System and method for validating server configurations in a communication network

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system (200) and a method (400) for validating server configurations in a communication network. The method comprises receiving an onboarding request from a user device that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers and executing one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers. The method further comprises validating the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts. The method further comprises performing, based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform and generating a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VALIDATING SERVER CONFIGURATIONS IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of communication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for validating server configurations in a communication network.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The subject matter disclosed in the background section should not be assumed or construed to be prior art merely because of its mention in the background section. Similarly, any problem statement mentioned in the background section or its association with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed or construed to have been previously recognized in the prior art.

[0003] In the deployment and management of network systems, particularly within advanced network orchestration frameworks, server environments must adhere to specific configurations to ensure compatibility and efficient operation. The orchestration frameworks refer to automated control systems that coordinate configuration, deployment, and operation of multiple servers and network components, ensuring that each server instance operates in harmony with the others within a network environment. Thus, before servers are configured for integration within Management and Orchestration (MANO) ecosystems, the servers must satisfy a range of technical prerequisites. Ensuring that the servers are properly configured for the advanced network orchestration frameworks requires comprehensive checks across multiple parameters, including system settings, resource availability, and network configurations.

[0004] Heretofore, validating server configurations has been a manual process, where administrators inspect each server to confirm that that the server meets necessary prerequisites for integration within the MANO ecosystems. This manualvalidation process is both time-consuming and prone to human error, as the validation process often involves assessing numerous technical factors across various servers. Further, complexity and diversity of server requirements increases a risk of configuration inconsistencies. Furthermore, an absence of automated testing scripts leads to an inefficiency of validation procedures.

[0005] Moreover, in large-scale deployments, delays in validating the server environments significantly slows down onboarding of network services. The servers operate with a range of the configurations and interdependencies, such as containerization tools, network configurations, security settings, and resource allocations, all of which must be validated to ensure seamless integration. The manual validation of these diverse settings is not only labor-intensive but requires significant expertise, creating challenges for organizations that must maintain consistent configurations across numerous servers while minimizing the risk of misconfigurations.

[0006] In order to overcome these challenges, there is a need for a more automated and standardized approach for the validation of the server configurations in a communication network.SUMMARY

[0007] The following embodiments present a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key / critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0008] According to an aspect of a present disclosure, disclosed herein is a method for validating server configurations in a communication network. The method comprises receiving, by a receiver module from a user device, an onboarding request that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers. The method further comprises executing, by an execution module, one or morepredefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers. The method further comprises validating, by a validation module, the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts. The method further comprises performing, by the validation module based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform and generating, by the validation module, a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

[0009] In one or more implementations, the one or more predefined automation scripts are selected based on the identifiers associated with the plurality of target servers.

[0010] In one or more implementations, validating the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers comprises comparing one or more validation parameters associated with one or more configuration parameters of the plurality of target servers, and the comparison determines whether the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers meets a predefined validation criteria.

[0011] In one or more implementations, the one or more configuration parameters comprises one or more of resource utilization metrics, network parameters settings, container orchestration status, and security control configuration parameters.

[0012] In one or more implementations, the one or more validation parameters comprises one or more of acceptable values for each of the resource utilization metrics, the network parameters settings, the container orchestration status, and the security control configuration parameters.

[0013] In one or more implementations, the one or more connectivity tests comprises performing, by the validation module, one or more packet loss tests between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of theorchestration platform and validating, by the validation module based on the one or more packet loss tests, accessibility of one or more remote communication protocols through corresponding ports on the plurality of target servers. The method further comprises verifying, by the validation module based upon the validation, connectivity between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform.

[0014] In one or more implementations, the plurality of components of the orchestration platform comprises one or more managing components, production repository servers, and virtualized network management components in the communication network.

[0015] In one or more implementations, the validation report comprises a summary of the results of the one or more connectivity tests and a status of each validation parameter of the one or more validation parameters. The status includes a pass or a failure indicator for each validation parameter.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for validating server configurations in a communication network is described. The system comprises a receiver module, an execution module and a validation module. The receiver module is configured to receive, from a user device, an onboarding request that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers. The execution module is configured to execute one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers. The validation module is configured to validate the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts and perform, based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform. The validation module is further configured to generate a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Various embodiments disclosed herein will become better understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present disclosure and illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts. Further, components and elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. For consistency and ease of understanding, similar components and elements are annotated by reference numerals in the exemplary drawings.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Network Function Virtualization (NFV) architecture 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for validating server configurations in a communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of a system architecture for automated prerequisite validation and reachability verification, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method for validating the server configurations in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing system for validating the server configurations in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Inventive concepts of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examplesof one or more embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Further, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein are provided to describe the inventive concept thoroughly and completely, and to fully convey the scope of each of the present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive concepts. Accordingly, one or more components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present or used in any other embodiment.

[0022] The following description presents various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein are presented as teaching examples and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and described herein, but may be modified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] The following description contains specific information pertaining to embodiments in the present disclosure. The detailed description uses the phrases “in some embodiments” or “some implementations” which may each refer to one or more or all of the same or different embodiments or implementations. The term “some” as used herein is defined as “one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” In view of the same, the terms, for example, “in an embodiment” or “in an implementation” refers to one embodiment or one implementation and the term, for example, “in one or more embodiments” refers to “at least one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.” Further, the term, for example, “in one or more implementations” refers to “at least one implementation, or more than one implementation, or all implementations.

[0024] The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to;” it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion in the so-described one or more listed features, elements in a combination, unless otherwise stated with limiting language. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “have,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”

[0025] 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.

[0026] The description provided herein discloses exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing any of the exemplary embodiments. Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it may be understood by one of the ordinary skilled in the art that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details.

[0027] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein the description, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural forms unless the context of the invention indicates otherwise.

[0028] The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly,unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and / or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.

[0029] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for validation of server configurations in a communication network, ensuring that each server meets operational prerequisites consistently and accurately without manual intervention.

[0030] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that verify end-to end network reachability between target servers and components of an orchestration platform.

[0031] Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that facilitates collecting configuration parameters from the target servers and analyzing the configuration parameters against a predefined criterion.

[0032] The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for automating the validation of the server configurations in the communication network. The present disclosure provides a mechanism to ensure that the target servers meet the necessary configuration and connectivity prerequisites required for successful onboarding of network functions. The disclosed method collects the configuration parameters from the target servers, analyzes the configuration parameters against predefined validation criteria, and performs connectivity tests to ensure uniform communication across the communication network.

[0033] The present disclosure employs a centralized server that executes automation scripts to validate various server attributes, including system software configurations, security policies, network settings, and resource availability. Validation process also performs the connectivity tests between the target servers and the components of the orchestration platform to verify the network reachability and protocol -based communication. The orchestration platform in the presentdisclosure may be interchangeably referred as Management and Orchestration (MANO) platform.

[0034] The present disclosure further provides a comprehensive validation report summarizing results of configuration analysis and the connectivity tests. The report identifies successful and failed validation checks and facilitates resolution of issues by determining non-compliant parameters.

[0035] Several key terms used in the description play pivotal roles in facilitating the system functionality. In order to facilitate an understanding of the description, the key terms are defined below.

[0036] An Operations Support System / Business Support System (OSS / BSS): The OSS / BSS is responsible for managing service provisioning, configuration management, validation workflows and overall system administration.

[0037] An orchestrator: The orchestrator is a component within the MANO platform that manages an end-to-end automation of server onboarding, configuration checks, and validation and ensures that newly integrated services meet required standards before deployment.

[0038] A Virtualized Network Functions Manager (VNFM): The VNFM manages lifecycle of Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs). The VNFM ensures that the VNFs meet the required configuration parameters before onboarding into Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) environment. The VNFM communicates with both the orchestrator and Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) to manage resources efficiently.

[0039] The VIM- The VIM is responsible for managing the Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) resources, including compute, storage, and networking resources. The VIM is a key component in verifying infrastructure readiness during an onboarding process by providing real-time resource utilization metrics, container orchestration status, and network connectivity parameters.

[0040] The container orchestration status- The container orchestration status refers to current working condition of all the servers and containers (small software units) that constitute the orchestration environment and shows whether each server is active, all containerized applications are running properly, and the overall system is in sync and functioning as intended under the control of the orchestration platform. For example, the container orchestration status may indicate that all the servers are in an active state, and all the containers are running without errors.

[0041] Element Management System (EMS)- The EMS is responsible for managing the individual VNFs deployed within the NF VI. The EMS handle fault management, performance monitoring, configuration management, and security functions for the VNFs.

[0042] The VNFs- The VNFs represent software-based implementations of network functionalities that operate on virtualized computing resources within the NF VI. In the present disclosure, the VNFs form part of the entities whose configurations and connectivity are validated to ensure correct onboarding and operation within the orchestration platform.

[0043] Computing hardware- The computing hardware consists of physical processors, memory, and other processing units that support the execution of the VNFs within the NFV environment. The computing hardware availability is validated during the onboarding to ensure that target servers have sufficient processing resources to handle VNF workloads.

[0044] Storage hardware- The storage hardware includes hard drives, and other storage devices that store VNF data, configurations, and logs.

[0045] Network hardware- The network hardware comprises physical network interfaces, switches, and routers that facilitate communication between the VNFs, the

[0046] components of the orchestration platform, and external systems.

[0047] Network Time Protocol (NTP) synchronization - The NTP synchronization ensures that all components in the NFV environment maintain accurate and synchronized time to prevent issues related to authentication, logging, and event correlation. The NTP synchronization status is validated to ensure consistency across the target servers and the components of the orchestration platform before the onboarding.

[0048] A virtualization layer: The virtualization layer is a software-based abstraction layer that separates hardware resources from service instances, enabling efficient resource allocation and flexible deployment.

[0049] Validation script: The validation script verifies whether the target servers meets a required configuration criteria before the onboarding process. In one or more embodiments, the validation script checks for parameters such as firewall configurations, and the network connectivity.

[0050] The configuration validation: The configuration validation is a process of checking whether a server’s setup aligns with predefined operational requirements, eliminating manual errors and reducing deployment time.

[0051] The target servers: The target servers are physical or virtual machines designated for the deployment within a computing environment. The target servers must meet specific configuration, security, and resource availability requirements before the target servers are integrated into the system and serve various roles, including hosting applications, processing data, and running network services.

[0052] Automation scripts: The automation scripts are a predefined sets of commands and logic implemented using scripting languages (such as configuration management tool scripts) to automate the validation, the configuration, and troubleshooting processes. The automation scripts systematically execute checks on the target servers to eliminate manual intervention and ensure standardization across the deployments.

[0053] Remote protocols: The remote protocols are used for remote access and management of the target servers. The remote protocols enable automated validation, configuration, and monitoring without requiring physical access to the servers.

[0054] Regional managing components: The regional managing components are distributed control entities that manage the onboarding, the validation, and the configuration of the servers within specific geographical or network regions. The regional managing components ensure that the onboarding process is executed according to localized requirements and infrastructure conditions.

[0055] Microservices: The microservices are small, independent services that communicate with each other via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Each microservice performs a specific function and can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.

[0056] Internet Protocol (IP) table entries: The IP table entries are firewall rules that define how network traffic is handled on the server. The IP table entries specify which IP addresses, ports, and protocols are allowed or blocked, helping to manage network security, traffic filtering, and access control in the system.

[0057] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1- FIG. 5, discussed below, and the one or more embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0058] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Network Function Virtualization (NFV) architecture 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG.1 illustrates an example NFV architecture 100 within which the disclosed systemfor validating the server configurations operates. In the present disclosure, the NFV architecture 100 serves as the framework that enables the virtualization, automation, and centralized management of the network functions. The NFV architecture 100 is leveraged to facilitate automated onboarding, the configuration validation, and connectivity testing of the plurality of target servers that host the VNFs.

[0059] The NFV architecture 100 includes an OSS / BSS 102, a plurality of EMSs (EMS 1, EMS 2, EMS 3), a plurality of VNFs (VNF1, VNF 2, VNF 3), one or more NFVIs 108, and MANO platform 110 that includes an orchestrator 112, a plurality of VNF Managers (VNFMs) 114, and a VIM 116. The plurality of EMSs may also be collectively referred as “EMS 104 or EMSs 104”. The plurality of VNFs may also be collectively referred as “VNF 106” or “VNFs 106”).

[0060] In one embodiment, the OSS / BSS 102 provides overall service management and operational control for the NFV architecture 100. The OSS / BSS 102 interacts with the orchestrator 112 to initiate onboarding, configuration validation, and lifecycle management of network functions. In one or more embodiments, the OSS / BSS 102 may also generate or initiate onboarding requests that include identifiers of the target servers to be onboarded within the MANO platform 110.

[0061] The EMSs 104 may provide management interfaces to individual VNFs 106. Each EMS (for example, EMS 1, EMS 2, and EMS 3) may be responsible for managing corresponding VNFs (VNF 1, VNF 2, and VNF 3) by monitoring performance metrics, applying configuration updates, and facilitating communication with higher-level entities.

[0062] Each VNF 106 represents a software-based implementation of the network function such as routing, firewalling, or load balancing, deployed over the underlying NF VI 108. In a non-limiting example, during the onboarding, the automation script validates whether the firewall VNF is reachable from the orchestration platform via predefined ports and ensures if configuration parametersmeet the validation thresholds. If any mismatch is detected (e.g., port closed) the validation report flags the VNF as “failed” for that configuration parameter.

[0063] The NF VI 108 provides the underlying physical and virtual resources necessary for hosting the VNFs. The NF VI 108 includes a virtualization layer 108-1 and hardware resources 108-2. The virtualization layer 108-1 abstracts the underlying physical hardware to provide virtual computing, virtual storage, and virtual network resources. The hardware resources 108-2 may include the computing hardware, the storage hardware, and the network hardware that physically support the virtualized resources.

[0064] The MANO platform 110 is a framework within the NFV architecture 100 which is responsible for managing, orchestrating, and automating the deployment and lifecycle of VNFs and related infrastructure resources. The MANO platform 110 comprises the orchestrator 112, VNFMs 114, and VIM 116 that collectively form the components of the MANO platform 110. These components play a key role in the automated validation process by facilitating communication between the MANO layer and the target servers under the validation.

[0065] The orchestrator 112 is responsible for coordinating and managing the lifecycle of the VNFs and infrastructure resources within the NFV environment. The orchestrator 112 interprets onboarding requests, allocates resources through the VIM 116 and the VNFM 114, and ensures automated configuration, validation, and connectivity across the orchestration platform.

[0066] The VNFM 114 may handle the instantiation, configuration, scaling, and termination of individual VNFs as directed by the orchestrator 112. The VIM 116 may control and manages the compute, the storage, and the network resources of the underlying NF VI 108 to support VNF deployment and operation. The MANO platform 110 ensures efficient coordination between the orchestrator 112, the VNFMs 114, and the VIM 116, thereby enabling uninterrupted onboarding, theconfiguration validation, and connectivity management across the network environment.

[0067] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary architecture in which the disclosed invention may be implemented for the validation of the server configurations.

[0068] FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 for validating the server configurations in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] The system 200 (hereinafter referred as “the server 200”) comprises a processor 202, a memory 204, a communication interface 206, an Input / Output (I / O) interface 208, one or more processing modules 210 (hereinafter also referred to as “processing modules 210”) coupled to each other via a first communication bus 218.

[0070] In an implementation, NFV microservices are deployed on the server 200 within the virtualized network environment and the server 200 may further comprise the regional managing components, and the production repository server.

[0071] The processor 202 may include various processing circuitry and communicates with the memory 204 and the communication interface 206. The processor 202 is configured to execute computer-readable instructions (hereinafter also referred to as “a set of instructions”) stored in the memory 204 and to cause the system 200 to perform various processes for validating the server configurations in the communication network. The processor 202 is further configured to move data into or out of the memory 204 as required by an executing process. The processor 202 may further include one or a plurality of processors, including a general -purpose processor, such as, for example, and without limitation, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), a dedicated processor, or the like, a Graphics-only Processing Unit such as a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).

[0072] The memory 204 stores the set of instructions required by the processor 202 of the system 200 for controlling its overall operations. The memory 204 may include non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements may include magnetic hard discs, optical discs, floppy discs, flash memories, or forms of Electrically Programmable Memories (EPROM) or Electrically Erasable and Programmable Memories (EEPROM). In addition, the memory 204 may, in some examples, be considered a non-transitory storage medium. The "non-transitory" storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. However, the term "non-transitory" should not be interpreted as the memory 204 is non-movable. In some examples, the memory 204 may be configured to store larger amounts of information.

[0073] In certain examples, a non-transitory storage medium may store data that can, over time, change (e.g., in Random Access Memory (RAM) or cache). The memory 204 may be an internal storage unit or an external storage unit of the system 200, cloud storage, or any other type of external storage. In certain examples, the memory 204 configured as the non-transitory storage medium may include hard drives, solid-state drives, flash drives, Compact Disk (CD), Digital Video Disk (DVD), and the like. Further, the memory 204 may include any type of non-transitory storage medium, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0074] More specifically, the memory 204 may store computer-readable instructions including instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., the processor 202) cause the system 200 to perform various functions described herein. In some cases, the memory 204 may contain, among other things, a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0075] The communication interface 206 may facilitate communication of the system 200 with various devices connected to it. The communication interface 206 may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of thesystem 200. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, the processing modules 210.

[0076] In an embodiment, the processing modules 210 may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the system 200. In nonlimiting examples, described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing modules 210 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processor 202 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 modules 210. In such examples, the system 200 may also 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 200 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing modules 210 may be implemented using an electronic circuitry.

[0077] Further, the communication interface 206 includes an electronic circuit specific to a standard that enables wired or wireless communication. The communication interface 206 is configured to communicate internally between internal hardware components. The communication interface 206 may be further configured to communicate with external devices via the communication network. The communication interface 206 may include an Ethernet interface, an optical interface, a coaxial interface, an infrared interface, a Radio Frequency (RF) interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular network interface, or the like. Furthermore, the communication interface 108 supports protocols that allow for reliable data transmission, essential for conducting real-time status checks on predefined prerequisites critical for onboarding the network functions within the network environment.

[0078] The I / O interface 208 may include suitable logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or codes that may be configured to receive input(s) and present (or display) output(s) on the system 200. For example, the I / O interface 208 may have an input interface (not shown) and an output interface (not shown). The input interface may be configured to enable the user to provide input(s) to trigger (or configure) the system 200 for performing data processing operation(s). Examples of the I / O interface 208 may include, but are not limited to, a touch interface, a mouse, a keyboard, a motion recognition unit, a gesture recognition unit, a voice recognition unit, or the like. The output interface may be configured to display (or present) output(s) generated (or provided) by the system 200. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the output interface may provide the output(s) based on an instruction provided by the user of the system 200, by way of the input interface. Examples of the output interface may include, but are not limited to, a digital display, an analog display, a touch screen display, an appearance of a desktop, and / or illuminated characters. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the input interface and the output interface in the VO interface 208, including known, related art, and / or later developed technologies without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0079] In one or more embodiments, the processing modules 210 may include one or more units / modules selected from any of a receiver module 212, an execution module 214, a validation module 216 coupled to each other by way of a second communication bus 220.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 2, the receiver module 212 is configured to receive, from a user device (not shown in FIGs), an onboarding request that includes the identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers. The execution module 214 is configured to execute one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers. The validation module 216 is configured to validate the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scriptsand perform one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of the orchestration platform based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts. The validation module 216 is further configured to generate the validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

[0081] Furthermore, to validate the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers, the validation module 216 is configured to compare one or more validation parameters associated with one or more configuration parameters of the plurality of target servers, and the comparison determines whether the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers meets a predefined validation criteria. The validation module 216 is further configured to perform one or more packet loss tests between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform and validate accessibility of one or more remote communication protocols accessibility through corresponding ports on the plurality of target servers based on the one or more packet loss tests. The validation module 216 is further configured to verify connectivity between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform based upon the validation.

[0082] Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of the system 200, in other implementations, the system 200 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system 200 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system 200.

[0083] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of a system architecture 300 for automated prerequisite validation and reachability verification, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0084] As shown, the system architecture 300 comprises a plurality of worker nodes, including worker node 1, worker node 2, worker node 3, up to worker node n (may also be referred as “worker nodes n”), each representing the target server to be onboarded within the MANO framework. In one or more embodiments, the worker nodes n may be implemented as physical servers, virtual machines, or containerized environments deployed within the network. The worker nodes n may serve as execution endpoints for deploying and running network functions or containerized services managed by the MANO framework.

[0085] A prerequisite automation module 302 is communicatively coupled with the worker nodes n. The prerequisite automation module 302 is configured to execute one or more predefined automation scripts to perform reachability checks and configuration validation prior to the onboarding. The one or more predefined automation scripts validate whether the worker nodes n meet a set of predefined configuration criteria, including but not limited to network and security status parameters (such as firewall and security policy settings, hostname configuration, container runtime environment setup, resource availability parameters (such as CPU and memory), NTP synchronization status, and connectivity and routing table configurations.

[0086] In operation, the prerequisite automation module 302 may identify the worker nodes n based on onboarding inputs and selects or customizes corresponding automation scripts for those worker nodes n. The prerequisite automation module 302 may then execute the automation scripts on each of the identified worker nodes to verify whether the required prerequisites for MANO onboarding are satisfied.

[0087] In one embodiment, the prerequisite automation module 302 may perform reachability / connectivity tests between the components of the MANO (such as the regional management components, the production repository servers, or the virtualized network management systems) and the plurality of worker nodes to ensure continuous communication. The results of the reachability tests are compiledin a reachability result output 304, indicating whether each worker node is successfully accessible from the MANO components and whether network connectivity parameters, such as packet loss and port accessibility, meet predefined thresholds.

[0088] In another embodiment, the prerequisite automation module 302 may perform validation of onboarding prerequisites for each worker node to confirm readiness for containerized deployment. The validation may include automated verification of configuration parameters such as resource utilization, network parameters, container orchestration status, and security control configurations. The consolidated results of this prerequisite validation are represented as output 306, showing the validation status for each worker node and indicating a pass or fail outcome for each parameter. In some embodiments, the prerequisite automation module 302 may be implemented using playbooks or shell scripts deployed from the server that orchestrates the validation and reachability operations across distributed worker nodes. The results from outputs 304 and 306 may be compiled into the validation report, which is then utilized to streamline the MANO onboarding and reduce manual verification efforts.

[0089] In another embodiment, the system automatically identifies any worker node that fails a prerequisite check or reachability test and triggers corrective actions or alerts for manual intervention. This ensures that only worker nodes satisfying all required onboarding conditions proceed for integration with the MANO ecosystem.

[0090] In an implementation, the reachability test encompasses several network verification aspects, including Secure Shell (SSH) connectivity with both root and non-root users, port accessibility using telnet connections on specific ports of each worker node to confirm continued communication paths, and packet transmission analysis to identify any packet loss within the server environment. These tests are critical for confirming the continued communication paths between the worker nodes in the communication network. Further, the system performs reachabilitytests to proactively identify any connectivity issues between the components of the MANO platform and the target servers that may hinder the onboarding process.

[0091] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart 400 depicting a method for validating the server configurations in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 400 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by steps 402 through 410. The method 400 starts at step 402.

[0092] At step 402, the receiver module 212 may receive the onboarding request from the user device. The onboarding request includes the identifiers associated with the plurality of target servers that specify which target servers need to be onboarded. The identifiers may include IP addresses, hostnames, or unique server IDs. For instance, the onboarding request may specify three target servers deployed in different regional data centers that require configuration validation before integration into the MANO environment.

[0093] At step 404, the execution module 214 may execute the predefined automation scripts to validate one or more server configurations based on the onboarding request. In one or more embodiments, the automation scripts include checks for settings related to containerization, security, the resource availability, and the network settings, ensuring alignment with a Global Configuration Template (GCT). In some embodiments, the automation scripts are selected or customized based on the identifiers associated with the target servers. In a non-limiting example, if one of the target servers hosts containerized workloads, the execution module 214 may select an automation script that validates network plugin settings and container orchestration parameters. Alternatively, for virtual machine-based target servers, the execution module 214 may execute the automation scripts to validate hypervisor configuration parameters, and memory allocation policies.

[0094] At step 406, the validation module 216 may validate the one or more server configurations based on the execution of the one or more automation scripts. The validation module 216 may retrieve the validation parameters stored in a database (not shown in FIGs). This validation may involve comparing the one or more configuration parameters retrieved from the target servers with the one or more validation parameters stored in the database. In one embodiment, the database may be a part of the orchestration platform itself, for example a configuration management database or an internal repository accessible to the validation module 216. The configuration parameters may include resource utilization metrics (CPU, memory, disk, network I / O), network parameter settings (IP bindings, routing tables), container orchestration parameters (node status), and security control configuration parameters (access credentials, authentication key rotations, and firewall rules). The validation parameters may define acceptable ranges or thresholds for each of these metrics, ensuring that the deployed configurations adhere to predefined validation criteria.

[0095] In a non-limiting example, the validation module 216 may verify that CPU utilization on each target server does not exceed 80% of total available capacity under baseline load, and memory utilization remains below a defined upper limit (e.g., 70%) during the validation. The validation parameters may specify that the packet loss between any two target servers or between the target server and the components of the MANO platform should be less than 1%. For containerized environments, the acceptable validation threshold may include a requirement that all worker nodes must appear in ready state in an orchestration cluster which is a group of connected worker nodes that work together to run and manage many containers at once. The validation parameters may further specify that only approved SSH keys are deployed for remote access, root login is disabled, and the firewall rules conform to a predefined policy allowing traffic only from trusted networks.

[0096] In another non-limiting example, if during the validation, the validation module 216 may determine that the target server exhibits the CPU utilization of90%, the corresponding configuration would be marked as a deviation from the validation parameters. Such deviations are then logged in the validation report and may trigger corrective actions.

[0097] At step 408, the validation module 216 may perform the one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and the components of the orchestration platform. The connectivity tests may include packet-loss or the reachability tests between the target servers and components of the orchestration platform, protocol accessibility tests to verify that remote communication protocols (e.g., SSH, HTTPS, or REST APIs) are accessible through corresponding ports on the target servers and network throughput and latency checks to ensure acceptable communication performance between the plurality of target servers and the components of the orchestration platform. In some embodiments, the comparison results of configuration parameters and validation parameters may trigger specific connectivity tests. For example, if the deviation in network parameter settings is detected, the validation module 216 may initiate additional reachability tests to confirm if network services remain functional.

[0098] In one or more embodiments, the orchestration platform comprises the plurality of components, including but not limited to regional orchestration or one or more management components, the production repository servers and virtualized network management components. The regional orchestration or the one or more management components may represent distributed orchestration or management nodes deployed across different geographical or network regions to locally handle the onboarding, configuration validation, and connectivity management for the target servers within their respective regions. The production repository server may store and provide access to configuration templates, the automation scripts, and the validation parameters used during the automated onboarding and the validation of the target servers. The virtualized network management components interface with the network infrastructure to manage connectivity, and virtual links. These components collectively supervise and manages the target servers or the worker nodes during the onboarding and the validation. The components of theorchestration platform maintain configuration integrity, ensure policy compliance, and enable automation across distributed infrastructures. For example, in one embodiment, the virtualized network management component validates that each worker node is connected to correct virtual network segments.

[0099] At step 410, the validation module 216 generates a validation report based on the results of the configuration validation and connectivity tests. The validation report includes the summary of results for the one or more connectivity tests, the status of each validation parameter (e.g., pass or failure indicators) and the data identifying deviations or failed prerequisites. In one embodiment, the validation report may be displayed to a network administrator through a graphical dashboard for further analysis. In another embodiment, the validation report may automatically trigger corrective actions, such as reconfiguration of failed parameters or re-execution of specific automation scripts. The validation report may be reviewed by system administrators or integrated into further automation workflows to remediate the issues or proceed with the onboarding process.

[0100] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing system 500 for validating the server configurations in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] The computing system 500 includes a network 510, a network interface 520, a processor 530, an Input / Output (I / O) interface 540 and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium 550 (hereinafter may also be referred to as the “storage medium 550” or the “storage media 550”).

[0102] The network interface 520 includes wireless network interfaces such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) or wired network interfaces such as Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-864 (IEEE-864).

[0103] The processor 530 may include various processing circuitry and communicate with the storage medium 550 and the I / O interface 540. The processor 530 is configured to execute instructions stored in the storage medium 550 and to perform various processes. The processor 530 may include an intelligent hardware device including a general-purpose processor, such as, for example, and without limitation, the CPU, the AP, the dedicated processor, or the like, the graphics-only processing unit such as the GPU, a microcontroller, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof. The processor 530 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions 552 stored in the storage medium 550 to cause the server to perform various functions.

[0104] The storage medium 550 stores a set of instructions 552 required by the processor 530 for controlling its overall operations. The storage media 550 may include an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a quantum storage medium, or the like. For example, the storage media 550 may include, but are not limited to, hard drives, floppy diskettes, optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, solid-state memory devices, or other types of physical media suitable for storing electronic instructions. In one or more implementations, the storage media 550 includes a Compact Disk-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), a Compact Disk-Read / Write (CD-R / W), and / or a Digital Video Disc (DVD).

[0105] In one or more implementations, the storage medium 550 stores computer program code configured to cause the computing system 500 to perform at least a portion of the processes and / or methods. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment, the computing system 500 performs the method for validating the server configurations in the communication network.

[0106] Now, referring to the technical abilities and advantageous effect of the present disclosure, operational advantages that may be provided by one or more embodiments may include providing the system and the method that proactivelyT1conducts end-to-end reachability testing between the MANO components and the worker nodes, promptly identifying and addressing network connectivity issues to minimize potential downtime.

[0107] Further, the system and the method streamline the onboarding process by automating key configuration checks, thereby minimizing time and effort required for server validation. Furthermore, the system and the method centralize and customize validation processes via the server, allowing the users to manage and initiate configuration checks from a single interface, reducing a need for individual server access and enhancing overall operational efficiency.

[0108] Additionally, by automating the validation and the reachability checks, the system and the method streamline the validation process, minimize manual effort, and ensure a readiness of the server environments for the virtualized management platform onboarding. Thus, the present invention represents a significant improvement over existing standard technologies by introducing automated validation processes that reduce dependencies on manual verification, decrease validation time, provide comprehensive output for all given servers briefly, and offer customization options tailored to specific requirements.

[0109] Embodiments of the present technology may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the technology, and / or procedures, algorithms, steps, operations, formulae, or other computational depictions, which may also be implemented as computer program products. In this regard, each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and / or steps) in the flowchart, as well as any procedure, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or computational depiction can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and / or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be executed by one or more computer processors, including without limitation a general -purpose computer or special purpose computer, or other programmableprocessing apparatus to perform a group of operations comprising the operations or blocks described in connection with the disclosed methods.

[0110] Further, these computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer-readable program code, may also be stored in one or more computer-readable memory or memory devices (for example, the memory 204) that can direct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory or memory devices produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s).

[0111] It will further be appreciated that the term “computer program instructions” as used herein refer to one or more instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors (for example, the processor 202) to perform one or more functions as described herein. The instructions may also be stored remotely such as on a server, or all or a portion of the instructions can be stored locally and remotely.

[0112] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methodology described herein in the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein in the above disclosed embodiments without departing from essential characteristics and features of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0113] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0114] In the present disclosure, each of the embodiments has been described with reference to numerous specific details which may vary from embodiment to embodiment. The foregoing description of the specific embodiments disclosed herein may reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and is not limited in scope.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0115] The following list is provided for convenience and in support of the drawing figures and as part of the text of the specification, which describe innovations by reference to multiple items. Items not listed here may nonetheless be part of a given embodiment. For better legibility of the text, a given reference number is recited near some, but not all, recitations of the referenced item in the text. The same reference number may be used with reference to different examples or different instances of a given item. The list of reference numerals is:100 - NFV architecture102 - Operations Support System / Business Support System (OSS / BSS)104 - Element Management System (EMS)106 - Virtualized Network Function (VNF)108 - Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI)110 - MANO platform112- Orchestrator114 - Virtualized Network Functions Manager (VNFM)116 - Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM)200 - Block diagram of a system (server) for validating the server configurations in the communication network202- Processor204 - Memory206 - Communication interface208 - I / O interface210 - Processing modules212 - Receiver module214 - Execution module216 - Validation module218 - First communication bus220 - Second communication bus300 - Schematic representation of a system architecture for automated prerequisite validation and reachability verification302- Prerequisite automation module304- Reachability result output306-Result for prerequisite check400 - Method steps for validating the server configurations in the communication network402- 410- Operational steps to perform the method steps 400500 - Computing system510 - Network520 - Network interface530 - Processor540 - Input / Output (VO) interface550 - Non-transitory computer readable storage medium552 - Instructions

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method (400) for validating server configurations in a communication network, the method (400) comprising:receiving, by a receiver module (212) from a user device, an onboarding request that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers;executing, by an execution module (214), one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers;validating, by a validation module (216), the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts;performing, by the validation module (216) based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform; andgenerating, by the validation module (216), a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined automation scripts are selected based on the identifiers associated with the plurality of target servers.

3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, whereinvalidating the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers comprises comparing one or more validation parameters associated with one or more configuration parameters of the plurality of target servers, andthe comparison determines whether the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers meets a predefined validation criteria.

4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprises one or more of resource utilization metrics,network parameters settings, container orchestration status, and security control configuration parameters.

5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the one or more validation parameters comprises one or more of acceptable values for each of the resource utilization metrics, the network parameters settings, the container orchestration status, and the security control configuration parameters.

6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more connectivity tests comprises:performing, by the validation module (216), one or more packet loss tests between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform;validating, by the validation module (216) based on the one or more packet loss tests, accessibility of one or more remote communication protocols through corresponding ports on the plurality of target servers; andverifying, by the validation module (216) based upon the validation, connectivity between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform.

7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of components of the orchestration platform comprises one or more managing components, production repository servers, and virtualized network management components in the communication network.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the validation report comprises a summary of the results of the one or more connectivity tests and a status of each validation parameter of the one or more validation parameters, and wherein the status includes a pass or a failure indicator for each validation parameter.

9. A system (200) for validating server configurations in a communication network, the system comprising:a receiver module (212) configured to receive, from a user device, an onboarding request that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers;an execution module (214) configured to execute one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers;a validation module (216) configured to:validate the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts;perform, based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform; andgenerate a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

10. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined automation scripts are selected based on the identifiers associated with the plurality of target servers.

11. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein, to validate the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers, the validation module (216) is configured to compare one or more validation parameters associated with one or more configuration parameters of the plurality of target servers, and the comparison determines whether the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers meets a predefined validation criteria.

12. The system (200) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprises one or more of resource utilization metrics, network parameters settings, container orchestration status, and security control configuration parameters.

13. The system (200) as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the one or more validation parameters comprises one or more of acceptable values for each of the resource utilization metrics, the network parameters settings, the container orchestration status, and the security control configuration parameters.

14. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the validation module (216) is further configured to:perform one or more packet loss tests between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform;validate, based on the one or more packet loss tests, accessibility of one or more remote communication protocols accessibility through corresponding ports on the plurality of target servers; andverify, based upon the validation, connectivity between the plurality of target servers and the plurality of components of the orchestration platform.

15. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of components of the orchestration platform comprises one or more managing components, production repository servers, and virtualized network management components in the communication network.

16. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the validation report comprises a summary of the results of the one or more connectivity tests and a status of each validation parameter of the one or more validation parameters, and wherein the status includes a pass or a failure indicator for each validation parameter.

17. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and that, when executed by at least one processor performs operations comprising:receiving, from a user device, an onboarding request that includes identifiers associated with a plurality of target servers;executing one or more predefined automation scripts to validate one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers;validating the one or more configurations of the plurality of target servers based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts;performing, based on the execution of the one or more predefined automation scripts, one or more connectivity tests between the plurality of target servers and a plurality of components of an orchestration platform; and generating a validation report based on results of the validation and the one or more connectivity tests.

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