Method and system for assigning internet protocol address to network function stack

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method (500) and a system (106) for assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a Network Function (NF) stack. The method (500) involves receiving two input parameters, such as a network bond name and an IP address format, from an external entity (102), like a user, application, or automated system. Based on the two input parameters, the IP address is extracted from a server and assigned to the NF stack. This assignment helps initialize the NF stack with the correct network configuration. The method (500) reduces manual efforts, avoid configuration errors, and enable reusability across different servers by using a consistent bond naming approach.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSIGNING INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS TO NETWORK FUNCTION STACKRESERVATION 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 relates generally to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and a system for assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack.DEFINITIONS

[0003] The term ‘Network Function (NF)’ as used hereinafter in the specification may refer to a specific software or hardware component within a network that is designed to perform a particular function, such as routing, switching, firewalling, load balancing, traffic optimization etc., to enable the network operations and enhance performance.

[0004] The term ‘NF interface’ as used hereinafter in the specification may refer to a reference point of interaction between different NFs in the network. The NF interface specifies how different NFs communicate and exchange information, adhering to specific protocols and standards.

[0005] The term ‘Network Bond’ as used hereinafter in the specification may refer to a technique for transforming multiple network interfaces into a single logical interface. The network bond enables higher bandwidth within the network.

[0006] The term ‘Network bond name’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to a label or an identifier assigned to a specific network bond. The network bond name is used to reference and manage the network bond of the NF interface within the network.

[0007] The term ‘Internet Protocol (IP) address’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to a unique numerical label assigned to each device within the network. The IP address provides the location of the device within the network.

[0008] The term TP address format’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to the version or structure of the IP address. Two primary IP formats include Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). The IP format determines how the IP address is structured and represented, and how it works within the network.

[0009] The term ‘IPv4’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to a fourth IP version. The IPv4 is a network layer protocol. The IPv4 is a 32-bit IP address that identifies the device on the network. The IPv4 is represented as four groups of numbers (namely octets) with up to three numbers in each group, separated by a dot to give each device a unique IP address in the network.

[0010] The term ‘IPv6’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to a sixth IP version. The IPv6 is a network layer protocol that allows communication to take over the network. The IPv6 is a 128-bit IP address, which provides a unique IP address for each device in the network. The IPv6 is represented as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits separated by a dot. The IPv6 is the latest IP version that supports improved security and enables more efficient routing and configuration.

[0011] The term ‘Startup bootstrapper’ as used hereinafter in the specification refers to a specialized software component that initiates or starts a service, application, or a set of functions within the NF stack. The startup bootstrapper is a program that loads and initializes other programs or services, particularly during the NF initialization or startup phase.BACKGROUND

[0012] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0013] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. In Fifth Generation (5G) and Sixth Generation (6G) networks, various network functions (NFs), such as a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Session Management Function (SMF), a Binding Support Function (BSF) and a Charging Function (CHF) are used to perform a variety of tasks. As these NFs are deployed virtually, proper configuration becomes critical to their deployment and operation.

[0014] A critical step in deploying these NFs instances is the configuration of network parameters, including assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to clients orserver interfaces. The interfaces, such as client or server, are initialized on a server IP based on different network bonds and IP versions (formats), such as Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).

[0015] In existing systems, these NFs are configured manually, which requires network engineers to carefully assign IP addresses based on specific network bonds and IP versions. This manual configuration increases the chances of human error and is tedious. Moreover, the incorrect assignment of IP addresses can lead to misconfigured NFs, resulting in communication failures, security vulnerabilities, and potential downtime.

[0016] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a system and a method that can overcome the shortcomings of the existing prior arts.OBJECTIVES OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0017] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0018] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system for assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a Network Function (NF) stack.

[0019] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide an automated and optimized approach for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, reducing manual configuration efforts and improving overall network efficiency.

[0020] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a system that streamlines the initialization of the NF stack by assigning the IP address based on input parameters such as a network bond name and an IP address format.

[0021] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to enhance configuration robustness during the initialization phase of the NF stack, minimizing misconfigurations and deployment issues.

[0022] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to enable seamless initialization of the NF stack through integration with startup components such as bootstrapper.

[0023] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to enable the reusability of the bond names for different servers, wherein the IP addresses are dynamically assigned based on the specific server environment.

[0024] 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 OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack is described. The method comprises receiving, by a receiving unit, at least two input parameters from an external entity. The method comprises extracting, by an extraction unit, the IP address from a server based on the at least two input parameters. The method comprises assigning, by a processing unit, the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method comprises initializing, by the processing unit, the NF stack based on the assigned IP address.

[0027] In some embodiments, the method comprises configuring, by the processing unit, a network component based on the received at least two input parameters.

[0028] In some embodiments, the at least two input parameters comprise a network bond name and an IP address format.

[0029] In some embodiments, the IP address format is one of an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address format and an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address format.

[0030] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack is described. The system comprises a receiving unit configured to receive at least two input parameters from an external entity. The system comprises an extraction unit configured to extract the IP address from a server based on the received at least two parameters. The system comprises a processing unit configured to assign the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

[0031] 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 execute a method for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack. The method includes receiving, by a receiving unit, at least two input parameters from an external entity. The method includes extracting, by an extraction unit, the IP address from a server based on the at least two input parameters. The method includes assigning, by a processing unit, the IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

[0032] The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure, and are not restrictive.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 is 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 implementing a system configured for assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system configured for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary schematic block diagram representation of an IP address assignment tool for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow diagram for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram of a method for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, 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 - External Entity104 - Network106 - System 200 - System Block Diagram202 - Processor(s)204 - Memory206 - Interface(s)208 - Receiving Unit 210 - Extraction Unit212 - Processing Unit214 - Database300 - Schematic Block Diagram302 - Internet Protocol (IP) Address Assignment Tool400 - Process Flow Diagram500 - Method Flow Diagram600 - Computer System610 - External Storage Device620 - Bus630 - Main Memory640 - Read Only Memory650 - Mass Storage Device660 - Communication Port(S)670 - 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 discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[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 beconstrued 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 the terms “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 theseterms 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] 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.

[0049] Deployment of Network Function (NF) instances in modern network infrastructures, including virtualized and cloud-native environments, requires accurate and timely configuration of network parameters, such as the assignment of internet protocol (IP) address. This configuration step is critical to ensure proper initialization and communication between various NF components and other network entities. Traditionally, the assignment of IP addresses to NF components is performed manually during deployment, relying on system administrators or network engineers to retrieve the relevant interface details and configure the IP settings accordingly. Manual IP configuration is often error-prone and tedious, especially in large-scale deployments where multiple NFs are instantiated across various servers. The use of static configuration files or manual scripts introduces the potential for inconsistency and human error, such as incorrect IP assignments, interface mismatches, or format discrepancies. These errors can delay service readiness and increase operational overhead, particularly in environments that require frequent scaling or rapid provisioning of NFs.

[0050] Furthermore, as networks evolve to support more dynamic, cloud-based, and virtualized workloads, the need for standardized and automated configuration processes becomes increasingly important. Inconsistent configuration practices across different servers or teams can hinder deployment uniformity and complicate maintenance. The challenge becomes more pronounced when handling dual-stack (IPv4 and IPv6) environments or managing diverse hardware configurations with varying bond / interface setups.

[0051] In such scenarios, network engineering teams often face difficulties in maintaining configuration accuracy while meeting the demands of rapid deployment, scalability, and uptime. Repetitive manual tasks also reduce the time for focusing on more critical or sensitive parts of NF configuration, such as security, performance tuning, and service orchestration. As the scale and complexity of NF deployments grow, manual IP assignment methods become increasingly inefficient and unsustainable.

[0052] To address the challenges of manual and error-prone IP address assignment, the present disclosure introduces an automated method and system for assigning the IP address using predefined input parameters, such as a network bond name and an IP address format. Based on these predefined input parameters, the IP address is extracted from a server. The system then automatically assigns the extracted IP address to the NF stack, thereby eliminating the need for static configuration files or manual intervention. This automation ensures accurate, consistent, and error-free IP allocation across diverse deployment environments. Furthermore, the extracted IP address is dynamically incorporated into the configuration of the NF, enabling seamless NF initialization. This integration improves service readiness, enhances NF deployment scalability, and supports rapid NF restarts without requiring reconfiguration.

[0053] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture 100 implementing a system 106 for assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 1, the network architecture 100 may comprise an external entity 102, a network 104, and the system 106. The term external entity refers to any system, service, or interface that is capable of interacting with the system 106 over a network connection. The external entity 102 is responsible for initiating the process of assigning the IP address to the NF stack. The external entity may include, but is not limited to, a user, a software application, an automated system, or a network management platform. It shall be noted that the external entity 102, as described herein, is explained in further detail with reference to other figures, such as FIG. 2 - 5.

[0056] In an embodiment, the network 104 may include at least one of a fifth generation (5G) network, a sixth generation (6G) network, or the like. In an embodiment, the network 104 may include, but not be limited to, at least a portion of one or more networks 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 from the external entity. In an exemplary embodiment, the network 104 may include, but not be limited to, a wireless network, a wired network, 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.

[0057] The external entity 102 communicates with the system 106 over the network 104. The network 104 facilitates secure and reliable transmission of requests, signals, messages, or input parameters from the external entity 102 to the system 106. Upon receiving such requests, signals, messages, or input parameters from the external entity 102, the system 106 is configured to perform the assignment of the IP address to the NF stack.

[0058] 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.

[0059] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram 200 of the system 106 for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is explained with reference to FIG. 1.

[0060] The system 106 comprises a processor (s) 202, a memory 204, an interface(s) 206, and a database 214. In an embodiment, the processor(s) 202 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, edge or fog microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor(s) 202 may comprise one or more units, such as a receiving unit 208, an extraction unit 210, and a processing unit 212, that are configured to collectively execute an IP address assignment process.

[0061] In an embodiment, the receiving unit 208 and the extraction unit 210 may be implemented using a combination of software modules and hardware interfaces that allow real-time data acquisition over the network 104. Among other capabilities, thereceiving unit 208, the extraction unit 210, and the processing unit 212 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 204 of the system 106. 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 comprise any non-transitory storage device, including, for example, volatile memory such as Random Access Memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0062] In an embodiment, the interface(s) 206 may comprise a variety of interfaces, such as interfaces for data input and output devices (VO), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) 206 may facilitate communication through the receiving unit 208. The interface(s) 206 may also provide a communication pathway for the other components of the system 106. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, the extraction unit 210, the memory 204, the processing unit 212, and the database 214.

[0063] In an embodiment, the processing unit 212 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing unit 212. 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 unit 212 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non- transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing unit 212 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 unit 212. In such examples, the system 106 may comprisethe 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 106 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing unit 212 may be implemented by electronic circuitry.

[0064] In an embodiment, the database 214 is configured to serve as a centralized repository for storing and retrieving various operational data. The database 214 is designed to interact seamlessly with other components of the system 106 to support the system's functionality effectively. The database 214 may store data that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the system 106, such as the extraction unit 210, or the processing unit 212. In an embodiment, the database 214 may be separate from the system 106.

[0065] In an embodiment, the system 106 is configured to assign the IP address to the NF stack. The IP address is a unique address or a unique numerical identifier that is used to identify the NF stack connected to the network 104. The IP address is a string of numbers written in a specific format. The IP address is generally expressed in numbers, for example, 192.155.12.1. The term NF stack is interchangeably referred to as a client / server stack. The NF stack is responsible for enabling communication and configuration during the startup of the NF. The NF stack may include the necessary runtime environment, configuration interfaces, service endpoints, and communication modules to enable the NF to become operational and accessible over the network 104.

[0066] In an embodiment, the receiving unit 208 is configured to receive at least two input parameters from an external entity, such as the external entity 102. In at least one example embodiment, the at least two input parameters comprise a network bond name and an IP address format. The network bond name refers to a unique identifier associated with a bonded network interface on a server. A network bonding is a method commonly employed in systems (such as Linux-based environments) to aggregate multiple physical network interfaces into a single logical interface for purposes such asreducing redundancy, load balancing, or increased throughput. Further, the network bond name is the specific name or label assigned to the network bond. The network bond name is used to reference the particular bond within the network 104. In an implementation, the server may have multiple network bonds. Each network bond is assigned a specific network bond name. In an example, the network bond name is provided as an input to indicate which network bond amongst the multiple network bonds should be used to interact and communicate within the network 104. For example, two physical network interfaces named ‘ethO’ and ‘ethl’ may be bonded together and represented logically as ‘bondO’. This bond name, ‘bondO’, becomes the reference point for any configuration or IP address assignment applied to the combined interface. Similarly, a system may have another bonded interface labeled as ‘bondl’, allowing the server to manage multiple bonded connections independently.

[0067] Further, the IP address format is provided as input to ensure that the correct version of the IP address is assigned to the NF stack. In an aspect, the IP address format is one of an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address format and an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address format. The IP address format, as one of the input parameters, specifies whether the IP address that is to be assigned should be in the IPv4 address format or the IPv6 address format. The IPv4 address is a 32-bit numeric label written in dot-decimal notation, such as 192.168.1.10 or 10.0.0.5, and is widely used across traditional networking systems. The IPv6 address, in contrast, is a 128-bit alphanumeric label written in hexadecimal notation separated by colons, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

[0068] In an embodiment, as explained earlier above, the external entity 102 is any system, service, or interface that is external to the system 106 but is capable of interacting with it over the network 104. The external entity 102 is responsible for initiating the configuration request by providing the at least two input parameters, such as the network bond name and IP format (IPv4 / IPv6). The external entity may include,but is not limited to, the user, the automated system, or the network management platform (NMP). In an example, the user may be a network engineer, system administrator, or similar who will provide the at least two input parameters to begin the process of assigning the IP address to the NF stack. The user may utilize a user equipment (UE) to provide the at least two input parameters and to access the system 106. In such an embodiment, the UE may include, but are not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smartphone, 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. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.

[0069] In another embodiment, the external entity 102 may be the automated system responsible for initiating the IP address assignment by transmitting the at least two parameters to the system 106. Examples of such automated systems may include, but are not limited to, a network orchestration platform, a cloud deployment automation tool, a configuration management system, or a Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI / CD) pipeline integrated with infrastructure-as-code (laC) frameworks. The automated system may be pre- configured to dynamically retrieve the at least two input parameters from the database 214 and transmit them to the system 104 based on deployment requirements.

[0070] In yet another embodiment, the external entity 102 may be the network management platform (NMP) that oversees the configuration, provisioning, and monitoring of network components. The NMP may include a centralized dashboard through which the network engineers define templates or provisioning rules. Based onthese rules, the NMP automatically triggers IP assignment processes by forwarding the at least two input parameters (i.e., the network bond name and the IP address format) to the system 106.

[0071] In an embodiment, the extraction unit 210 is configured to extract the IP address from a server based on the at least two input parameters received from the receiving unit 208. More elaborately, based on the network bond name and the IP address format, the extracting unit 204 is configured to automatically extract the relevant IP address from the server. The server may reside in a physical environment, such as on-premises data centers or in virtualized or cloud-native environments, including private or public cloud infrastructures, depending on the deployment architecture of the network.

[0072] In an embodiment, the term ‘server’ refers to a physical or virtual computing device configured to perform data processing, storage, and communication functions within a networked environment. The server may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs), which can be individually or collectively bonded to form logical interfaces (e.g., bondO, bondl). These bonded interfaces are assigned IP addresses that enable communication with other systems and services across the network 102. The server may support different IP configurations and maintain IP addresses in both IPv4 and IPv6 formats. In some implementations, the extraction unit 210 may query the server configuration files or a predefined database within the server to fetch the required IP address.

[0073] For example, a physical server located in a telecom cloud environment may have two bonded network interfaces with network bond name as: ‘bondO’ with the IPv4 address ‘10.10.10.10’ and ‘bondl’ with the IPv6 address ‘fdl2:3456:789a:l :: l’. When the receiving unit 208 provides the network bond name and IP address format, the extraction unit 210 queries the corresponding bondedinterface or the predefined database on the server and retrieves the appropriate IP address.

[0074] In an aspect, the server may run a Linux-based operating system, enabling commands or scripts to programmatically extract the IP address from the desired network bond using embedded logic or startup scripts initiated by the NF application.

[0075] In an embodiment, the processing unit 212 is configured to assign the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization. In an example, the external entity 202 provides the network bond name as ‘bondO’ and specifies the IP address format as IPv4. Upon receiving these input parameters, the extraction unit 210 queries the network configuration of the server to identify the interface labelled as the ‘bondO’. The extraction unit 210 then filters the IP addresses associated with this bond and selects the one that matches the IPv4 format (e.g., 192.168.1.10). This IPv4 address is then extracted by the extraction unit and assigned to the configuration of the NF stack for further initialization, ensuring that the correct IP address is applied based on the server's configuration. The extracted IP address is assigned to the NF stack such that if the IP address format is IPv4, the IP address of IPv4 is assigned to the NF stack. Alternatively, if the IP format is IPv6, the IP address of IPv6 is assigned to the NF stack.

[0076] In an embodiment, the processing unit 212 is also configured to configure a network component based on the received at least two input parameters. The network component may be a container used to host and run the NF stack in an isolated and standardized environment. In an aspect, containerization is employed as a standard deployment method in which the NF stack is encapsulated within the container. In an embodiment, once the IP address is extracted by the extraction unit 210 based on the received at least two input parameters, the processing unit 212 assigns the extracted IP address to the container's configuration. This assignment occurs at thecontainer level rather than directly to the application running inside it. This is because, in real-world scenarios, the application within the container may crash or restart due to various operational conditions. However, the container itself may persist, and its configuration, including the assigned IP, remains intact. Even if the container is eventually restarted, the configurations are preserved, thus ensuring reliability and consistency in deployment. Additionally, assigning the IP address to the container rather than the NF stack enhances the reusability and robustness of the system 106, allowing the system 106 to be application-agnostic and adaptable to a wide range of use cases that require automated IP assignment.

[0077] Further, the processing unit 212 is configured to initialize the NF stack based on the assigned IP address. Upon assignment of the IP address to the NF stack, the processing unit 212 utilizes this IP address to initiate startup processes for the NF stack. This includes launching necessary network services, establishing client-server communication interfaces, and binding these interfaces to the assigned IP address. By using the assigned IP address, the NF stack can accurately identify its network location and establish secure and consistent communication with other network entities. The initialization ensures that the NF stack is correctly aligned with network policies and configurations, enabling smooth functionality and interoperability in the production environment. In an embodiment, the processing unit 212 is configured to initialize the NF stack based on the assigned IP address. Initializing the NF stack involves loading the updated configured settings and assigned IP address, and further initializing the NF stack.

[0078] In an embodiment, a startup bootstrapper loads the updated configuration setting of the NF stack and assigns an IP address. The startup bootstrap is a specialized software component that initiates or starts a service, application, or a set of functions within the NF stack. The startup bootstrapper is a program that loads and initializes other programs or services, particularly during the NF initialization or startup phase. Inan implementation, the startup bootstrapper may be a Java-based program or software component that manages the initialization and configuration of the NF stack during the startup phase or initialization phase. In an example, once the updated configuration and assigned IP address are loaded, the startup bootstrapper of the application initializes the NF stack.

[0079] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the system architecture 200, in other embodiments, the system architecture 200 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system architecture 200 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system architecture 200.

[0080] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary schematic block diagram representation 300 of an IP address assignment tool 302 for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is described in conjunction with FIGs 1 and 2.

[0081] FIG. 3 depicts an IP address assignment tool 302 that is responsible for selecting and assigning an appropriate IP address to the NF stack. The IP address assignment tool 302 may utilize a Linux operating system and its commands to extract and assign the IP address based on the at least two input parameters.

[0082] In an embodiment, the network bond name and the IP address format are provided as the at least two input parameters by the external entity 102 to the IP address assignment tool 302. Further, the IP address assignment tool 302 identifies the network bond name and the IP address format for the NF stack and extracts the appropriate IP address from the server as per the received IP address format. In an example, if the input IP address format specifies an IPv4, the IP address assignment tool 302 assignsthe IPv4 address to the NF stack. Alternatively, if the input IP format specifies an IPv6, the IP address assignment tool 302 assigns the IPv6 address to the NF stack.

[0083] In an embodiment, the IP address assignment tool 302 passes the assigned IP address to the configuration settings of the NF stack. In an example, at step 304, upon extracting and assigning the IP address with a specific IP format, such as the IPv4 address, the IP address assignment tool 302 performs the configuration updation process. During the configuration updation process, the assigned IP address and the associated configuration parameters are integrated into the NF stack’s configuration. Further, at step 306, the IP address assignment tool 302 performs NF stack initialization based on the assigned IP address, ensuring that the NF stack operates using the updated configuration settings.

[0084] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process flow 400 for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0085] At step 402, at least two input parameters received form the external entity 102 are loaded into the system 106 (for example, provided to the IP address assignment tool 302). The at least two input parameters comprise the network bond name and the IP address format (interchangeably referred to as IP format).

[0086] In an embodiment, the network bond name is provided as input parameter to the IP address assignment tool to indicate which network bond amongst the multiple network bonds should be used for IP address assignment for the NF stack.

[0087] At step 404, the IP address is extracted from the server based on the provided at least two input parameter such as the network bond name and the IP address format. The server may have one or more IP addresses associated with each bond. These IP addresses are stored within the network bond configuration. The extractionof the IP address indicates which IP version should be used to assign the IP address to the NF stack.

[0088] At step 406, the extracted IP address is added to the configuration settings of the NF stack, allowing the NF stack to use the extracted IP address for network communication.

[0089] Additionally, at step 408, the extracted IP address is assigned to the NF stack. In an example, if the input IP address format is IPv4, the IPv4 format of the IP is assigned to the NF stack. If the input IP address format is IPv6, the IPv6 format of the IP address is assigned to the NF stack.

[0090] At step 410, the NF stack is initialized using the new assigned IP address. For example, the startup bootstrapper of the application initializes when the NF stack is initialized using the assigned IP address. The NF stack is initialized using the assigned IP address, ensuring that the NF stack begins operation with the correct IP address and configuration settings, which significantly minimizes errors and improves efficiency in communication within the network.

[0091] FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram of a method 500 assigning the IP address to the NF stack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] FIG. 5, with reference to FIGI and FIG. 2, illustrates the method 500 for assigning the IP address to the NF stack, using the receiving unit 208, the extraction unit 210, and the processing unit 212 of the system 106.

[0093] At step 502, the method 500 includes receiving, by the receiving unit 208, at least two input parameters from an external entity 102. The at least two input parameters comprise a network bond name and an IP address format. The external entity refers to any system, service, or interface that is capable of interacting with thesystem 106 over a network connection. The external entity is responsible for initiating the process of assigning the IP address to the NF stack. The external entity may include, but is not limited to, a user, a software application, an automated system, or a network management platform.

[0094] At step 504, the method includes extracting, by the extraction unit 210, the IP address from a server based on the at least two input parameters. The server may be part of a data center, cloud infrastructure, or on-premise setup and is capable of hosting various software applications, services etc. The server may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs), which can be individually or collectively bonded to form logical interfaces or network bonds (e.g., bondO, bondl). These bonded interfaces are assigned IP addresses that enable communication with other systems and services across the network 104. The server may support different IP configurations and maintain IP addresses in both IPv4 and IPv6 formats. In an aspect, the extraction unit 210 may query configuration files or a predefined database within the server to fetch the required IP address.

[0095] At step 506, the method 500 includes assigning, by the processing unit 212, the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization. The extraction unit 210 then filters the IP addresses associated with this bond and selects the one that matches the IPv4 format (e.g., 192.168.1.10). This IPv4 address is then extracted by the extraction unit and assigned to the configuration of the NF stack for further initialization, ensuring that the correct IP address is applied based on the server's configuration. The extracted IP address is assigned to the NF stack such that if the IP address format is IPv4, the IP address of IPv4 is assigned to the NF stack. Alternatively, if the IP format is IPv6, the IP address of IPv6 is assigned to the NF stack.

[0096] The method 500 further includes configuring, by the processing unit 212, a network component based on the received at least two input parameters. The network component may be a container used to host and run the NF stack in an isolated andstandardized environment. Assigning the IP address to the container enhances the reusability and robustness of the system, allowing the system 106 to be applicationagnostic and adaptable to a wide range of use cases that require automated IP assignment.

[0097] The method 500 further includes, initializing by the processing unit 212, the NF stack based on the assigned IP address. Upon assignment of the IP address to the NF stack, the processing unit 212 utilizes this IP address to initiate startup processes for the NF stack. This includes launching necessary network services, establishing client-server communication interfaces, and binding these interfaces to the assigned IP address.

[0098] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer system 600 in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0099] 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, a 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 ports(s) 660 may be chosen depending on a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (600) connects.

[0100] In an embodiment, 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, aProgrammable Read Only Memory (PROM) chip 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. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PAT A) 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).

[0101] In an embodiment, the bus 620 may communicatively couple the processor(s) 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.

[0102] In another embodiment, operator, and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and cursor control device may also be coupled to the bus 620 to support direct operator interaction with the computer system 600. Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) 660. 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.

[0103] The exemplary computer system 600 is configured to execute 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 assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, the method includes receiving, by a receiving unit, at leasttwo input parameters from an external entity. The method includes, extracting, by an extraction unit, the IP address from a server based on the received at least two input parameters; and assigning, by a processing unit, the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

[0104] The present disclosure provides a technical advancement in IP address configuration and initialization of the NF stack. By introducing an automated IP assignment method based on input parameters, such as a network bond name and an IP address format, the method reduces dependency on manual configurations, thereby significantly minimizing human error. The system enables dynamic IP assignment to containers hosting NF stack, improving reliability and resilience even in cases of container restarts. This automation enhances configuration robustness and supports efficient traffic management by ensuring consistent and accurate IP allocation. Furthermore, the reuse of bond name configurations across multiple servers enables scalable deployment while reducing the effort required for individual setup. Overall, the disclosure streamlines the deployment of IP configurations, reduces operational overhead, and contributes to a more reliable and efficient network environment.

[0105] 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 to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as limitation.ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0106] The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages as follows:

[0107] The present disclosure provides a method and a system for automatically assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a Network Function (NF) stack. Automated IP address assignment improves configuration robustness and decreases human labour and error probability.

[0108] The present disclosure provides an automated approach to assign an IP address to an NF stack that is time efficient and minimizes human error by assigning servers and client instances the IP address of the server based on a specified network bond name.

[0109] The present disclosure reduces manual effort in configuring the NF stack (or NFs in the NF stack) by updating IP fields with planned network bond names and assigning IP addresses dynamically to the NF stack.

[0110] The present disclosure provides an efficient approach to managing traffic in a network by assigning the IP address dynamically based on the network bond name. Hence, it improves network routing and traffic management and increases the robustness of the network.

[0111] The present disclosure offers configuration reusability, such that similar configurations of network bond names can be used for different servers. Moreover, IP addresses are assigned based on servers; hence, once configured, they can be easily reused, thus saving time.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A method (500) for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, the method comprising: receiving (502), by a receiving unit (208), at least two input parameters from an external entity (102); extracting (504), by an extraction unit (210), the IP address from a server based on the received at least two input parameters; and assigning (506), by a processing unit (212), the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

2. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, comprising: initializing, by the processing unit (212), the NF stack based on the assigned IP address.

3. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, comprising: configuring, by the processing unit (212), a network component based on the received at least two input parameters.

4. The method (500) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two input parameters comprise a network bond name and an IP address format.

5. The method (500) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the IP address format is one of an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address format and an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address format.

6. A system (106) for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, the system (106) comprising: a receiving unit (208) configured to receive at least two input parameters from an external entity (102); an extraction unit (210) configured to extract the IP address from a server based on the received at least two input parameters; and a processing unit (212) configured to assign the extracted IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

7. The system (106) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing unit (212) is configured to initialize the NF stack based on the assigned IP address.

8. The system (106) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing unit (212) is configured to configure a network component based on the received at least two input parameters.

9. The system (106) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least two input parameters comprise a network bond name and an IP address format.

10. The system (106) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the IP address format is at least one of an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address format and an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address format.

11. 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 execute a method for assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to a network function (NF) stack, the method comprising:receiving, by a receiving unit, at least two input parameters from an external entity; extracting, by an extraction unit, the IP address from a server based on the at least two input parameters; and assigning, by a processing unit, the IP address to the NF stack for initialization.

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