Method and system for managing broadcast notifications in a network

Abstract

A method (500) for managing one or more notifications in a network is disclosed. The method (500) includes monitoring (502) a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). The method includes identifying (504) an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The method includes identifying (506) a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The method includes triggering (508) the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. The method includes transmitting (510) the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING BROADCAST NOTIFICATIONS IN A NETWORKRESERVATION OF RIGHTS

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, Integrated Circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of telecommunication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and a system for managing broadcast notifications (i.e., one or more notifications) in a network.DEFINITION

[0003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.

[0004] The term ‘Network Function Repository (NRF)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a centralized repository, maintaining comprehensive recordsabout various available network functions (NFs), including their capabilities, configurations, and a current status.

[0005] The term ‘Network Function (NF)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a specific software or hardware component within a network and is designed to perform a particular function, such as routing, switching, firewalling, load balancing, traffic optimization, and the like, to enable network operations and enhance performance.

[0006] The term ‘pre-defined time interval’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a fixed duration configured by a network operator in advance, during which each NRF expects to receive periodic signals from an NF. The predefined time interval is used to monitor NF availability and detect status changes.

[0007] The term ‘operational status’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a condition where the NF is actively running, properly registered, healthy, and communicating with other network components, thereby performing associated intended services or functions.

[0008] The term ‘suspension status’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a specific state in which the NF has temporarily ceased associated normal operational activities but remains in a state where the NF can potentially resume functioning without needing a full reinitialization.

[0009] The term ‘offline status’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a state in which the NF is not actively processing or handling network traffic and is not available for communication with other network components, typically due to failure or shutdown.

[0010] These definitions are in addition to those expressed in the art.BACKGROUND

[0011] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the reader's understanding with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0012] In modern network architecture, Network Repository Functions (NRFs) play a pivotal role in facilitating seamless communication between Network Functions (NFs) and various consumers (i.e., activation nodes or analyzing units) within a network. These consumers may include applications, services, or other NFs seeking specific functionalities or network resources. An NRF acts as a centralized repository, maintaining comprehensive records of available NFs in the network, capabilities of available NFs, and real-time status updates. The NRF allows consumers to discover and locate appropriate NFs based on the requirements of the consumers, enabling service discovery and dynamic load balancing.

[0013] In synchronized network setups, multiple NRFs collaborate to maintain identical datasets across the network. However, this synchronization introduces challenges, particularly during changes in an NF status or configurations. When the NF undergoes a status change, each NRF in the network independently broadcasts notifications regarding an alteration in the status change of the NF. This simultaneous broadcasting of the notifications by multiple NRFs results in redundant messages, hence flooding the network, which causes unnecessary network traffic and potentially leads to network congestion. In particular, despite the NF maintaining contact with a single NRF, the synchronized nature of the NRFs mandates that these notifications propagate across all the NRFs. This redundancy significantly impacts networkefficiency, as the surplus of notifications consumes the bandwidth and the network resources that could otherwise be allocated more effectively.

[0014] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a method and a system that can mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art.OBJECTIVE

[0015] Some of the objectives of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0016] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system for managing broadcast notifications (i.e., one or more notifications) in a network.

[0017] An object of the present disclosure is to optimize network resources utilization within the network by concentrating a notification generation and transmission to a single NRF. This prevents unnecessary processing overhead on network devices and ensures that the network resources are allocated efficiently.

[0018] An object of the present disclosure is to improve efficiency of the network by designating the single NRF to handle notifications. The present disclosure facilitates timely updates to activation nodes (e.g., applications, services, or other NFs) without being inundated with duplicate notifications, allowing smoother and more responsive network operations.

[0019] An object of the present disclosure is to simplify fault management. This is because, with notifications originating from the single NRF, fault detection and management become more streamlined as troubleshooting and resolution efforts get focused on the single NRF in an event of failure or inconsistency of the single NRF.

[0020] An object of the present disclosure is to significantly reduce a number of redundant notifications traversing the network by ensuring that only one NRF sendsnotifications to the activation nodes. This helps alleviate network congestion and minimizes a risk of bandwidth saturation.

[0021] An object of the present disclosure is to enhance scalability by maintaining simplicity in the notification dissemination, allowing the single NRF to seamlessly accommodate increased communication demands as the network expands, hence facilitating smooth scalability without introducing complexity.

[0022] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for managing one or more notifications in a network is described. The method includes monitoring, by a monitoring unit, a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). The method includes identifying, by a processing unit, an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The method includes identifying, by the processing unit, a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The method includes triggering, by the processing unit, the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. The method includes transmitting, by a transmitting unit, the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

[0024] In an embodiment, the method further includes periodically receiving, by the processing unit, the signal associated with each of the plurality of NRFs in the network from the at least one NF at each pre-defined time interval.

[0025] In an embodiment, the signal received by each of the plurality of NRFs comprises data associated with the at least one NF.

[0026] In an embodiment, the data associated with the at least one NF comprises configuration data, operational status data, and service data.

[0027] In an embodiment, the current status of the at least one NF is one of an operational status, a suspension status, or an offline status.

[0028] In an embodiment, the method further includes upon identifying an instance when the signal is received from the at least one NF, determining, by the processing unit, a timestamp associated with each signal received from the at least one NF by each of the plurality of NRFs at each pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The method further includes creating, by the processing unit, a log file by mapping the timestamp determined for each signal with a corresponding unique NRF Identifier (ID) associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. The method further includes storing, by the processing unit, the log file comprising the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID in a database.

[0029] In an embodiment, the method to identify the designated NRF includes analyzing, by the processing unit, the log file to determine a timestamp associated with a signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval.

[0030] In an embodiment, the at least one activation node corresponds to a consumer, and the consumer includes an application, a service, and an NF.

[0031] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for managing one or more notifications in a network is disclosed. The system includes a monitoring unit configured to monitor a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of NetworkRepository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). The system includes a processing unit configured to identify an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre- defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The system includes the processing unit configured to identify a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The processing unit is further configured to trigger the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. The system includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

[0032] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for managing one or more notifications in a network. The method includes monitoring, by a monitoring unit, a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). The method includes identifying, by a processing unit, an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The method includes identifying, by the processing unit, a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The method includes triggering, by the processing unit, the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. The method includes transmitting, by a transmitting unit, the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which, like reference numerals, refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture for implementing a system for managing one or more notifications in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system configured for managing one or more notifications in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary network architecture for managing one or more notifications in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow for managing one or more notifications in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method for managing one or more notifications in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0040] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100 - Network architecture102- 1 , 102-2... 102-N - Plurality of Users104- 1 , 104-2... 104-N - Plurality of User Equipments106 - Network 108 - System200 - Block Diagram202 - Processor(s)204 - Memory206 - Plurality of Interfaces 208 - Processing engine210 - Database212 - Monitoring unit214 - Processing unit216 - Transmitting unit300 - Network architecture302 - Network Function (NF)400 - Process flow diagram500 - Flow diagram600 - Computer System610 - External Storage Device620 - Bus630 - Main Memory640 - Read Only Memory650 - Mass Storage Device660 - Communication Port670 - ProcessorDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussedabove. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0044] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0045] 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 like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0046] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0047] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that theterms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

[0048] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or “user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical and computing device. The user device is capable of receiving and / or transmitting one or parameters, performing function / s, communicating with other user devices and transmitting data to the other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory, a battery and an input- means such as a hard keypad and / or a soft keypad. The user equipment may be capable of operating on any radio access technology including but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, etc. For instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.

[0049] Further, the user device may also comprise a “processor” or “processing unit” includes processing unit, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality ofmicroprocessors, 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 is a hardware processor.

[0050] As portable electronic devices and wireless technologies continue to improve and grow in popularity, the advancing wireless technologies for data transfer are also expected to evolve and replace the older generations of technologies. In the field of wireless data communications, the dynamic advancement of various generations of cellular technology are also seen. The development, in this respect, has been incremental in the order of second generation (2G), third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), and now fifth generation (5G), and more such generations are expected to continue in the forthcoming time.

[0051] Radio Access Technology (RAT) refers to the technology used by mobile devices / User Equipment (UE) to connect to a cellular network. It refers to the specific protocol and standards that govern the way devices communicate with base stations, which are responsible for providing the wireless connection. Further, each RAT has its own set of protocols and standards for communication, which define the frequency bands, modulation techniques, and other parameters used for transmitting and receiving data. Examples of RATs include a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a Long-Term Evolution (LTE), a Fifth Generation (5G) technology, and a Sixth Generation (6G) technology. The choice of RAT depends on a variety of factors, including the network infrastructure, the available spectrum, and the mobile device's / device's capabilities. Mobile devices often supportmultiple RATs, allowing them to connect to different types of networks and provide optimal performance based on the available network resources.

[0052] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. The first generation of wireless communication technology was analog, offering only voice services. Further, text messaging and data services became possible when a Second Generation (2G) technology was introduced. A Third Generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. A Fourth Generation (4G) technology revolutionized the wireless communication with faster data speeds, improved network coverage, and security. Currently, the 5G technology is being deployed, offering significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect many devices simultaneously. These advancements represent a significant leap forward from previous generations, enabling enhanced mobile broadband, improved Internet of Things (loT) connectivity, and more efficient use of network resources. The 6G technology promises to build upon these advancements, pushing the boundaries of wireless communication even further. While the 5G technology is still being rolled out globally, research and development into the 6G are rapidly evolving, with the aim of revolutionizing the way of connecting and interacting with technology.

[0053] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0054] Embodiments herein relate to a method for managing one or more notifications in a network. The network, for example, may be the 4G network, the 5G network, the 6G network, and the like. In particular, the method includes monitoring, a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). In response to monitoring, identifying an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval. Further, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF, identifying a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs. In an embodiment, the designated NRF is a last communicated NRF. Upon identifying the designated NRF, triggering the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. Further, the notification generated by the designated NRF is transmitted to at least one activation node.

[0055] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1 - FIG. 6.

[0057] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture 100 for implementing a system 108 for managing one or more notifications in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the network architecture 100 may include one or more computing devices or User Equipments (UEs) 104- 1 , 104-2... 104-N associated with one or more users 102- 1 , 102- 2... 102-N in an environment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users 102- 1 , 102-2... 102-N may be individually referred to as the user 102 and collectively referred to as the users 102. Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more UEs 104-1, 104-2... 104-N may be individually referred to as the UE 104 and collectively referred to as the UEs 104. A person ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms “computing device(s)” and “user equipment” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. Although three UEs 104 are depicted in FIG. 1, however, any number of the UEs 104 may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.

[0058] In an embodiment, the UE 104 may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (loT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE 104 may include, but is not limited to, smartphones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., a mechanical sensor, a thermal sensor, an electrical sensor, a magnetic sensor, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories, networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, smart televisions (TVs), computers, smart security systems, smart home systems, other devices for monitoring or interacting with or for the user 102 and / or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE 104 may include, but is not limited to, intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that can integrate seamlessly with each other and / or with a central server or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.

[0059] In an embodiment, the UE 104 may include, but is not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device (e.g., a head-mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch computer device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portable gaming system, and / or any other type of computer device with wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the UE 104 may include, but is not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical, or an equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, a laptop, a general-purpose computer, a desktop, a personal digitalassistant, a tablet computer, a mainframe computer, or any other computing device. Further, the UE 104 may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the user 102 or an entity such as a touch pad, a touch enabled screen, an electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE 104 may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.

[0060] In FIG. 1 , the UE 104 may communicate with the system 108 through the network 106. In particular, the UE 104 may be communicatively coupled with the network 106. The coupling includes steps of receiving, by network 106, a connection request from UE 104. Upon receiving the connection request, the coupling includes steps of sending, by the network 106, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE 104. Further, the coupling includes steps of transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request.

[0061] In an embodiment, the network 106 may include at least one of the 4G network, the 5G network, the 6G network, or the like. The network 106 may enable the UE 104 to communicate with other devices in the network architecture 100 and / or with the system 108. The network 106 may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network 106 may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit- switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof. In another embodiment, the network 106 includes, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or morenetworks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth.

[0062] In another exemplary embodiment, the network architecture 100 may include a centralized server (not shown) may include or comprise, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a stand-alone server, a server blade, a server rack, a bank of servers, a server farm, a hardware supporting a part of a cloud service or a system, a home server, a hardware running a virtualized server, one or more processors executing code to function as a server, one or more machines performing server-side functionality as described herein, at least a portion of any of the above, some combination thereof.

[0063] Although FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of the network architecture 100, in other embodiments, the network architecture 100 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture 100 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture 100.

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram 200 of the system 108 configured for managing one or more notifications in the network (e.g., the network 106), in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is explained in conjunction with FIG. 1. In an embodiment, the network may be, for example, the 4G network, the 5G network, the 6G network, and the like.

[0065] In an embodiment, the system 108 may include one or more processor(s) 202. The one or more processor(s) 202 may be implemented as one ormore microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) 202 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory 204 of the system 108. The memory 204 may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory 204 may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as a Random-Access Memory (RAM), or a non-volatile memory such as an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), a flash memory, and the like.

[0066] In an embodiment, the system 108 may include an interface(s) 206. The interface(s) 206 may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I / O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) 206 may facilitate communication through the system 108. The interface(s) 206 may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system 108. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, a processing engine 208 and a database 210. The processing engine 208 further includes a monitoring unit 212, a processing unit 214, and a transmitting unit 216. In an embodiment, the monitoring unit 212, the processing unit 214, and the transmitting unit 216 may be in communication with each other.

[0067] In an embodiment, the processing engine 208 including the monitoring unit 212, the processing unit 214, and the transmitting unit 216 may be implemented within each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs). In other words, the system 108 may be implemented with each of the plurality of NRFs. In another embodiment, the processing engine 208 including the monitoring unit 212, theprocessing unit 214, and the transmitting unit 216 may be in communication with each of the plurality of NRFs within the network.

[0068] In order to manage the one or more notifications, initially, the monitoring unit 212 is configured to monitor a reception of a signal by each of the plurality of NRFs from at least one Network Function (NF). In an embodiment, the monitoring unit 212 is configured to enable each of the plurality of NRFs within the network to perform self- monitoring for detecting the reception of the signal from the at least one NF. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of NRFs is synchronized with each other to ensure that each of the plurality of NRFs shares data associated with the at least one NF with each other. Examples of the data associated with the at least one NF may include, but is not limited to, a configuration data (e.g., NF parameters and network topology information), an operational status data (e.g., a current status of the NF, performance metrics, event logs, etc.), a service data (e.g., session information, service level agreement), and the like. The at least one NF is configured to communicate with each of the plurality of NRFs within the network. In an embodiment, the at least one NF refers to a specific software or hardware component within the network that is designed to perform a particular function, such as routing, switching, firewalling, load balancing, traffic optimization, and the like, to enable network operations and enhance performance. Further, an NRF acts as a centralized repository that stores information about various available NFs, including capabilities, configurations, and the current status associated with each available NF.

[0069] In response to monitoring performed by the monitoring unit 212, the processing unit 214 is configured to identify an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval. In an embodiment, the processing unit 214 associated with each of the plurality of NRFs is configured to periodically receive the signal from the at least one NF at each pre-defined time interval. For example, the pre-defined time interval may be 5 minutes.In some embodiments, the pre-defined time interval may correspond to a continuous time interval. The continuous time interval may correspond to an uninterrupted, realtime monitoring performed for each of the plurality of NRFs for the reception of the signal. Further, in an embodiment, the pre-defined time interval may be defined by a network operator or a network administrator during deployment of the network or dynamically updated as part of ongoing network management. In other words, in order to identify the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF, the processing unit 214 is configured to enable each of the plurality of NRFs to iteratively check for reception of the signal from the at least one NF at each of the pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. Further, based on the checking, the processing unit 214 is configured to identify the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF at a current pre-defined time interval.

[0070] Upon identifying the instance when no signal is received, the processing unit 214 is configured to identify a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs. The designated NRF is a last communicated NRF that was in communication with the at least one NF. In an embodiment, the designated NRF may be identified by the processing unit 214 by analyzing a log file. The log file may be analyzed determine a timestamp associated with a signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval. The log file may include a mapping of a timestamp determined for each signal with a corresponding unique NRF Identifier (ID) associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. In other words, whenever the signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs within the network, the processing unit 214 is configured to update the log file with the mapping of the timestamp at which the signal is received by an NRF of the plurality of NRFs, along with the corresponding NRF ID associated with the NRF. For example, the log file may include a mapping of the timestamp, such as at 12:00 at which the signal is received by an NRF-A, where ‘A’ represents the corresponding unique ID of the NRF.

[0071] In an embodiment, in response to monitoring performed by the monitoring unit 212, upon identifying an instance when the signal is received from the at least one NF, the processing unit 214 is configured to determine the timestamp associated with each signal received from the at least one NF by each of the plurality of NRFs at each pre-defined time interval. Further, the processing unit 214 is configured to create the log file by mapping the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. Once the log file is created the processing unit 214 is configured to store the log file including the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID in the database 210. In an embodiment, the log file may be dynamically updated based on monitoring, upon identifying the instance when the signal is received or the instance when the signal is not received by any of the plurality of NRFs within the network.

[0072] In response to analyzing the log file, the processing unit 214 is configured to identify the designated NRF. In other words, in response to analyzing the log file, the processing unit 214 is configured to identify the instance when a terminating signal is received from the at least one NF at a previous pre-defined time interval. For example, at the current pre-defined time interval (e.g., 12:05), when the instance is identified at which no signal is received. In this case, the processing unit 214 is configured to analyze the log file to determine the timestamp, i.e., the previous time interval (e.g., 12:00) at which the signal (i.e., the terminating signal) is received by the an NRF (e.g., the NRF-A) from the plurality of NRFs. In response to determining the timestamp, the designated NRF (e.g., the NRF-A) may be identified based on the mapping present in the log file. In an embodiment, the terminating signal is a last heartbeat signal transmitted by the at least one NF. Further, a heartbeat signal refers to a periodic signal or a message exchanged between entities, e.g., the at least one NF and the NRF of the plurality of NRFs to indicate the current status and an availability of the at least one NF to each of the plurality of NRFs. In conjunction with presentdisclosure, each signal transmited by the at least one NF to each of the plurality of NRFs may correspond to a periodic signal or a message. Further, the designated NRF is the last communicated NRF that was in communication with the at least one NF and has received the terminating signal.

[0073] Upon identifying the designated NRF, the processing unit 214 is configured to trigger the designated NRF to generate a notification. The notification includes information depicting a change in the current status of the at least one NF. For example, the current status of the NF may be one of an operational status, a suspension status, or an offline status. The change in the current status may be, for example, a change for a current status, i.e., the operational status to a current status, i.e., the suspension status. In an embodiment, the operational state of the at least one NF refers to a condition in which the at least one NF is actively running and capable of performing associated intended services or functions. The operational status indicates that the at least one NF is properly registered, healthy, and communicating with other network components. Further, the suspension status is a specific operational state where the at least one NF temporarily ceases normal operational functions but remains in a state where the at least one NF can potentially be resumed later. The offline status refers to a state where the at least one NF is not actively processing or handling network traffic.

[0074] Once the notification is generated, the transmitting unit 216 is configured to transmit the generated notification from the designated NRF to at least one activation node, i.e., a consumer. The consumer, for example, may be an application, a service, an NFs, or the like. For example, the application may include a network monitoring dashboard, a subscriber management application, a self-healing orchestration tool, etc. Examples of the service may include a voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) service, a mobile broadband service, a network slice selection service, etc. Further, examples of the NF may include an Access and MobilityManagement Function (AMF), a Session Management Function (SMF), or an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), etc. In an embodiment, the transmitting unit 216 is configured to render the generated notification to the consumer.

[0075] In an embodiment, the processing engine 208 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine 208. In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine 208 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non- transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing engine 208 may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing engine 208. In such examples, the system 108 may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system 108 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine 208 may be implemented by electronic circuitry.

[0076] In an embodiment, the database 210 may include data (e.g., the data associated with the at least one NF including the configuration data, the operational status data, and the service data, the log file, etc.) that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processing engine 208.

[0077] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary network architecture 300 for managing the one or more notifications in the network (e.g., the network 106), in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 3 is explained in conjunction with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0078] As depicted in FIG. 3, a NF 302 (i.e., the at least one NF) may be configured for communicating with a plurality of NRFs within an NRF cluster - 1. The plurality of NRFs corresponds to an NRF - 1, an NRF - 2, up to an NRF - n. In an embodiment, ‘n’ may represent any number of an NRF that is present within the network (e.g., the network 106) and is in communication with other NRFs within the NRF cluster - 1. For example, suppose, in a current scenario, ‘n’ represents an NRF - 5. In this scenario, the NRF cluster -1 may include a set of five NRFs, i.e., the NRF - 1 , the NRF - 2, an NRF - 3, an NRF - 4, and the NRF - 5. In an embodiment, the NRF cluster - 1 may be configured to communicate with multiple other NRF clusters. In an embodiment, the other NRF clusters may include an NRF cluster-2, an NRF cluster-3, and so on. Further, each NRF cluster may include the plurality of NRFs. As depicted in FIG. 3, each of the plurality of NRFs may be synchronized with each other to ensure that each of the plurality of NRFs shares the data associated with the NF 302 with each other. Examples of the data associated with the NF may include, but is not limited to, the configuration data (e.g., the NF parameters and the network topology information), the operational status data (e.g., the current status of the NF, the performance metrics, the event logs, etc.), the service data (e.g., the session information, the service level agreement), and the like. In other words, each NRF with the NRF cluster - 1 is coordinated to ensure that each NRF has identical or consistent information about the NF 302 across the network. This synchronization of the data among each of the plurality of NRFs within the NRF cluster- 1 ensures that updates, changes, or status notifications regarding the NF 302 are propagated consistently across each of the plurality of NRFs.

[0079] Further, each of the plurality of NRFs within the NRF cluster - 1 is monitored for reception of the signal from the NF 302, at the pre-defined time interval, for example, after every 5 minutes. Further, based on the monitoring, the check is iteratively performed to detect the reception of the signal from the NF 302 at each predefined time interval. Further, based on performing the check, upon identifying theinstance when no signal is received from the NF 302 at the current pre-defined time interval, the designated NRF (e.g., the NRF - 1) is identified from the plurality of NRFs within the NRF cluster- 1 to which the NF 302 transmitted the terminating signal at the previous pre-defined time interval. The terminating signal is the last heartbeat signal transmitted by the NF 302. Further, the designated NRF, i.e., the NRF - 1 is the last communicated NRF that was in communication with the NF 302 and has received the terminating signal. In an embodiment, the designated NRF is identified by analyzing the log file stored in the database. The log file includes the mapping of the timestamp at which the signal is received by each of the plurality of NRFs along with the corresponding NRF ID associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. For example, the log file may include a timestamp column, an NRF ID column, an NF ID column, and a signal column. The timestamp column may include a timestamp (e.g., 13:00, 13:05, 13:10, 13:15, and the like) at which each of the plurality of NRFs received the signal from the NF 302, based on the pre-defined time period. The NRF ID column may include the corresponding NRF ID of an NRF of each of the plurality of NRFs that received the signal at a particular timestamp (e.g., the NRF-1 received the signal at 13:00). Further, the NF ID column may include a corresponding NF ID of the at least one NF (e.g., the NF 302) that is in communication with each of the plurality of NRFs. Further, the signal column may depict whether the signal is received or not received at an associated timestamp, for example, at the timestamp ‘ 13 : 00 ’ , signal received, and at the timestamp 13:05, no signal received.

[0080] By way of an example, consider a scenario where at the current predefined time interval (e.g., 13:05), the instance is identified at which no signal is received from the NF 302 by any of the plurality of NRFs (i.e., NRF-1 to NRF-5). In this scenario, the log file is analyzed to determine the timestamp, i.e., the previous time interval (e.g., 13:00) at which the signal (i.e., the terminating signal) is received by an NRF (e.g., the NRF-1) from the plurality of NRFs. In response to determining thetimestamp, the designated NRF (e.g., the NRF-1) may be identified based on the mapping present in the log file.

[0081] Upon identifying of the NRF - 1 (i.e., the designated NRF), the NRF - 1 is configured to generate the notification depicting the change in the current status of the NF 302. For example, the change in the current status of the NF 302 may be the suspension status (i.e., the state in which the NF 302 temporarily ceases associated normal operational functions). Further, the NRF - 1 is configured to send the notification to the at least one activation node, i.e., the consumer. The notification informs the consumer about the change in the current status of the NF 302, enabling the consumer to take appropriate actions or adjustments as necessary. The actions, for example, may include, but are not limited to, a load balancing adjustment, a health checking and monitoring, a traffic re-routing, an automated remediation, and the like.

[0082] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow 400 for managing the one or more notifications in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. Each step of the process flow 400 may be performed by various units (e.g., the monitoring unit 212, the processing unit 214, and the transmitting unit 216) present within the processing engine 208 of the system 108.

[0083] As depicted in FIG. 4, at step 402, each of the plurality of NRFs is monitored for reception of the signal from the at least one NF. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of NRFs is configured to perform self-monitoring for reception of the signal from the at least one NF, at a regular interval. The regular interval may correspond to the pre-defined time interval, e.g., at every 5 minutes. In other words, each of the plurality of NRFs is monitored based on the signal received from the at least one NF (e.g., the NF 302) at the pre-defined time interval. For example, the signal received by each of the plurality of NRFs may include data associated with the at least one NF. Examples of the data associated with the NF may include, but is not limitedto, the configuration data (e.g., the NF parameters and the network topology information), the operational status data (e.g., the current status of the NF, the performance metrics, the event logs, etc.), the service data (e.g., the session information, the service level agreement), and the like.

[0084] In response to monitoring, at step 404, a check is performed to identify whether the signal is received from the at least one NF at the current pre-defined interval. In other words, at each of the pre-defined time interval, the check is performed to identify if the signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF or not. In one embodiment, based on the check performed, if the signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF at the current pre-defined time interval, then step 406 is executed. At step 406, no action is taken as the signal is received from the at least one NF for the current pre-defined time interval. Further, based on the signal received from the at least one NF at the current pre-defined time interval, the log file stored within a database (e.g., the database 210) is updated. Further, the step 402 is re-executed at the pre-defined time interval, when the signal is received for the current pre-defined time interval from the at least one NF.

[0085] In another embodiment, based on the check performed at step 404, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF at the current pre-defined time interval, at step 408, the last communicated NRF (i.e., the designated NRF) associated with the at least one NF is identified. In other words, the last communicated NRF to which the at least one NF has transmitted the terminating signal at the previous pre-defined time interval is identified. In an embodiment, the last communicated NRF is identified by analyzing the log file to determine the timestamp associated with the terminating signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF at the previous pre-defined time interval. Once the last communicated NRF is identified, at step 410, the last communicated NRF is configured to generate the notification depicting the change in the current status (e.g., the offlinestatus) of the at least one NF. Further, at step 412, the generated notification is transmitted by the last communicated NRF to one or more activation nodes, i.e., the consumers, e.g., the applications, the services, or the NFs. The transmitted notification informs the consumers about the change in the current status of the at least one NF, enabling the consumers to take appropriate actions or adjustments as necessary. The actions, for example, may include, but are not limited to, the load balancing adjustment, the health checking and monitoring, the traffic re-routing, the automated remediation, and the like.

[0086] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method 500 for managing the one or more notifications in the network (i.e., the network 106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is explained in conjunction with FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4. Each step of the method 500 may be performed by various units (e.g., the monitoring unit 212, the processing unit 214, and the transmitting unit 216) present within the processing engine 208 of the system 108.

[0087] In order to manage the one or more notifications in the network, initially, at step 502, the reception of the signal by each of the plurality of NRFs from at least one NF is monitored. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of NRFs within the network is configured to perform self-monitoring for detecting the reception of the signal from the at least one NF. Further, the at least one NF is configured to communicate with each of the plurality of NRFs within the network. The at least one NF refers to the specific software or hardware component within the network that is designed to perform the particular function, such as routing, switching, firewalling, load balancing, traffic optimization, and the like, to enable network operations and enhance performance. Further, the NRF acts as the centralized repository that stores information about various available NFs, including capabilities, configurations, and the current status associated with each available NF. The current status of each availableNF is one of the operational status, the suspension status, or the offline status. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of NRFs is synchronized with each other to ensure that each of the plurality of NRFs shares data associated with the at least one NF among themselves. Examples of the data associated with the at least one NF may include, but is not limited to, the configuration data (e.g., the NF parameters and the network topology information), the operational status data (e.g., the current status of the NF, performance metrics, event logs, etc.), the service data (e.g., session information, service level agreement), and the like.

[0088] Further, in response to monitoring, at step 504, the instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval is identified. In other words, in an embodiment, each of the plurality of NRFs is configured to periodically receive the signal from the at least one NF at each pre-defined time interval. For example, the pre-defined time interval may be 5 minutes. In some embodiments, the pre-defined time interval may correspond to the continuous time interval. The continuous time interval may correspond to the uninterrupted, real-time monitoring performed for each of the plurality of NRFs for the reception of the signal. The pre-defined time interval may be defined by the network operator or the network administrator during deployment of the network or dynamically updated as part of ongoing network management. In particular, in order to identify the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF, each of the plurality of NRFs is configured to iteratively check the reception of the signal from the at least one NF at each of the pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. Further, based on the checking, the instance at which no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF at the current pre-defined time interval is identified.

[0089] Upon identifying the instance when no signal is received, at step 506, the designated NRF is identified from the plurality of NRFs. In an embodiment, thedesignated NRF may be identified by analyzing the log file. The log file may be analyzed to determine the timestamp associated with the signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval. The log file may include the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. In an embodiment, whenever the signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs within the network, the log file stored within the database is updated by creating the mapping of the timestamp at which the signal is received by the NRF of the plurality of NRFs along with the corresponding NRF ID associated with the NRF. For example, the log file may include a mapping of a timestamp, such as at 9: 15 at which the signal is received by an NRF-Z, where ‘Z’ represents the corresponding unique ID of the NRF.

[0090] In an embodiment, the log file is created in response to monitoring, upon identifying the instance when the signal is received from the at least one NF. In order to create the log file, the timestamp at which each signal is received from the at least one NF by each of the plurality of NRFs at each pre-defined time interval is determined. In response to determining the timestamp, the log file is created by mapping the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID associated with each of the plurality of NRFs. Once the log file is created, the log file including the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID is stored in the database. In an embodiment, the log file may be dynamically updated based on monitoring upon identifying the instance when the signal is received or the instance when the signal is not received by any of the plurality of NRFs within the network.

[0091] Further, in response to analyzing the log file, the designated NRF is identified. In other words, in response to analyzing the log file, the instance at which the terminating signal is received from the at least one NF at the previous pre-defined time interval is identified. For example, at the current pre-defined time interval (e.g.,9:20), when the instance is identified at which no signal is received. In this case, the log file is analyzed to determine the timestamp, i.e., the previous pre-defined time interval (e.g., 9:15) at which the signal (i.e., the terminating signal) is received by the the NRF (e.g., the NRF-Z) from the plurality of NRFs (e.g., an NRF-X, an NRF-Y, and the NRF-Z). In an embodiment, the terminating signal is the last heartbeat signal transmitted by the at least one NF. Further, the heartbeat signal refers to the periodic signal or the message exchanged between entities, e.g., the at least one NF and the NRF of the plurality of NRFs to indicate the current status and the availability of the at least one NF to each of the plurality of NRFs. In conjunction with present disclosure, each signal transmitted by the at least one NF to each of the plurality of NRFs may correspond to the periodic signal or the message. Further, the designated NRF is the last communicated NRF that was in communication with the at least one NF and has received the terminating signal.

[0092] Upon identifying the designated NRF, at step 508, the designated NRF is triggered to generate the notification including information depicting the change in the current status of the at least one NF. For example, the change in the current status of the NF may be one of the operational status, the suspension status, or the offline status. In an embodiment, the operational status of the at least one NF refers to the condition in which the at least one NF is actively running and capable of performing associated intended services or functions. The operational status indicates that the at least one NF is properly registered, healthy, and communicating with other network components. Further, the suspension status is the specific operational state where the at least one NF temporarily ceases normal operational functions but remains in the state where the at least one NF can potentially be resumed later. The offline status refers to the state where the at least one NF is not actively processing or handling network traffic.

[0093] Once the notification is generated, at step 510, the generated notification is transmitted from the designated NRF to the at least one activation node. The at least one activation node may correspond to the consumer. The consumer, for example, may be the application, the service, the NFs, or the like. For example, the application may include the network monitoring dashboard, the subscriber management application, the self-healing orchestration tool, etc. Examples of the service may include the VoLTE service, the mobile broadband service, the network slice selection service, etc. Further, examples of the NF may include the AMF, the SMF, and the AUSF, etc. In an embodiment, the generated notification is rendered to the consumer. The notification informs the consumer about the change in the current status of the at least one NF, enabling the consumer to take appropriate actions or adjustments as necessary. The actions, for example, may include, but are not limited to, the load balancing adjustment, the health checking and monitoring, the traffic re-routing, the automated remediation, and the like.

[0094] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer system 600 in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 6, the computer system 600 may include an external storage device 610, a bus 620, a main memory 630, a read-only memory 640, a mass storage device 650, communication port(s) 660, and a processor 670. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system 600 may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor 670 may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) 660 may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port(s) 660 may be chosen depending on a network, such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system 600 connects.

[0095] The main memory 630 may be Random- Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory 640 may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) instructions for the processor 670. The mass storage device 650 may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and / or instructions. The mass storage device 650 includes, but is not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces), one or more optical discs, a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g. an array of disks.

[0096] The bus 620 communicatively couples the processor 670 with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus 620 may be, e.g. a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor 670 to the computer system 600.

[0097] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g. a display, keyboard, joystick, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus 620 to support direct operator interaction with the computer system 600. Other operators and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) 660. The components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system 600 limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0098] In an exemplary embodiment, the system for managing one or more notifications in a network is disclosed. The system includes a monitoring unitconfigured to monitor a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF). A processing unit configured to identify an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The processing unit configured to identify a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The processing unit configured to trigger the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF. A transmitting unit configured to transmit the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

[0099] In another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method for managing one or more notifications in a network is disclosed. The method includes monitoring, by the monitoring unit, the reception of the signal by each of the plurality of NRFs from at least one NF. The method includes identifying, by the processing unit, the instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring. The method includes identifying, by the processing unit, the designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF. The method includes triggering, by the processing unit, the designated NRF to generate the notification comprising information depicting the change in the current status of the at least one NF. The method includes transmitting, by the transmitting unit, the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

[0100] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing fromthe basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

[0101] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.

[0102] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0103] The present disclosure offers significant technical advancements for managing broadcast notifications (i.e., the one or more notifications) in the network. These advancements overcome the limitations of existing solutions by designating a single NRF to generate and transmit notifications regarding the current status of NFs.The present disclosure optimizes network resource utilization by preventing unnecessary processing overhead on multiple NRFs and eliminating redundant notification transmissions. Further, the present disclosure improves network efficiency by facilitating timely and centralized updates to activation nodes (e.g., applications, services, or NFs) while reducing network congestion and bandwidth saturation. Additionally, the present disclosure enhances fault management by streamlining troubleshooting efforts to the single NRF and improving scalability by maintaining a simplified notification dissemination architecture, thereby supporting increased communication demands as the network expands.ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0104] The present disclosure provides a method and a system for managing one or more notifications in a network.

[0105] The present disclosure optimizes network resources utilization within the network by concentrating a notification generation and transmission to a single NRF. This prevents unnecessary processing overhead on network devices and ensures that the network resources are allocated efficiently.

[0106] The present disclosure improves an efficiency of the network by designating the single NRF to handle notifications. In this way, the present disclosure facilitates timely updates to activation nodes (e.g., applications, services, or other NFs) without being inundated with duplicate notifications, allowing for smoother and more responsive network operations.

[0107] The present disclosure simplifies fault management. This is because, with notifications originating from the single NRF, fault detection and management become more streamlined, as troubleshooting and resolution efforts get focused on the single NRF in an event of failure or inconsistency of the single NRF.

[0108] The present disclosure significantly reduces a number of redundant notifications traversing the network by ensuring that only one NRF sends notifications to the activation nodes. This helps alleviate network congestion and minimizes a risk of bandwidth saturation.

[0109] The present disclosure enhances scalability by maintaining simplicity in the notification dissemination, allowing the single NRF to seamlessly accommodate increased communication demands as the network expands, hence facilitating smooth scalability without introducing complexity.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A method (500) for managing one or more notifications in a network (106), the method (500) comprising: monitoring (502), by a monitoring unit (212), a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF); in response to monitoring, identifying (504), by a processing unit (214), an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval; upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF, identifying (506), by the processing unit (214), a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs; triggering (508), by the processing unit (214), the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF; and transmitting (510), by a transmitting unit (216), the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: periodically receiving, by the processing unit (214), the signal associated with each of the plurality of NRFs in the network from the at least one NF at each predefined time interval.

3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal received by each of the plurality of NRFs comprises data associated with the at least one NF.

4. The method (500) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the data associated with the at least one NF comprises configuration data, operational status data, and service data.

5. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current status of the at least one NF is one of an operational status, a suspension status, or an offline status.

6. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: in response to monitoring, upon identifying an instance when the signal is received from the at least one NF, determining, by the processing unit (214), a timestamp associated with each signal received from the at least one NF by each of the plurality of NRFs at each pre-defined time interval; creating, by the processing unit (214), a log file by mapping the timestamp determined for each signal with a corresponding unique NRF Identifier (ID) associated with each of the plurality of NRFs; and storing, by the processing unit (214), the log file comprising the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID in a database (210).

7. The method (500) as claimed in claim 6, wherein identifying the designated NRF comprises: analyzing, by the processing unit (214), the log file to determine a timestamp associated with a signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within the pre-defined time interval.

8. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one activation node corresponds to a consumer, and wherein the consumer comprises an application, a service, and an NF.

9. A system (108) for managing one or more notifications in a network (106), the system (108) comprising: a monitoring unit (212) configured to monitor (502) a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF); a processing unit (214) configured to identify (504) an instance when no signal is received by any of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval, in response to monitoring; the processing unit (214) configured to identify (506) a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs, upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF; the processing unit (214) configured to trigger (508) the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF; and a transmitting unit (216) configured to transmit (510) the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

10. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing unit (214) is further configured to: periodically receive the signal associated with each of the plurality of NRFs in the network, from the at least one NF at each pre-defined time interval.

11. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the signal received by each of the plurality of NRFs comprises data associated with the at least one NF.

12. The system (108) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data associated with the at least one NF comprises configuration data, operational status data, and service data.

13. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the current status of the at least one NF is one of an operational status, a suspension status, or an offline status.

14. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing unit (214) is further configured to: in response to monitoring, upon identifying an instance when the signal is received from the at least one NF, determine a timestamp associated with each signal received from the at least one NF by each of the plurality of NRFs at each pre-defined time interval; create a log file by mapping the timestamp determined for each signal with a corresponding unique NRF Identifier (ID) associated with each of the plurality of NRFs; and store the log file comprising the mapping of the timestamp determined for each signal with the corresponding unique NRF ID in a database (210).

15. The system (108) as claimed in claim 14, wherein, to identify the designated NRF, the processing unit (214) is configured to: analyze the log file to determine a timestamp associated with a signal received by one of the plurality of NRFs from the at least NF within the pre-defined time interval.

16. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one activation node corresponds to a consumer, and wherein the consumer comprises an application, a service, and an NF.

17. A computer program product comprising a non -transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:monitor (502), by a monitoring unit (212), a reception of a signal by each of a plurality of Network Repository Functions (NRFs) from at least one Network Function (NF); in response to monitoring, identify (504), by a processing unit (214), an instance when no signal is received by each of the plurality of NRFs from the at least one NF within a pre-defined time interval; upon identifying the instance when no signal is received from the at least one NF, identify (506), by the processing unit (214), a designated NRF from the plurality of NRFs; trigger (508), by the processing unit (214), the designated NRF to generate a notification comprising information depicting a change in a current status of the at least one NF; and transmit (510), by a transmitting unit (216), the notification generated by the designated NRF to at least one activation node.

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