Method and system to manage virtual network function (VNF) instances in a network

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network The present disclosure encompasses: receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] at a capacity management platform (CP) [1090] from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM) [1048], a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services; determining, by a processing unit at the CP [1090], the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message; sending, by the transceiver unit from the CP [1090] to the NSSCM [1048], a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance count for executing the one or more services.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM TO MANAGE VIRTUAL NETWORK FUNCTION (VNF) INSTANCES IN A NETWORKFIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to network performance management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and a system to manage virtual network function (VNF) instances in a network.BACKGROUND

[0002] The following description of the 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 is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the 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 analog 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. 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] Virtual Network Function instantiation is a process to deploy and configure a virtual network function in a virtualized environment. The VNF instantiation is required to scale the network functions (such as load balancing). Resource management is also required while instantiating VNF in the virtualized environment. To efficiently manage the resources, there is a need to accurately determine the count of VNF instances. The existing methods and systems failto provide or consider an accurate number of VNF instances count which increases the overhead on existing VNF instance resources like CPU and RAM.

[0005] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network by minimizing the overhead on system resources and providing an accurate number of VNF instance counts, which the present disclosure aims to address.SUMMARY

[0006] 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.

[0007] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network. The method includes receiving, by a transceiver unit at a capacity management platform (CP) from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM), a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services. The method further includes determining, by a processing unit at the CP, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message. The method further includes sending, by the transceiver unit from the CP to the NSSCM, a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0008] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the request message and the response message are communicated using one or more representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST API) over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

[0009] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the one or more VNF instance counts are used to perform at least one of: an instantiation procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services, and a termination procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services.

[0010] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the interface is a CP SL interface to facilitate communication between the CP and the NSSCM.

[0011] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation.

[0012] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services is sent in a predefined format.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network. The system comprises a transceiver unit configured to receive, by a transceiver unit at a capacity management platform (CP) from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM), a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services. The system further comprises a processing unit connected at least with the transceiver unit, the processing unit is configured to determine, at the CP, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message. The transceiver unit is further configured to send, from the CP to the NSSCM, a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0014] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, the instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes a transceiver unit to receive, by a transceiver unit at a capacity management platform (CP) from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM), a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services. The executable code when executed further causes a processing unit to determine, at the CP, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message. The executable code when executed further causes the transceiver unit to send, from the CP to the NSSCM, a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0015] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0016] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network.

[0017] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for optimizing, via the CP SL interface, the network operations by minimizing the overhead on system resources and providing an accurate number of VNF instance count.

[0018] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that provides an accurate or precise number of VNF instance counts as delivered by the CP microservice to be instantiated during the instantiation phase.

[0019] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution to minimize the overhead on system resources like CPU and RAM by ensuring precise resource allocation.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] 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. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method and system according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the advantages of the disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of management and orchestration (MANO) architecture / platform

[0100] ,

[0022] 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.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a process flow diagram to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0026] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] 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 may 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0030] 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 may 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor” includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. A 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 Processing (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 or processing unit is a hardware processor.

[0033] 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 oneinput means configured to receive an input from unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 as a set of rules or protocols that define the 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] As used herein, the virtual network function (VNF) refers to a network function module that operates in virtualized environments such as virtual machines or containers. This virtualization allows for dynamic scaling and rapid adaptation to changing network conditions, improving and reducing hardware requirements.

[0039] As used herein, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is the set of rules for transferring files such as text, images, sound, video, and other multimedia files over the web.

[0040] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a method and a system to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network.

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a management and orchestration (MANO) architecture / platform

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

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

[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 architecture

[0100] , The MANO architecture

[0100] may be used to auto-instantiate the VNFs into the corresponding environment of the present disclosure so that it could help in onboarding other vendor(s) CNFs and VNFs to the platform.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO architecture

[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.

[0043] The NFV and SDN design function module

[0104] comprises a VNF lifecycle manager (compute)

[1042] , a VNF catalog

[1044] , a network services catalog

[1046] , a network slicing and service chain manager

[1048] , a physical and virtual resource manager

[1050] and a CNF lifecycle manager

[1052] , The VNF lifecycle manager (compute)

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

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

[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), a sequence for executionof processes Pl and P2 etc. The VNF catalog

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

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

[1048] manages the slicing and chaining (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

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

[1042] , the CNF lifecycle manager

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

[0044] The platform foundation services module

[0106] comprises a microservices elastic load balancer

[1062] , an identify & access manager

[1064] , a command line interface (CLI)

[1066] , a central logging manager

[1068] , and an event routing manager

[1070] , The microservices elastic load balancer

[1062] may be used for maintaining the load balancing of the request for the services. The identify & 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 that 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

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

[0045] The platforms core services module

[0108] comprises an NFV infrastructure monitoring manager

[1082] , an assure manager

[1084] , a performance manager

[1086] , a policy execution engine

[1088] , a capacity monitoring manager

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

[1092] , a configuration manager & GCT

[1094] , an NFV platform decision analytics

[1096] , a platform NoSQL 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 example, 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)

[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 & (GCT)

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

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

[1088] , the configuration manager & GCT

[1094] , and the NPDA

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

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

[1104] audits the microservices. For e.g., in a hypothetical case, instances not being instantiated by the MANO architecture

[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 architecture

[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.

[0046] 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 service adaptor

[1126] ; an OpenStack API adapter

[1128] ; and a NFV gateway

[1130] , The platform's 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 service adaptor

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

[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 architecture

[0100] ,

[0047] 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 also implement a method to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network utilising the system

[0300] , In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network 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.

[0048] 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 the 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] ,

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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] , a 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.

[0053] The computing device

[0200] encompasses a wide range of electronic devices capable of processing data and performing computations. Examples of computing device

[0200] include, but are not limited only to, personal computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, servers, and embedded systems. The devices may operate independently or as part of a network and can perform a variety of tasks such as data storage, retrieval, and analysis. Additionally, computing device

[0200] may include peripheral devices, such as monitors, keyboards, and printers, as well as integrated components within larger electronic systems, showcasing their versatility in various technological applications.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system

[0300] to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one transceiverunit

[0302] , and at least one processing unit

[0304] , 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 figures 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 numbers of said units, as required to implement the features of the present disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a user device / user equipment to implement the features of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] may be a part of the user device or may be independent of but in communication with the user device (may also referred to herein as a UE). In another 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 and partly in the user device.

[0055] The system

[0300] is configured to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] ,

[0056] The system

[0300] comprises a transceiver unit

[0302] configured to receive, to a capacity management platform (CP)

[1090] from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM)

[1048] , a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services or functions.

[0057] As used herein, the one or more services or functions of VNF may include but are not limited to monitoring traffic based on security rules or policies, routing data packets between networks, and distributing or balancing traffic across various servers.

[0058] As used herein, the network slicing and service chain manager

[1048] manages the slicing and chaining (an ordered and connected sequence of network service / network functions (NFs) that must be applied to a specific networked data packet.

[0059] As used herein, the capacity management platform (CP) monitors the usage of each resource such as CPU, RAM, and storage across all Virtual Inventory Manager (VIM) sites. The platform is also capable of monitoring these parameters for each instance of the VNF. Further, the platform tags each resource with a threshold value, which is user-defined. It then takes appropriate action when the current usage of resources exceeds this value. Furthermore, the Capacity Monitoring Platform or Capacity Management Platform constantly tracks the network resource utilization and also provides input to analytics to trigger appropriate scaling policies.

[0060] The transceiver unit

[0302] receives, at the capacity management platform (CP)

[1090] from the NSSCM

[1048] , the request message over an interface (also referred to herein as capacity monitoring manager (CMM)

[1090] ). In an exemplary aspect, the request is received in the form of a query for obtaining an accurate or precise count of VNF instances required to execute one or more services. In an exemplary aspect, the request includes an instance ID associated with at least one VNF instance.

[0061] In an exemplary aspect, the interface is a CP SL interface to facilitate communication between the CMP

[1090] and the NSSCM

[1048] , In an exemplary aspect, the CP SL interface is operated by a network administrator and acts as a communication bridge between CMM

[1090] and NSSCM

[1048] , In an exemplary aspect, the CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation. In an exemplary aspect, the CP SL is a REST API-based communication interface.

[0062] The CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation by allocating more resources to the under-provisioned Containerized Network Function Component (CNFC) instance and by reducing the already allocated resources to the over-provisioned CNFC instance. In an exemplary aspect, the resources may include such as but are not limited to CPU, RAM, storage, network, etc.

[0063] The system further includes a processing unit

[0304] connected at least with the transceiver unit

[0302] , The processing unit

[0304] is configured to determine, at the CP unit

[1090] , a number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message.

[0064] Based on the request message received at the CP unit

[1090] , the processing unit

[0304] determines the precise number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services. In an exemplary aspect, the processing unit determines the precise number of VNF instance counts based on at least one policy (predefined rules), instance ID (unique identifier representing each VNF instance) received in the request, and the capacity information (e.g., CPU, memory, bandwidth associated with at least one VNF) obtained at the CP unit for each instance ID. Further, the capacity information is required to determine exact count of the VNF instances that are required to execute services.

[0065] In an exemplary aspect, the processing unit

[0304] counts the accurate number of VNF instances for minimizing the overhead of one or more resources thereby preventing over-provisioning which may lead to wastage of resources, and under-provisioning which may lead to errors or failures affecting the overall efficiency of the network.

[0066] In an exemplary aspect, the one or more VNF instance counts are used to perform at least one of: an instantiation procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services, and a termination procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services.

[0067] In an exemplary aspect, by performing the instantiation procedure, the system

[0300] ensures that appropriate VNFs are provided to support one or more services that are running on lesser VNFs.

[0068] In an exemplary aspect, by performing the termination procedure of one or more VNFs, the system

[0300] removes additional VNFs that are no longer needed resulting in efficient network performance and resource management.

[0069] The transceiver unit

[0302] is further configured to send, from the CP

[1090] to the NSSCM

[1048] , a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0070] The transceiver unit

[0302] sends the response message to the request message from the CP

[1090] , The response message comprises the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0071] In an exemplary aspect, the request message and the response message are communicated using one or more representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST API) over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

[0072] In an exemplary aspect, the request message and the response message are communicated using the REST API which is an application programming interface that uses HTTP for accessing one or more data types such as but not limited to GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE data types, which refers to reading, updating, creating and deleting operations related to resources.

[0073] In an exemplary aspect, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services is sent in a predefined format.

[0074] In an exemplary aspect, the count for executing the one or more services is sent in the predefined format which may include such as but is not limited to JSON, CSV, XML format, etc.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] , 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] ,

[0076] At step 404, the method

[0400] comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit

[0302] at a capacity management platform (CP)

[1090] from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM)

[1048] , a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services.

[0077] The transceiver unit

[0302] receives, from the NSSCM

[1048] , the request message over the interface at the capacity management platform (CP) unit

[1090] (also referred to herein as capacity monitoring manager (CMM)

[1090] ). In an exemplary aspect, the request is received in the form of a query for obtaining an accurate or precise count of VNF instances required to execute the one or more services. In an exemplary aspect, the request includes an instance ID associated with at least one VNF instance.

[0078] In an exemplary aspect, the interface is a CP SL interface to facilitate communication between the CP

[1090] and the NSSCM

[1048] ,

[0079] In an exemplary aspect, the CP SL interface is operated by a network administrator and acts as a communication bridge between the CMM

[1090] and the NSSCM

[1048] ,

[0080] In an exemplary aspect, the CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation.

[0081] The CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation by allocating more resources to the under-provisioned one or more services and by reducing the already allocated resources to the over-provisioned one or more resources. In an exemplary aspect, the resources may include such as but are not limited to CPU, RAM, storage, network etc.

[0082] At step 406, the method

[0400] comprises determining, by a processing unit

[0304] at the CP

[1090] , the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message.

[0083] Based on the request message received at the CP

[1090] , the processing unit

[0304] determines the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services. In an exemplary aspect, the processing unit

[0304] counts the accurate number of VNF instances for minimizing the overhead of one or more resources thereby preventing over-provisioning of resources which may lead to wastage of resources, and under-provisioning which may lead to errors or failures affecting the overall efficiency of the network.

[0084] In an exemplary aspect, the processing unit

[0304] determines the precise number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services using a business logic or policies executed within the CP microservice when it receives an event or request from the NSSCM

[1048] (also referred to as SL microservice). In an exemplary aspect, the processing unit determines the precise number of VNF instance counts based on at least one policy (predefined rules), instance ID (unique identifier representing each VNF instance) received in the request, and the capacity information (e.g., CPU, memory, bandwidth associated with at least one VNF) obtained at the CP unit for each instance ID. Further, the capacity information is required to determine how many VNF instances are required to execute services.

[0085] In an exemplary aspect, the one or more VNF instance counts are used to perform at least one of: an instantiation procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services, and a termination procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services.

[0086] In an exemplary aspect, by performing the instantiation procedure, the system

[0300] ensures that appropriate VNFs are provided to support one or more services that are running on lesser VNFs.

[0087] In an exemplary aspect, by performing the termination procedure of one or more VNFs, the system

[0300] removes additional VNFs that are no longer needed resulting in efficient network performance.

[0088] At step 408, the method

[0400] comprises sending, by the transceiver unit

[0302] from the CP

[1090] to the NSSCM

[1048] , a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0089] The transceiver unit

[0302] sends the response message to the request message from the CP

[1090] to the NSSCM

[1048] , The response message comprises the precise number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services associated with the initial sent request message.

[0090] In an exemplary aspect, the request message and the response message are communicated using one or more representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST API) over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

[0091] In an exemplary aspect, the request message and the response message are communicated using the REST API which is an application programming interface that uses HTTP for accessing one or more data types such as but not limited to GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE data types, which refers to reading, updating, creating and deleting operations related to resources.

[0092] In an exemplary aspect, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services is sent in a predefined format.

[0093] In an exemplary aspect, the predefined format may such as but is not limited to JSON, CSV, XML format, etc.

[0094] Thereafter, at step

[0410] , the method

[0400] is terminated.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary process flow diagram

[0500] to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the process

[0500] starts at step

[0502] ,

[0096] At step 504, the process

[0500] comprises receiving, from the NSSCM

[1048] , the request message over an interface at the capacity management platform (CP) unit

[1090] (also referred to herein as capacity monitoring manager (CMM)

[1090] ). In an exemplary aspect, the request is received in the form of a query for obtaining an accurate or precise count of VNF instances required to execute one or more services. In an exemplary aspect, the request message is a GETHTTP message that includes GET VNF INSTANCES to receive the number of VNF instances count.

[0097] At step 506, the process

[0500] comprises determining, at the CP unit

[1090] , the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message. The process

[0500] further comprises sending, from the CP unit

[1090] totheNSSCM

[1048] , a response message to the request message, and the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services. The response message includes NO VNF INSTANCES PROVIDES to provide a number of VNF instance counts to the NSSCM

[1048] ,

[0098] Thereafter, at step

[0508] , the method

[0500] is terminated.

[0099] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes a transceiver unit to receive, at a capacity management platform (CP) from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM), a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services. The executable code when executed further causes a processing unit to determine, at the CP, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message. The executable code when executed further causes the transceiver unit to send, from the CP to the NSSCM, a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

[0100] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network. The present invention provides a technically advanced solution for optimizing, via the CP SL interface, the network operations by minimizing the overhead on system resources and providing an accurate number of VNF instance counts. The present solution encompasses many advantages such as managing resources, and providing the accurate number of VNF instance counts as delivered by the CP microservice to be instantiated during the instantiation phase. Furthermore, the present solution determines the precise or accurate number of VNF instance counts by considering at least one policy (predefined rules), instance ID (unique identifier representing each VNF instance) received in the request, and the capacity information (e.g., CPU, memory, bandwidth associated with atleast one VNF) obtained at the CP unit for each instance ID. Moreover, the present solution minimizes the overhead on system resources like CPU and RAM by ensuring precise resource allocation.

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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 to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, the method comprising: receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] at a capacity management platform (CP) [1090] from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM) [1048], a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services; determining, by a processing unit [304] at the CP [1090], the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message; sending, by the transceiver unit [302] from the CP [1090] to the NSSCM [1048], a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request message and the response message are communicated using one or more representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST API) over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more VNF instance counts are used to perform at least one of: an instantiation procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services, and a termination procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface is a CP SL interface to facilitate communication between the CP [1090] and the NSSCM [1048],5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services is sent in a predefined format.

7. A system to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, the system comprising: a transceiver unit [302] configured to:receive, at a capacity management platform (CP) [1090] from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM) [1048], a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services; a processing unit [304] connected at least with the transceiver unit [302], the processing unit [304] is configured to: determine, at the CP [1090], the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message; and the transceiver unit [302] configured to: send, from the CP [1090] to the NSSCM [1048], a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the request message and the response message are communicated using one or more representational state transfer application programming interfaces (REST API) over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more VNF instance counts are used to perform at least one of: an instantiation procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services, and a termination procedure of one or more VNFs to execute the one or more services.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the interface is a CP SL interface to facilitate communication between the CP [1090] and the NSSCM [1048],11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the CP SL interface optimizes resource allocation.

12. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the number of VNF instance count for executing the one or more services is sent in a predefined format.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions to manage Virtual Network Function (VNF) instances in a network, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes:a transceiver unit to receive, at a capacity management platform (CP) from a Network Slicing Services Chain Manager (NSSCM), a request message over an interface, the request message is related to providing a number of VNF instance counts for executing one or more services; a processing unit to determine, at the CP, the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services, based on the request message; and the transceiver unit to send, from the CP to the NSSCM, a response message to the request message, the response message comprising the number of VNF instance counts for executing the one or more services.

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