity of resources allocated to a virtual machine.

[0020] WO 2015 / 126430 A1 relates to a method for managing virtual functions of a network infrastructure of an NFV architecture as defined by ETSI.

[0021] US 2018 / 165167 A1 relates to a method for managing a network virtualization policy.

[0022] The present disclosure is intended to provide improvements over the state of the art. Subject matter and summary of the invention

[0023] The invention is set forth in the attached set of claims.

[0024] The methods and devices for powering base stations, and in particular base stations used in the field of telecommunications networks, therefore require new dimensioning techniques to achieve better performance levels.

[0025] In order to improve the situation and to address the drawbacks described above, there is proposed according to a first object of the present invention, a method according to claim 1.

[0026] As used herein, a virtualization manager is, generally, a device configured to be able to guarantee the power supply of base stations in the event of a shutdown or interruption in the supply of electrical power to these base stations, or in the event of an overload caused by a peak in demand.

[0027] Typically, the reserved electrical power can be sized to provide sufficient power to the equipment of these base stations, and in particular their computer servers.

[0028] In this document, a base station is any equipment installed on a radio site and equipped with a transceiver antenna with which mobile terminals can communicate, for example to access a telecommunications network. Generally speaking, a base station allows all terminals present in the geographical area covered by the base station to connect to the network.

[0029] As used herein, a computing resource is a resource that can be consumed or provided by a computing device. For example, a computer server is a piece of hardware capable of providing computing resources to a base station to which it is connected.

[0030] In this document, a distinction is made between physical computing resources and virtual computing resources. Without limitation, a physical computing resource is a computing, storage, network or energy resource provided by a physical server. A virtual computing resource is any computing resource that can be moved and / or shared between several computing devices, and is such that these devices do not have direct information on either the origin or the destination of this resource. A virtual computing resource can also be computing, storage, network or energy, and can thus generally include files, connections to the network infrastructure, memory areas, etc.

[0031] In this document, the term "network" refers to various types of networks, including telecommunications networks and data communications networks, whether they provide fixed or mobile services. The term "network" also refers to any network service operating on a network infrastructure in which virtual functions are deployed. In other words, the implementations described herein can be applied also in the case of network infrastructures using one or more dedicated hardware elements in the form of physical functions of the PNF type (or "Physical Network Function" in English).

[0032] In a non-limiting manner, the method applies to the dimensioning of an electrical power reserved by several current base stations among the plurality of base stations connected to the virtualization manager of the network infrastructure. Thus, it is possible to simultaneously configure several computer servers of several base stations at the same time.

[0033] Thus, the method of the first object makes it possible to adjust the dimensioning of the electrical power reserved by base stations according to several criteria, including the maximum electrical power that can be delivered by an electrical power supply device supplying all the base stations and the electrical power used by each of the base stations.

[0034] Thus, the reserved electrical power can be distributed between at least one current base station and one or more of the other base stations that comprise the plurality.

[0035] In a particular embodiment, the configuration of said at least one computer server comprises a shutdown of the computer server, and the control of said at least one virtual computer resource comprises a release, by a control module that the virtualization manager comprises, of the at least one virtual computer resource.

[0036] Herein, the computer server to be shut down is initially activated and in the operating phase, or in the standby phase.

[0037] This makes it possible to reduce the reserved electrical power and its sizing. This makes it possible to recover electrical power from a subset of base stations by switching off or putting one or more servers in this subset of base stations, for example radio stations, into standby mode.

[0038] This allows the electrical power to be distributed between several base stations by reducing the electrical power reserved by at least one current base station.

[0039] In a particular embodiment, the dimensioning request comprises a request to reduce the reserved electrical power, said reduction request being sent by an electrical power control device to an environmental control module that the virtualization manager comprises, said electrical power control device being connected to the at least one current base station.

[0040] Thus, it is possible to automate the implementation of a dimensioning of a power reserved by a plurality of base stations based on knowledge of the electrical powers reserved and / or consumed by one or other of these base stations.

[0041] In a possible alternative embodiment, the dimensioning request comprises a request to reduce the electrical power consumed by the at least one current base station.

[0042] In another possible embodiment, the dimensioning request comprises a notification indicating that a power consumed by a base station of the plurality is less than the electrical power reserved by said at least one current base station.

[0043] In a particular embodiment, the release of the at least one virtual computing resource comprises, upon shutdown of the computer server, a deletion of at least one virtual function in the network infrastructure, said deletion being implemented by a virtual function management module that the virtualization manager comprises.

[0044] Thus, the removal of such a virtual function makes it possible to dimension the electrical power reserved by the plurality of base stations by reducing it.

[0045] Herein, the virtualization of functions in the form of virtual functions (VNF, or "Virtual Network Function", in English) consists of decoupling the network functions from the dedicated physical equipment to deploy the network functions in more or less distributed storage spaces and / or by relying on generic servers.

[0046] Herein, a virtual function comprises a set of software components executable on a server such as a virtual machine (VM), or a container (Container) within the network architecture, which is then said to be virtualized.

[0047] In this document, the term virtual machine also includes the term container. Deploying a network service based on virtual functions therefore involves placing the various components of the virtual functions in virtual machines that have the resources necessary to execute the virtual functions and, consequently, to properly implement the service. These resources, whether computing, storage, networking, or energy resources, are provided by the network infrastructure hosting these virtual machines / containers.

[0048] These virtual functions make it possible to offer improved quality of service and meet the requirements of network functions, such as those relating to telecommunications networks (RAN, or "Radio Access Network"). Thus, it is possible to modify the dimensioning of the electrical power reserved by a base station without affecting the quality of service.

[0049] Additionally, using virtual functions rather than physical functions is advantageous in that it is possible to move these virtual functions within the network infrastructure.

[0050] In a particular embodiment, the configuration of said at least one computer server comprises an activation of the computer server, and the control of said at least one virtual computer resource comprises an allocation, by a control module that the virtualization manager comprises, of the at least one virtual computer resource on the activated computer server.

[0051] In this document, the computer server to be activated is initially switched off.

[0052] In this document, the activation of a computer server may correspond to placing this server in a phase chosen from a standby phase, a start-up phase or a phase switched on in permanent mode.

[0053] Thus, it is possible to increase the reserved electrical power, and therefore its dimensioning. This makes it possible to distribute the electrical power of a subset of base stations by activating one or more servers in this subset of base stations.

[0054] In a particular embodiment, the dimensioning request comprises a notification of an excess of the reserved electrical power, said excess notification being issued by a hypervisor module that the virtualization manager includes, or a notification of an increase in traffic issued by a virtual functions management module that the virtualization manager includes.

[0055] In a possible alternative embodiment, the dimensioning request comprises a notification of an increase in traffic managed by one of the base stations or a request to instantiate a virtual function.

[0056] Herein, said traffic may increase on a virtual function present on a computer server.

[0057] In a particular embodiment, the allocation of the at least one virtual computing resource comprises, upon activation of the computer server, an instantiation of at least one virtual function in the network infrastructure, said instantiation being implemented by a virtual function management module that the virtualization manager comprises.

[0058] Thus, the instantiation of the at least one virtual function makes it possible to dimension the electrical power reserved by the plurality of base stations, since this instance of virtual function typically consumes electrical energy.

[0059] In a particular embodiment, the at least one virtual computing resource is a virtual electrical power computing resource comprising a component selected from a computing component, a storage component, a memory component and a network component.

[0060] In the present document, and for example, a computing resource may be a CPU type resource, a GPU type resource (“Graphics Processing Unit”, in English), a RAM type resource (“Random Access Memory”, in English), a ROM type resource (“Read-Only Memory”, in English) or, in a non-limiting manner, a DISK type resource, the DISK type including the HDD type (“Hard Disk Drive”, in English) and the SDD type resource (“Solid State Drive”, in English).

[0061] This makes it possible to optimize the sizing of the reserved electrical power according to the type of resource allocated, since the electrical power used by each type of resource is different and can change over time.

[0062] According to a second object of the present invention, there is also proposed a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to one of the embodiments of the first object, when said instructions are executed by a processor of a computer processing circuit.

[0063] According to a third object of the present invention, there is also proposed an information storage medium, removable or not, partially or totally readable by a computer or a processor comprising code instructions of a computer program for the execution of each of the steps of the method according to any one of the embodiments of the first object.

[0064] According to a fourth object of the present invention, there is also proposed a virtualization manager of an infrastructure according to claim 11.

[0065] According to a fifth object hereof, there is also proposed a system comprising a virtualization manager according to the fourth object and a plurality of base stations configured to be connected to said virtualization manager. Brief description of the drawings

[0066] Other features, details and advantages will become apparent upon reading the detailed description below, and upon analyzing the attached drawings, in which: [ Fig. 1 ], there figure 1 represents in the form of a flowchart, steps of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a general example of implementation; [ Fig. 2 ], there figure 2, represents a schematic view of a network infrastructure connected to a plurality of base stations according to an exemplary embodiment; [ Fig. 3 ], there figure 3 , represents a schematic view of a connection between a network infrastructure and a technical environment domain according to an exemplary embodiment; [ Fig. 4 ], there figure 4 , represents in the form of a flow diagram steps of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a first embodiment; [ Fig. 5 ], there Figure 5 , represents in the form of a flow diagram steps of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a second embodiment; [ Fig. 6 ], there figure 6 , represents in the form of a flow diagram steps of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a third embodiment; [ Fig. 7 ], there figure 7, represents in the form of a flow diagram steps of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a fourth embodiment; and [ Fig. 8 ], there figure 8 , represents a schematic block diagram of a processing circuit according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0067] Unless otherwise indicated, elements common or similar to several figures bear the same reference signs and have identical or similar characteristics, so that these common elements are generally not described again for the sake of simplicity. Description of the embodiments

[0068] There figure 1represents in the form of a flowchart, steps S1, S2, S3a, S3b and S4 of a method for dimensioning an electrical power reserved by a plurality of base stations according to an exemplary embodiment. These steps are implemented by a virtualization manager of a network infrastructure which is connected to this plurality of base stations, as described hereinafter within the framework of an NFV architecture.

[0069] During step S1, the virtualization manager receives a request to dimension a reserved electrical power. This request informs the manager of a scale-out or scale-in request.

[0070] As used herein, a “scale-out” is a scaling up of the electrical power reserved by one or more base stations, to dimension this reserved electrical power so that its value is increased to become greater than a predetermined value.

[0071] Typically, a "scale-out" comprises an activation of one or more physical computing devices, for example an activation of standby servers, so as to be able to increase the number of instances of virtual functions or virtual machines deployed on this or these base stations, and to allocate to these instances more computing resources, in particular virtual computing energy resources.

[0072] As used herein, a "scale-in" is a downward scaling of the electrical power reserved by one or more base stations, to dimension this reserved electrical power so that its value is reduced to become less than a predetermined value.

[0073] Typically, a "scale-in" comprises a deactivation of one or more physical computing devices, for example a shutdown of standby servers, so as to be able to reduce the number of instances of virtual functions or virtual machines deployed on this or these base stations, and free up computing resources, in particular virtual computing energy resources.

[0074] During a step S2, the virtualization manager configures at least one computer server of one or more current base stations among the plurality of base stations. This configuration is implemented according to the nature of the dimensioning request, in accordance with the various exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0075] According to a first example, when the sizing request corresponds to a “scale-out” request, i.e. an upward scaling, the configuration carried out by the virtualization manager comprises a step S3b of allocating at least one virtual computing resource, preferably a virtual energy computing resource, so as to increase the reserved electrical power. As described below in the context of NFV architectures, this step S3b is implemented by a control module of the virtualization manager.

[0076] According to a second example, when the sizing request corresponds to a “scale-in” request, i.e. a downward scaling, the configuration carried out by the virtualization manager comprises a step S3a of releasing at least one virtual computing resource, preferably a virtual energy computing resource, so as to reduce the reserved electrical power. As described below in the context of NFV architectures, this step S3a is implemented by a control module of the virtualization manager.

[0077] During a step S4, following step S2, the virtualization manager then implements a control of at least one virtual computing resource of the network infrastructure, said virtual computing resource consuming a fraction of the reserved electrical power, so as to size the reserved electrical power.

[0078] In particular, when step S4 follows step S3a, the virtualization manager verifies that the release of the at least one virtual computing resource allows a reduction in the reserved electrical power.

[0079] In particular, when step S4 follows step S3b, the virtualization manager verifies that the allocation of the at least one virtual computing resource allows an increase in the reserved electrical power.

[0080] Reference is now made to the figure 2 , which represents a schematic view of a network infrastructure R connected to several base stations, here two base stations RAN1 and RAN2 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0081] As illustrated, the R network infrastructure includes an NFV architecture as defined by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).

[0082] This NFV architecture includes a virtualized infrastructure (NFVI) (Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure), which provides hardware resources such as servers or electronic cards, as well as virtual resources, such as virtualization software.

[0083] The NFVI virtualized infrastructure includes a PRES hardware interface capable of providing PCPU (or PGPU, not shown) physical computing resources, PMEM physical memory resources, PNET physical network resources and possibly PEN physical energy resources.

[0084] The NFVI virtualized infrastructure also includes a virtual interface VRES capable of providing virtual computing resources VCPU (or VGPU, not shown), virtual memory resources VMEM, virtual network resources VNET and possibly virtual energy resources VEN.

[0085] The NFVI virtualized infrastructure also includes a VL virtualization layer that provides a link between the PRES hardware interface and the VRES virtual interface. The VL virtualization layer allows the software implementation of network functions to be decoupled from the physical resources described above.

[0086] The R network infrastructure further includes a VNF-EMS module, this module comprising virtual functions VNF1, VNF2 and VNF3 which can be executed on devices or components of the virtualized NFVI infrastructure.

[0087] These virtual functions VNF1, VNF2 and VNF3 are connected to each other to provide a network service, and are managed using corresponding elementary management systems EMS1, EMS2 and EMS3 which are configured to manage and orchestrate the resources of the virtualized infrastructure NFVI. Existing methods for such orchestration of the resources of such a virtualized infrastructure are for example disclosed in documents US 2018 / 349195 A1, WO 2015 / 126430 A1 and US 2018 / 165167 A1.

[0088] The R network infrastructure further includes an NFV-MAN management module configured to manage end-to-end network services.

[0089] The NFV-MAN management module includes an ORCH orchestrator which is responsible for the lifecycle of network services at both the software and hardware levels.

[0090] The NFV-MAN management module also includes a VNFM virtual functions manager, connected to the VNF-EMS module, and responsible for the lifecycle of the VNF1, VNF2 and VNF3 virtual functions. The NFV-MAN management module allows, in particular, to automate the deployment of virtual functions. It also allows to manage the creation and deletion of virtual function or virtual machine instances.

[0091] The NFV-MAN management module further includes a VIM virtualization manager, connected to the other elements of the NFV-MAN management module, and which is responsible for managing the resources of the NFVI virtualized infrastructure.

[0092] Furthermore, the NFV-MAN management module is connected to an OSS service module, which is configured to transmit to it information such as profile information, domain information, commands from an operator or a network infrastructure manager R, etc.

[0093] As illustrated, the network infrastructure R, and in particular the NFV-MAN management module of the virtualization manager VIM, is connected to a CTRL controller of the RAN1 and RAN2 base stations.

[0094] These base stations, which are for example managed by a given telecommunications operator, each include equipment that can be either physical or virtual, for example, commodity computer servers or virtual functions configured to process radio signals. Such virtual functions can be installed on commodity computer servers or data centers.

[0095] In particular, the equipment of the RAN1 base station comprises computer servers S11 and S12, while the equipment of the RAN2 base station comprises computer servers S21 and S22. Each of these computer servers offers resources comprising computing, storage, network and / or energy components. Advantageously, these resources can be sized according to the constraints of physical equipment or virtual functions capable of consuming them.

[0096] Furthermore, the equipment of the base station RAN1 comprises a distribution device D1 while the equipment of the base station RAN2 comprises a distribution device D2, each of these distribution devices being connected to the controller CTRL. These distribution devices D1 and D2 are typically equipped with power sensors capable of measuring, at any time, the electrical power consumed by the base stations.

[0097] The controller CTRL is for example a supervisory device, such as a microcomputer, which is configured to know the electrical power consumed by RAN1 and RAN2 from the electrical powers measured by D1 and D2.

[0098] The CTRL controller is further connected to a power supply device, for example a POW power station, itself connected to or comprising a set of batteries B1 to B5. These batteries can also be remote from the POW power station and connected separately to the base stations RAN1 and RAN2. In the illustrated case, batteries B1 to B3 supply electrical power to the base station RAN1 and batteries B4 and B5 supply electrical power to the base station RAN2. The distribution devices D1 and D2 manage the reception of electrical energy from the POW power station and from the batteries connected to the station comprising them.

[0099] Preferably, the batteries comprise adaptive circuit breakers that are configured to adapt the amount of electrical power supplied by these batteries to the equipment of the base stations. In this case, the CTRL controller is configured to modulate the maximum electrical power threshold defined by these adaptive circuit breakers. The lower this threshold, the less the electrical batteries will be able to supply electrical energy due to the modulation imposed by the circuit breakers, and therefore the less power will be consumed by the station powered by these batteries and the POW power plant.

[0100] The CTRL controller is also configured to inform the network infrastructure R and the distribution devices D1 and D2 of the base stations RAN1 and RAN2 of a possible significant variation in the power supply.

[0101] Thus, the CTRL controller can act on adaptive battery circuit breakers, these adaptive circuit breakers modulating the corresponding maximum electrical power threshold.

[0102] For example, when the base station RAN1 requires to be supplied uninterruptedly with a given electrical power despite a sudden break in the electrical power cables between RAN1 and the power station POW, the controller CTRL can not only act on the adaptive circuit breakers associated with batteries B1 to B3 to compensate for the lack of power from the power station POW, but also on the adaptive circuit breakers associated with batteries B4 and B5 to allow these batteries to supply sufficient electrical power to RAN1.

[0103] Thus, an interaction is possible between the controller CTRL, the batteries B1 to B5 of the base stations RAN1 and RAN2, and the network infrastructure R. In particular, the virtualization manager VIM of the network infrastructure R interacts with these elements in order to produce a dimensioning, between the base stations RAN1 and RAN2, of the electrical power reserved by the base station RAN1, here called “current”.

[0104] The CTRL controller includes a technical environment domain TED, which will be described below. In particular, the connection between the R network infrastructure and the CTRL controller is made via an NFVIMTE interface point, which connects the technical environment domain TED to the virtualization manager VIM.

[0105] Reference is now made to the figure 3 , which represents a schematic view of a connection between a network infrastructure R and a technical environment domain TED according to an exemplary implementation.

[0106] The technical environment domain TED, which is generally included in a CTRL controller, comprises different modules configured to manage parameters of a base station. For example, the technical environment domain TED comprises a TE1 module responsible for air conditioning within a base station room, a TE2 module responsible for stable AC uninterruptible power supply ("UPS") of base station equipment, a TE3 module responsible for DC power supply of base station equipment and a TE4 module responsible for DC voltage control, for example a 400 VDC controller, of the base station.

[0107] In addition, the TED technical environment domain is configured to carry out an inventory or mapping of the electrical powers reserved by one or more base stations to which it is connected. It is further configured to carry out an inventory or mapping of the electrical powers measured at this or these base stations.

[0108] As described previously in the context of NFV architectures, the R network infrastructure includes a VNF-EMS module, an NFVI virtualized infrastructure and a VIM virtualization manager connected together.

[0109] In particular, the NFVI virtualized infrastructure includes a CD compute domain, an HD hypervisor domain, and an IND network infrastructure domain.

[0110] The CD compute domain includes computing hardware resources and storage hardware resources, these resources being physical and usable for hosting virtual functions. The CD compute domain also provides an interface to the IND network infrastructure domain, but does not support network connectivity between virtual functions.

[0111] The HD hypervisor domain includes part of the VL virtualization layer, as well as virtual computing resources and virtual storage resources. The HD hypervisor domain is configured to manage the resources of the CD compute domain supporting virtual machines and virtual functions running on them. The HD hypervisor domain essentially implements the VL virtualization layer between the physical and virtual computing resources of the NFVI virtualized infrastructure.

[0112] Virtual functions can run as software components on containers in the HD hypervisor domain, with these containers in turn running on physical hardware in the CD compute domain.

[0113] The IND network infrastructure domain includes another part of the VL virtualization layer, virtual network resources as well as physical network resources. The IND network infrastructure domain is responsible for providing the connectivity necessary for communications between virtual functions and between these virtual functions and the entities responsible for their orchestration and management. Here, the IND network infrastructure domain is interfaced with the CD compute domain, and indirectly with the HD hypervisor domain.

[0114] The virtualization manager VIM comprises various modules, including an NFVI-C control module, an NFVI-HC hypervisor control module, an NFVI-NC network control module, an NFVI-CC compute control module, and an NFVI-TEC technical environment control module. The virtualization infrastructure manager VIM further comprises a virtual function management module, NFVI-VNFM. The NFVI-TEC technical environment control module is connected to the technical environment domain TED, which is located outside the network infrastructure R.

[0115] In particular, the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module is configured to map all physical equipment, in particular computer servers, available through a base station.

[0116] As shown, the compute domain CD is connected to the instruction domain IND and the hypervisor module NFVI-HC. The hypervisor domain HD is connected to the VNF-EMS module, the network infrastructure domain IND, and the compute control module NFVI-CC. The network infrastructure domain IND is therefore connected to the compute domain CD and the hypervisor domain HD, and is further connected to the network control module NFVI-NC.

[0117] Reference is now made to the figure 4 , which represents a flow diagram illustrating different steps 401 to 416 of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a first embodiment.

[0118] This first embodiment corresponds, here, to the case of a request to increase a power reserved by a base station.

[0119] In particular, the aforementioned steps make it possible to implement a distribution of at least one type of resource between several base stations, for example via the activation of one or more computer servers of a specific base station among these several base stations and possibly by creating instances of virtual function or virtual machine.

[0120] The NFVI-CC compute control module of the VIM virtualization infrastructure manager is configured to map the available computing servers for a given base station. The NFVI-HC hypervisor control module is configured to map all computing servers for a given base station and additionally allows mapping any virtual machines present on any of these servers.

[0121] The TED technical environment domain is configured to map the reserved powers, and more generally the reserved resources, by a given base station, on the one hand, and to map the measured powers and the resources measured by this base station, on the other hand.

[0122] During step 401, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module transmits a message to the NFVI-C control module, this message being configured to notify it of the observation of an excess consumption for a resource reserved by a virtual machine. This may for example be an excess of an electrical power reserved by a virtual machine or a virtual function instance among one of the virtual functions VNF1, VNF2 and VNF3 of the VNF-EMS module of the network infrastructure R.

[0123] During step 402, the NFVI-C control module transmits a message to the NFVI-VNFM virtual function management module, this message comprising a “scale-out” request on a current instance of virtual function.

[0124] Optionally, during step 403, following the message received during step 402, the virtual function management module NFVI-VNFM transmits to the control module NFVI-C a response message comprising a request for instantiation of a new virtual function, for example with a view to creating a new virtual machine.

[0125] During step 404, either upon receipt of the message transmitted during step 401 by the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module, or upon receipt of the response message transmitted during step 403 by the NFVI-VNFM virtual function management module, the NFVI-C control module transmits a message to the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module to request a resource of a given type. Preferably, this resource is a virtual energy resource. This resource may also be a virtual computing resource, a virtual memory resource or a virtual network resource.

[0126] During step 405 following step 404, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module transmits to the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module a message requesting activation of a standby server, this message being configured to allow the selection of the server(s) to be activated from a given list.

[0127] Optionally, step 405 comprises two intermediate steps 406 and 407, step 406 comprising the transmission of this message from the hypervisor control module NFVI-HC to the calculation control module NFVI-CC and step 407 comprising the transmission of this message from the calculation control module NFVI-CC to the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC.

[0128] As a reminder, the NFVI-CC compute control module is configured to map, in association with the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module, the base station servers. In addition, the NFVI-CC compute control module is configured to schedule the time and location of a resource allocation on a computing server.

[0129] Advantageously, the message received by the NFVI-CC calculation control module during step 406 thus makes it possible to provide useful information for an instantiation of a virtual function. In particular, this facilitates, during the implementation of subsequent steps, an allocation of a resource on a computer server at the same time as an activation of a virtual function instance.

[0130] During step 408, the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC transmits to the technical environment domain TED a request to increase the power reserved by the base station. In particular, this request can be directly transmitted to a CTRL controller connected to an electrical power generation plant or to electric batteries supplying one or more base stations.

[0131] Optionally, step 409 comprises the transmission of a confirmation message in response to the message of step 408, by the technical environment domain TED to the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC. This message makes it possible to confirm the request for an increase in the power reserved by the base station.

[0132] In step 410, the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module transmits, to the computing domain CD of the NFVI virtualized network function infrastructure, a request for activation of a standby server. This request may correspond to the request previously received in step 405, and its transmission follows the corresponding confirmation message in step 409.

[0133] Optionally, step 410 comprises two intermediate steps 411 and 412, step 411 comprising a transmission of the activation request from the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC to the calculation control module NFVI-CC and step 412 comprising the transmission of this message from the calculation control module NFVI-CC to the calculation domain CD.

[0134] In step 413, the computing domain CD activates a standby computing server and confirms this activation by means of a transmission of a corresponding message to the computing control module NFVI-CC.

[0135] In step 414, the NFVI-CC calculation control module transmits to the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module a message confirming the activation of a standby server.

[0136] Optionally, during step 415, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module implements an allocation of a resource on the activated server, in particular a resource of the same type as that required by the message transmitted to the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module during step 404. Furthermore, step 415 comprises an activation of a virtual function or virtual machine instance on the activated server. This allocation and this activation are notified to the NFVI-C control module.

[0137] Optionally, during step 416, and upon receipt of the allocation and activation notification from step 415, the NFVI-C control module transmits a confirmation message of the activation of the instance to the NFVI-VNFM virtual function management module.

[0138] This makes it possible to provide a method for distributing reserved electrical power among several base stations, in accordance with a request for an increase in reserved power by at least one current base station among a plurality.

[0139] Reference is now made to the Figure 5 , which represents a flow diagram illustrating different steps 501 to 516 of a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to a second embodiment.

[0140] This second embodiment corresponds, here, to the case of exceeding a power reserved by a base station.

[0141] As in the first embodiment, the aforementioned steps make it possible to implement a distribution of at least one type of resource between several base stations by activating one or more computer servers of a specific base station among these base stations and possibly by creating instances of virtual function or virtual machine.

[0142] In this case, however, a notification of a power reserved by a current base station is initially provided to the virtualization infrastructure manager VIM by the technical environment domain TED.

[0143] In particular, during step 501, the technical environment domain TED transmits this notification to the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC.

[0144] The NFVI-TEC technical environment control module, which is configured to map the computing servers of the base stations, can also make a choice of standby server to activate among these. During step 502, and in response to the notification received during step 501, the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module transmits a request for activation of a standby server to the NFVI-CC computation control module.

[0145] Optionally, during step 503, the NFVI-CC calculation control module transmits a response message to the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module, this response message comprising an indication of a standby server available for activation from a list of servers.

[0146] Steps 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509 and 510 are similar, respectively, to steps 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413 and 414 of the first embodiment.

[0147] Optionally, during a step 510b following step 510, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module transmits to the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module the message confirming the activation of a standby server in order to inform it thereof.

[0148] During step 511, following step 509, 510 and / or 510b, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module implements an identification of the virtual function instance or of the virtual machine having been the subject of the reserved electrical power exceeding in connection with the exceeding notification of step 501. This identification is notified to the NFVI-C control module.

[0149] During step 512, the NFVI-C control module transmits a message to the NFVI-VNFM virtual function management module, this message comprising a “scale-out” request on the identified instance of virtual function or the identified virtual machine.

[0150] Optionally, during step 513, and in response received during step 512, the virtual function management module NFVI-VNFM transmits a request to create a new instance of virtual function or virtual machine to the control module NFVI-C.

[0151] During step 514, and as for step 404 of the first embodiment, the NFVI-C control module transmits a message to the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module to request a resource from it, preferably a virtual energy resource, or another resource such as a virtual computing resource, a virtual memory resource or a virtual network resource.

[0152] Optionally, steps 515 and 516 are then implemented, with steps 515 and 516 being similar, respectively, to steps 415 and 416 of the first embodiment.

[0153] This provides a method for distributing reserved electrical power among multiple base stations in accordance with a request for increased reserved power by at least one current base station.

[0154] Reference is now made to the figure 6 , which represents a flow diagram illustrating different steps 601 to 615 of a method for dimensioning an electrical power reserved by a base station according to a third embodiment.

[0155] This third embodiment corresponds, here, to the case of an increase in traffic on a virtual function of the network infrastructure.

[0156] As in the first and second embodiments, the aforementioned steps make it possible to implement a distribution of at least one type of resource between several base stations by activating one or more computer servers of a specific base station among these base stations and possibly by creating instances of virtual function or virtual machine.

[0157] In this case, however, a message including a request to scale out a virtual function or virtual machine instance is initially provided to the virtualization infrastructure manager VIM.

[0158] In particular, during step 601, a virtual function or virtual machine instance (not shown) transmits this message to the virtual function management module NFVI-VNFM of the virtualization infrastructure manager VIM.

[0159] During step 602, the virtual function management module NFVI-VNFM transmits a message to the control module NFVI-C, this message comprising a request to create a virtual function or virtual machine instance.

[0160] Steps 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613 and 614 are similar, respectively, to steps 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414 and 415 of the first embodiment. Similarly, steps 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614 and 615 are similar, respectively, to steps 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511 and 512 of the second embodiment.

[0161] This provides a method for distributing reserved electrical power among multiple base stations in response to a scale-out request resulting from increased traffic on a virtual function instance or virtual machine.

[0162] Reference is now made to the figure 7 , which represents a flow diagram illustrating different steps 701 to 712 of a method for dimensioning an electrical power reserved by a base station according to a fourth embodiment.

[0163] This fourth embodiment corresponds, here, to the case of a request to reduce a power reserved by a base station.

[0164] In particular, the aforementioned steps make it possible to implement a distribution of at least one type of resource between several base stations by switching off one or more computer servers of a specific base station among these base stations and possibly by deleting instances of virtual function or virtual machine.

[0165] In this case, a notification of a decrease in power consumed by a base station is initially provided to the VIM virtualization infrastructure manager by the TED technical environment domain.

[0166] In particular, during step 701, the technical environment domain TED transmits this notification to the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC of the virtualization infrastructure manager VIM. For example, this request may be issued upon observation, by the technical environment domain TED, of the fact that a power consumed by a base station is less than the power reserved by it.

[0167] In step 702, and in response to the notification received in step 701, the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC transmits a message comprising a request to shut down a computer server to the hypervisor control module NFVI-HC. Preferably, this message allows a selection of the server(s) to be shut down from a given list. The hypervisor control module NFVI-HC is then responsible for the selection of the server(s) to be shut down.

[0168] Optionally, step 702 comprises two intermediate steps 703 and 704, step 703 comprising a transmission of the shutdown request from the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC to the calculation control module NFVI-CC, and step 704 comprising the transmission of this message from the calculation control module NFVI-CC to the hypervisor control module NFVI-HC.

[0169] In step 705, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module implements an identification of a virtual function or virtual machine instance to be deleted. This identification is notified to the NFVI-C control module.

[0170] Optionally, following step 705, the NFVI-C control module can transmit to the NFVI-VNFM virtual function management module, which is not shown here, a request to evacuate a resource on the identified instance of virtual function or virtual machine.

[0171] In step 706, the NFVI-C control module transmits a message to the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module to implement a release of a resource, preferably a virtual energy resource, or another resource such as a virtual computing resource, a virtual memory resource or a virtual network resource.

[0172] In step 707, the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module transmits, to the computing domain CD of the NFVI virtualized network function infrastructure, a request to shut down a server. This request may correspond to the request previously received in step 702.

[0173] Optionally, step 707 comprises two intermediate steps 708 and 709, step 708 comprising a transmission of the shutdown request from the NFVI-HC hypervisor control module to the NFVI-CC calculation control module, and step 704 comprising the transmission of this message from the NFVI-CC calculation control module to the CD calculation domain.

[0174] In step 710, the computing domain CD shuts down a computer server and confirms this shutdown by means of a transmission of a corresponding message to the computing control module NFVI-CC.

[0175] Optionally, during step 711, the NFVI-CC calculation control module transmits a notification indicating the shutdown of the server to the NFVI-TEC technical environment control module.

[0176] Optionally, during step 712, upon receipt of this notification, the technical environment control module NFVI-TEC transmits a message to the technical environment domain TED, this message confirming the reduction in the power consumed by the base station.

[0177] This makes it possible to provide a method for distributing the reserved electrical power between several base stations, in accordance with a request to reduce the reserved power by a base station, in particular a “scale-in” request.

[0178] There figure 8 represents a schematic block diagram of a computer processing circuit according to an exemplary implementation.

[0179] According to one example, said computer processing circuit is a processor.

[0180] In particular, this computer processing circuit is a system on chip 1000. For example, the system on chip 1000 is suitable for being integrated into a scheduler ORD intended to be connected to a network infrastructure R, and is configured to implement a method for dimensioning a reserved electrical power according to one or other of the embodiments described previously.

[0181] The system-on-chip 1000 comprises a communication bus connected, for example, to a central processing unit 1010, such as a processor or a microprocessor, and denoted CPU.

[0182] The system-on-chip 1000 also includes a random access memory 1020, denoted RAM, for storing the executable code of the sizing process as well as the registers adapted to

[0183] For implementing the method according to embodiments described above, the memory capacity of the system-on-chip 1000 can be supplemented by an optional RAM memory connected to an expansion port, for example.

[0184] Furthermore, the system-on-chip 1000 includes a read-only memory 1030, denoted ROM, for storing computer programs for implementing the previously described embodiments, as well as a network interface 1040 which is normally connected to a communication network over which digital data to be processed is transmitted or received.

[0185] The network interface 1040 may be a single network interface, or composed of a set of different network interfaces (e.g., wired and wireless interfaces, or different types of wired or wireless interfaces).

[0186] Data packets are sent over the network interface for transmission or are read from the network interface for reception under the control of the software application executing in the processor or microprocessor 1010.

[0187] Furthermore, the system-on-chip 1000 includes a user interface 1050 for receiving input from a user or for displaying information to a user, an optional storage medium 1060 denoted HD.

[0188] The system-on-chip 1000 further comprises an input-output module 1070, denoted IO, for receiving and sending data from or to external devices such as a hard disk, removable storage medium, or others. In particular, the input-output module 1070 allows the reception of a notification such as a sizing request from a device connected to the system-on-chip 1000.

[0189] In an example presented herein, the executable code may be stored in a read-only memory 1030, on the storage medium 1060 or on a removable digital medium such as, for example, a disk.

[0190] Alternatively, the executable code of the programs may be received by means of a communications network, via the network interface 1040, in order to be stored in the storage medium 1060, before being executed.

[0191] The central processing unit 1010 is adapted to control and direct the execution of instructions or portions of software code of the program or programs according to one of the exemplary embodiments described above, instructions which are stored in one of the aforementioned storage means. After power-up, the CPU 1010 is capable of executing instructions stored in the main RAM memory 1020, relating to a software application, after these instructions have been loaded from the ROM for example.

[0192] In particular, the central processing unit 1010 and / or the network interface 1040 are adapted to modify the parameters of at least one computer server. The central processing unit 1010 and / or the network interface 1040 are also adapted to control a virtual computing resource of the network infrastructure according to the parameterization of a computer server.

[0193] For example, the configuration of a computer server includes the activation, the shutdown, the putting into standby of this server, or the control of a computer resource associated with this server, for example a release of a resource or an allocation of a resource to this server. In the example presented here, the system on chip 1000 is a programmable device that uses software. However, alternatively, the present description can be implemented in any type of hardware (for example, in the form of a specific integrated circuit or ASIC).

Claims

1. Method for sizing an electric power reserved by at least one current base station (RANC) from among a plurality of base stations (RAN1, RAN2) which are connected to a virtualization manager (VIM) of a network infrastructure (R), said method being implemented by said virtualization manager, the method comprising the following steps: - receiving (S1) a request to size the reserved electric power, the sizing request being an upscaling of the electric power reserved for said at least one base station, in order to size this reserved electric power so that its value is increased in order to become greater than a predetermined value or a downscaling of the electric power reserved by said at least one base station, in order to size this reserved electric power so that its value is reduced in order to become less than a predetermined value; - parameterizing (S2), depending on the scaling contained in said sizing request, at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22) of the at least one current base station, the parameterization comprising shutting down and / or activating said at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22); and - controlling (S4), depending on the parameterization of said at least one computer server, at least one virtual computer resource of the network infrastructure, said virtual computer resource consuming a fraction of the reserved electric power, so as to size the reserved electric power, on said at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22).

2. Method according to Claim 1, wherein parameterizing said at least one computer server comprises shutting down the computer server, and controlling said at least one virtual computer resource comprises a control module (NFVI-CC) which the virtualization manager comprises releasing (S3a) the at least one virtual computer resource so as to reduce the reserved electric power.

3. Method according to Claim 2, wherein the sizing request comprises a request to reduce the reserved electric power, said reduction request being transmitted by an electric power control device (CTRL) to an environmental control module (NFVI-TEC) which the virtualization manager comprises, said electric power control device being connected to the at least one current base station.

4. Method according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein releasing the at least one virtual computer resource comprises, upon shutting down the computer server, deleting at least one virtual function (VNF1, VNF2, VNF3) in the network infrastructure, said deletion being implemented by a virtual function management module (NFVI-VNFM) which the virtualization manager comprises.

5. Method according to Claim 1, wherein parameterizing said at least one computer server comprises activating the computer server, and controlling said at least one virtual computer resource comprises a control module (NFVI-CC) which the virtualization manager comprises allocating (S3b) the at least one virtual computer resource on the activated computer server.

6. Method according to Claim 5, wherein the sizing request comprises a notification of a surpassing of the reserved electric power, said surpassing notification being transmitted by a hypervisor module (NFVI-HC) which the virtualization manager comprises, or a notification of an increase in traffic transmitted by a virtual function management module (NFVI-VNFM) which the virtualization manager comprises.

7. Method according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein allocating the at least one virtual computer resource comprises, upon activating the computer server, instantiating at least one virtual function (VNF1, VNF2, VNF3) in the network infrastructure, said instantiation being implemented by a virtual function management module (NFVI-VNFM) which the virtualization manager comprises.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one virtual computer resource is an electric power virtual computer resource comprising a component chosen from among a computing component, a storage component, a memory component and a network component.

9. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to one of Claims 1 to 8, when said instructions are executed by a processor of a computer processing circuit.

10. Removable or irremovable data storage medium which can be read in part or in full by a computer or a processor, comprising code instructions of a computer program for executing each of the steps of the method according to any one of Claims 1 to 8.

11. Virtualization manager (VIM) of a network infrastructure (R), said manager being configured to size an electric power reserved by at least one current base station (RANC) from among a plurality of base stations (RAN1, RAN2) which are connected to the virtualization manager (VIM), the virtualization manager comprising: - a virtual function management module (NFVI-VNFM) configured to receive a request to size the reserved electric power, the sizing request being an upscaling of the electric power reserved for said at least one base station, in order to size this reserved electric power so that its value is increased in order to become greater than a predetermined value or a downscaling of the electric power reserved by said at least one base station, in order to size this reserved electric power so that its value is reduced in order to become less than a predetermined value; - an environmental control module (NFVI-TEC) configured to parameterize, depending on the scaling contained in said sizing request, at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22) of the at least one current base station, the parameterization comprising shutting down and / or activating said at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22); and - a hypervisor module (NFVI-HC) configured to control at least one virtual computer resource of the network infrastructure, said virtual computer resource consuming a fraction of the reserved electric power, so as to size the reserved electric power, on said at least one computer server (S11, S12, S21, S22).

12. System (SS) comprising a virtualization manager (VIM) according to Claim 11 and a plurality of base stations (RAN1, RAN2) which are configured to be connected to said virtualization manager.