Method and system for performing software modification in cluster network architecture

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture [306]. The method comprises accessing first container [3062] within the cluster using a secure access protocol. The method further comprises copying software release package onto the first container [3062]. Furthermore, the method comprises invoking modification utility on the first container to update configurations of the first container [3062]. Moreover, the method comprises and activating standby application on a second container [3064] within the cluster [306].

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING SOFTWARE MODIFICATION IN CLUSTER NETWORK ARCHITECTUREFIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of manging network systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture.BACKGROUND

[0002] 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.

[0003] To remain competitive and meet the expectations of an ever-changing landscape, networking companies are continually seeking ways to enhance their services and improve the overall customer experience. One prominent avenue for achieving these objectives is timely and convenient modification of software within various network elements, particularly in the context of containerized environments.

[0004] Containerization, the practice of packaging applications and their dependencies into lightweight and portable units known as containers, has revolutionized the deployment and scalability of software across diverse environments. However, the process of upgrading software within containers, commonly referred to as "container respawning," presents substantial challenges.

[0005] Container respawning involves terminating running containers that utilize outdated software versions and replacing them with new containers running the latest software. While this approach ensures the use of up-to-date software, it introduces several critical issues. Notably, container respawning can lead to service interruptions, increased resource utilization during the transition, and the potential for data loss or data inconsistency.

[0006] In light of these challenges, it is imperative to explore alternative methods to mitigate the adverse impacts of container respawning on system stability and user experience during software release upgrades. To address this need, various methodologies and technologies, such as rolling upgrades, canary releases, and zero-downtime deployment methods, have been developed. These approaches are designed to facilitate smooth software upgrades while minimizing disruptions to ongoing business operations.

[0007] Efficient solutions for managing container respawning and software release upgrades are vital to ensure the reliability and availability of applications in an increasingly dynamic and competitive software landscape. However, conventional approaches have fallen short in addressing known issues, including application downtime and system overhead caused by managing traffic bursts and application stops, adversely affecting the user experience.

[0008] Hence, in view of these and other existing limitations, there exists an imperative need in the field of software upgrades to provide a method for software upgrade releases that significantly enhances efficiency and reliability while simultaneously eliminating application downtime and minimizing system overhead in telecommunication industries, which the present disclosure aims to address.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0009] This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the present invention in a simplified form that are further described below in the description. In order to overcome at least a few problems associated with the known solutions as provided in the previous section, an object of the present invention is to substantially reduce the limitations and drawbacks of the prior arts as described hereinabove.

[0010] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0011] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture.

[0012] It is another object of the present disclosure to eliminate or minimize the need for container respawning or restarting during the software upgrade process, thereby reducing service interruptions and resource overhead.

[0013] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a high availability upgrade process, to avoid service interruptions during upgrade process.

[0014] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to facilitate sequential upgrades of controllers and payloads within the clustered network function, thereby ensuring that each component is upgraded one at a time, reducing the risk of downtime sequential upgrade process.SUMMARY

[0015] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0016] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture. The method comprises accessing, by an authorization unit, a first controller container within the cluster using a secure access protocol. The method further comprises copying, by a processing unit, a software release package onto the first controller container. Furthermore, the method comprises invoking, by the processing unit, a modification utility on the first controller container to at least update configurations of the first controller container. The method also comprises activating, by the processing unit, at least one standby application on a second controller container within the cluster. The at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further comprises sequentially invoking, by the processing unit, the modification utility across all containers of the cluster, ensuring that at least one container remains active to handle the network traffic during the software modification.

[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the secure access protocol is Secure Shell (SSH).

[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the software release package comprises at least one of updated configuration files, shared libraries, system binaries, and executable files associated with a new software version.

[0020] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further comprises updating, by the processing unit, a path in a persistent volume of the first controller container. The path indicates a location where the software release package is copied.

[0021] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one standby application is activated on the second container in case the at least one standby application is associated with at least one active application running on the first controller container.

[0022] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture. The system comprises an authorization unit configured to access a first controller container within the cluster using a secure access protocol. The system further comprises a processing unit configured to copy a software release package onto the first controller container. The processing unit is configured to invoke a modification utility on the first controller container to at least update configurations of the first controller container. The processing unit is configured to activate at least one standby application on a second container within the cluster. The at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

[0023] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes an authorization unit configured to access a first controller container within the cluster using a secure access protocol. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes a processing unit configured to copy a software release package onto the first controller container. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the processing unit to invoke a modification utility on the first controller container to at least update configurations of the first controller container. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the processing unit to activate at least one standby application on a second container within the cluster. The at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in 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 disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0025] FIG.l illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture

[0100] ,

[0026] FIG.2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device

[0200] upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG.3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG.4 illustrates an exemplary method

[0400] flow diagram for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG.5 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of a process for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0030] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth 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 the problems 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which 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 the figure.

[0035] 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 hereinis 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 in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0036] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”, “a smartdevice”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”, “a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and / or computing device or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The user equipment / device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from at least one of a transceiver unit, a processing unit, a storage unit, a detection unit and any other such unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0037] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective functions.

[0038] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several shortcomings for performing software modification in a cluster network architecture, such as container respawning or restarting during the software modification in network clusters.

[0039] The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a method and system for performing software modification in a cluster network architecture. The present disclosure provides an easy way to upgrade softwarereleases by avoiding downtime of the network clusters and overhead caused due to halting of the clusters.

[0040] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the 5GC network architecture

[0100] includes a user equipment (UE)

[0102] , a radio access network (RAN)

[0104] , an access and mobility management function (AMF)

[0106] , a Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] , a Service Communication Proxy (SCP)

[0110] , an Authentication Server Function (AUSF)

[0112] , a Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF)

[0114] , a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)

[0116] , a Network Exposure Function (NEF)

[0118] , a Network Repository Function (NRF)

[0120] , a Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0122] , a Unified Data Management (UDM)

[0124] , an application function (AF)

[0126] , a User Plane Function (UPF)

[0128] , a data network (DN)

[0130] , wherein all the components are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for implementing features of the present disclosure.

[0042] The Radio Access Network (RAN)

[0104] is the part of a mobile telecommunications system that connects the user equipment (UE)

[0102] to the core network (CN) and provides access to different types of networks (e.g., 5G network). It consists of radio base stations and the radio access technologies that enable wireless communication.

[0043] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)

[0106] is the 5G core network function responsible for managing access and mobility aspects, such as UE registration, connection, and reachability. It also handles mobility management procedures like handovers and paging.

[0044] The Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] is the 5G core network function responsible for managing session-related aspects, such as establishing, modifying, and releasing sessions. It coordinates with the User Plane Function (UPF)

[0128] for data forwarding and handles IP address allocation and Quality of Service (QoS) enforcement. Further, the SMF

[0108] facilitates enforcement of session management related policy decisions from the PCF

[0122] ,

[0045] The Service Communication Proxy (SCP)

[0110] is a network function in the 5G core network that facilitates communication between other network functions by providing a secure and efficient messaging service. It acts as a mediator for service-based interfaces.

[0046] The Authentication Server Function (AUSF)

[0112] is the network function in the 5G core responsible for authenticating UEs during registration and providing security services. It generates and verifies authentication vectors and tokens.

[0047] The Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF)

[0114] is the network function that provides authentication and authorization services specific to network slices. It ensures that UEs can access only the slices for which they are authorized.

[0048] The Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)

[0116] is the network function responsible for selecting the appropriate network slice for the UE based on factors such as subscription, requested services, and network policies.

[0049] The Network Exposure Function (NEF)

[0118] is the network function that exposes capabilities and services of the 5G network to external applications, enabling integration with third-party services and applications.

[0050] The Network Repository Function (NRF)

[0120] is the network function that acts as a central repository for information about available network functions and services. It facilitates the discovery and dynamic registration of network functions.

[0051] The Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0122] enables efficient policy control and management, facilitating network behaviour control, network slicing, user equipment (UE) activities, and communication with other 5G core network functions. PCF is responsible for policy control decisions, such as QoS, charging, and access control, based on subscriber information and network policies. The PCF is responsible for policy control decisions and flow-based charging control functionalities.

[0052] The Unified Data Management (UDM)

[0124] is the network function that centralizes the management of subscriber data, including authentication, authorization, and subscription information.

[0053] The Application Function (AF)

[0126] is the network function that represents external applications interfacing with the 5G core network to access network capabilities and services. In an exemplary implementation, the application function (AF)

[0126] as shown in FIG. 1, resembles an application server that can interact with the other control-plane NFs. AF(s)

[0126] can exist for different application services and can be owned by the network operator or by trusted third parties. For instance, the AF

[0126] of an over-the-top application provider can influence routing, steering its traffic towards its external edge servers. For services considered to be trusted by the operator, the AF

[0126] can access Network Function(s) (NF) directly whereas untrusted or third-party AF(s)

[0126] would access the Network Functions through the NEF

[0118] ,

[0054] The User Plane Function (UPF)

[0128] is the network function responsible for handling user data traffic, including packet routing, forwarding, and QoS enforcement.

[0055] The Data Network (DN)

[0130] refers to a network that provides data services to user equipment (UE)

[0102] in a telecommunications system. The data services may include but are not limited to Internet services, private data network related services.

[0056] The 5GC network architecture also comprises a plurality of interfaces for connecting the network functions with a network entity for performing the network functions. The network is designed as an interconnected system of Network Functions (NFs) [also known as fifth generation communication network (5GCN) network function NF)] that communicate through the one or more interfaces (i.e., service-based interfaces or reference point interfaces). The Network Functions (NF(s)) within the 5G control plane will use service-based interfaces for their interactions. The user plane function (UPF)

[0128] , and radio interactions shall use the reference point interfaces. Each NF exposes specific functionality and provides services to other NFs. Therefore, any communication or routing between NFs or between the network nodes and NFs takes place through these interfaces. Interfaces are self-contained software modules that are reusable independently of each other and can be thought of as micro services. Further, as shown in the FIG. 1, the following service-based interfaces are defined:Namf: Service-based interface exhibited by AMF

[0106] , Nsmf: Service-based interface exhibited by SMF

[0108] , Nnef: Service-based interface exhibited by NEF

[0118] , Npcf: Service-based interface exhibited by PCF

[0122] , Nudm: Service-based interface exhibited by UDM

[0124] , Naf: Service-based interface exhibited by AF

[0126] ,Nchf: Service-based interface exhibited by CHF

[0132] , Nnrf: Service-based interface exhibited by NRF

[0120] , Nnssf: Service-based interface exhibited by NSSF

[0116] , Nausf: Service-based interface exhibited by AUSF

[0112] , Nnssaaf: Service-based interface exhibited by NSSAAF

[0114] , Nlmf: Service-based interface exhibited by LMF

[0144] , Nscp: Service-based interface exhibited by SCP

[0110] ,

[0057] Further, the 5G System Architecture as shown in FIG. 1, contains the following reference points:N1 : Reference point between the UE

[0102] and the AMF

[0106] ,N2: Reference point between the RAN

[0104] and the AMF

[0106] ,N3: Reference point between the RAN

[0104] and the UPF

[0128] , N4: Reference point between the SMF

[0108] and the UPF

[0128] , N6: Reference point between the UPF

[0128] and a Data Network.

[0058] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device

[0200] upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented, in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the computing device

[0200] may implement a method

[0400] for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture

[0306] (as shown in FIG.3). In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method

[0400] for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture

[0306] using one or more units configured within the computing device

[0200] , wherein said one or more units are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0059] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

[0202] or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor

[0204] coupled with the bus

[0202] for processing information. The hardware processor

[0204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The computing device

[0200] may also include a main memory

[0206] , such as a random-access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , The main memory

[0206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to the processor

[0204] , render the computing device

[0200] into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions. The computing device

[0200] further includes a read only memory (ROM)

[0208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing static information and instructions for the processor

[0204] ,

[0060] A storage device

[0210] , such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state drive is provided and coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions. The computing device

[0200] may be coupled via the bus

[0202] to a display

[0212] , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for displaying information to a computer user. An input device

[0214] , including alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the bus

[0202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor

[0204] , Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller

[0216] , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor

[0204] , and for controlling cursor movement on the display

[0212] , The input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow the device to specify positions in a plane.

[0061] The computing device

[0200] may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and / or program logic which in combination with the computing device

[0200] causes or programs the computing device

[0200] to be a special-purpose machine. According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the computing device

[0200] in response to the processor

[0204] executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] , Such instructions may be read into the main memory

[0206] from another storage medium, such as the storage device

[0210] , Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] causes the processor

[0204] to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0062] The computing device

[0200] also may include a communication interface

[0218] coupled to the bus

[0202] , The communication interface

[0218] provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link

[0220] that is connected to a local network

[0222] , For example, the communication interface

[0218] may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to acorresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication interface

[0218] may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface

[0218] sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0063] The computing device

[0200] can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), the network link

[0220] and the communication interface

[0218] , In the Internet example, a server

[0230] might transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet

[0228] , the ISP

[0226] , the local network

[0222] , the host

[0224] and the communication interface

[0218] , The received code may be executed by the processor

[0204] as it is received, and / or stored in the storage device

[0210] , or other non-volatile storage for later execution.

[0064] FIG.3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system

[0300] for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture

[0306] , in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. In one implementation, the present disclosure is implemented by the system

[0300] , The system

[0300] may be implemented using the computing device

[0200] , In an implementation, the computing device

[0200] may be connected to the system

[0300] ,

[0065] The system

[0300] comprises at least one authorization unit

[0302] and at least one processing unit

[0304] , The system

[0300] is connected to the cluster network architecture

[0306] , The cluster network architecture

[0306] represents the network cluster to which a user intends to apply the software modification. The cluster network architecture

[0306] may comprise a plurality of containers. As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of containers may include a first controller container

[3062] (may interchangeably be referred to as first container

[3062] ), a second controller container

[3064] (may interchangeably be referred to as second container

[3064] ), and nth controller container

[3080] (may interchangeably be referred to as nth container

[3080] ).

[0066] In one implementation, the cluster network architecture

[0306] consists of n number of controllers and m number of payloads which are distributed across the plurality of container nodes within the cluster network architecture

[0306] , The cluster network architecture

[0306] ensures that network functions continue to operate even during the software modification. In general, term “containers” herein represent the individual units within the cluster network architecture

[0306] ,These individual units host network function components and are used for software modifications (including software upgrades and downgrades without requiring container respawning).

[0067] The containers are responsible for orchestration and management of payloads. All of the components / units of the system

[0300] are assumed to be connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. Also, in FIG. 3, only a few units are shown, however, the system

[0300] may comprise multiple such units or the system

[0300] may comprise any such number of said units, as required to implement the features of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the system

[0300] may reside in a server or a network entity. In yet another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside partly in the server / network entity.

[0068] The system

[0300] is configured for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture

[0306] , with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] ,

[0069] To perform the software modification, the authorization unit

[0302] is configured to access a first controller container (e.g., the first controller

[3062] ) within the cluster

[0306] using a secure access protocol. In one implementation, the secure access protocol is Secure Shell (SSH).

[0070] Next, the processing unit

[0304] is configured to copy a software release package onto the first container

[3062] , In one example, the software release package resides at one or more remote repositories. In particular, a copy of the software release package is transferred to a local directory in the first container

[3062] among the containers in the clustered network architecture

[0306] ,

[0071] Thereafter, the processing unit

[0304] is configured to invoke a modification utility on the first controller container

[3062] to at least update configurations of the first controller container

[3062] , The modification utility may also include changed configurations, updated libraries, and binaries. Then, the processing unit

[0304] is configured to activate at least one standby application on a second container

[3064] within the cluster

[0306] , The at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

[0072] In an implementation, the processing unit

[0304] is configured to sequentially invoke the modification utility across all containers of the cluster

[0306] , ensuring that at least one container remains active to handle the network traffic during the software modification.

[0073] In one implementation, the authorization unit

[0302] enables a user to gain administrative access into the containers of the cluster network architecture

[0306] via the Secure Shell (SSH). In general, SSH is a cryptographic network protocol that provides secure, encrypted access and communication to remote devices over a potentially unsecured network.

[0074] In one implementation, the software release package comprises at least one of updated configuration files, shared libraries, system binaries, and executable files associated with a new software version. The configuration files herein refer to the files that comprises settings or parameters that control the execution or behaviour of the software which is upgraded on the network architecture

[0306] , In one example, the configuration files define system paths, memory usage, etc. on the communication network.

[0075] The shared libraries herein may represent collections of code which are used / shared by multiple network components to perform common tasks. The shared libraries facilitate in reducing redundancy. The system binaries herein represent the core executable code of the software which is essential for the network system functionality. The system binaries perform low-level tasks like managing hardware and responding to system calls. The executable files herein may represent compiled programs that can run directly for performing a specific function on a network component.

[0076] In one implementation, the processing unit

[0304] is configured to update a path in a persistent volume of the first container

[3062] , The path herein is indicative of a location where the software release package is copied. The updating of the path by the processing unit

[0304] may refer to modifying the location where the first container

[3062] accesses or stores its data within the cluster network architecture

[0306] ,

[0077] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one standby application is activated on the second container

[3064] in case the at least one standby application is associated with at least one active application running on the first container

[3062] , In particular, if any application is active on the first container

[3062] , then corresponding standby application is fed into the waiting queue of another container e.g., the second container

[3064] , Thus, both the associated applications (one on the first container

[3062] and the other one i.e., standby application on the second container

[3064] ) are in execution. Also, the standby application is responsible for performing traffic management functions on the second container

[3064] , For example, the trafficmanagement functions may include, but are not limited to, maintaining network service availability and controlling traffic bursts.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture

[0306] , in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture

[0306] , As shown in FIG. 4, the method

[0400] starts at step

[0402] ,

[0079] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] comprises accessing, by the authorization unit

[0302] , the first container

[3062] within the cluster

[0306] using the secure access protocol. In one implementation, the secure access protocol is SSH.

[0080] At step

[0406] , the method

[0400] comprises copying, by the processing unit

[0304] , the software release package onto the first container

[3062] , The software release package herein refers to a ready-to-deploy bundle of configuration files, system binaries, shared libraries, executable files etc. of a software application.

[0081] At step

[0408] , the method

[0400] comprises invoking, by the processing unit

[0304] , the modification utility on the first container

[3062] to at least update configurations of the first container

[3062] , The modification utility may include new / changed configurations, upgraded libraries, and binaries.

[0082] At step

[0410] , the method

[0400] comprises activating, by the processing unit

[0304] , at least one standby application on the second container

[3064] within the cluster

[0306] , The at least one standby application is responsible for taking control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

[0083] In one implementation, the method

[0400] comprises sequentially invoking, by the processing unit

[0304] , the modification utility across all containers of the cluster

[0306] , ensuring that at least one container remains active to handle the network traffic during the software modification.

[0084] In an implementation, the method

[0400] comprises updating, by the processing unit

[0304] , the path in a persistent volume of the first container

[3062] , The persistent volume herein refers to storage space in the first container

[3062] , where the data (for e.g., the software release packagewhich is copied onto the first container

[3062] ) is retained even when the first container

[3062] is under software modification. The persistent volume ensures that the data remains available even when the containers in the cluster network architecture

[0306] are undergoing the software modification. The path indicates a location where the software release package is copied.

[0085] In an implementation, the at least one standby application is activated on the second container

[3064] in case the at least one standby application is associated with at least one active application running on the first container

[3062] ,

[0086] Thereafter, the method

[0400] terminates at step

[0412] ,

[0087] FIG.5 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of a process

[0500] for performing the software modification in the cluster network architecture

[0306] , in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The process

[0500] is initiated after gaining administrative access into the controllers of the cluster network architecture

[0306] ,

[0088] At step

[0502] , a latest version of the software release package is copied in the cluster system

[0306] , In particular, the latest version of the software release package is copied in the first controller container

[3062] ,

[0089] At step

[0504] , at least one standby application is kept in running state with ongoing network traffic. In particular, the at least one standby application is activated on a second container in the cluster system

[0306] ,

[0090] At step

[0506] , the process

[0500] comprises updating, the software release package on all remaining nodes of the cluster

[0306] ,

[0091] At step

[0508] , the process

[0500] comprises observing health of the cluster system

[0306] , The observation of the health of the cluster system

[0306] involves monitoring the container nodes on the cluster system

[0306] to ensure that they are functioning correctly after the software release package is updated. The observation may include verifying connectivity, network resource utilization etc. to ensure that the software update did not lead to introduction of other issues in the cluster system

[0306] ,

[0092] Thereafter, the process

[0500] concludes.

[0093] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture / cluster

[0306] , the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system

[0300] , causes an authorization unit

[0302] configured to access a first container

[3062] within the cluster

[0306] using a secure access protocol. Further, the executable code which, when executed causes a processing unit

[0304] configured to copy a software release package onto the first container

[3062] , Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the processing unit

[0304] to invoke a modification utility on the first container

[3062] to at least update configurations of the first container

[3062] , Further, the executable code which, when executed causes the processing unit

[0304] to activate at least one standby application on a second container

[3064] within the cluster

[0306] , The at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

[0094] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various the components / units can be implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides methods and systems for efficient software modification, such as upgrading a cluster network, ensuring a smooth and controlled process with minimal service disruptions. A key objective is to maintain consistency and ease of management for uniform upgrades across all nodes via a remote invocation mechanism. Additionally, continuous monitoring of the network’s performance allows for timely detection and resolution of issues.

[0096] The present disclosure offers several advantages, including zero downtime during the upgrade, and ensuring uninterrupted user and service operations. Traffic distribution remains continuous, preventing disruptions during in-service upgrades and maintaining service availability. The system also eliminates the need for cluster restarts, reducing resource overhead and improving efficiency.

[0097] Furthermore, the present disclosure ensures quick availability of individual components, utilizing persistent container data for faster updates without respawning nodes. The upgrade process is non-disruptive, allowing for seamless software updates without stopping the application server. Dynamic configuration changes are preserved during upgrades, eliminating the need for reapplication after the process.

[0098] In conclusion, the software modification system provides a configurable and efficient solution to manage upgrades in cluster networks, improving both cost-effectiveness and overall system performance.

[0099] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative and non-limiting.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method [400] for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture, the method [400] comprising: accessing, by an authorization unit [302], a first container [3062] within a cluster [306] using a secure access protocol; copying, by a processing unit [304], a software release package onto the first container [3062]; invoking, by the processing unit [304], a modification utility on the first container [3062] to at least update configurations of the first container [3062]; and activating, by the processing unit [304], at least one standby application on a second container [3064] within the cluster [306], wherein the at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, comprising sequentially invoking, by the processing unit [304], the modification utility across all containers of the cluster [306], ensuring that at least one container remains active to handle the network traffic during the software modification.

3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secure access protocol is Secure Shell (SSH).

4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software release package comprises at least one of updated configuration files, shared libraries, system binaries, and executable files associated with a new software version.

5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, comprising updating, by the processing unit [304], a path in a persistent volume of the first container [3062], wherein the path indicates a location where the software release package is copied.

6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one standby application is activated on the second container [3064] in case the at least one standby application is associated with at least one active application running on the first container [3062],7. A system [300] for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture, the system [300] comprising: an authorization unit [302] configured to access a first container [3062] within a cluster [306] using a secure access protocol; a processing unit [304] connected to at least the authorization unit [302], the processing unit [304] is configured to: copy a software release package onto the first container [3062]; invoke a modification utility on the first container [3062] to at least update configurations of the first container [3062]; and activate at least one standby application on a second container [3064] within the cluster [306], wherein the at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

8. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing unit [304] is configured to sequentially invoke the modification utility across all containers of the cluster [306], ensuring that at least one container remains active to handle the network traffic during the software modification.

9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secure access protocol is Secure Shell (SSH).

10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the software release package comprises at least one of updated configuration files, shared libraries, system binaries, and executable files associated with a new software version.

11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing unit [304] is configured to update a path in a persistent volume of the first container [3062], wherein the path indicates a location where the software release package is copied.

12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one standby application is activated on the second container [3064] in case the at least one standby application is associated with at least one active application running on the first container [3062],13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for performing a software modification in a cluster network architecture, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes: an authorization unit [302] configured to access a first container [3062] within a cluster [306] using a secure access protocol; a processing unit [304] connected to at least the authorization unit [302], the processing unit [304] is configured to: copy a software release package onto the first container [3062]; invoke a modification utility on the first container [3062] to at least update configurations of the first container [3062]; and activate at least one standby application on a second container [3064] within the cluster [306], wherein the at least one standby application takes control over network traffic to maintain service availability during the software modification.

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