Infrastructure design systems, infrastructure design methods

Abstract

To provide infrastructure design information on communication infrastructure and calculation infrastructure in consideration of appropriate consideration of latency and provision costs.SOLUTION: An infrastructure design system includes an infrastructure design device that generates infrastructure design information including server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications and wireless communication infrastructure for connecting the server infrastructure and solution service usage locations. The infrastructure design device manages provision cost information for each of the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure, calculates estimated latency at the time of providing a solution service on the basis of a communication delay between a solution service use environment and the server infrastructure and an application processing delay, selects a combination of the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure on the basis of the estimated latency and provision costs, and outputs the combination as infrastructure design information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an infrastructure design system and an infrastructure design method.

Background Art

[0002] With the advent of 5th generation mobile communication (5G), it has become possible to use low-latency, wide-bandwidth, and highly reliable wireless communication. As a result, by integrating various existing networks at the sites where OT (Operation Technology) operations are performed, it is possible to reduce the costs of network construction and operation while realizing DX (Digital Transformation) solution services aimed at improving business efficiency, which was difficult with conventional wireless communication. Particularly in industries such as manufacturing and logistics, against the backdrop of labor shortages and diverse customer needs, there is a desire for business efficiency improvement through the introduction of new solutions such as real-time work instructions utilizing high-definition video analysis, equipment control enabling humans and robots to cooperate, and remote operation with a sense of presence.

[0003] For providing solution services as described above, depending on the performance requirements and usage scale of each solution service, it is necessary to select, from options such as a cloud server for executing an application, a computing infrastructure such as an edge server (MEC: Multi-access Edge Computing), and a communication infrastructure such as local / public 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi for connecting the site where the solution service is used and the computing infrastructure, the one with the optimal provision cost, for example, construction cost, and perform infrastructure design.

[0004] One of the performance requirements of solution services is latency. And in providing solution services, it is necessary to perform infrastructure design considering the provision cost for various combinations of a computing infrastructure and a communication infrastructure that can meet the latency requirements of the solution service.

[0005] If this is done manually by system engineers, it could lead to longer service delivery lead times, and redesigning when customer service usage changes would also take time, potentially increasing solution delivery costs. Therefore, an infrastructure design system is needed that can quickly and easily design communication and computing infrastructure that can meet the latency requirements of the solution, while also considering delivery costs.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for analyzing user-inputted service requirements to generate network requirements and then using those network requirements to create network configurations for a control device that constructs the network. Patent Document 2 discloses a resource orchestrator that allocates communication and computing resources to mobile users traveling along a predicted route, minimizing data center migrations and meeting guaranteed latency levels. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-140276 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-184745 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Here, the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 generates network design information based on service requirements, but it does not seem to address the selection of the server to which the application will be deployed or the allocation of computing resources. On the other hand, the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 seems to allow the user of the solution to select a server to which the application will be deployed from a selection of multiple server options, taking latency limitations into consideration.

[0009] However, conventional technologies were considered unable to provide infrastructure design information regarding communication and computing infrastructure while appropriately considering latency and delivery costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A typical example of the invention disclosed in this application is as follows: a server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications, and a wireless communication infrastructure for connecting the server infrastructure and the solution service usage locations. Information about This is an infrastructure design system having an infrastructure design device that generates infrastructure design information. The infrastructure design device comprises a processor and a storage unit. The storage unit manages provision cost information for each wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. The processor calculates the estimated latency when providing the solution service based on the communication delay between the location where the solution service is used and the server infrastructure, and the processing delay of the application. Based on the estimated latency and the provision cost managed by the storage unit, the processor selects a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure and outputs it as infrastructure design information. The infrastructure design device may also be an infrastructure design server, and the infrastructure design server may output the infrastructure design information to its terminals via a communication interface.

[0011] A typical example of the invention disclosed in this application is as follows: an infrastructure design device comprising a processor and a memory unit, comprising a server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications and a wireless communication infrastructure connecting the server infrastructure and the solution service usage locations. Information aboutAn infrastructure design method for generating infrastructure design information, comprising: using a memory unit to manage provision cost information for each wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure; using a processor to calculate the estimated latency when providing the solution service based on the communication delay between the solution service usage location and the server infrastructure and the application processing delay; and using the processor to select a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure based on the estimated latency and provision cost, and outputting it as infrastructure design information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, infrastructure design information relating to communication infrastructure and computing infrastructure can be provided while appropriately considering latency and provision costs. The above problems, configuration, and effects will be clarified by the following description of embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a configuration diagram showing an example of an infrastructure configuration designed by the infrastructure design system in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the infrastructure design server in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing an example hardware configuration for an infrastructure design server. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a service template table. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a wireless communication infrastructure information table. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a server infrastructure information table. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an inter-area delay information table. [Figure 8] This is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of how the infrastructure design server performs infrastructure design. [Figure 9]It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the service requirement generation unit of the infrastructure design server for generating service requirement information. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design unit of the infrastructure design server for generating infrastructure design information. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design unit of the infrastructure design server for calculating an estimated value of latency. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the input screen display of the service provision information generated by the operator input / output unit of the infrastructure design server. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the output screen display of the infrastructure design information generated by the operator input / output unit of the infrastructure design server. [Figure 14] It is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the infrastructure design server in the second embodiment. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the service provision information table. [Figure 16] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the server infrastructure information table. [Figure 17] It is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design server for re-performing infrastructure design as the number of service provision users changes. [Figure 18] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design unit of the infrastructure design server for generating infrastructure design information as the number of service provision users changes. [Figure 19] It is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design server for re-performing infrastructure design as the limit latency is exceeded. [Figure 20] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the infrastructure design unit of the infrastructure design server for generating infrastructure design information as the limit latency is exceeded.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] The following embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative examples for explaining the present invention, and have been omitted and simplified as appropriate for clarity of explanation. The present invention can also be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural. The positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges of the components shown in the drawings may not represent their actual positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges disclosed in the drawings. Examples of various types of information may be described using terms such as "table," "list," and "queue," but these types of information may also be represented by other data structures. For example, various types of information such as "XX table," "XX list," and "XX queue" may be referred to as "XX information." When describing identification information, terms such as "identification information," "identifier," "name," "ID," and "number" are used, and these terms are interchangeable. When there are multiple components with the same or similar function, they may be described using the same symbol but with different subscripts. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to distinguish between these multiple components, the subscripts may be omitted in the description. In embodiments, processing performed by executing a program may be described. Here, the computer executes the program using a processor (e.g., CPU, GPU) and performs processing defined by the program using memory resources (e.g., memory) and interface devices (e.g., communication ports). Therefore, the main entity performing the processing by executing the program may be the processor. Similarly, the main entity performing the processing by executing the program may be a controller, device, system, computer, or node having a processor. The main entity performing the processing by executing the program may be an arithmetic unit, and may include dedicated circuits that perform specific processing. Here, dedicated circuits include, for example, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices), etc. The program may be installed on the computer from the program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server or a storage medium readable by the computer. If the program source is a program distribution server, the program distribution server includes a processor and storage resources for storing the program to be distributed, and the processor of the program distribution server may distribute the program to other computers. In addition, in some embodiments, two or more programs may be implemented as a single program, or one program may be implemented as two or more programs.

[0015] In this embodiment, we describe a technique for designing the communication and computing infrastructure of a system necessary for providing a solution service, taking latency into consideration. This technique can contribute from an economic standpoint. Here, latency is broadly divided into communication delay between the solution service user site and the server on which the application runs, and processing delay of the application running on the server. Communication delay is determined, for example, by the type of communication infrastructure used and the communication distance, while processing delay is determined, for example, by computing resources such as the number of CPU cores and memory allocated to the application on the server.

[0016] <First Embodiment> The infrastructure design system of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 13.

[0017] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an infrastructure configuration pattern for providing solution services, designed by the infrastructure design server 1 in the infrastructure design system of this embodiment. The infrastructure design server 1 determines a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure 50 (referred to as 50-A to 50-C in Figure 1) or server infrastructure 60 (referred to as 60-A to 60-C in Figure 1) as infrastructure for users to use the solution services, and generates design information.

[0018] The wireless communication infrastructure 40 (referred to as 40-A to 40-C in Figure 1) is a network infrastructure for user terminals 71 present in the user's solution service utilization environment 70 to connect to the server infrastructure 50 or server infrastructure 60 via a wireless interface. Examples include a local 5G network, a public 5G network, and a Wi-Fi network. The wireless communication infrastructure 40 includes base stations 41 (referred to as 41-A to 41-C in Figure 1) that provide access point functions according to the adopted wireless method, and network management servers 42 (referred to as 42-A to 42-C in Figure 1) that configure the network and manage users.

[0019] The server infrastructure 50 is a server infrastructure provided via the cloud, and is connected to the user terminal 71 via the wireless communication infrastructure 40 and the public network 80. Server infrastructures 50-A, B, and C each represent different clouds, and each cloud may be located in a physically different area, and may be physically farther from the solution service usage environment 70. The server infrastructure 50 also includes cloud servers 51 (referred to as 51-A to 51-C in Figure 1) that provide computing resources for running the solution service applications, and cloud management servers 52 (referred to as 52-A to 52-C in Figure 1) that monitor the settings and usage of the cloud servers 51. The cloud management servers 52 monitor communication between the cloud servers 51 and the user terminals 71, enabling the measurement of communication delays for each solution service, and also enabling the measurement of processing delays for the solution service applications running on the cloud servers 51.

[0020] On the other hand, the server infrastructure 60 is a server infrastructure provided in an edge cloud that is directly connected to the wireless communication infrastructure 40. The server infrastructure 60 includes edge servers 61 (indicated as 61-A to 61-C in Figure 1) that provide computing resources for running solution service applications, and edge management servers 62 (indicated as 62-A to 62-C in Figure 1) that monitor the settings and usage of the edge servers 61. The edge management servers 62 monitor communication between the edge servers 61 and user terminals 71, enabling the measurement of communication delays for each solution service, and also enabling the measurement of processing delays for solution service applications running on the edge servers 61.

[0021] Next, a functional configuration example of the infrastructure design server 1 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the infrastructure design server 1 in this embodiment. The infrastructure design server 1 includes an operator input / output unit 10, a service requirements generation unit 11, an infrastructure design unit 12, a service template DB 20, a wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21, a server infrastructure information DB 22, and an inter-area delay information DB 23.

[0022] The operator input / output unit 10 generates a service provision information input screen 700 (explained later using Figure 12) where operator 2 inputs service provision information, accepts the input of service provision information, and outputs it to the service requirements generation unit 11. The service provision information includes, for example, the name of the solution service to be provided, the number of users using the service, and the service provision area where the service will be provided. The operator input / output unit 10 also outputs infrastructure design information generated by the infrastructure design unit 12. Report image The operator input / output unit 10 generates a surface 800 (which will be explained later using Figure 13) and outputs it to operator 2. Furthermore, the operator input / output unit 10 outputs to operator 2 the service template table 100 managed by the service template DB 20, the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 managed by the wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21, the server infrastructure information table 300 managed by the server infrastructure information DB 22, and the inter-area delay information table 400 managed by the inter-area delay information DB 23. In addition, it receives registration, modification, and deletion information for entries in each table from operator 2 and executes the registration, modification, and deletion of entries in each table. Details of the service template table 100, wireless communication infrastructure information table 200, server infrastructure information table 300, and inter-area delay information table 400 will be described later using Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively.

[0023] When the service requirements generation unit 11 receives service provision information from the operator input / output unit 10, it generates service requirements information by referring to the service template table 100 managed by the service template DB 20 and outputs it to the infrastructure design unit 12. Details of the service requirements information will be described later.

[0024] When the infrastructure design unit 12 receives service requirement information from the service requirement generation unit 11, it generates infrastructure design information based on the service requirement information by referring to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 managed by the wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21, the server infrastructure information table 300 managed by the server infrastructure information DB 22, and the inter-area delay information table 400 managed by the inter-area delay information DB 23, and outputs it to the operator input / output unit 10.

[0025] Service template DB20 is the database that manages service template table 100.

[0026] The wireless communication infrastructure information DB21 is a database that manages the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200.

[0027] The Server Infrastructure Information DB22 is a database that manages the Server Infrastructure Information Table 300.

[0028] The Inter-Area Delay Information DB23 is a database that manages the Inter-Area Delay Information Table 400.

[0029] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the infrastructure design server 1 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the infrastructure design server 1. The infrastructure design server 1 in this embodiment is composed of a computer having a processor 30, memory 31, auxiliary storage device 32, input device 33, output device 34, communication interface 35, and bus 36.

[0030] The processor 30 is an arithmetic unit that executes programs stored in the memory 31. By executing various programs, the processor 30 performs the functions of each part of the infrastructure design server 1 (for example, the operator input / output unit 10, the service requirements generation unit 11, the infrastructure design unit 12, etc.). In addition, some of the processing performed by the processor 30 by executing programs may be performed by other arithmetic units, such as hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0031] The memory 31 includes a non-volatile memory element called ROM and a volatile memory element called RAM. The ROM stores immutable programs (e.g., BIOS). The RAM is a high-speed, volatile memory element such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and temporarily stores programs executed by the processor 30 and data used during program execution.

[0032] The auxiliary storage device 32 (storage unit) is a high-capacity, non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic storage device (HDD) or flash memory (SSD). The auxiliary storage device 32 also stores data used by the processor 30 when executing programs (for example, the service template table 100, the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200, etc.) and the programs executed by the processor 30. In other words, programs are read from the auxiliary storage device 32, loaded into memory 31, and executed by the processor 30 to realize each function of the infrastructure design server 1.

[0033] The input device 33 is an input device such as a keyboard or mouse. The output device 34 is an interface to which an output device such as a display or printer is connected, outputting the program execution results in a format that can be viewed by the operator. In this case, an operator terminal connected to the infrastructure design server 1 via a network may provide the input device and the output device. In this case, the infrastructure design server 1 may have the functionality of a web server, and the operator terminal may access the infrastructure design server 1 using a predetermined protocol (e.g., http).

[0034] The communication interface 35 is a network interface device that controls communication with other devices (for example, terminals of the infrastructure design server 1) according to a predetermined protocol.

[0035] Bus 36 is a communication channel for sending and receiving data between different hardware components.

[0036] Next, an example of a service template table will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is an example of a service template table 100 managed by the service template DB 20. The service template table 100 in this embodiment includes a solution service name 101 and RestrictionsThis includes the iteration 102, the requested bandwidth per unit 103, and the processing delay per unit 104. The solution service name 101 is a service name that uniquely identifies the solution service and is different for each entry in the service template table 100. The limited latency 102 is the maximum latency that is acceptable when providing the solution service. In this embodiment, latency is defined as the sum of the communication delay from the user terminal 71 to the cloud server 51 or edge server 61 and the processing delay of the application executed on the cloud server 51 or edge server 61. Alternatively, it may be defined as the sum of the round-trip communication delay from the user terminal 71 to the cloud server 51 or edge server 61 and the processing delay. The requested bandwidth per unit 103 is the communication bandwidth of the wireless communication infrastructure 40 required for the number of users per unit using the solution service, and is a value that enables the calculation of the required communication bandwidth according to the number of users providing the service. The processing delay per unit of 104 represents the processing delay when the application is executed with the amount of computing resources provided per unit relative to the number of users per unit using the solution service. This value enables the calculation of processing delays that correspond to the number of users using the service and the amount of computing resources used to run the application.

[0037] Next, an example of a wireless communication infrastructure information table will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is an example of a wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 managed by the wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21. The wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 in this embodiment includes a communication infrastructure name 201, a communication method 202, a service area 203, a bandwidth 204, a wireless network section delay 205, and a service cost 206. The communication infrastructure name 201 is a name that uniquely identifies the wireless communication infrastructure to be provided, and is different for each entry in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200. The communication method 202 indicates the communication method used by the wireless communication infrastructure of the entry, and includes information such as local 5G, public 5G, and Wi-Fi. The service area 203 includes information about the area where the communication infrastructure of the entry can be provided. The bandwidth 204 indicates the maximum communication bandwidth that the wireless communication infrastructure of the entry can provide. The wireless network section delay 205 indicates the maximum communication delay of the network section provided by the wireless communication infrastructure of the entry. The service cost 206 indicates the service cost when providing the wireless communication infrastructure of the entry. The provision cost 206 is, for example, the cost of providing the wireless communication infrastructure, or, in another example, the carbon dioxide emissions when using the wireless communication infrastructure. The provision cost 206 may be a value based on, for example, the communication method 202, bandwidth 204, wireless network section delay 205, etc.

[0038] Next, an example of a server infrastructure information table will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is an example of a server infrastructure information table 300 managed by the server infrastructure information DB 22. The server infrastructure information table 300 in this embodiment includes a server infrastructure name 301, a server type 302, cloud location information 303, available wireless communication infrastructure 304, number of CPU cores 305, memory 306, and provision cost 307. The server infrastructure name 301 is a name that uniquely identifies the server infrastructure to be provided and is different for each entry in the server infrastructure information table 300. The server type 302 indicates whether the server infrastructure of the entry is provided in either the cloud or the edge cloud. The cloud location information 303 indicates information about the location where the server infrastructure of the entry exists. If the server type 302 of the server infrastructure is cloud, it includes information about an area representing the location classification of the server infrastructure. If the server type 302 is edge, it includes information indicating that it exists at an edge. The available wireless communication infrastructure 304 indicates the wireless communication infrastructure name 201 that can be selected as a combination of server infrastructure for the entry. For example, in the case of server infrastructure provided on an edge cloud owned by a telecommunications carrier that provides wireless communication infrastructure, it may be limited by the telecommunications carrier's wireless communication infrastructure. The number of CPU cores 305 indicates information about the number of CPU cores that the server infrastructure of that entry provides as computing resources. The memory 306 indicates information about the size of memory that the server infrastructure of that entry provides as computing resources. The provision cost 307 is the provision cost when providing the server infrastructure, and indicates similar information to the provision cost in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200. That is, the provision cost 307 is, for example, an expense, and in another example, carbon dioxide emissions. Alternatively, the provision cost 307 may be a value based on, for example, the number of CPU cores 305 and the memory 306.

[0039] Next, an example of an inter-area delay information table will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is an example of an inter-area delay information table 400 managed by the inter-area delay information DB 23. The inter-area delay information table 400 contains information on communication delays in the public network 80 section when communication occurs between the area where the solution service usage environment 70 exists and the area where the server infrastructure 50 provided by the cloud exists.

[0040] Next, an example of the operation of the infrastructure design server will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation in which the infrastructure design server 1 of this embodiment performs infrastructure design.

[0041] First, the operator input / output unit 10 displays a service input screen to the operator 2, accepts the input of service provision information (S101), and outputs it to the service requirement generation unit 11 (S102). The service provision information includes the solution service name and , service provision This includes information on the number of users and the service provision area. The service requirement generation unit 11 refers to the service template table 100 based on the service provision information received from the operator input / output unit 10, generates service requirement information (S103), and outputs the service requirement information to the infrastructure design unit 12 (S104). Details of the service requirement information generation process (S103) will be described later with reference to Figure 9.

[0042] The infrastructure design unit 12, based on the received service requirements information, refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and the server infrastructure information table 300, extracts combinations of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure in which the sum of communication delay and processing delay is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service to be provided, selects the combination with the minimum provision cost from among the extracted combinations, and generates infrastructure design information (S105). The infrastructure design information includes, for example, the solution service name and , service provisionThis includes the number of users, the name of the selected wireless communication infrastructure, the name of the selected server infrastructure, and the total cost of providing the communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. Details of the infrastructure design information generation process (S105) will be described later using Figures 10 and 11. The infrastructure design unit 12 then transmits the generated infrastructure design information to the operator input / output unit 10 (S106). The operator input / output unit 10 generates an output screen based on the received infrastructure design information and outputs it to operator 2 (S107).

[0043] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 9, an example of the operation (S103) in which the service requirement generation unit 11 generates service requirement information will be explained in detail. First, when the service requirement generation unit 11 receives service provision information from the operator input / output unit 10 (S110), it searches the service template table 100 using the solution service name contained in the information as a search key and identifies the corresponding entry (S111). Next, the service provision information contains Service offering The required bandwidth is calculated from the number of users and the required bandwidth per unit 103 for the identified entry. For example, if the required bandwidth per unit 103 represents the required bandwidth per 5 users, and the number of users included in the service provision information is 10, the required bandwidth will be double the required bandwidth per unit. Similarly, if the number of users included in the service provision information is 10, the required bandwidth will be double the required bandwidth per unit. Service offering The processing delay per unit computation resource is calculated from the number of users and the processing delay per unit of the identified entry (S112). Then, the solution service name and , service provision The system generates service requirements information including the number of users, the service area, the limited latency included in the identified entry, the calculated required bandwidth, and the processing delay per unit computing resource (S113).

[0044] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 10, an example of the operation (S105) in which the infrastructure design unit 12 of the infrastructure design server 1 generates infrastructure design information will be explained in detail. First, when the infrastructure design unit 12 receives service requirement information from the service requirement generation unit 11 (S120), it refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 (S121), searches for entries in which the service area 203 corresponds to the service provision area included in the service requirement information and the bandwidth 204 is equal to or greater than the requested bandwidth (S122), and extracts all entries that meet the conditions as communication infrastructure candidates (S123). Next, it refers to the server infrastructure information table 300 (S124), compares the available wireless communication infrastructure 304 with the communication infrastructure candidates, and verifies whether there are any combinations that can be provided (S125). If there are combinations that can be provided, it calculates estimated values ​​of communication delay and processing delay for all combinations of communication infrastructure candidates and available server infrastructure, and calculates the sum of these as the estimated latency (S126). A detailed flowchart of this process (S126) will be described later using Figure 11. Next, it is verified whether there is a combination in which the estimated latency is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service to be provided (S127), and for each combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure in which the latency is less than or equal to the limit latency, the total provision cost, which is the sum of the provision costs of the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure, is calculated (S128). The combination with the minimum total provision cost is selected, and infrastructure design information is generated based on the service requirements information and the entries in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and server infrastructure information table 300 for that combination (S129). On the other hand, if in S122 there is no wireless communication infrastructure that meets the provision area and required bandwidth, if in S125 there is no server infrastructure that can be provided for the communication infrastructure candidate, or if in S127 there is no combination in which the estimated latency is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service, then infrastructure design information is generated as infrastructure provision is not possible (S130).

[0045] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 11, we will explain in detail an example of the operation (S126) in which the infrastructure design unit 12 of the infrastructure design server 1 calculates an estimated latency for a combination of communication infrastructure candidate and server infrastructure. First, regarding the server infrastructure of the combination, if the server type 302 of the corresponding entry in the server infrastructure information table 300 is cloud (S131), we refer to the cloud location information 303 to identify the cloud's location (S132). Then, based on the service provision area included in the service requirements information and the cloud's location information, the area Delay The communication delay in the public network section between the service area and the cloud is calculated by referring to the delay information table 400 (S133). Furthermore, the wireless network section delay 205 of the corresponding entry in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 is obtained, and the sum with the communication delay of the public network section is calculated to determine the communication delay for that combination (S134). On the other hand, if the server type 302 is an edge in S131, the wireless network section delay 205 of the corresponding entry in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 is obtained, and this wireless network section delay 205 is calculated as the communication delay for that combination (S135). Next, the processing delay is calculated from the processing delay per unit computing resource included in the service requirements information and the number of CPU cores 305 and memory 306 of the entry corresponding to the server infrastructure of that combination in the server infrastructure information table 300. For example, if the number of CPU cores of a unit computing resource is 32 and the memory is 32GB, and the number of CPU cores of the corresponding entry is 64 and the memory is 64GB, the processing delay is calculated as half of the processing delay per unit computing resource (S136). Finally, the sum of the communication delay and the processing delay is calculated as an estimated value of the latency for that combination (S137).

[0046] Next, an example of the display of the service provision information input screen will be described with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is an example of the display of the service provision information input screen generated by the operator input / output unit 10 of the infrastructure design server 1. The service provision information input screen 700 of this embodiment provides an interface for the operator 2 to execute infrastructure design by selecting or inputting, for example, the solution service name, the number of users, and the service provision area.

[0047] Next, an example of the display of the infrastructure design information output screen will be described with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 is an example of the display of the infrastructure design information output screen generated by the operator input / output unit 10 of the infrastructure design server 1. The infrastructure design information output screen 800 of this embodiment includes, for example, the solution service name and , service provision This includes the number of users, the name of the selected wireless communication infrastructure, the name of the selected server infrastructure, and the total cost of providing the communication infrastructure and server infrastructure.

[0048] According to the first embodiment described above, an infrastructure design system can be realized that can quickly and easily generate design information for wireless communication infrastructure and computing infrastructure that optimizes provision costs while meeting latency requirements, including communication delays and processing delays, when providing solution services.

[0049] <Second Embodiment> The infrastructure design system of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 14 to 20. In the description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used for components and functions that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted. Also, descriptions that are the same as in the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0050] The infrastructure design system of this embodiment applies to the solution service currently being provided that has performed infrastructure design using this system. , service provisionThis allows for changes in the number of users and enables the re-execution of the infrastructure design if the measured latency exceeds the solution service's latency limit. However, regarding the re-execution of the infrastructure design, only the server infrastructure will be subject to change, as modifying the wireless communication infrastructure would incur significant costs.

[0051] Figure 14 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the infrastructure design server 3 in the second embodiment. The infrastructure design server 3 includes an operator input / output unit 13, a service requirements generation unit 14, an infrastructure design unit 15, an infrastructure usage status monitoring unit 16, a service template DB 20, a wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21, a server infrastructure information DB 22, an inter-area delay information DB 23, and a service provision Provided information D Includes B24.

[0052] In addition to the functions of the operator input / output unit 10 in the first embodiment, the operator input / output unit 13 has the function of receiving input from operator 2 to accept or reject infrastructure design information generated by the infrastructure design unit 15 when outputting the infrastructure design information to operator 2, registering the infrastructure design information in the service provision information table 500 managed by the service provision information DB 24 if acceptance is received, and discarding the infrastructure design information if rejection is received. Furthermore, the operator input / output unit 13 has the function of receiving service information obtained from the service provision information DB 24 Information provided by The report table 500 is output to operator 2, and operator 2 selects the entry to be corrected. , service provision The system has the function of accepting redesign requests, including changes to the number of users, and outputting service provision information to the service requirements generation unit 14. Furthermore, the operator input / output unit 13 has the function of selecting an entry to be redesigned, accepting a redesign request due to exceeding the limit latency, and outputting service provision information to the service requirements generation unit 14.

[0053] When the service requirements generation unit 14 receives service provision information from the operator input / output unit 13, it generates service requirements information by referring to the service template table 100 managed by the service template DB 20 and outputs it to the infrastructure design unit 15. Details of the service requirements information in the re-implementation of the infrastructure design in this embodiment will be described later.

[0054] When the infrastructure design unit 15 receives service requirement information from the service requirement generation unit 14, it generates infrastructure design information based on the service requirement information by referring to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 managed by the wireless communication infrastructure information DB 21, the server infrastructure information table 600 managed by the server infrastructure information DB 22, the inter-area delay information table 400 managed by the inter-area delay information DB 23, and the service provision information table 500 managed by the service provision information DB 24, and outputs it to the operator input / output unit 10.

[0055] The infrastructure usage monitoring unit 16 connects to the cloud management server 52 and the edge management server 62, acquires measured values ​​of communication delay and processing delay in the solution services being provided, calculates, for example, the average value of latency over a certain period of time based on these measured values, and registers it as measured latency 510 in the service provision information table 500 managed by the service provision information DB 24.

[0056] The Service Provision Information DB24 is a database that manages the Service Provision Information Table 500.

[0057] Next, an example of a service provision information table will be described with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is an example of a service provision information table 500 managed by the service provision information DB 24 in the second embodiment. The service provision information table 500 includes a service ID 501, a solution service name 502, a number of users 503, a service provision area 504, a limited latency 505, a communication infrastructure name 506, a server infrastructure name 507, a server type 508, a measured latency 510, and a total provision cost 511. The service ID 501 is an ID used to uniquely identify an entry in the service provision information table 500, and is assigned when Operator 2 performs infrastructure design to provide a solution service, accepts the generated infrastructure design information, and adds an entry. The solution service name 502 is a service name that uniquely identifies the solution service. . Yu The number of servicers 503 and the service area 504 were entered by Operator 2 when he performed the infrastructure design for that entry. Service offering This refers to the number of users and the service area. The limited latency 505 is the limited latency when providing the solution service. The communication infrastructure name 506, server infrastructure name 507, and server type 508 are the communication infrastructure name, server infrastructure name, and server type included in the infrastructure design information generated when the infrastructure design corresponding to this entry was executed. The measured latency 510 is the latency measurement value based on the communication delay and processing delay information for each service obtained by the infrastructure usage monitoring unit 16 from the network management server 42, cloud management server 52, and edge management server 62. The total provision cost 511 is the total provision cost of the communication infrastructure and server infrastructure.

[0058] Next, an example of a server infrastructure information table will be described with reference to Figure 16. Figure 16 is an example of a server infrastructure information table 600 managed by the server infrastructure information DB 22 in the second embodiment. The server infrastructure information table 600, like the server infrastructure information table 300 in the first embodiment, includes the server infrastructure name 601, server type 602, cloud location information 603, available wireless communication infrastructure 604, number of CPU cores 605, memory 606, and provision cost 607, and further includes the providing vendor 608, the vendor migration cost 609, and the different vendor migration cost 610. The providing vendor 608 indicates the vendor that provides the server infrastructure. The vendor migration cost 609 is a value used to calculate the cost when migrating server infrastructure between the same providing vendors. The different vendor migration cost 610 is a value used to calculate the cost when migrating server infrastructure between different providing vendors.

[0059] Next, an example of the operation of the infrastructure design server will be described with reference to Figure 17. Figure 17 shows how the infrastructure design server 3 in this embodiment performs operations on the solution service being provided. , service provision This sequence diagram illustrates an example of the process of correcting the number of users and redesigning the infrastructure.

[0060] First, the operator input / output unit 13 displays the service provision information table 500 to operator 2. Then, operator 2 selects the entry to be modified. , service provision The system accepts the execution of a redesign including a change in the number of users (S201) and outputs service provision information to the service requirements generation unit 14 (S202). The service provision information includes the service ID of the entry in the service provision information table 500 selected by operator 2, the solution service name, and the changed Service offeringThis includes information on the number of users and the service provision area. The service requirement generation unit 14, similar to S103, refers to the service template table 100 based on the service provision information received from the operator input / output unit 13, generates service requirement information (S203), and outputs the service requirement information to the infrastructure design unit 15 (S204). The service requirement information includes the service ID of the entry in the service provision information table 500 selected by the operator 2, the solution service name, and the changed information. Service offering This includes the number of users, the service area, the limited latency included in the identified entry, the calculated required bandwidth, and the processing delay per unit computing resource.

[0061] The infrastructure design unit 15, based on the received service requirements information, refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and the server infrastructure information table 600, extracts combinations of server infrastructures for the wireless communication infrastructure used in the solution service being provided such that the sum of communication delay and processing delay is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service being provided, selects the combination from the extracted combinations that minimizes the total cost, which is the sum of the provision cost and the migration cost, and generates infrastructure design information (S205). The infrastructure design information includes, for example, the solution service name and , service provision This includes the number of users, the name of the wireless communication infrastructure, the name of the selected server infrastructure, and the total cost of providing the communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. Details of the infrastructure design information generation process (S205) will be described later using Figure 18. The infrastructure design unit 15 then transmits the generated infrastructure design information to the operator input / output unit 13 (S206). The operator input / output unit 13 generates an output screen based on the received infrastructure design information and outputs it to operator 2 (S207). Furthermore, if operator 2 inputs acceptance for the infrastructure design information, the operator input / output unit 13 modifies the corresponding entry in the infrastructure design information table (service provision information table 500) according to the infrastructure information (S208).

[0062] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 18, an example of the operation (S205) in which the infrastructure design unit 15 of the infrastructure design server 3 generates infrastructure design information will be explained in detail. First, when the infrastructure design unit 15 receives service requirement information from the service requirement generation unit 14 (S210), it refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 (S211) and verifies whether the wireless communication infrastructure currently being provided meets the required bandwidth (S212). If the required bandwidth is met, it refers to the server infrastructure information table 600 (S213) and calculates estimated values ​​for communication delay and processing delay for all combinations of the communication infrastructure currently being provided and the server infrastructure that can be provided, and calculates the sum of these as the estimated latency (S214). This process (S214) is the same as the process explained using Figure 11 in the first embodiment. Then, it is verified whether there is a combination in which the estimated latency is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service provided (S215), and for the combination with server infrastructure that has a latency less than or equal to the limit latency, the total cost is calculated as the sum of the server infrastructure provision cost and migration cost (S216). For the migration cost, the server infrastructure in question is compared with the vendor 608 providing the currently offered server infrastructure, and if they are the same, the migration cost for that vendor 609 is calculated, and if they are different, the migration cost for a different vendor is calculated. To 610 The total cost is calculated using this method. This makes it possible to estimate the cost required for migration between server infrastructures provided by the same vendor at a lower cost. Subsequently, the combination with the lowest provision cost is selected, and infrastructure design information is generated based on the service requirements information and the entries in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and server infrastructure information table 300 for that combination (S217). On the other hand, if the currently provided wireless communication infrastructure does not meet the required bandwidth in S212, or if there is no combination in S215 where the estimated latency is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service, infrastructure design information is generated indicating that infrastructure provision is not possible (S218).

[0063] As a result, it becomes possible to quickly and easily redesign the server infrastructure to accommodate changes in bandwidth requirements and latency limits due to increases or decreases in the number of users of the solution services being provided, while also optimizing costs.

[0064] Next, an example of the operation when the measurement latency exceeds the limit latency will be described with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation in which the infrastructure design server 3 in this embodiment re-executes infrastructure design when the measurement latency exceeds the limit latency for a solution service being provided. First, the operator input / output unit 13 displays the service provision information table 500 to the operator 2. Then, the operator 2 selects the entry to be redesigned and accepts the execution of redesign due to exceeding the limit latency (S221), and outputs service provision information to the service requirement generation unit 14 (S222). The service provision information includes the service ID of the entry in the service provision information table 500 selected by the operator 2, the solution service name, the service provision area, and a limit latency exceeding flag indicating that it is a redesign due to exceeding the limit latency. The service requirement generation unit 14, similar to S103, refers to the service template table 100 based on the service provision information received from the operator input / output unit 13, generates service requirement information (S223), and outputs the service requirement information to the infrastructure design unit 15 (S224). The service requirement information includes the service ID of the entry in the service provision information table 500 selected by the operator 2, the solution service name, the service provision area, the limited latency included in the identified entry, the calculated requested bandwidth, the processing delay per unit computing resource, and a flag indicating that the limited latency has been exceeded.

[0065] The infrastructure design unit 15, based on the received service requirements information, refers to the service provision information table 500 and calculates the change limit latency as the excess of the measured latency 510 relative to the limit latency 505, subtracting this amount from the limit latency 505. It also refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and the server infrastructure information table 600 and extracts combinations of server infrastructure for the wireless communication infrastructure used in the solution service being provided such that the sum of communication delay and processing delay is less than or equal to the change limit latency. From the extracted combinations, it selects the combination that minimizes the total cost, which is the sum of the provision cost and the migration cost, and generates infrastructure design information (S225). The infrastructure design information includes, for example, the solution service name and , service provision This includes the number of users, the communication infrastructure name of the wireless communication infrastructure, the server infrastructure name of the selected server infrastructure, and the total provision cost of the communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. Details of the infrastructure design information generation process (S225) will be described later using Figure 20. The infrastructure design unit 15 then transmits the generated infrastructure design information to the operator input / output unit 13 (S226). The operator input / output unit 13 generates an output screen based on the received infrastructure design information and outputs it to operator 2 (S227). Furthermore, if operator 2 inputs acceptance for the infrastructure design information, the operator input / output unit 13 modifies the corresponding entry in the infrastructure design information table (service provision information table 500) according to the infrastructure information (S228).

[0066] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 20, an example of the operation (S225) in which the infrastructure design unit 15 of the infrastructure design server 3 generates infrastructure design information will be explained in detail. First, when the infrastructure design unit 15 receives service requirement information from the service requirement generation unit 14 (S230), it refers to the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and the server infrastructure information table 600 (S231), calculates estimated values ​​for communication delay and processing delay for all combinations of the communication infrastructure currently being provided and the server infrastructure that can be provided, and calculates the sum of these as the estimated latency (S232). This process (S232) is the same as the process explained using Figure 11 in the first embodiment. Then, it verifies whether there is a combination in which the estimated latency is less than or equal to the change limit latency of the solution service to be provided (S233), and calculates the total cost, which is the sum of the server infrastructure provision cost and migration cost, for the combination with server infrastructure that is less than or equal to the limit latency (S234). Regarding the aforementioned migration costs, the server infrastructure in question is compared with the vendor 608 providing the currently offered server infrastructure. If they are the same, the migration cost for that vendor 609 is used; otherwise, the migration cost for a different vendor is used. To 610 The total cost is calculated using this information. Then, the combination with the minimum provision cost is selected, and infrastructure design information is generated based on the service requirements information and the entries in the wireless communication infrastructure information table 200 and server infrastructure information table 600 for that combination (S235). On the other hand, if in S233 there is no combination in which the estimated latency is less than or equal to the limit latency of the solution service, infrastructure design information is generated indicating that infrastructure cannot be provided (S236).

[0067] As a result, when the limited latency is exceeded in the currently provided solution services, it is possible to absorb the excess by reducing processing delays, and to quickly and easily redesign the server infrastructure to optimize costs.

[0068] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various modifications and equivalent configurations within the spirit of the attached claims. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all the described configurations. Furthermore, some of the configurations of one embodiment may be replaced with those of another embodiment. Furthermore, configurations of other embodiments may be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, some of the configurations of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with other configurations.

[0069] By performing processing that takes into account the physical distance between the server infrastructure and the solution service usage environment 70, it becomes possible to perform a good evaluation even when, for example, the server infrastructure 50 is located in a remote location such as a foreign country, and the distance from the usage location is large.

[0070] In the above embodiment, an infrastructure design server was described as an example of an infrastructure design device, which is a computer that performs infrastructure design. However, as long as it can perform appropriate processing, the infrastructure design device may be, for example, a computer that does not provide data to other computers. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1. Infrastructure Design Server 2 Operators 3. Infrastructure Design Server 10 Operator Input / Output Section 11. Service Requirements Generation Unit 12 Infrastructure Design Department 13 Operator Input / Output Section 14. Service Requirements Generation Unit 15 Infrastructure Design Department 16. Infrastructure Utilization Monitoring Department 20 Service Template DB 21 Wireless Communication Infrastructure Information Database 22 Server Infrastructure Information Database 23 Inter-area delay information database 24 Service Provision Information Database 30 processors 31 memory 32 Auxiliary storage device 33 Input Devices 34 Output Devices 35 Communication Interfaces 36 bus 40 Wireless communication infrastructure 41 Base station 42 Network Management Server 50 Server Infrastructure 51 Cloud Servers 52 Cloud Management Server 60 Server Infrastructure 61 Edge Servers 62 Edge Management Servers 70 Solution Service Usage Environment 71 User terminals 80 Public Network 100 Service Template Tables 200 Wireless Communication Infrastructure Information Table 300 Server Infrastructure Information Table 400 Inter-area delay information table 500 Service Provision Information Table 600 Server Infrastructure Information Table

Claims

1. An infrastructure design system having an infrastructure design device that generates infrastructure design information including information about a server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications and a wireless communication infrastructure connecting the server infrastructure and the solution service usage locations, The aforementioned infrastructure design device, It comprises a processor and a memory unit, The storage unit manages the provision cost information for each wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. The aforementioned processor, Based on the communication delay between the location where the solution service is used and the server infrastructure, and the processing delay of the application, the estimated latency at the time of solution service provision is calculated. Based on the estimated latency and the provision cost managed by the memory unit, a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure is selected and output as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

2. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The storage unit manages communication delay information for each wireless communication infrastructure section. The storage unit manages location information for each server infrastructure, The aforementioned processor, For the combination of the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure, the communication delay at the time of providing the solution service is estimated based on the communication delay information of the wireless communication infrastructure section, the location of the solution service usage location, and the location information of the server infrastructure. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

3. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The aforementioned storage unit manages computing resource information for each server infrastructure, The storage unit manages processing delay information relating to the number of users per solution service and the processing delay of applications per computing resource. The aforementioned processor, Based on the computing resource information for each server infrastructure, the processing delay information relating to the number of users per solution service and the processing delay of applications per computing resource, and the number of users utilizing the solution service, the processing delay at the time of provision of the solution service is estimated. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

4. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, The system selects a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure that results in an estimated latency less than or equal to the latency required by the solution service, and minimizes the cost of provision, and outputs this as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

5. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The storage unit manages the monetary costs of providing the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure as the provision cost information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

6. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The storage unit manages the carbon dioxide emissions in the provision of the wireless communication infrastructure and the server infrastructure as the provision cost information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

7. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, In accordance with the change in the number of users of the solution service currently being provided in the infrastructure design information, the estimated latency when combined with the server infrastructure that can be combined with the wireless communication infrastructure currently being provided is calculated. Based on the estimated latency, the provision cost, and the migration cost, the server infrastructure is selected and output as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

8. An infrastructure design system according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, If the measured latency of the solution service being provided in the infrastructure design information exceeds the latency required by the solution service, the estimated latency when combined with the server infrastructure that can be combined with the wireless communication infrastructure being provided is calculated. Based on the estimated latency, the provision cost, and the migration cost, the server infrastructure is selected and output as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

9. An infrastructure design server that generates infrastructure design information including information about a server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications and a wireless communication infrastructure connecting the server infrastructure and the solution service usage locations, The terminal of the aforementioned infrastructure design server, An infrastructure design system comprising, The aforementioned infrastructure design server is It comprises a processor, a memory unit, and a communication interface. The storage unit manages the provision cost information for each wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure. The aforementioned processor, Based on the communication delay between the location where the solution service is used and the server infrastructure, and the processing delay of the application, the estimated latency at the time of solution service provision is calculated. Based on the estimated latency and the provision cost managed by the memory unit, a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure is selected and output to the terminal via the communication interface as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design system characterized by the following features.

10. An infrastructure design method that generates infrastructure design information including information about a server infrastructure for deploying solution service applications and a wireless communication infrastructure connecting the server infrastructure and the solution service usage location, using an infrastructure design device comprising a processor and a memory unit, Using the aforementioned storage unit, the cost information provided for each wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure is managed. Using the aforementioned processor, the estimated latency during solution service provision is calculated based on the communication delay between the solution service usage location and the server infrastructure, and the application processing delay. Using the aforementioned processor, a combination of wireless communication infrastructure and server infrastructure is selected based on the estimated latency and the provision cost, and output as infrastructure design information. An infrastructure design method characterized by the following:

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