Method and system for instantiation of container network functions on host

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for instantiation of container network function component(s) routing events on a host. The disclosure being performed encompasses transmitting a request comprising details of a host [302], from container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052] to instantiate CNFCs [306] to orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126]; receiving, by the OA [1126], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the CNFCs [306] on the host [302]; causing the CNFLM [1052] to receive instantiation response from the OA [1126]; and transmitting, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] by the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory management for updating an inventory mapping.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INSTANTIATION OF CONTAINER NETWORK FUNCTIONS ON HOSTFIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of wireless communication systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to instantiation of container network function component(s) (CNFCs) on a host.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] Container Network Functions Components (CNFCs) are applications operating on a cloud server (preferably a telecom cloud) that are beneficial as they have the capability to replace specialized hardware in deploying network infrastructure. CNFCs are built using microservice architecture and operate natively over virtual machines hosted on the cloud server. CNFCs are an alternative to monolithic models of computing and utilize individual as well as interconnectedmicroservices. These microservices are run in software containers (also known as container nodes / container network function(s) / container network function component) which are responsible for providing a run-time environment including the application code, system binaries, and dependencies needed for microservices to operate.

[0005] CNFCs are usually instantiated on their dedicated respective hosts, i.e., each CNFC is instantiated on a dedicated virtual machine. However, instantiating the CNFCs in this manner introduces a delay in network calls being exchanged between the CNFCs.

[0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide techniques for reducing delays in network calls being exchanged between the CNFCs, which the present disclosure aims to address.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the description. To overcome at least a few problems associated with the known solutions as provided in the previous section, an object of the present disclosure is to substantially reduce the limitations and drawbacks of the prior arts as described hereinabove.

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

[0009] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method that reduce the delay in network calls being exchanged between container network function components (CNFCs).

[0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that facilitates instantiating multiple CNFCs on a single host.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0011] 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.

[0012] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) on a host. The method comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA). The request comprises details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to be instantiated. The method further comprises receiving, by the OA, via the transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the host. The method further comprises causing, by a processing unit, the CNFLM to receive an instantiation response from the OA. The instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs. The method further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) by the CNFLM, a request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

[0013] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted to the OA from the CNFLM via a first interface. The first interface is at least a CM OA interface.

[0014] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises identifying, by the OA, host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs. The method further comprises instantiating, by the OA, the one or more CNFCs on the host.

[0015] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, instantiating the one or more CNFCs on the host further comprises configuring, by the OA, one or more CNFCs to communicate directly with each other to reduce network latency and number of calls for inter CNFC communication.

[0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, details of the host comprise at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs.

[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises creating, by the CNFLM, at least one of a container network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.

[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method comprises subscribing, by the PVIM, to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at least one of an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC. The method further comprises updating, by the PVIM, theinventory mapping of the at least one of the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.

[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the PVIM is in communication with the CNFLM via a second interface, wherein the second interface is at least an IM CM interface.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) on a host. The system comprises a transceiver unit configured to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the one or more container network functions (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA). The request comprises details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to be instantiated. The system further comprises the OA configured to receive, via the transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the host. The system further comprises a processing unit configured to cause the CNFLM to receive an instantiation response from the OA. The instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs. The system further comprises the transceiver unit further configured to transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) via the CNFLM, a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) on a host, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes a transceiver unit to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM), a request to instantiate the one or more container network functions (CNFCs) to an orchestrator adaptor (OA). The request comprises details of the host on which the one or more CNFCs are to be instantiated. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes the OA to receive, via the transceiver unit, the details of the host to instantiate the one or more CNFCs on the host. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit to cause the CNFLM to receive an instantiation response from the OA. The instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes the transceiver unit to transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) via the CNFLM, a request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory mapping.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) architecture, 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 network environment having a system for instantiation of one or more CNFCs on a host, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method for the instantiation of the one or more CNFCs on the host, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process flow diagram of system architecture for facilitating instantiating one or more CNFCs on the host, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence flow for instantiating the one or more CNFCs on the host, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[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] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions for instantiation of the CNFCs have several shortcomings. As already described, the one or more CNFCs are usually instantiated on their dedicated respective hosts, i.e., each CNFC is instantiated on a dedicated virtual machine. However, instantiating the CNFCs in this manner introduces a delay in network calls being exchanged between the CNFCs. Thus, the present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by facilitating instantiation of multiple CNFCs on a single host.

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

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

[0100] , in accordance with an 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 recovery of network function(s) 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) / LM module

[1042] , a VNF catalog

[1044] , a network services catalog

[1046] , anetwork slicing and service chaining manager

[1048] , a physical and virtual resource manager (such as PVIM

[1050] ) and a CNF lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[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 catalog

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

[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 (such as physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

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

[1042] , the CNF lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

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

[0044] 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) (such as 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 architecture

[0100] , These logs are used for debugging purposes. The event routing manager (ERM) (such as 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.

[0045] 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)

[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 NoSQL DB

[1098] ; aplatform 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) (such as 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) (such as 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

[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 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 architecture

[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] ; an orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] ; an 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 architecture

[0100] ) that requires 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 orchestrator adaptor (OA)

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

[0100] for communication. TheAPI 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] 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 architecture (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) for instantiation of one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] , In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method

[0400] for instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] 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.

[0048] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

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

[0204] coupled with 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] ,

[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] forcommunicating 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] , 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.

[0053] 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.

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

[0300] for instantiation of one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] , is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] , at least one container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] and at least one physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

[1050] , The at least one orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] and the at least one container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] are connected via a first interface

[0310] i.e., CM_0A interface, wherein the interface is a REST API or event based on HTTP protocol. The CNFLM

[1052] and the at least one physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

[1050] are connected via a second interface

[0312] REST API or event based on HTTP protocol i.e., IM CM interface. The system

[0300] is connected to the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , The one or more CNFCs

[0306] is connected to the host

[0302] for them to be instantiated. 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.

[0055] The system

[0300] is configured for instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] in a network environment, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] , The instantiation here refers to deploying a network function (preferably a network service or a network application) inside a CNFC

[0306] on a host

[0302] (such as physical or virtual host). For e.g., a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G network can be instantiated on the host

[0302] to manage user traffic.

[0056] In an exemplary aspect, instantiating the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] comprises configuring the one or more CNFCs

[0306] to communicate directly with each other via inter-host communication, thereby reducing network latency and minimising the number of network calls required for inter-CNFC communication. The technique leverages the proximity of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] residing on the same physical host, enabling them to exchange data and signals through internal communication channels rather than external network interfaces. By facilitating direct intra-host network protocols, resulting in faster connection times between the one or more CNFCs

[0306] ,

[0057] The transceiver unit

[0304] is configured to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] , a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] , The request comprises details of the host

[0302] on which the one or more CNFCs

[0306] are to be instantiated. The host

[0302] may include a physical or virtual network infrastructure where a virtual network function (VNF) or a container network function (CNF) can be deployed. The host details may comprise computation resources (like CPU or memory), network connections, types of virtualization layers etc.

[0058] Thereafter, the OA

[1126] receives, via the transceiver unit

[0304] , the details of the host

[0302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] ,

[0059] Upon receiving the details of the host

[0302] , for instantiating the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] , the processing unit

[0308] causes the CNFLM

[1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA

[1126] , The instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , It is to be noted that the status of instantiation indicates the current state of the deployment of the CNFCs. The status may be ‘pending’, ‘active’, ‘failed’ etc.

[0060] Once the instantiation response is received, the transceiver unit

[0304] transmits, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

[1050] via the CNFLM

[1052] , a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping. The inventory mapping is the task of tracking and managing the available network resources (for e.g., compute, storage and network) across the physical or virtual network infrastructures. This is performed by allocating network resources, monitoring their usage and optimizing performance of the network system in order to balance load and scale network functions as and when required.

[0061] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted to the OA

[1126] from the CNFLM

[1052] via a first interface

[0310] , wherein the first interface

[0310] is at least a CM OA interface.

[0062] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the OA

[1126] is configured to identify host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , The OA

[1126] is further configured to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] , The host configuration refers to a setup or specifications of the host

[0302] for its ideal performance. Similarly, the identifiers of the host

[0302] are used for identifying and managing the host in a communication network. The identifiers may include hostname, IP address etc.

[0063] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the details of the host

[0302] comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] ,

[0064] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the CNFLM

[1052] is configured to create at least one of: a container network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.

[0065] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM

[1050] is configured to subscribe to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC. The PVIM

[1050] is further configured to update the inventory mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.

[0066] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM

[1050] is in communication with the CNFLM

[1052] via a second interface

[0312] , wherein the second interface

[0312] is at least an IM_CM interface.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] for instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] in a network environment, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. The instantiation here refers to deploying a network function (preferably a network service or a network application) inside a CNFC

[0306] on a host

[0302] (such as physical or virtual host). For e.g., a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G network can be instantiated on the host

[0302] to manage user traffic. 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] ,

[0068] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit

[0304] , from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] , a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] , The request comprises details of the host

[0302] on which the one or more CNFCs

[0306] are to be instantiated. The host

[0302] may include a physical or virtual network infrastructure where a virtual network function (VNF) or a container network function (CNF) can be deployed. The host details may comprise computation resources (like CPU or memory), network connections, types of virtualization layers etc.

[0069] At step

[0406] , the method

[0400] further comprises receiving, by the OA

[1126] , via the transceiver unit

[0304] , the details of the host

[0302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] ,

[0070] At step

[0408] , the method

[0400] further comprises causing, by a processing unit

[0308] , the CNFLM

[1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA

[1126] , wherein the instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , It is to be noted that the status of instantiation indicates the current state of the deployment of the CNFCs. The status may be ‘pending’, ‘active’, ‘failed’ etc.

[0071] At step

[0410] , the method

[0400] further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit

[0304] , to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

[1050] by the CNFLM

[1052] , a request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory mapping. The inventory mapping is the task of tracking and managing the available network resources (for e.g., compute, storage and network) across the physical or virtual network infrastructures. This is performed by allocating network resources, monitoring their usage and optimizing performance of the network system in order to balance load and scale network functions as and when required.

[0072] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the request is transmitted to the OA

[1126] from the CNFLM

[1052] via a first interface

[0310] , wherein the first interface

[0310] is at least a CM OA interface.

[0073] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the method

[0400] comprises identifying, by the OA

[1126] , host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , The method

[0400] further comprises instantiating, by the OA

[1126] , the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] ,

[0074] In an implementation of the present disclosure, details of the host

[0302] comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , The host configuration refers to a setup or specifications of the host

[0302] for its ideal performance. Similarly, the identifiers of the host

[0302] are used for identifying and managing the host in a communication network. The identifiers may include hostname, IP address etc.

[0075] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method

[0400] comprises creating, by the CNFLM

[1052] , at least one of: a container network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.

[0076] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method

[0400] comprises subscribing, by the PVIM

[1050] , to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC. The method

[0400] further comprises updating, by the PVIM

[1050] , the inventory mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.

[0077] In an implementation of the present disclosure, the PVIM

[1050] is in communication with the CNFLM

[1052] via a second interface

[0312] , wherein the second interface

[0312] is at least an IM_CM interface.

[0078] Thereafter, the method

[0400] terminates at step

[0412] ,

[0079] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process

[0500] flow diagram of system architecture for facilitating instantiating one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] , in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0080] At step SI, the process

[0500] comprises an instantiation request being initiated from the user interface (UI)

[0502] , The request is directed towards the container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] , which manages the lifecycle of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] ,

[0081] At step S2, the CNFLM

[1052] forwards the instantiation request to the orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] , responsible for orchestrating the deployment of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host.

[0082] At step S3, the one or more CNFCs

[0306] are run on a host

[0302] (such as single host) within a telco cloud

[0504] , and the OA

[1126] manages the deployment.

[0083] At step S4, the OA

[1126] gathers the necessary CNFC details for instantiation.

[0084] At step S5, the CNFLM

[1052] receives a response regarding the status or completion of the instantiation process.

[0085] At step S6, the response is relayed back to the user interface (UI)

[0502] , completing the instantiation cycle.

[0086] FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence

[0600] flow for instantiating the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] , in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0087] At step Pl, the process begins with the user interface (UI)

[0502] sending a CNF instantiation request to the container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] ,

[0088] At step P2, the CNFLM

[1052] receives the instantiation request from the UI

[0502] ,

[0089] At step P3, the CNFLM

[1052] communicates with the PEGN

[1088] , sending a request to reserve resources and fetch regional details necessary for the CNF instantiation.

[0090] At step P4, the PEGN

[1088] responds with a reservation acknowledgement to the CNFLM

[1052] ,

[0091] At step P5, the CNFLM

[1052] instructs the OA

[1126] to instantiate the CNF on the host

[0302] ,

[0092] At step P6, the OA

[1126] instantiates the CNF on the host

[0302] ,

[0093] At step P7, the host

[0302] sends the instantiation status back to the OA

[1126] , confirming the successful deployment of the CNF.

[0094] At step P8, the OA

[1126] sends an acknowledgement of the instantiation to the CNFLM

[1052] ,

[0095] At step P9, the CNFLM

[1052] sends a request to the PVIM

[1050] to update the inventory records based on the newly instantiated CNF.

[0096] At step PIO, the PVIM

[1050] acknowledges the update by sending an inventory acknowledgement back to the CNFLM

[1052] ,

[0097] At step Pl 1, the CNFLM

[1052] sends the update instantiation status request to release management repository (RMR)

[0506] ,

[0098] At step P12, the RMR

[0506] sends an acknowledgement of the update instantiation status request to the CNFLM

[1052] ,

[0099] At step Pl 3, the CNFLM

[1052] sends a final instantiation acknowledgement to the user interface (UI)

[0502] , indicating that the process is completed, and the CNF is successfully deployed.

[0100] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for instantiation of one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] , the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system

[0300] , causes a transceiver unit

[0304] to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM)

[1052] , a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] , The request comprises details of the host

[0302] on which the one or more CNFCs

[0306] are to be instantiated. Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes the OA

[1126] to receive, via the transceiver unit

[0304] , the details of the host

[0302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs

[0306] on the host

[0302] , Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes a processing unit

[0308] to cause the CNFLM

[1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA

[1126] , The instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] , Further, the executable code which, when executed, causes the transceiver unit

[0304] to transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM)

[1050] via the CNFLM

[1052] , a request for inventory management. The request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

[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 andsubstitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended functionality described herein, are encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0102] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for instantiating one or more CNFCs

[0306] on a host

[0302] , Thus, the present disclosure enables an orchestrator adaptor (OA)

[1126] to identify the host configuration with identifiers of the one or more CNFCs

[0306] due to which the multiple CNFCs

[0306] are initiated on a host

[0302] (such as single host). In this manner, the one or more CNFCs

[0306] will be able to connect with each other without delay.

[0103] 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 instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) [306] on a host [302], the method [400] comprising: transmitting, by a transceiver unit [304], from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], wherein the request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs [306] are to be instantiated; receiving, by the OA [1126], via the transceiver unit [304], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302]; causing, by a processing unit [308], the CNFLM [1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA [1126], wherein the instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and transmitting, by the transceiver unit [304], to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] by the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request is transmitted to the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310], wherein the first interface [310] is at least a CM OA interface.

3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method [400] comprises: identifying, by the OA [1126], a host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and instantiating, by the OA [1126], the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302],4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 3, wherein instantiating the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302] further comprises: configuring, by the OA [1126], one or more CNFCs [306] to communicate directly with each other to reduce network latency and number of calls for inter CNFC communication.

5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 3, wherein details of the host [302] comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306],6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method [400] comprises creating, by the CNFLM [1052], at least one of: a container network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.

7. The method [400] as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method [400] comprises: subscribing, by the PVIM [1050], to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC; andupdating, by the PVIM [1050], the inventory mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.

8. The method [400] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the PVIM [1050] is in communication with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312], wherein the second interface [312] is at least an IM CM interface.

9. A system [300] for instantiation of one or more container network functions components (CNFCs) [306] on a host [302], the system [300] comprising: a transceiver unit [304] configured to transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], wherein the request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs [306] are to be instantiated; the OA [1126] configured to receive, via the transceiver unit [304], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302]; a processing unit [308] connected to at least the transceiver unit [304], the processing unit [308] configured to cause the CNFLM [1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA [1126], wherein the instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and the transceiver unit [304] further configured to transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] via the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the request is transmitted to the OA [1126] from the CNFLM [1052] via a first interface [310], wherein the first interface [310] is at least a CM OA interface.

11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the OA [1126] is configured to: identify a host configuration and respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302],12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 11, wherein for instantiating the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302] the OA [1126] is further configured to: configure one or more CNFCs [306] to communicate directly with each other to reduce network latency and number of calls for inter CNFC communication.

13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 11, wherein the details of the host [302] comprises at least the host configuration and the respective identifiers of the one or more CNFCs [306],14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the CNFLM [1052] is configured to create at least one of: a container network function (CNF), and an individual CNFC.

15. The system [300] as claimed in claim 13, wherein the PVIM [1050] is configured to: subscribe to a CNFLM acknowledge event to determine a status of at least one of: an instantiated CNF, and an instantiated CNFC; and update the inventory mapping of the at least one of: the instantiated CNF, and the instantiated CNFC, from reserved to use.

16. The system [300] as claimed in claim 15, wherein the PVIM [1050] is in communication with the CNFLM [1052] via a second interface [312], wherein the second interface [312] is at least an IM CM interface.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for instantiation of one or more CNFCs [306] on a host [302], the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes: a transceiver unit [304] to: transmit, from a container network function lifecycle manager (CNFLM) [1052], a request to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] to an orchestrator adaptor (OA) [1126], wherein the request comprises details of the host [302] on which the one or more CNFCs [306] are to be instantiated; the OA [1126] to: receive, via the transceiver unit [304], the details of the host [302] to instantiate the one or more CNFCs [306] on the host [302]; a processing unit [308] to: cause the CNFLM [1052] to receive an instantiation response from the OA [1126], wherein the instantiation response is indicative of a status of instantiation of the one or more CNFCs [306]; and the transceiver unit [304] to: transmit, to a physical virtual inventory manager (PVIM) [1050] via the CNFLM [1052], a request for inventory management, wherein the request is related to updating an inventory mapping.

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