System and method for alarm management in a network

Abstract

The present disclosure envisages a system (108) and a method (600) for performing an alarm management in a network (106). The method (600) comprising detecting 5 (602) at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF), generating (604) at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change, and determining (606) if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The method (600) comprising communicating (608), by the NF, the at least one generated alarm 10 notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The method (600) comprising storing (610) the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALARM MANAGEMENT IN A NETWORKRESERVATION OF RIGHTS

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to alarm (alert) management in a communications network. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for alarm management in the network.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0004] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. The first generation of wireless communication technology was analog technology that offered only voice services. Further, when the second- generation (2G) technology was introduced, text messaging and data services became possible. The 3G technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized the wireless communication with faster dataspeeds, improved network coverage, and security. Fifth-generation (5G) and advanced-generation technology are being deployed, with even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously.

[0005] As mobile networks continue to grow, users are increasingly concerned about the quality and performance of their network connections. In the telecommunication network, alerts provide information about the operational condition of the network functions (NF) system. Some of the alerts are successful events, which are notified to the user. Some of the alerts indicate faults in the NF and need attention to take necessary steps to correct or prevent these faults.

[0006] The NF sends all types of alerts to the Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management Station (NMS) in real time. However, when there is loss of connectivity between NMS and NF then the raised alert can be missed and, in such cases, NMS may not be aware of any fault occurring during the disconnection.

[0007] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a system and a method that can mitigate the problems associated with the prior arts.OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies are as listed herein below.

[0020] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for alarm (alert) management in a network.

[0021] Another object of the present disclosure is to monitor the health of the network function (NF) system continuously even if there are any connectivity issues occurring between the NF and an Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management Station (NMS).

[0022] Another object of the present disclosure is to ensure the continuity of the service in the network.

[0009] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that are economical and easy to implement in the network.SUMMARY

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a system for performing alarm management in a network. The system comprising a processing unit and a memory coupled to the processing unit. The memory includes instructions to configure the processing unit to detect at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF). The instructions refer to any set of instructions or algorithms designed to be executed by a computer. These instructions are typically in the form of software programs or applications that dictate the operations a computer system should perform. The processing unit is configured to generate at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The processing unit is configured to determine if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. In an embodiment, for determining whether the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection there is a need to monitor the communication status between the NF and the management system. The communication status may be monitored through techniques such as heartbeat requests. In an embodiment, the NF is configured to continuously receive a heartbeat request from the management system to ensure the connectivity between NF and the management system. Thus, an active connection is present between the NF and the management system. The active connection enables the exchange of data, commands, and status updates between the NF and the management system. The NF determines that there is loss of connectivity between the NF and the management system when the NF does not receive a heartbeat request from the management system within a predetermined time period. This results in an inactive connection between the NF and the management system. The processing unit is configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The processing unit is configured to store the at least one generatedalarm notification in a database when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0011] In an embodiment, the system is further configured to re-establish the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection. For example, the NF may re-establish the connection with the management system (EMS / NMS) by initiating reconnection protocols by first verifying network availability and validating credentials for secure authentication. Automated retry mechanisms may then activated at the configured time interval, employing a backoff strategy to prevent network congestion and optimize resource utilization. The automated retry mechanisms may be programmed to automatically attempt to reconnect the NF to the management system at the configured time intervals. The backoff strategy may involve progressively increasing the time between the consecutive reconnection attempts after each unsuccessful try.

[0012] In an embodiment, the system is further configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

[0013] In an embodiment, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

[0014] In an embodiment, the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

[0015] In an embodiment, at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection.

[0016] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active

[0017] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a method for performing alarm management in a network. The method comprising detecting at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF). The method comprising generating at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The method comprising determining if the connection between the NF and the management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The method comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The method comprising storing the at least one generated alarm notification in a database when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0019] In an embodiment, the method further comprising re-establishing the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0020] In an embodiment, the method further comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

[0021] In an embodiment, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

[0022] In an embodiment, the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

[0023] In an embodiment, at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection.

[0024] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

[0025] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a user equipment (UE) communicatively coupled with a network. The coupling comprises steps of receiving, by the communication network, a connection request from the UE, sending, by the communication network, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. An alarm management in the network is performed by a method that comprising . The method comprising detecting at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF). The method comprising generating at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The method comprising determining if the connection between the NF and the management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The method comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The method comprising storing the at least one generated alarm notification in a database when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for performing alarm management in a network. The method comprising detecting at least one change in at least oneoperational state of a network function (NF). The method comprising generating at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The method comprising determining if the connection between the NF and the management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The method comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The method comprising storing the at least one generated alarm notification in a database when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0028] The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and are not restrictive.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes the disclosure of electrical components, electronic components, or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of a network architecture for implementing a system for performing alarm management in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary representation of block diagram of the system for performing alarm management in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary representation of a system architecture, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method for performing alarm management in the network, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with which the system may be implemented, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram for a method for performing alarm management in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100 - Network Architecture102-1, 102-2...102-N - Users104-1, 104-2. . . 104-N - User Equipments106 - Network108- System200- Block diagram202 - Processors (s)204 - Memory206 - Interface (s)208 - Processing unit210 - Database300- System Architecture304 - Operating system306 - Binding Support Function (BSF) Module308 - Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) Management Module310 - High Availability Module312 - Overload Management Module314 - Diameter Stack Management Module316 - Binding Function Module318 - Rule Engine Module320 - Modification Module322 - Session Management Module324 - Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Stack Management Module326 - Network Resource Function (NRF) Client Module400 - Flow Diagram510 - External Storage Device520 - Bus530 - Main Memory540 - Read Only Memory550 - Mass Storage Device560 - Communication Port570 - Processor600 - Flow DiagramDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of theproblems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[0038] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.

[0039] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0040] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0041] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0042] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0043] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These termsare not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

[0044] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or “user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical, and computing device. The user device is capable of receiving and / or transmitting one or parameters, performing function / s, communicating with other user devices, and transmitting data to the other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory, a battery, and an input-means such as a hard keypad and / or a soft keypad. The user equipment may be capable of operating on any radio access technology including but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, WiFi direct, etc. For instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.

[0045] Further, the user device may also comprise a “processor” or “processing unit” includes processing unit, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables the working ofthe system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor is a hardware processor.

[0046] As portable electronic devices and wireless technologies continue to improve and grow in popularity, the advancing wireless technologies for data transfer are also expected to evolve and replace the older generations of technologies. In the field of wireless data communications, the dynamic advancement of various generations of cellular technology are also seen. The development, in this respect, has been incremental in the order of second generation (2G), third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), and now fifth generation (5G), and more such generations are expected to continue in the forthcoming time.

[0047] Radio Access Technology (RAT) refers to the technology used by mobile devices / user equipment (UE) to connect to a cellular network. It refers to the specific protocol and standards that govern the way devices communicate with base stations, which are responsible for providing the wireless connection. Further, each RAT has its own set of protocols and standards for communication, which define the frequency bands, modulation techniques, and other parameters used for transmitting and receiving data. Examples of RATs include GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), LTE (Long-Term Evolution), and 5G. The choice of RAT depends on a variety of factors, including the network infrastructure, the available spectrum, and the mobile device's / device's capabilities. Mobile devices often support multiple RATs, allowing them to connect to different types of networks and provide optimal performance based on the available network resources.

[0048] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoingdescriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0049] Embodiments herein relate to systems and methods for alarm (alert) management in a network. The network functions (NFs) are designed to generate various types of alarms or events when certain conditions are met, such as performance degradation, faults, or security breaches. These alarms are then transmitted to the Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management System (NMS) in real-time for monitoring and analysis. The NFs continuously monitor their own status and the network environment. When an abnormal condition occurs, such as a hardware failure, network congestion, or security incident, they generate alarms or events to notify the management system. The EMS / NMS receives the alarms from the NFs in real-time. These alarms are processed and displayed on the user interface (UI) of the EMS / NMS, allowing network operators and administrators to monitor the health and performance of the network. The alarms contain relevant information such as the type of alarm, severity level, description of the event, timestamp, and the internet protocol (IP) address or identifier of the affected device. The NF sends all type of alerts to the EMS / NMS in real time with the raised timestamp and IP information. The EMS / NMS manages and monitors individual network elements or devices in the network. However, when there is loss of connectivity between the EMS / NMS and the NF then the raised alert can be missed and, in such cases, the EMS / NMS may not be aware of any fault occurring during the disconnection.

[0050] In order to overcome the above-mentioned technical problem, the alerts generated during the time when there is connectivity issue between the NF and the EMS / NMS, are stored in a database (DB). Upon restoration of the connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS, the stored alert information is transmitted to the EMS / NMS.

[0051] In an embodiment, if there is any fault or successful initialization occurred in any module / modules of the NF, then the application may raise the particular alert mapped with that module with the tagged severity. If the NF is connected to the EMS / NMS, then information about the raised alert is transmittedto the EMS / NMS in real time which is displayed at the EMS / NMS dashboard to notify the user about faults in the NF and to indicate that there is a need to take necessary steps to correct or prevent these faults.

[0052] The NF may continuously receive a heartbeat request from the EMS / NMS to ensure the connectivity between NF and the EMS / NMS. When the NF does not receive a heartbeat request within a predetermined time period, the NF determines that there is loss of connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS. When there is a loss of connectivity between the EMS / NMS and NF, then NF may set a connectivity flag to false and accordingly, all the generated alert information is stored in the database.

[0053] During disconnection between the NF and the EMS / NMS, the NF may try to connect with the EMS / NMS periodically with a configured time interval. Once the connectivity is restored, the connectivity flag is set to true, and the alert information stored in the database is transmitted to the EMS / NMS.

[0054] Therefore, the continuous monitoring of the health of the NF is achieved even if there is a disconnection between the NF and EMS / NMS. Upon restoration of the connection between NF and EMS / NMS, the user is notified regarding the information about the fault that occurred during no connectivity between NF and EMS / NMS and accordingly, corrective actions can be taken. In this manner, the performance of the NF is not degraded, and continuity of services could be ensured.

[0055] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1- FIG. 6.

[0056] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of a network architecture (100) for implementing a system (108) for performing alarm management in a network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 1, one or more computing devices (104-1, 104- 2. . .104-N) are connected to the system (108) through a network (106). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the one or more computing devices (104-1, 104-2... 104-N) are collectively referred as computing devices (104) andindividually referred as a computing device 104. One or more users (102-1, 102- 2. . .102-N) provide one or more requests to the system (108). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the one or more users (102-1, 102-2... 102-N) may be collectively referred as users 102 and individually referred as a user (102). Further, the computing devices 104 also be referred as a user equipment (UE) (104) or as UEs (104) throughout the disclosure.

[0058] In an embodiment, the computing device (104) includes, but not be limited to, a mobile, a laptop, etc. Further, the computing device 104 includes one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, audio aid, microphone, or keyboard. Furthermore, the computing device (104) includes a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, a laptop, a general- purpose computer, a desktop, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, and a mainframe computer. Additionally, input devices for receiving input from the user 102 such as a touchpad, touch-enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like may be used.

[0059] In an embodiment, the network (106) includes, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. The network 106 also includes, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet- switched network, a circuit- switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof. The UE (104) may be communicatively coupled with the communication network (106). The communicative coupling comprises receiving, from the UE (104), a connection request by the communication network (106), sending an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104), and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request.

[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary representation of block diagram (200) of the system (108) for performing alarm management in the network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 2, in an embodiment, the system (108) includes one or more processor(s) (202). The one or more processor(s) (202) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (202) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the system (108). The memory (204) may be configured to store one or more computer- readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The instructions refer to any set of instructions or algorithms designed to be executed by a computer. These instructions are typically in the form of software programs or applications that dictate the operations a computer system should perform. The memory (204) may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as random-access memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0062] In an embodiment, the system (108) includes an interface(s) (206). The interface(s) (206) may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I / O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication through the system (108). The interface(s) (206) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing unit (208) and a database (210).

[0063] In an embodiment, the processing unit (208) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing unit (208). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programmingmay be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing unit (208) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non- transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing unit (208) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine- readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing unit (208). In such examples, the system may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine -readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing unit (208) may be implemented by electronic circuitry.

[0064] In an embodiment, the processing unit (208) is configured to detect at least one change in at least one operational state of the NF. In an embodiment, the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state. In an aspect, during the initialization state, the NF is in the process of starting up or initializing its configuration and connections. In an aspect, during the idle state, the NF is not actively processing traffic or performing its intended functions. In an aspect, during the active state, the NF is operational and actively processing network traffic or providing its intended functionality within the network environment. In an aspect, during the standby state, the NF is ready to take over operations if the active NF fails or needs to be taken offline for maintenance or upgrades. In an aspect, during the maintenance state, the NF is undergoing scheduled maintenance, updates, or repairs. In an aspect, during the failure state, the NF has encountered a fault or malfunction and is unable to perform its intended functions. In an aspect, during the recovery / restoration state, the NF undergoes a process to recover from a fault or failure and restore its normal operation. In an aspect, during the shutdown state, the NF is taken offline and not operational. In an embodiment, at least one change in the at least one operational state of the NF refers to a transition of the NF from onestate to another that are triggered by events such as planned maintenance or failure detection in the network. For instance, the NF may shift from an ‘active’ state, where it actively processes network traffic, to a ‘standby’ state, where it awaits failover responsibilities.

[0065] The processing unit (208) is configured to generate at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change in the at least one operational state of the NF. In an embodiment, the at least one alarm notification generated by the NF encompass a wide range of critical notifications, including fault, performance, configuration, security, environmental, Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations, and event-based alarms. The fault alarms may get generated when there is signal failures within the network. The performance alarms may get generated when there is an indication of deviations in metrics like CPU usage or latency in the network. The configuration alarms may get generated during discrepancies or changes in configuration settings that may impact system behavior or security (such as unauthorized configuration changes or misconfigurations). The security alarms may get generated when threats like malware or unauthorized access are detected in the network. The environmental alarms may get generated when the environmental conditions (such as temperature fluctuations, power outages, or equipment overheating) impacts the network operations. The SLA alarms may get generated when the service levels specified in the SLAs are not being met. For example, violations of uptime guarantees or performance metrics. The event-based alarms may get triggered by specific events or occurrences that require attention. For example, an addition or removal of network elements, system restarts, or configuration changes in the system.

[0066] The processing unit (208) is configured to determine if a connection between the NF and a management system (EMS / NMS) is an active connection or an inactive connection. In an embodiment, for determining whether the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection there is a need to monitor the communication status between the NF and the management system. The communication status may be monitored through techniques such as heartbeat requests. In an embodiment, the NF is configured tocontinuously receive a heartbeat request from the EMS / NMS to ensure the connectivity between NF and EMS / NMS. Thus, an active connection is present between the NF and the EMS / NMS. The active connection enables the exchange of data, commands, and status updates between the NF and the EMS / NMS. The NF determines that there is loss of connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS when the NF does not receive a heartbeat request from the EMS / NMS within a predetermined time period. This results in an inactive connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS.

[0067] The processing unit (208) is configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

[0068] The processing unit (208) is configured to store the at least one generated alarm notification in a database when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection. In an embodiment, at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection. In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is utilized to denote a status of the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS. For example, the at least one provisioned flag may be a ‘Connection Active’ flag which is set to ‘true’ when the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS is the active connection and ‘false’ when the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS becomes inactive. The at least one provisioned flag serves as an indicator of the operational status of the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS so that the connectivity issues can be easily identified and addressed. When the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS is inactive, the ‘Connection Active’ flag is set to ‘false’ that triggers appropriate actions or alerts to rectify the situation and restore communication between the NF and the EMS / NMS. In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and themanagement system is the inactive connection. When there is a loss of connectivity between EMS / NMS and the NF, the NF is configured to set a connectivity flag to false and accordingly, all the generated alert information is stored in the database. Thus, the alerts generated during no connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS, are stored in the database.

[0069] In an embodiment, the system (108) is further configured to reestablish the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection. In an embodiment, the configured time interval may be a time period upon expiry of which the connection between the NF and the management system is re-established. As an example, the pre-defined interval may be 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 day. In an example, the NF may re-establish the connection with the management system (EMS / NMS) by initiating reconnection protocols by first verifying network availability and validating credentials for secure authentication. Automated retry mechanisms may then activated at the configured time interval, employing a backoff strategy to prevent network congestion and optimize resource utilization. The automated retry mechanisms may be programmed to automatically attempt to reconnect the NF to the management system at the configured time intervals. The backoff strategy may involve progressively increasing the time between the consecutive reconnection attempts after each unsuccessful try.

[0070] In an embodiment, the system (108) is further configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

[0071] In an embodiment, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS). The EMS is a network management system used in telecommunications and networking to manage and monitor individual network elements or devices. The NMS is used to monitor, manage, and control network resources and devices. It provides network administrators with the tools and capabilities to oversee the operation, performance, and security of theentire network infrastructure. The OSS is used by telecommunications service providers to manage and support the operational aspects of their networks and services. OSS provides tools and functionalities to facilitate the provisioning, monitoring, maintenance, and optimization of network resources and services.

[0072] According to the present disclosure, if there is any fault, change or successful initialization occurred in any module / modules of NF, then the system (108) is configured to raise a particular alert mapped with that module with the tagged severity. If the NF is connected to the EMS / NMS, then information about the raised alert is transmitted to the EMS / NMS in real time which is displayed at the EMS / NMS dashboard to notify the user / operator about faults in the NF and to indicate that there is a need to take necessary steps to correct or prevent these faults.

[0073] During disconnection between the NF and the EMS / NMS, the NF is configured to try to connect with the EMS / NMS periodically with a configured time interval. Once the connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS is restored, the connectivity flag is set to true, and the alert information stored in the database is transmitted to the EMS / NMS.

[0074] Therefore, the continuous monitoring of the health of the NF is achieved even if there is a disconnection between the NF and the EMS / NMS. Upon restoration of the connection between the NF and the EMS / NMS, the user is notified regarding the information about the fault that occurred during no connectivity between the NF and the EMS / NMS and accordingly, corrective actions can be taken. In this manner, the performance of the NF is not degraded, and continuity of services could be ensured.

[0075] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the system (108), in other embodiments, the system (108) includes fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system (108) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system (108).

[0076] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary representation of a system architecture, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, in an embodiment, the system architecture includes a system (300), a network controller (302), an operating system (304), and a binding support function (BSF) (306). The network controller (302) performs orchestrating and managing the network infrastructure. Further, the BSF (306) includes various modules (interfaces) such as Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) Management module (308), a high availability module (310), an overload management module (312), a diameter stack management module (314), a binding function module (316), a rule engine module (318), a modification module (320), a session management module (322), a HTTP stack management module (324), and a network resource function (NRF) client module (326). These various modules allow the system (300) / or a NF to register, update and remove the information.

[0077] The binding support function (BSF) (306) supports the mobility management and authentication functions for the network subscribers, the BSF (306) allows Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) or Policy Control Function (PCF) to register, update, and remove the binding information from it, and allows NF consumers to discover the selected the PCF or PCRF.

[0078] The FCAPS management module (308) is responsible for detecting, isolating, and correcting faults in the network. It focuses on ensuring that the network operates reliably and identifies issues that may affect performance.

[0079] The high availability module (310) is configured to ensure that network services are consistently available, even in the face of hardware or software failures. It often involves redundancy, failover mechanisms, and other strategies to minimize downtime.

[0080] The overload management module (312) monitors and manages network resources to prevent overload situations. It may involve load balancing, resource allocation, and traffic management to ensure optimal performance under varying loads.

[0081] The diameter stack management module (314) is used for AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) in telecommunications networks.This module manages the implementation of the Diameter protocol, handling messages and interactions in the network.

[0082] The binding function module (316) is configured to handle the association or binding of different elements within the network. This could include associating user sessions with specific resources or managing the relationships between different network components.

[0083] The rule engine module (318) implements a rule-based system for decision-making. It can be used for policy enforcement, filtering, or other tasks where decisions need to be made based on predefined rules.

[0084] The modification module (320) is involved in making dynamic changes or modifications to the network configuration or behaviour. It could be used for updates, patches, or other alterations to adapt to changing conditions.

[0085] The session management module (322) is responsible for managing user sessions in the network. It includes tasks such as session establishment, maintenance, and termination.

[0086] The HTTP stack management module (324) is configured to manage the implementation of the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) stack, handling web-based communication within the network.

[0087] The NRF client module (326) interacts with a network resource function (NRF) to discover and manage available resources in the network.

[0088] The system (300) is configured to detect, by a processor, at least one change in the plurality of operational states of the NF. In an example, the plurality of operational states includes an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby (low power) state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state. For example, the at least one change including an addition, a deletion, a creation, a modification, and an initialization of the plurality of operational states.

[0089] The system (300) generates one or more alert notifications corresponding to a severity level of the at least one detected change. For example, the alert notification includes a timestamp and an internet protocol (IP) information. For example, the severity level can be defined as:• Critical: This indicate a critical failure in NF and need to be correct as soon as possible.• Major: This indicates moderate kind of fault.• Minor: This shows the successful initialisation of modules.• Warning: This shows the least kind of fault.

[0090] The system (300) determines a status of a connection between the management system and the NF. In an example, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

[0091] The system (300) is configured to transmit the one or more generated alert notifications to the management system if the determined status of the connection is active. The system (300) is configured to store, by the processor, the generated alert notifications in a database (210) if the determined status of the connection is interrupted.

[0092] The system (300) is configured to forward the stored alert notifications to the management system when the connection becomes active. In an embodiment, the system is configured to delete the stored alert notifications from the DB after forwarding the stored alert notifications to the management system.

[0093] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method (400) for performing alarm management in a network, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0094] At step 402: The initialization of the NF is performed. The processing unit (208) is configured to detect at least one change in a plurality of operational states of a NF. In an example, the change is the initialization of the NF.

[0095] At step 404: All the parameters related to the alert are configured in the alert sheet and configuration sheet.

[0096] At step 406: It is determined if the initialization of the NF is successful.

[0097] At step 408: If step 406 is affirmative / yes, raise an alert (alarm) notification (step 408) of minor severity.

[0098] At step 410: It is determined if there is a fault occurred during initialization of the NF.

[0099] At step 412: If step 410 is affirmative / yes, raise an alert (alarm) notification of major severity.

[0100] At step 414: It is determined whether there is network connectivity between EMS and NF nodes. At step 422: If step 414 is affirmative / yes, display the alert at a dashboard of the management system (EMS / NMS).

[0101] At step 416: If NF is not connected with the management system, the system is configured to establish a connection with a database (210).

[0102] At step 418: The connection between the NF and the database (210) is established. In an example, the database (210) is connected to the application before the initialization of the alarm module (alert module). If there is no connectivity between NF and EMS / NMS, then the alerts are stored in the connected database (210).

[0103] At step 420: During disconnection between NF and EMS / NMS, the NF is configured to try to connect with EMS / NMS periodically with a configured time interval.

[0104] At step 422: Once the connectivity between the NF and EMS is restored, the connectivity flag is set to true, and the alert information stored in the database (210) is transmitted to the EMS / NMS.

[0105] Therefore, the continuous monitoring of the health of the NF is achieved even if there is a disconnection between the NF and NMS / EMS. Upon restoration of the connection between NF and EMS, the user is notified regarding the information about the fault that occurred during no connectivity between NF and EMS / NMS and accordingly, corrective actions can be taken. In this manner, the performance of the NF is not degraded, and continuity of services could be ensured.

[0106] FIG. 5 illustrates an example computer system (500) in which or with which the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 5, the computer system (500) includes an external storage device (510), a bus (520), a main memory (530), a read-only memory (540), a mass storage device (550), a communication port(s) (560), and a processor (570).A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (500) includes more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (570) includes various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) (560) is any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication ports(s) (560) are chosen depending on a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (500) connects.

[0108] In an embodiment, the main memory (530) is Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (540) is any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chip for storing static information e.g., start-up or basic input / output system (BIOS) instructions for the processor (570). The mass storage device (550) is any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces).

[0109] In an embodiment, the bus (520) may communicatively couple the processor(s) (570) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (520) is, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI- X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (570) to the computer system (500).

[0110] In another embodiment, operator, and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and cursor control device may also be coupled to the bus (520) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system (500). Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through networkconnections connected through the communication port(s) (560). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (500) limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0111] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram for a method (600) for performing alarm management in the network (106), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0112] At step 602: The method (600) includes detecting at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF). In an embodiment, at least one change in the at least one operational state of the NF refers to a transition of the NF from one state to another that are triggered by events such as planned maintenance or failure detection in the network. For instance, the NF may shift from an ‘active’ state, where it actively processes network traffic, to a ‘standby’ state, where it awaits failover responsibilities.

[0113] At step 604: The method (600) includes generating at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. In an embodiment, the at least one alarm notification generated by the NF may encompass a wide range of critical notifications, including fault, performance, configuration, security, environmental, Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations, and event-based alarms. The fault alarms may get generated when there is signal failures within the network. The performance alarms may get generated when there is an indication of deviations in metrics like CPU usage or latency in the network. The configuration alarms may get generated during discrepancies or changes in configuration settings that may impact system behavior or security (such as unauthorized configuration changes or misconfigurations). The security alarms may get generated when threats like malware or unauthorized access are detected in the network. The environmental alarms may get generated when the environmental conditions (such as temperature fluctuations, power outages, or equipment overheating) impacts the network operations. The SLA alarms may get generated when the service levels specified in the SLAs are not being met. For example, violations of uptime guarantees or performance metrics. The event-based alarms may get triggered by specific eventsor occurrences that require attention. For example, an addition or removal of network elements, system restarts, or configuration changes in the system.

[0114] At step 606: The method (600) includes determining if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. In an embodiment, for determining whether the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection there is a need to monitor the communication status between the NF and the management system. The communication status may be monitored through techniques such as heartbeat requests. In an embodiment, the NF is configured to continuously receive a heartbeat request from the management system to ensure the connectivity between NF and the management system. Thus, an active connection is present between the NF and the management system. The active connection enables the exchange of data, commands, and status updates between the NF and the management system. The NF determines that there is loss of connectivity between the NF and the management system when the NF does not receive a heartbeat request from the management system within a predetermined time period. This results in an inactive connection between the NF and the management system.

[0115] At step 608: The method (600) includes communicating, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

[0116] At step 610: The method (600) includes storing, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0117] In an embodiment, the method (600) further comprising reestablishing the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection. In an embodiment, the configured time interval may be a time period upon expiry of which the connection between the NF and the management system is re-established. As an example, the pre-defined interval may be 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 day. For example, the NF may re-establish the connection with the management system by initiating reconnection protocols by first verifying network availability and validating credentials for secure authentication. Automated retry mechanisms may then activated at the configured time interval, employing a backoff strategy to prevent network congestion and optimize resource utilization. The automated retry mechanisms may be programmed to automatically attempt to reconnect the NF to the management system at the configured time intervals. The backoff strategy may involve progressively increasing the time between the consecutive reconnection attempts after each unsuccessful try.

[0118] In an embodiment, the method (600) further comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

[0119] In an embodiment, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

[0120] In an embodiment, the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

[0121] In an embodiment, at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection. In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is utilized to denote a status of the connection between the NF and the management system. For example, the at least one provisioned flag may be a ‘Connection Active’ flag which is set to ‘true’ when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection and ‘false’ when the connection between the NF and the management system becomes inactive. The at least one provisioned flag serves as an indicator of the operational status of the connection between the NF and the management system so that the connectivity issues can be easily identified and addressed. When the connection between the NF and the management system is inactive, the ‘Connection Active’ flag is set to ‘false’that triggers appropriate actions or alerts to rectify the situation and restore communication between the NF and the management system.

[0122] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

[0123] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0124] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses the system (108) for performing alarm management in the network (106). The system (108) comprising a processing unit (208) and a memory (204) coupled to the processing unit (208). The processing unit (208) is configured detect at least one change in at least one operational state of the NF. The processing unit (208) is configured to generate at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The processing unit (208) is configured to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The processing unit (208) is configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The processing unit (208) is configured to store the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0125] In an embodiment, the system (108) is further configured to reestablish the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0126] In an embodiment, the system (108) is further configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

[0127] In an embodiment, the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

[0128] In an embodiment, the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

[0129] In an embodiment, at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection.

[0130] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

[0131] In an embodiment, the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0132] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a network (106). The coupling comprises steps of receiving, by the communication network (106), a connection request from the UE (104), sending, by the communication network (106), an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104) and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. An alarm management in the network (106) is performed by a method (600) that includes detecting (606) at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF). The method (600) includes generating at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change. The method (600) includes determining if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection. The method (600) includes communicating, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection. The method (600) includes storing the at least onegenerated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

[0133] The present disclosure is configured to monitor health of the NF even if there is any connectivity down occurs between the NF and NMS / EMS. The present disclosure is applicable to a wide range of applications where alerts are stored during a discontinued connection and send back once the connection is restored. With the fast advances of 5G standardization, the present disclosure may be applicable to Messaging applications, Email applications. It can be employed loT devices that generate alerts based on sensor data. Storing and forwarding these alerts when connectivity is available ensures that important information is not lost. Implementing a robust mechanism for storing and forwarding notifications helps in maintaining the integrity of the application and provides a seamless user experience even in challenging network conditions.

[0134] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.

[0135] The present disclosure provides technical advancement related to improving performance of a network. This advancement addresses the limitations of identifying and addressing faults in the network. The present disclosure provides that even when connectivity between the NF and the management system (NMS / EMS) is lost, mechanisms within the NF continuously monitor internal metrics, such as system resource usage, service availability, and operationalparameters. These monitoring processes store the critical data, including alarms and performance metrics, which are queued for transmission once connectivity is restored. Upon re-establishing the connection, the stored data is transmitted to the management system, alerting operators to any faults or anomalies that occurred during the downtime. The present disclosure allows operators to correct faulty modules or configurations, ensuring minimal impact on the network performance and uninterrupted service delivery. Thus, the present disclosure provides operational resilience and enhances overall service continuity, ultimately improving the network reliability and performance.

[0136] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0137] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for alarm (alert) management in a network.

[0138] The present disclosure provides a system and a method to monitor the health of a network function (NF) system continuously even if there are any connectivity issues occurring between the NF and an Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management Station (NMS).

[0139] The present disclosure provides a system and a method to ensure the continuity of the service in the network.

[0140] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that are economical and easy to implement in the network.

Claims

CLAIMSWe Claim:

1. A system (108) for performing alarm management in a network (106), the system (108) comprising: a processing unit (208); a memory (204) coupled to the processing unit (208), wherein the memory (204) includes instructions to configure the processing unit (208) to: detect at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF); generate at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change; determine if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection; communicate, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection; and store, by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

2. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, further configured to re-establish the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

3. The system (108) as claimed in claim 2, further configured to communicate, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

4. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

5. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

6. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection.

7. The system (108) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

8. The system (108) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

9. A method (600) for performing an alarm management in a network (106), the method (600) comprising: detecting (602) at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF); generating (604) at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change; determining (606) if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection; communicating (608), by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection; andstoring (610), by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

10. The method (600) as claimed in claim 9, further comprising re-establishing the connection between the NF and the management system periodically with a configured time interval when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

11. The method (600) as claimed in claim 10, further comprising communicating, by the NF, the at least one stored alarm notification to the management system when the re-established connection is an active connection.

12. The method (600) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the management system includes at least one or more of an element management system (EMS), a network management system (NMS) or an operation support system (OSS).

13. The method (600) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one operational state includes at least one of an initialization state, an idle state, an active state, a standby state, a maintenance state, a failure state, a recovery / restoration state, and a shutdown state.

14. The method (600) as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one flag is provisioned at the NF to determine if the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection or the inactive connection.

15. The method (600) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one provisioned flag is set to true when the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection.

16. The method (600) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one provisioned flag is set to false when the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

17. A user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a network (106), the coupling comprises steps of: receiving, by the network (106), a connection request from the UE (104); sending, by the network (106), an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104); and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, wherein an alarm management in the network (106) is performed by a method (600) as claimed in claim 9.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer- readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method (600) for performing an alarm management in a network (106), the method (600) comprising: detecting (602) at least one change in at least one operational state of a network function (NF); generating (604) at least one alarm notification corresponding to the detected at least one change; determining (606) if a connection between the NF and a management system is an active connection or an inactive connection; communicating (608), by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification to the management system when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the active connection; and storing (610), by the NF, the at least one generated alarm notification in a database (210) when it is determined that the connection between the NF and the management system is the inactive connection.

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