Method and system for automated recovery of network functions

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for automated recovery of network functions The disclosure encompasses receiving at a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module [1096], an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module [1050]; retrieving at the NPDA module [1096], from a database [306], a set of alarm restoration data associated with network function [308]; computing at the NPDA module [1096], a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data; and determining at the NPDA module [1096], whether the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches a predefined threshold; and transmitting to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module [1088], a recovery request for performing a corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED RECOVERY OF NETWORK FUNCTIONSFIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of wireless communication systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for automated recovery of network functions.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 an admission of prior art.

[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on antilog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. The third- generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth-generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth-generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users.

[0004] Modern network infrastructures are characterized by their increasing complexity and the critical role they play in supporting a wide range of services and applications. The seamless operation of these networks is vital to ensure uninterrupted communication, data exchange, and service delivery. However, network functions and services are susceptible to various issues, including software bugs, hardware failures, and external threats, which can lead to servicedisruptions and downtime. Traditional methods for addressing these issues often involve manual intervention and can result in extended periods of service unavailability.

[0005] In response to these challenges, the need for automated and real-time recovery mechanisms for network functions has become increasingly evident. Thus, an application-level recovery represents a significant advancement in the field of network management and operation.

[0006] Network recovery processes have primarily focused on lower-level issues, such as hardware failures, link congestion, or routing problems. While these mechanisms are essential for maintaining the stability of network infrastructure, they often fall short when it comes to addressing application-level issues that can have a direct impact on user experience and service quality.

[0007] Furthermore, over the period of time various solutions have been developed to address network function recovery. However, there are certain challenges with the existing solutions. For example, the existing solutions do not provide real-time application-level alarms to notify that the network functions require recovery.

[0008] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide methods and systems to address the challenges associated with real-time recovery of network functions, which the present disclosure aims to address.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0009] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0010] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method to make informed decisions related to recovery / healing of network function(s) in real-time based on an evaluation of threshold-based breach.

[0011] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution to keep track of the load of the network function and inform about the threshold-based breach in real-time, thereby mitigating network resource failures.SUMMARY

[0012] 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.

[0013] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for automated recovery of network functions. The method comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit at a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module, an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module. The method further comprises retrieving, by a retrieving unit at the NPDA module, from a database, a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function. The set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with the at least one network function and a historical alarm data associated with the at least one network function. The method further comprises computing, by a processing unit at the NPDA module, a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data. The method further comprises determining, by a determining unit at the NPDA module, whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached. It is pertinent to note that in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the method also comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit at the NPDA module, to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module, a recovery request for performing a corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

[0014] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further comprises transmitting, by the PEGN module, to a lifecycle manager (LM) module, one or more instructions to execute the corrective action on the at least one network function, based on the recovery request. The method further comprises executing, by the processing unit, via the LM module, the corrective action on the at least one network function.

[0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the corrective action comprises at least one of: restarting the at least one network function and migrating the at least one network function to another host.

[0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one network function is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network FunctionComponents (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the PVIM module receives the alarm enrichment request from the event routing manager (ERM) module.

[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the hysteresis evaluation comprises determining, by the determining unit, whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the at least one network function exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy.

[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the transmitting of the recovery request to the PEGN module, is performed using a closed-loop reporting mechanism, wherein the closed- loop reporting mechanism involves sending continuous status updates regarding the corrective action to the at least one network function.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for automated recovery of network functions. The system comprises a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module which further comprises a transceiver unit configured to receive an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module. The NPDA module further comprises a retrieving unit configured to retrieve, at the NPDA module, from a database, a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function. It is pertinent to note that the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with at least the network function, and historical alarm data associated with at least the network function. The NPDA module further comprises a processing unit configured to compute, at the NPDA module, a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data. The NPDA module further comprises a determining unit configured to determine, at the NPDA module, whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached. It is further noted that in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the transceiver unit is configured to transmit, at the NPDA module to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module, a recovery request for performing corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automated recovery of network functions, the storage unitcomprising executable code which, when executed by a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module of a system, causes a transceiver unit to receive an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a retrieving unit to retrieve, at the NPDA module, from a database, a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function. It is pertinent to note that the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with at least the network function, and historical alarm data associated with at least the network function. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit to compute at the NPDA module, a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a determining unit to determine, at the NPDA module, whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached. It is further noted that, in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the executable code which, when executed, causes the transceiver unit is configured to transmit, at the NPDA module to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module, a recovery request for performing corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] 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.

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a management and orchestration (MANO) platform, in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for automated recovery of network functions, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method flow diagram for automated recovery of network functions, in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram indicating the process for automating recovery of the network functions in real time, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] 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 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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 disclosure. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure 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 disclosure 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 disclosure as defined herein.

[0032] 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 skills 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.

[0033] 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 a figure.

[0034] 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 in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0035] 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, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 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.

[0036] Further, the user device and / or a system as described herein to implement technical features as disclosed in the present disclosure may also comprise a “processor” or “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 Digital Signal Processor (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 of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor is a hardware processor.

[0037] 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 processingunit, a storage unit, a detection unit and any other such unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0038] 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.

[0039] As used herein “interface” or “user interface” refers to a shared boundary across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be called.

[0040] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.

[0041] As used herein the transceiver unit includes at least one receiver and at least one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data, signals, information or a combination thereof between units / components within the system and / or connected with the system.

[0042] As used herein, corrective action refers to steps taken to fix an identified problem, fault, issue or an anomaly in a system or a process to restore normal operations and prevent recurrence. For example, the corrective actions can include, but not limited only to adjusting resources, configurations, or workflows to address issues such as performance degradation, system errors or failure conditions.

[0043] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several shortcomings owing to lack of any provision for real-time alarm management for healing / recoveryof the network function(s). The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology for automated recovery of the network function(s) by providing methods and systems for automated recovery of the network function(s). A physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module performs the immediate detection and notification of the application level alarms related to the network function(s) while a network platform decision analytics (NPDA) module initiates healing / recovery operations based on a breach of a predefined threshold with the help of hysteresis evaluation. This recovery of the network functions is carried out as the application level alarms serve as triggers caused due to the breach of the predefined threshold. The present disclosure is implemented with the help of various components of a management and orchestration (MANO) platform.

[0044] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a management and orchestration (MANO) platform

[0100] , in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. The MANO platform

[0100] may be developed for managing cloud infrastructure automatically, managing design or deployment design, managing instantiation of network node(s) / service(s) etc. The MANO platform

[0100] deploys the network node(s) in the form of Virtual Network Function (VNF) and Cloud-native / Container Network Function (CNF). The system as provided by the present disclosure may comprise one or more components of the MANO platform

[0100] , The MANO platform

[0100] may be used to auto-instantiate the VNFs into the corresponding environment of the present disclosure so that it could help in recovery of network function(s) to the platform.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO platform

[0100] comprises a user interface layer

[0102] , a network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined network (SDN) design function module

[0104] , a platform foundation services module

[0106] , a platform core services module

[0108] and a platform resource adapters and utilities module

[0112] , 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.

[0047] The NFV and SDN design function module

[0104] comprises a VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module

[1042] , a VNF catalogue

[1044] , a network services catalogue

[1046] , a network slicing and service chaining manager

[1048] , a physical and virtual resource manager(PVIM) module

[1050] and a CNF lifecycle manager

[1052] , The VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module

[1042] may be responsible for deciding on which server of the communication network the microservice will be instantiated. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module

[1042] may manage the overall flow of incoming / outgoing requests during interaction with the user. The VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module

[1042] may be responsible for determining which sequence to be followed for executing the process. For e.g. in an AMF network function of the communication network (such as a 5G network), sequence for execution of processes Pl and P2 etc. The VNF catalogue

[1044] stores the metadata of all the VNFs (also CNFs in some cases). The network services catalogue

[1046] stores the information of the services that need to be run. The network slicing and service chaining manager

[1048] manages the slicing (an ordered and connected sequence of network service / network functions (NFs)) that must be applied to a specific networked data packet. The physical and virtual resource manager / physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module

[1050] stores the logical and physical inventory of the VNFs. Just like the VNF lifecycle manager (compute) / LM module

[1042] , the CNF lifecycle manager

[1052] may be used for the CNFs lifecycle management.

[0048] The platforms foundation services module

[0106] comprises a microservices elastic load balancer

[1062] , an identity & access manager

[1064] , a command line interface (CLI)

[1066] , a central logging manager

[1068] , and an event routing manager (ERM) / ERM module

[1070] , The microservices elastic load balancer

[1062] may be used for maintaining the load balancing of the request for the services. The identity & access manager

[1064] may be used for logging purposes. The command line interface (CLI)

[1066] may be used to provide commands to execute certain processes which require changes during the run time. The central logging manager

[1068] may be responsible for keeping the logs of every service. These logs are generated by the MANO platform

[0100] , These logs are used for debugging purposes. The event routing manager (ERM) / event routing manger (ERM) module

[1070] may be responsible for routing the events i.e., the application programming interface (API) hits to the corresponding services.

[0049] The platforms core services module

[0108] comprises NFV infrastructure monitoring manager

[1082] , an assure manager

[1084] , a performance manager

[1086] , a policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] , a capacity monitoring manager

[1090] , a release management (mgmt.) repository

[1092] , a configuration manager & golden configuration template (GCT)

[1094] , an NFV platform decision analytics / NPDA module

[1096] , a platform No SQL DB

[1098] ; a platform schedulers and cron jobs

[1100] , a VNF backup & upgrade manager

[1102] , a microservice auditor

[1104] , and a platform operations, administration and maintenance manager

[1106] , The NFV infrastructure monitoring manager

[1082] monitors the infrastructure part of the NFs. For e.g., any metrics such as CPU utilization by the VNF. The assure manager

[1084] may be responsible for supervising the alarms the vendor may be generating. The performance manager

[1086] may be responsible for managing the performance counters. The policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] may be responsible for managing all of the policies. The capacity monitoring manager (CMM)

[1090] may be responsible for sending the request to the PEGN

[1088] , The release management (mgmt.) repository (RMR)

[1092] may be responsible for managing the releases and the images of all of the vendor's network nodes. The configuration manager & golden configuration template (GCT)

[1094] manages the configuration and GCT of all the vendors. The NFV platform decision analytics (NPDA) / NFV platform decision analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] helps in deciding the priority of using the network resources. It may be further noted that the policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] , the configuration manager & GCT

[1094] and the NPDA module

[1096] work together. The platform NoSQL DB

[1098] may be a database for storing all the inventory (both physical and logical) as well as the metadata of the VNFs and CNF. The platform schedulers and cron jobs

[1100] schedules the task such as but not limited to triggering of an event, traversing the network graph etc. The VNF backup & upgrade manager

[1102] takes backup of the images, binaries of the VNFs and the CNFs and produces those backups on demand in case of server failure. The microservice auditor

[1104] audits the microservices. For example, instances not being instantiated by the MANO platform

[0100] may be using the network resources. In such cases, the microservice auditor

[1104] audits and informs the same so that resources can be released for services running in the MANO platform

[0100] , The audit assures that the services only run on the MANO platform

[0100] , The platform operations, administration and maintenance manager

[1106] may be used for newer instances that are spawning.

[0050] The platform resource adapters and utilities module

[0112] further comprises a platform external API adaptor and gateway

[1122] ; a generic decoder and indexer (XML, CSV, JSON)

[1124] ; a docker swarm adaptor

[1126] ; an OpenStack API adapter

[1128] ; and a NFV gateway

[1130] , The platform external API adaptor and gateway

[1122] may be responsible for handling the external services (to the MANO platform

[0100] ) that require the network resources. The generic decoder and indexer (XML, CSV, JSON)

[1124] gets directly the data of the vendor system in the XML, CSV, JSON format. The docker swarm adaptor

[1126] may be the interface provided between the telecom cloud and the MANO platform

[0100] for communication. The OpenStack API adapter

[1128] may be used to connect with the virtual machines (VMs). The NFV gateway

[1130] may be responsible for providing the path to each service going to / incoming from the MANO platform

[0100] ,

[0051] The present disclosure can be implemented on a computing device

[0200] as shown in FIG. 2. The computing device

[0200] implements the present disclosure in accordance with the MANO platform

[0100] (as shown in FIG. 1). FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the 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 also implement a method

[0400] (as shown in FIG. 4) and a process

[0500] (as shown in FIG. 5) for automated recovery of network functions utilising a system

[0300] (as shown in FIG. 3), having a network function virtualization platform decision analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] (as shown in FIG. 1). In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method

[0400] and the process

[0500] for automated recovery of network functions in a communication network using one or more units configured within the computing device

[0200] , wherein said one or more units can implement the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0052] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

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

[0204] coupled with the bus

[0202] for processing information. The 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] ,

[0053] 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] , includingalphanumeric 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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 a corresponding 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.

[0056] 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 thecommunication 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.

[0057] The present disclosure is implemented by the system

[0300] (as shown in FIG. 3). The system

[0300] may be implemented using the computing device

[0200] (as shown in FIG. 2). In an implementation, the computing device

[0200] may be connected to the system

[0300] to perform the present disclosure.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of the system

[0300] for automated recovery of network functions in the communication network, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one network function virtualization platform decision analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] , The NPDA module

[1096] further comprises at least one transceiver unit

[0302] ; at least one retrieving unit

[0304] ; at least one database

[0306] ; at least one processing unit

[0310] and at least one determining unit

[0312] , The NPDA module

[1096] is connected to at least one lifecycle manager (LM) module

[1042] ; at least one physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module

[1050] ; at least one event routing manager (ERM) module

[1070] ; and at least one policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] for automating recovery of network functions. The system

[0300] is connected to at least one network function

[0308] for whose recovery is to be automated. Also, all of the components / units of the system

[0300] are assumed to be connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in the FIG.3, all units shown within the system

[0300] should also be assumed to be connected to each other. 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 another implementation, the system

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

[0059] The system

[0300] is configured for automating recovery of network functions in a network environment, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] , In another implementation of the present disclosure, the system

[0300] is configured for performing automated recovery of the network functions in real-time, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] ,

[0060] The transceiver unit

[0302] of the network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] is configured to receive an alarm enrichment request triggeredby the PVIM module

[1050] , In an exemplary implementation, the PVIM module

[1050] is configured to provide immediate and precise application-level alarms by triggering the alarm enrichment request, thereby allowing for timely evaluation of the need for recovery / healing operations in order to prevent failure of the network functions in the communication network. Examples of network functions can include, but not limited only to Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Cloud Network Functions (CNFs), and Cloud Network Function Components (CNFCs). For example, the PVIM module

[1050] triggers an alarm in the condition when the network function(s) requires healing. For example, the alarms are raised when issues or anomalies are identified at the application or service level within the network. In some examples, the issues or anomalies may include service degradation alerts, security threats, resource exhaustion messages, configuration errors, threshold violations, policy violations, application specific issues, and the like.

[0061] Upon receipt of the alarm enrichment request after triggering by the PVIM module

[1050] , the retrieving unit

[0304] at the NPDA module

[1096] , retrieves from the database

[0306] , a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function

[0308] , It is pertinent to note that the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of an alarm restoration policy associated with the at least one network function

[0308] and historical alarm data associated with the at least one network function

[0308] , The database

[0306] may be a non-relational database but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For e.g., a non-relational database may be a NoSQL database. Further, the database

[0306] may also be configured to store the information related to the network functions such as but not limited to store the predefined threshold policies against the network functions (e.g., VNFs / VNFs or CNFs / CNFs).

[0062] Thereafter, the processing unit

[0310] at the NPDA module

[1096] , computes a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data. For example, a network management system monitors a VNF with an 80% load threshold. Instead of reacting to brief spikes, the system uses hysteresis evaluation to prevent unnecessary actions. Hysteresis evaluation is a process or a technique to avoid rapid or unnecessary changes by introducing a delay or buffer when reacting to fluctuating input values. Hysteresis evaluation helps a system to maintain a stability by preventing it from responding to minor or temporary changes that would otherwise cause constant switching between states. Hysteresis evaluation may correspond to monitoring metrics (such as network load, performance or errors) and taking corrective action only if the metrics exceeds predefined threshold for a sustained period.

[0063] Once the hysteresis evaluation is computed, the determining unit

[0312] at the NPDA module

[1096] , determines whether the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches a predefined threshold. It is further noted that in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the transceiver unit

[0302] transmits to the policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] , a recovery request for performing corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold. Thus, the recovery of the network functions (such as but not limited to VNFs, VNFCs, CNFs, and CNFCs) is performed whenever the predefined threshold specified is breached. The predefined threshold is breached when there is an anomaly or fault in the reported load at the NPDA module

[1096] , For e.g., once the alarm by the PVIM module

[1050] is raised, the NPDA module

[1096] fetches the set of alarm restoration data defined against the provided network function from the database

[0306] , For example, an administrator may define the alarm restoration data for raising an alarm to determine that the network function requires recovery in a network. When the determination is made that the network function requires healing, the alarms are raised or triggered. The raising of alarm signifies that a particular network function requires healing.

[0064] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the system

[0300] , the PEGN module

[1088] transmits to a lifecycle manager (LM) module

[1042] , one or more instructions to execute the corrective action on the at least one network function

[0308] , based on the recovery request. The processing unit

[0310] is further configured to execute, via the LM module

[1042] , the corrective action on at least one network function

[0308] , Thus, the PEGN module

[1088] may perform automated recovering / healing for the corresponding network functions. The PEGN module

[1088] is further responsible for performing actual resource recovery and may recommend the PVIM module

[1050] to either restart or migrate the network function instance(s) to a healthy host.

[0065] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the corrective action comprises at least one of restarting at least one network function

[0308] and migrating at least one network function

[0308] to another host.

[0066] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one network function

[0308] is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

[0067] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the PVIM module

[1050] is configured to receive the alarm enrichment request from the event routing manager (ERM) module

[1070] ,

[0068] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, for the hysteresis evaluation, the determining unit

[0312] is configured to determine whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the at least one network function

[0308] exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy. For e.g., the hysteresis evaluation process may include comparing the event details raised in the alarm with the pre-defined alarm policies containing predefined thresholds stored in the database

[0306] to identify a deviation. If the hysteresis evaluation process is evaluated to be true (i.e., a deviation is identified), the NPDA module

[1096] sends an instruction to the PEGN module

[1088] to perform the recovery process on the corresponding network function.

[0069] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the recovery request is transmitted to the PEGN module

[1088] using a closed-loop reporting mechanism, wherein the closed-loop reporting mechanism involves sending continuous status updates regarding the corrective action to the at least one network function

[0308] ,

[0070] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method

[0400] flow diagram for automating recovery of network functions in a network environment, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] (as shown in FIG. 3). Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a server device to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method

[0400] starts at step

[0402] ,

[0071] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit

[0302] at a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] , an alarm enrichment request triggered by the PVIM module

[1050] , In an exemplary implementation, the PVIM module

[1050] is configured to provide immediate and precise application-level alarms by triggering the alarm enrichment request, thereby allowing for timely evaluation of the need for recovery / healing operations in order to prevent failure of the network functions [such as but not limited to Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Cloud Network Functions (CNFs), and Cloud Network Function Components (CNFCs) etc.] in the communication network. For e.g., the PVIM module

[1050] triggers an alarm in the condition when the network function(s) requires healing. For example, the alarms are raised when issues or anomalies are identified at the application or service level within the network. In some examples, the issues or anomalies may include service degradation alerts, security threats, resourceexhaustion messages, configuration errors, threshold violations, policy violations, application specific issues, and the like.

[0072] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the PVIM module

[1050] receives the alarm enrichment request from the event routing manager (ERM) module

[1070] ,

[0073] At step

[0406] , the method

[0400] further comprises retrieving, by a retrieving unit

[0304] at the NPDA module

[1096] , from a database

[0306] , a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function

[0308] , The set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of an alarm restoration policy associated with the at least one network function

[0308] and a historical alarm data associated with the at least one network function

[0308] , The database

[0306] may be a non-relational database but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For e.g., a non-relational database may be a NoSQL database. Further, the database

[0306] may also be configured to store the information related to the network functions such as but not limited to store the predefined threshold policies against the network functions (e.g., VNFs / VNFs or CNFs / CNFs).

[0074] At step

[0408] , the method

[0400] further comprises computing, by a processing unit

[0310] at the NPDA module

[1096] , a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data.

[0075] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the hysteresis evaluation comprises determining, by the determining unit

[0312] , whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the at least one network function

[0308] exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy. For e.g., the hysteresis evaluation process may include comparing the event details raised in the alarm with the pre-defined alarm policies containing predefined thresholds stored in the database

[0306] to identify a deviation. If the hysteresis evaluation process is evaluated to be true (i.e., a deviation is identified), the NPDA module

[1096] sends an instruction to the PEGN module

[1088] to perform the recovery process on the corresponding network function.

[0076] At step

[0410] , the method

[0400] further comprises determining, by a determining unit

[0312] at the NPDA module

[1096] , whether the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches a predefined threshold. Thus, the recovery of the network functions (such as but not limited to VNFs, VNFCs, CNFs, and CNFCs) is performed whenever the predefined threshold specified is breached. Typically, the predefined threshold is said to be breached when there is an anomaly or fault in thereported load at the NPDA module

[1096] , For e.g., once the alarm by the PVIM module

[1050] is raised, the NPDA module

[1096] fetches the set of alarm restoration data defined against the provided network function from the database

[0306] , For example, an administrator may define the alarm restoration data for raising an alarm to determine that the network function requires recovery in a network. When the determination is made that the network function requires healing, the alarms are raised or triggered. The raising of alarm signifies that a particular network function requires healing.

[0077] At step

[0412] , the method

[0400] further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit

[0302] at the NPDA module

[1096] , to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] , a recovery request for performing a corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

[0078] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method

[0400] further comprises transmitting, by the PEGN module

[1088] , to a lifecycle manager (LM) module

[1042] , one or more instructions to execute the corrective action on the at least one network function

[0308] , based on the recovery request. The method

[0400] further comprises executing, by the processing unit

[0310] , via the LM module

[1042] , the corrective action on the at least one network function

[0308] , Thus, the PEGN module

[1088] may perform automated recovering / healing for the corresponding network functions. The PEGN module

[1088] is further responsible for performing actual resource recovery and may recommend the PVIM module

[1050] to either restart or migrate the network function instance(s) to a healthy host.

[0079] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the corrective action comprises at least one of: restarting the at least one network function

[0308] and migrating the at least one network function

[0308] to another host.

[0080] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one network function

[0308] is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

[0081] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the transmitting of the recovery request to the PEGN module

[1088] , is performed using a closed-loop reporting mechanism, wherein the closed-loop reporting mechanism involves sending continuous status updates regarding the corrective action to the at least one network function

[0308] ,

[0082] Thereafter, the method

[0400] terminates at step

[0014] ,

[0083] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary flow diagram indicating the process

[0500] for automating recovery of the network functions in real time is shown in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The process

[0500] is carried out in the following steps:

[0084] The process starts at step 502. The process

[0500] comprises triggering, network function related alarm enrichment requests by physical and virtual infrastructure manager (PVIM) module

[1050] , In an exemplary aspect, the network function is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

[0085] At step 504, upon receiving the message about the alarm enrichment request, the process

[0500] comprises receiving, at the event routing manager (ERM) module

[1070] , the alarm enrichment request associated with at least one network function. In an exemplary aspect, the alarm enrichment request is received using the ERM module

[1070] , In an exemplary aspect, event details are further transmitted from the ERM module

[1070] to the NPDA module

[1096] , In particular, the ERM module

[1070] informs the NPDA module

[1096] about the alarm enrichment request along with a predefined alarm restoration policy.

[0086] At step 506, the process

[0500] comprises evaluating, by the NPDA module

[1096] , the predefined alarm restoration policy for the corresponding network functions with the alarm enrichment request. For example, the NPDA module

[1096] evaluates the deviation between the conditions mentioned in the alarm restoration policy for raising the alarms and the alarm enrichment request. In an exemplary aspect, the NPDA module

[1096] computes the hysteresis evaluation by determining whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the network function exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy.

[0087] At step 508, the process

[0500] comprises receiving, at a policy evaluation module, from the NPDA module

[1096] , the hysteresis evaluation. If the hysteresis evaluation turns out to be false, the process

[0500] and executes step 510. Conversely, if the hysteresis evaluation turns out to be true (i.e., deviation is found between the alarm enrichment request and pre-defined alarm restoration policy), the step 508 A is executed thereby allowing the NPDA module

[1096] to sendan instruction to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] to perform automated recovery of the network functions.

[0088] At step 508 A, the process

[0500] comprises performing, at the PEGN module

[1088] , if the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches the predefined threshold, closed loop reporting is performed to adjust system

[0300] (as shown in FIG. 3) regarding recovery. In an exemplary aspect, the recovery is performed in order to mitigate breach of the computed hysteresis at the PEGN module

[1088] by performing recovery / healing operations. In an exemplary aspect, the PEGN module

[1088] determines whether the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches the predefined threshold which comprises specific parameters defined by the network administrator within the system

[0300] that initiates certain responses when they are exceeded or breached. The recovery / healing operation may include at least one of restart or migration of the network functions instance to a healthy host.

[0089] At step 510, the process

[0500] concludes thereafter.

[0090] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automated recovery of network functions, the storage unit comprising executable code which, when executed by a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module

[1096] of a system

[0300] , causes a transceiver unit

[0302] to receive an alarm enrichment request triggered by the PVIM module

[1050] , Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a retrieving unit

[0304] to retrieve, at the NPDA module

[1096] , from a database

[0306] , a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function

[0308] , It is pertinent to note that the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with at least the network function

[0308] , and historical alarm data associated with at least the network function

[0308] , Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit

[0310] to compute at the NPDA module

[1096] , a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a determining unit

[0312] to determine, at the NPDA module

[1096] , whether the computed hysteresis evaluation breaches a predefined threshold. It is further noted that, in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the executable code which, when executed, causes the transceiver unit

[0302] is configured to transmit, at the NPDA module

[1096] to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module

[1088] , a recovery request for performing corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

[0091] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various 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.

[0092] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for performing automated recovery of network functions

[0308] in real-time, based at least on timely raising of alarms. The PVIM module

[1050] employs reported alarms to trigger the NPDA module

[1096] to evaluate the predefined policies specific to each network function. Based on this evaluation, the NPDA module

[1096] suggests appropriate actions, such as healing, to rectify the identified issues and maintain the network's integrity and reliability. Thus, the present disclosure provides a system

[0300] and method

[0400] that enhances the responsiveness and robustness of network infrastructure by introducing real-time application-level recovery / healing capabilities for network functions. The present disclosure leverages the immediate detection of alarms and seamless communication between various modules to ensure timely and effective recovery operations, ultimately minimizing network disruptions and potential failures.

[0093] 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 automated recovery of network functions, the method [400] comprising: o receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] at a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module [1096], an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module [1050]; o retrieving, by a retrieving unit [304] at the NPDA module [1096], from a database [306], a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function [308], wherein the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with the at least one network function [308], and historical alarm data associated with the at least one network function [308]; o computing, by a processing unit [310] at the NPDA module [1096], a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data; and o determining, by a determining unit [312] at the NPDA module [1096], whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached, wherein, in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the method [400] comprises: o transmitting, by the transceiver unit [302] at the NPDA module [1096], to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module [1088], a recovery request for performing a corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method [400] comprises: o transmitting, by the PEGN module [1088], to a lifecycle manager (LM) module [1042], one or more instructions to execute the corrective action on the at least one network function [308], based on the recovery request; and o executing, by the processing unit [310], via the LM module [1042], the corrective action on the at least one network function [308],3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 2, wherein the corrective action comprises at least one of: restarting the at least one network function [308], and migrating the at least one network function [308] to another host.

4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one network function [308] is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PVIM module [1050] receives the alarm enrichment request from an event routing manager (ERM) module [1070],6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hysteresis evaluation comprises determining, by the determining unit [312], whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the at least one network function [308] exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy.

7. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the recovery request to the PEGN module [1088], is performed using a closed-loop reporting mechanism, wherein the closed-loop reporting mechanism involves sending continuous status updates regarding the corrective action to the at least one network function [308],8. A system [300] for automated recovery of network functions, the system [300] comprising: o a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module [1096] comprising:■ a transceiver unit [302] configured to receive an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module [1050];■ a retrieving unit [304] connected to at least the transceiver unit [302], the retrieving unit [304] configured to retrieve, at the NPDA module [1096], from a database [306], a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function [308], wherein the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with at least the network function [308], and historical alarm data associated with at least the network function [308];■ a processing unit [310] connected to at least the retrieving unit [304], the processing unit [310] configured to compute, at the NPDA module [1096], a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data; and■ a determining unit [312] connected to at least the processing unit [310], the determining unit [312] configured to determine, at the NPDA module [1096], whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached, wherein, in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to:■ transmit, by the transceiver unit [302] at the NPDA module [1096], to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module [1088], a recovery request forperforming corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the system [300] comprises: o the transceiver unit [302] further configured to transmit, at the PEGN module [1088], to a lifecycle manager (LM) module [1042], one or more instructions to execute the corrective action on the at least one network function [308], based on the recovery request; and o the processing unit [310] further configured to execute, via the LM module [1042], the corrective action on at least one network function [308],10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the corrective action comprises at least one of restarting at least one network function [308], and migrating at least one network function [308] to another host.

11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one network function [308] is selected from a group consisting of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), Virtual Network Function Components (VNFCs), Container Network functions (CNFs), and Container Network Function Components (CNFCs).

12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein the PVIM module [1050] is configured to receive the alarm enrichment request from an event routing manager (ERM) module [1070],13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, wherein for the hysteresis evaluation, the determining unit [312] is configured to determine whether frequency of occurrences of an alarm associated with the at least one network function [308] exceeds a predefined occurrence threshold within a predetermined time period, based on the historical alarm data and the alarm restoration policy.

14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 8, the recovery request is transmitted to the PEGN module [1088] using a closed-loop reporting mechanism, wherein the closed-loop reporting mechanism involves sending continuous status updates regarding the corrective action to the at least one network function [308],15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automated recovery of network functions, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by a network function virtualization platform decision and analytics (NPDA) module [1096] of a system [300], causes: o a transceiver unit [302] to: receive an alarm enrichment request triggered by a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) module [1050];a retrieving unit [304] to: retrieve, at the NPDA module [1096], from a database [306], a set of alarm restoration data associated with at least one network function [308], wherein the set of alarm restoration data comprises at least one of: an alarm restoration policy associated with at least the network function [308], and historical alarm data associated with at least the network function [308]; a processing unit [310] to: compute at the NPDA module [1096], a hysteresis evaluation on the alarm enrichment request, based on the set of alarm restoration data; and a determining unit [312] to: determine, at the NPDA module [1096], whether the computed hysteresis evaluation indicates that a predefined threshold has been breached, wherein, in response to the determining that the predefined threshold is breached, the transceiver unit [302] is configured to: transmit, at the NPDA module [1096] to a policy execution engine (PEGN) module [1088], a recovery request for performing corrective action to mitigate the breach of the predefined threshold.

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