Method and system for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method [400] and a system [300] for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment The present disclosure encompasses: a transceiver unit [302] configured to receive, at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Further, the transceiver unit [302] transmits from the container orchestrator unit [308] to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details. Further, the system comprises a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the storage unit [304] configured to store, at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATING TO NETWORK RESOURCES IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENTTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network performance management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment.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] A network function virtualization (NFV) software defined networking (SDN) server acts as a single server / platform to manage all the virtual network functions (VNFs) and container network functions (CNFs) deployed in the network. The NFV SDN server is completely based on micro service architecture and is highly scalable and will be able to handle hundreds of NFV. TheNFV SDN server is also event driven and is based on representational state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (APIs).

[0005] A SA interface updates inventory for instantiation of CNF using IM interface, if CNF inventory is saved on the same interface. If the SA interface goes down (due to some reason) other servers will not be able to see the CNF inventory and communicate with CNFs. There does not exist an interface server by which information can be received and transmitted at service adapter or docker service adapter server.

[0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art for a method and a system for receiving and transmitting information at DSA server, which the present disclosure aims to address.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment.

[0009] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that reduces nonservice impact.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that is less time consuming.

[0011] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that enables manual checking of instantiated CNF information.

[0012] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that enables updating restricted information at a database server.

[0013] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that achieves high data availability.SUMMARY

[0014] 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.

[0015] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment. The method comprises receiving, by a transceiver unit, at a container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit, from the container orchestrator unit to an inventory manager unit, the set of operational details. Thereafter, the method comprises storing, by a storage unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, at the inventory manager unit, the set of operational details.

[0016] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in an event of a change in a status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method comprises retrieving, by the transceiver unit, at the container orchestrator unit, from the inventory manager unit, the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more network resources. Thereafter, the method comprises reverting, by a revival unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, at the container orchestrator unit, the one or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details.

[0017] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the container orchestrator unit and the inventory manager unit are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the interface is an SA IM interface.

[0018] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the update is related to at least one of instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at least one of CNFsand CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.

[0019] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the set of operational details comprises configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.

[0020] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit, the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit, at the container orchestrator unit, from the inventory manager unit, a request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment. The system comprises a transceiver unit configured to receive, at a container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Further, the transceiver unit transmits from the container orchestrator unit to an inventory manager unit, the set of operational details. Further, the system comprises a storage unit connected at least to the transceiver unit, the storage unit configured to store, at the inventory manager unit, the set of operational details.

[0022] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium, storing instructions for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, 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 container orchestrator unit, an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment; and transmit, from the container orchestrator unit to an inventory manager unit, the set of operational details; and a storage unit to store, at the inventory manager unit, the set of operational details.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] 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 inthe 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.

[0024] FIG.l illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a manifestation and orchestration (MANO) architecture.

[0025] 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.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a system architecture for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment in accordance with exemplary implementations 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 presentdisclosure. 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.

[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 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.

[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 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.

[0034] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims,such terms are intended to be inclusive — in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word — without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0035] As used herein, 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.

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

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

[0038] As 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 mayalso refer 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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 method and system of providing information relating to network resources in a network environment. The present solution facilitates a physical and virtual inventory management server to manage network inventory i.e. manage list of active and inactive instances of each server.

[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a management and orchestration (MANO) architecture

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

[0100] is developed for managing telecom cloud infrastructure automatically, managing design or deployment design, managing instantiation of a network node(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 may comprise one or more components of the MANO architecture. The MANO architecture

[0100] is 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. In an implementation, the system comprises a NFV Platform Decision Analytics (NPDA)

[1096] component.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the MANO architecture

[0100] comprises a user interface layer, a network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined network (SDN) design function module

[0104] , a platforms foundation services module

[0106] , a platform core services module

[0108] and a platform resource adapters and utilities module

[0112] , wherein all the components are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for implementing features of the present disclosure.

[0044] The NFV and SDN design function module

[0104] further comprises a VNF lifecycle manager (compute)

[1042] , a VNF catalogue

[1044] , a network services catalogue

[1046] , a network slicing and service chaining manager

[1048] , a physical and virtual resource manager

[1050] and a CNF lifecycle manager

[1052] , The VNF lifecycle manager (compute)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[1042] , the CNF lifecycle manager

[1052] is similarly used for the CNFs lifecycle management.

[0045] The platforms foundation services module

[0106] further 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] is used for maintaining the load balancing of the request for the services. The identify & access manager

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

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

[1068] is responsible for keeping the logs of every services. Theses logs are generated by the MANO platform

[0100] , These logs areused for debugging purposes. The event routing manager

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

[0046] The platforms core services module

[0108] further comprises 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 micro service 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] is responsible for supervising the alarms the vendor is generating. The performance manager

[1086] is responsible for manging the performance counters. The policy execution engine (PEEGN)

[1088] is responsible for all the managing the policies. The capacity monitoring manager (CPM)

[1090] is responsible for sending the request to the PEEGN

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

[1092] is responsible for managing the releases and the images of all the vendor network node. 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 is further noted that the policy execution engine (PEEGN)

[1088] , the configuration manager & (GCT)

[1094] and the (NPDA)

[1096] work together. The platform NoSQL DB

[1098] is a platform database for storing all the inventory (both physical and logical) as well as the metadata of the VNFs and CNF. It may be noted that the platform NoSQL DB

[1098] may be just a narrow implementation of the present disclosure, and any other kind of structure for the database may be implemented for the platform database such as relational or non-relational database. The platform schedulers and cron jobs

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

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

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

[0100] using the network resources then the micro service auditor

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

[0100] , thereby assuring the services only run on the MANO platform

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

[1106] is used for newer instances that are spawning.

[0047] 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 API adapter

[1128] , and a NFV gateway

[1130] , The platform external API adaptor and gateway

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

[0100] ) that 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 docker service adaptor

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

[0100] for communication. The 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 services going to / incoming from the MANO architecture

[0100] ,

[0048] The docker service adapter (DSA)

[1126] is a microservices-based system designed to deploy and manage Container Network Functions (CNFs) and their components (CNFCs) across Docker nodes. The DSA

[1126] offers REST endpoints for key operations, including uploading container images to a Docker registry, terminating CNFC instances, and creating Docker volumes and networks. CNFs, which are network functions packaged as containers, may consist of multiple CNFCs. The DSA

[1126] facilitates the deployment, configuration, and management of these components by interacting with Docker's API, ensuring proper setup and scalability within a containerized environment. This approach provides a modular and flexible framework for handling network functions in a virtualized network setup.

[0049] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device

[0200] (herein, also referred to as a computer system

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

[0200] may also implement a method for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, utilising a system, or one or more sub-systems, provided in the network. In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, 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.

[0050] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

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

[0204] coupled with bus

[0202] for processing said information. The hardware processor

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

[0200] may also include a main memory

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

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

[0204] , The main memory

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

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

[0204] , render the computing device

[0200] into a special purpose device that is customized to perform operations according to 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] ,

[0051] 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 user of the computing device

[0200] , 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 cursor controller

[0216] typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the cursor controller

[0216] to specify positions in a plane.

[0052] 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 device. 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] , The one or more instructions may be read into the main memory

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

[0210] , Execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructionscontained 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.

[0053] The computing device

[0200] also may include a communication interface

[0218] coupled to the bus

[0202] , The communication interface

[0218] provides 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 telecommunication line. In 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 different types of information.

[0054] The computing device

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

[0220] and the communication interface

[0218] , In an example, a server

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

[0228] , the ISP

[0226] , the local network

[0222] , the host

[0224] and the communication interface

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

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

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

[0055] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system

[0300] for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one transceiver unit

[0302] , at least one storage unit

[0304] , and at least one revival unit

[0306] , 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 Figure 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 referredherein 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.

[0056] The system

[0300] is configured for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] ,

[0057] 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.

[0058] The system

[0300] comprises the transceiver unit

[0302] configured to receive, at a container orchestrator unit

[0308] , an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment. Herein, the container orchestrator unit

[0308] is responsible for deploying and managing cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network function components (CNFCs), across multiple nodes. The container orchestrator unit

[0308] facilitates representational state transfer (REST) endpoints (interfaces that allows external systems or devices to interact with the container orchestrator unit

[0308] ).

[0059] In one aspect, the container orchestrator unit

[0308] may facilitate an uploading one or more container images into a docker memory of said container orchestrator unit

[0308] , The images mentioned herein may encapsulate CNFs and CNFCs, which are then deployed to various nodes (such as docker nodes) within the network.

[0060] In another aspect, the container orchestrator unit

[0308] may terminate or stop one or more network instances of CNFCs that are no longer needed or require replacement for efficient management of resources.

[0061] In another aspect, the container orchestrator unit

[0308] facilitates a creation of docker volumes (for storage) and docker networks (for enabling communication between containers) to support CNFs and CNFCs.

[0062] Herein, the CNFs are network functions packaged as containers and consist of multiple CNFCs. The container orchestrator unit

[0308] manages the CNFs and CNFCs by interacting with docker's API, that may provide a set of tools to deploy, configure, and scale CNFs and CNFCs across the network environment, which ensures proper setup, monitoring, and management of network functions in the network environment. In an example of the present disclosure, the container orchestrator unit

[0308] can be a docker service adaptor

[1126] as mentioned in the FIG.1

[0063] Further, in an implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated with the operational details may include an instantiation of at least one of the CNFs, and CNFCs. Herein, the instantiation of CNFs and CNFCs may refers to the process of creating or initializing one or more CNFs or CNFCs in the network environment. The instantiation process involves allocating resources, loading the appropriate container images, and ensuring that the network function or component is correctly configured to perform their role. The container orchestrator unit

[0308] is responsible for managing the instantiation process by arranging the deployment of CNF or CNFCs across docker nodes.

[0064] Furthermore, in another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated with the operational details may include current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs. The operational status mentioned herein may provide real-time data about how the CNFs or CNFCs is performing within the network environment. The operational status may include but not limited to an information about resource usage, one or more metrics related to the health of the CNF, and similar that would be known to a person skilled in the art.

[0065] Further, in yet another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated with the operational details may include identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs. The service units may refer to virtual machines, containers, or other network elements that work in conjunction with CNFs to provide network services.

[0066] Further, in another implementation of the present disclosure, the updates associated with the operational details may include consumption of one or more network resources by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs. The CNFs may require one or more resources to perform their functions, therefore monitoring resource consumption may further ensures that no CNF or CNFC is over-utilizing resources, which may lead to network congestion or performance bottlenecks.

[0067] Further, the set of operational details include details relating to an identity of the CNFs and / or CNFCs, and information that is essential for operation and up-running of the CNFs and / or CNFCs. The set of operational details includes configuration details of the at least one of the CNFs, and the CNFCs. The set of operational details may further include details that provide information about the physical or virtual locations where the CNFs and CNFCs are deployed. The set of operational details may include, without limitations, site details, region details, etc. of the CNFs and / or CNFCs.

[0068] In one example, the regional details may refer to geographical areas or cloud regions where CNFs are hosted. For instance, a region may correspond to a specific data centre or cloud zone, that allows the CNFs to be deployed across multiple regions for fault tolerance. Such as, if a CNF in one region fails, another CNF in a different region may take over the responsibilities of said failed CNF.

[0069] In another example, the site details may point out an exact location within a region where the CNF or CNFC is deployed. Herein, a site may refer to a specific server, or cluster within the data centre. Further, the site details may assist the container orchestrator unit

[0308] in managing deployments, monitoring site-specific performance metrics, and responding to site-level issues such as hardware failures or network disruptions of the CNFs or the CNFCs.

[0070] Furthermore, the transceiver unit

[0302] is configured to transmit, from the container orchestrator unit

[0308] to an inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details. The inventory manager unit

[0310] mentioned here is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date record of all physical and virtual network resources within the network environment. The inventory manager unit

[0310] may further track the deployment, configuration, status, and location of resources such as CNFs, CNFCs, virtual machines, and other units.

[0071] It is to be noted that the container orchestrator unit

[0308] and the inventory manager unit

[0310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the interface is an SA IM interface. The SA IM interface herein is a communication protocol for enabling data exchange between different units within the network environment. The SA IM interface allows for bidirectional communication, allowing the that the container orchestrator unit

[0308] is able to send updates and receive confirmations or responses from the inventory manager unit

[0310] ,

[0072] In an embodiment, the interface is configured to facilitate exchange of information using hypertext transfer protocol (http) rest application programming interface (API). In an embodiment, the http rest API is used in conjunction with JSON and / or XML communication media.

[0073] In another embodiment, the interface is configured to facilitate exchange of information by establishing a web-socket connection between the inventory manager unit

[0310] , and the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , A web-socket connection may involve establishing a persistent connectivity between the inventory manager unit

[0310] , and the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , An example of the web-socket based communication includes, without limitation, a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection. In such a connection, information, such as operational status, health, etc. of different components may be exchanged through the interface using a ping-pong based communication.

[0074] Further, the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , from the inventory manager unit

[0310] , a request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources. The inventory manager unit

[0310] may transmit the request to the container orchestrator unit

[0308] at one or more necessary conditions that may trigger based on one or more operational needs within the network environment.

[0075] In one example, the inventory manager unit

[0310] may transmit the request to the container orchestrator unit

[0308] in an event, there is a change in resource allocation such as if a new CNF or CNFC is instantiated, terminated, or modified, the inventory manager unit

[0310] may request an update for obtaining the set of operational details about said changes.

[0076] In another example, the inventory manager unit

[0310] may transmit the request to the container orchestrator unit

[0308] in an event, if the inventory manager unit

[0310] may detect a drop in performance metrics (such as excessive resource consumption, service outages, or degraded performance), then in such event, the inventory manager unit

[0310] may request the set of updated operational details from the container orchestrator unit

[0308] ,

[0077] In yet another example, the inventory manager unit

[0310] may transmit the request to the container orchestrator unit

[0308] in an event of routine check-up which may state that the inventory manager unit

[0310] may require the set of updated operational details after a pre-defined time period.

[0078] Further, in an implementation of the present disclosure, post receiving the request from the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the container orchestrator unit

[0308] may collect the required data (the set of operational details) and transmit back to the inventory manger unit via the transceiver unit

[0302] ,

[0079] The system

[0300] further comprise the storage unit

[0304] connected at least to the transceiver unit

[0302] , the storage unit

[0304] configured to store, at the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details. The storage unit

[0304] stored the set of operational details (mentioned above) ensuring that the set of operational details are easily available for future access.

[0080] In one implementation, the storage unit

[0304] may store the set of operational details in a chronological order. For instance, the storage unit

[0304] may store the set of operational details based on a time period of each update, which may easily be tracked based on a history of the set of operational details.

[0081] In one implementation, the storage unit

[0304] may store the set of operational details in resource-based order. For instance, the set of operational details for each CNF or CNFC is stored in one place, which may allow an easy access to analyse the set of operational details for a particular network function or network function component.

[0082] In an event of a change in a status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the transceiver unit

[0302] is configured to retrieve, at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , from the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the stored set of operational details relating to theone or more network resources. Herein, the change in status of operation of the one or more of the set of network resources may occur in one or more conditions.

[0083] In one implementation, the status of operation of the one or more of the set of network resources is an active status, implying that the one or more of the set of network resources are functional and are operating as per the operational requirements in the network environment.

[0084] In another implementation, the status of operation of the one or more set of network resources is an inactive status, implying that that the one or more of the set of network resources are non-functional, and are facing any one of a hardware or software issues, communication breakdowns, or any other conditions that would be known to a person skilled in the art.

[0085] Further, the status of operation for one or more set of network resources (whether active or inactive) may change due to one or more factors, including resource failure, performance degradation, misconfiguration, or any other external factors.

[0086] The system

[0300] further comprises the revival unit

[0306] , connected at least to the transceiver unit

[0302] , is configured to revert, at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , the one or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details. The revival unit

[0306] may retrieve the stored set of operational details that are associated with the failed resource, and post retrieving the set of operational details, the revival unit

[0306] may utilize the retrieved set of operational details to revert the failed network resource to their previous configuration, ensuring that the failed network resource is reverted to the active status again.

[0087] In one example, in an event a specific container orchestrator unit

[0308] within the communication network is down or inactive, then in such event, a neighbouring container orchestrator unit

[0308] via the revival unit

[0306] may retrieves the operational details of the resources that were active on said specific container orchestrator unit

[0308] before failure and may further update the node status (status of operation) of said specific container orchestrator unit

[0308] as active state.

[0088] In another example, in an event, a specific CNF or CNFC fails then the status of operation of said specific CNF or CNFC is inactive, therefore in such conditions the revival unit

[0306] may retrieve the set of operational details related to said specific CNF or CNFC and may then update the node status (from inactive to active).

[0089] In yet another example, in an event, any other network functions (such as load balancer, firewall) apart from the CNF / CNFC may fail, then in such event the revival unit

[0306] retrieves the set of operational details such as the configuration of the failed network function, the connectivity of said network function and may then change the node status of said network function.

[0090] It is to be noted that the system

[0300] utilizes an asynchronous event-based implementation for communication via the SA-IM interface.

[0091] In one example, the asynchronous event-based implementation facilitates the retrieval set of operational details from the inventory management unit in a non-blocking, asynchronous manner, implying that the revival unit

[0306] may not require to wait for immediate responses and the revival of the one or more network resources will be continued without affecting other tasks running on the container orchestrator unit

[0308] ,

[0092] In another example, if in an event, a plurality of network resources fails simultaneously, then the asynchronous event-based implementation facilitates multiple recovery operations in parallel.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] , Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a server device to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0094] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method

[0400] initially starts at step

[0402] ,

[0095] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] comprises receiving, by the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , the update relating to the set of operational details of the set of network resources in the network environment.

[0096] The method

[0400] further explains that the update is related to at least one of instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.

[0097] The method

[0400] further explains that the set of operational details comprises configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.

[0098] At step

[0406] , the method

[0400] further comprises transmitting, by the transceiver unit

[0302] , from the container orchestrator unit

[0308] to the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details.

[0099] The method

[0400] further explains that the container orchestrator unit

[0308] and the inventory manager unit

[0310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and the interface is the SA_IM interface.

[0100] Further, the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , from the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the request for the update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.

[0101] At step

[0408] , the method

[0400] comprises storing, by the storage unit

[0304] connected at least to the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details.

[0102] The method

[0400] further explains that in an event of a change in the status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method

[0400] comprises retrieving, by the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , from the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more network resources.

[0103] Further, in the event of a change in the status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method

[0400] comprises reverting, by a revival unit

[0306] connectedat least to the transceiver unit

[0302] , at the container orchestrator unit

[0308] , the one or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details.

[0104] The method

[0400] herein terminates at step

[0010] ,

[0105] Referring to FIG. 5, a system architecture

[0500] for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0500] comprises an inventory manager unit

[0502] , a container orchestrator unit

[0504] , the system

[0300] , a cloud

[0508] , and a database

[0510] ,

[0106] Herein, the inventory manager unit

[0502] is responsible for managing and storing operational details and inventory related to the one or more network resources. As seen in the FIG. 5, the inventory manager unit

[0502] is connected to the database

[0510] , which stores the operational data of the network resources.

[0107] Further, the database

[0510] is configured to store the operational details received from various components of the network including the container orchestrator unit

[0504] . The operational details mentioned herein may include CNF / CNFC status, resource allocation, and other related data, which are possible to be retrieved during failure events for restoration.

[0108] Further, the container orchestrator unit

[0504] interacts with the inventory manager unit

[0502] and the system

[0300] to manage the deployment and recovery of CNFs and CNFCs. In an event of failure, the container orchestrator unit

[0504] retrieves the necessary operational details from the inventory manager unit via the SA-IM interface and works with the system

[0300] to reconfigure and restore the network resources.

[0109] Further, the system

[0300] may utilize the operational details from the container orchestrator unit

[0504] and may further apply the necessary business rules to either update or revert the status of network resources.

[0110] Further, the cloud

[0508] is connected to the container orchestrator unit

[0504] and represents the broader network environment in which CNFs and CNFCs are currently operating.

[0111] Further, the inventory manager unit

[0502] receives event requests from the container orchestrator unit

[0504] via a SA-IM interface. Further, in an event such as the failure of a CNF or a site going down, occurs, the container orchestrator unit

[0504] sends an event request to the inventory manager unit

[0502] through the SA-IM interface. The inventory manager unit

[0502] responds with the stored operational details, including information on the failed resources.

[0112] Thereafter, the system

[0300] processes the information retrieved by the container orchestrator unit

[0504] and decides one or more actions which may include a re-instantiating the failed resources or updating the operational status of the said CNF. The database

[0510] stores all the relevant data needed to recover or manage the resources effectively.

[0113] The present disclosure further provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes: a transceiver unit

[0302] to: receive, at a container orchestrator unit

[0308] , an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment; and transmit, from the container orchestrator unit

[0308] to an inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details; and a storage unit

[0304] to store, at the inventory manager unit

[0310] , the set of operational details.

[0114] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment. The present solution provides pertains to asynchronous event-based implementation to utilize interface efficiently. Moreover, the present invention focuses on saving data and getting CNF component data on other interface for availability.

[0115] 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 providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, the method [400] comprising:- receiving, by a transceiver unit [302], at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment;- transmitting, by the transceiver unit [302], from the container orchestrator unit [308], to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details; and- storing, by a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.

2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in an event of a change in a status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources, the method [400] comprises:- retrieving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more network resources; and- reverting, by a revival unit [306] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], the one or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details.

3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container orchestrator unit [308] and the inventory manager unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the interface is an SA IM interface.

4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the update is related to at least one of instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.

5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 4, wherein the set of operational details comprises configuration details of the at least one CNFs and CNFCs.

6. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], a request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.

7. A system [300] for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, the system [300] comprising:- a transceiver unit [302] configured to:- receive, at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment; and- transmit, from the container orchestrator unit [308] to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details; and- a storage unit [304] connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], the storage unit [304] configured to store, at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.

8. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in an event of a change in a status of operation of any one or more of the set of network resources:- the transceiver unit [302] is configured to retrieve, at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], the stored set of operational details relating to the one or more network resources; and- a revival unit [306], connected at least to the transceiver unit [302], is configured to revert, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the one or more network resources based on the retrieved set of operational details.

9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the container orchestrator unit [308] and the inventory manager unit [310] are communicably coupled by an interface, and wherein the interface is an SA IM interface.

10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the update is related to at least one of instantiation of at least one of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) and cloud-native network function components (CNFCs), current status of operation of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs, identities and operating statuses of one or more service units connected to the atleast one of CNFs and CNFCs, and consumption of one or more network resources by the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.

11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 10, wherein the set of operational details comprises configuration details of the at least one of CNFs and CNFCs.

12. The system [300] as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of receiving, at the container orchestrator unit [308], the update occurs in response to receiving, by the transceiver unit [302], at the container orchestrator unit [308], from the inventory manager unit [310], a request for an update in the set of operational details related to the set of network resources.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions for providing information relating to network resources in a network environment, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes:- a transceiver unit [302] to:- receive, at a container orchestrator unit [308], an update relating to a set of operational details of a set of network resources in the network environment; and- transmit, from the container orchestrator unit [308] to an inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details; and- a storage unit [304] to store, at the inventory manager unit [310], the set of operational details.

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