Network management method and apparatus, and computer device and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of the Internet, and relates to a network management method and apparatus, and a computer device and a storage medium. The method is applied to a control center in a software-defined wide area network, and the method comprises: receiving state data sent by each point of presence in a software-defined wide area network (S202); when it is determined, on the basis of the state data, that there is a faulty route reflector, determining a target point of presence from among the remaining points of presence (S204); and sending configuration update information to each point of presence, so as to instruct each point of presence to perform a configuration update (S206).

Description

Network management methods, devices, computer equipment and storage media

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2025103749231, filed on March 27, 2025, entitled "Network Management Method, Apparatus, Computer Equipment and Storage Medium", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of Internet technology, and in particular to a network management method, apparatus, computer equipment, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0004] With the rapid development of information technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things, enterprises' network needs have become increasingly complex and diversified. Traditional wide area network architectures are no longer able to meet the requirements of network flexibility and scalability. The emergence of Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) technology has precisely made up for this deficiency.

[0005] SD-WAN utilizes virtualization technology to separate the network's control plane from its data plane, transforming the wide area network into a flexible and programmable network architecture. It enables intelligent scheduling and optimization of network traffic and has become an important support for enterprise digital transformation, as well as one of the key directions for future network development.

[0006] In an SD-WAN network architecture, sites are typically distributed across multiple geographical locations. Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) at each site generally connects to the SD-WAN network via Point of Presence (POP). POPs exchange routing information using the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). However, as the network scales, the fully interconnected BGP topology leads to a large number of routing update messages, which not only increases network load but can also cause performance issues. Therefore, how to efficiently manage POPs in SD-WAN has become a pressing problem. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to various embodiments of this application, a network management method, apparatus, computer device, and storage medium are provided.

[0008] This application provides a network management method applied to a control center in a software-defined wide area network, the method comprising:

[0009] Receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network; among the access points, at least two access points are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining access points are configured as clients of each route reflector;

[0010] If a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data, a target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points; and

[0011] Configuration update information is sent to each of the aforementioned entry points to instruct them to perform configuration updates; wherein, the target entry point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, and each entry point other than the target entry point is configured as a client of the new route transmitter.

[0012] In one embodiment, the status data includes node performance data; determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points includes:

[0013] Obtain the geographical location information of each of the aforementioned entry points;

[0014] Based on the geographical location information of each of the aforementioned entry points, determine the distance parameters between the remaining entry points and the normal route reflectors;

[0015] Based on the node performance data of the remaining network entry points, performance evaluation processing is performed on each node, and corresponding performance evaluation parameters for the remaining network entry points are determined; and

[0016] The target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points based on at least one of the distance parameters or the performance evaluation parameters.

[0017] In one embodiment, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, the method further includes:

[0018] Obtain node status data of all network entry points that have established connections with the control center;

[0019] Based on the node status data, at least two initial entry points are determined from all the entry points; and

[0020] Send corresponding initial configuration information to all the network entry points respectively; wherein, each of the initial network entry points is initially configured as the route reflector, and the remaining network entry points are initially configured as clients of each of the route reflectors.

[0021] In one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0022] If all the routing reflectors are confirmed to be functioning correctly, the step of receiving the status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network is executed again.

[0023] This application provides a network management method applied to an ingress point in a software-defined wide area network (SDWAN), wherein the ingress point is configured as a client of at least two route reflectors in the SWAN; the method includes:

[0024] Send status data to the control center in the software-defined wide area network;

[0025] Receive configuration update information sent by the control center; the configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points when it identifies a faulty routing transmitter based on the status data; and

[0026] The configuration is updated according to the configuration update information; wherein, the inbound point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured to be updated as a client of the target inbound point.

[0027] In one embodiment, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, the method further includes:

[0028] Establish a connection with the control center;

[0029] Receive initial configuration information sent by the control center; and

[0030] Initial configuration is performed based on the initial configuration information; the entry point is initially configured as a client of the route reflector.

[0031] This application provides a network management device for use in a control center of a software-defined wide area network, the device comprising:

[0032] The acquisition module is used to receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network; among the access points, at least two access points are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining access points are configured as clients of each route reflector.

[0033] An election module is used to determine a target entry point from the remaining entry points when a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data; and

[0034] The first communication module is used to send configuration update information to each of the network entry points to instruct each of the network entry points to perform configuration updates; wherein, the target network entry point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, and each network entry point other than the target network entry point is configured as a client of the new route transmitter.

[0035] This application provides a network management device applied to an access point in a software-defined wide area network, the device comprising:

[0036] The reporting module is used to send status data to the control center in the software-defined wide area network;

[0037] The second communication module is used to receive configuration update information sent by the control center; the configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points when it identifies a faulty routing transmitter based on the status data; and

[0038] The configuration module is used to update the configuration according to the configuration update information; wherein, the inbound point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured to be updated as a client of the target inbound point.

[0039] This application provides a computer device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method described above.

[0040] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method described above.

[0041] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described method.

[0042] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the disclosed drawings without creative effort.

[0044] Figure 1 shows the application environment of the network management method in some embodiments;

[0045] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some embodiments;

[0046] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some other embodiments;

[0047] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some other embodiments;

[0048] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some embodiments;

[0049] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some other embodiments;

[0050] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the network management method in some other embodiments;

[0051] Figure 8 is a structural block diagram of the network management device in some embodiments;

[0052] Figure 9 is a structural block diagram of the network management device in some other embodiments;

[0053] Figure 10 is an internal structure diagram of a computer device in some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0055] As mentioned in the background section, as SD-WAN networks grow in scale, the fully connected mesh topology of BGP between POPs leads to a large number of routing update messages, which increases the network load and may cause performance problems.

[0056] To simplify network management, Route Reflector (RR) technology can be introduced. RRs receive routing information from RR clients and then reflect this information to other RR clients and non-clients. By centrally processing routing information, the number of direct connections between BGP peers is reduced, thus optimizing the routing information exchange process. Furthermore, RRs ensure the correctness and consistency of routing information to prevent routing loops, further providing reliable, efficient, and flexible network connectivity services for SD-WAN networks.

[0057] As a critical component of SD-WAN networks, route updates and distribution are significantly impacted when a route receiver (RR) fails, potentially leading to network outages or delayed route convergence. Furthermore, post-failure troubleshooting, equipment replacement, and configuration adjustments are typically required. These operations are not only time-consuming but also susceptible to human error, which can introduce new problems during recovery. Therefore, networks often lack automated fault detection and recovery systems for RR failures, hindering rapid response and handling of incidents and increasing network operational risks.

[0058] In response, this application provides a network management method that achieves efficient management of Points of Presence (POPs) by setting up multiple Restricted Response Nodes (RRs) in an SD-WAN network. This simplifies the network management process and improves the efficiency and accuracy of network operation and maintenance. Furthermore, this application supports automatic election and switching of new RR nodes, enabling efficient network fault detection and recovery. This ensures continuous and stable updates of network topology and routing information in complex and ever-changing network environments, reduces service interruptions caused by single-point failures, and improves the overall robustness and service continuity of the network.

[0059] The network management method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the SD-WAN network architecture shown in Figure 1. The control center 10, as the core management part of the network, is responsible for monitoring network status, managing network resources, and implementing policies. The access point 20 refers to a node established by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the network for accessing the network or for data exchange. CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) 30 refers to the terminal equipment installed at the user's end for connecting to the service provider's network.

[0060] In this embodiment, the POP maintains a stable long-term connection with the control center 10 via an encrypted tunnel or dedicated line to ensure the security and timeliness of information transmission. It also periodically reports status data such as the connection status and routing information of its BGP peer neighbors to the control center 10. When selected as the RR, it is also responsible for the centralized processing and distribution of BGP routing information. The control center 10, as the core management unit of the system, is responsible for collecting and processing the status data reported by the POPs and performing real-time monitoring. Once an RR failure is detected, it immediately initiates a fault recovery process. Based on a preset election strategy, considering factors such as node performance scores and geographical location, it re-elects a superior RR from other POPs and distributes updated BGP neighbor topology information to the POPs via the long-term connection, ensuring the normal updating of network topology routing information.

[0061] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a network management method is provided, illustrated using the application of this method to the control center in Figure 1 as an example. The control center can be a server or a server cluster. The network management method includes the following steps.

[0062] S202: Receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network.

[0063] Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) is an advanced technology that uses software to manage and optimize networks. It allows enterprises to securely connect users and applications through any combination of transport services, enabling dynamic, application-centric control of the wide area network. This simplifies network management, improves efficiency, and saves costs. Transport services include, but are not limited to, MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), LTE (Long-Term Evolution), and broadband internet services.

[0064] SD-WAN allows for the configuration of multiple Points of Presence (POPs). Furthermore, at least two POPs within the SD-WAN network must be configured as route reflectors, while the remaining POPs must be configured as clients for each route reflector. The number of POPs configured as route reflectors can be 2, 3, 4, or any other value greater than 4, and can be set appropriately based on actual application requirements; no limitation is imposed here.

[0065] The remaining inbound points refer to inbound points other than those configured as route reflectors. When an inbound point is configured as a client of a route reflector, its routing information can be reflected to other clients by its corresponding route reflector. In the application, each route reflector establishes a neighbor relationship (such as a BGP neighbor relationship) with the remaining inbound points, enabling these remaining inbound points to be configured as clients of their respective route reflectors.

[0066] BGP is a path vector protocol used for routing and reachability information exchange on the Internet. As the most important routing protocol between autonomous systems, it can connect networks of different network operators and allow them to share routing information.

[0067] In the application, the various entry points acting as route reflectors can form a fully interconnected relationship, that is, each route reflector establishes a neighbor relationship with all other route reflectors, meaning that any two route reflectors can be each other's clients.

[0068] For example, taking the scenario shown in Figure 1 as an example, SD-WAN includes 4 POPs, namely POP1, POP2, POP3 and POP4. POP1 and POP2 are configured as route reflectors respectively, and POP1 and POP2 are interconnected. POP3 and POP4 are configured as clients of POP1, and POP3 and POP4 are configured as clients of POP2. That is, POP1 establishes BGP neighbor relationships with POP2, POP3 and POP4 respectively, and POP2 establishes BGP neighbor relationships with POP1, POP3 and POP4 respectively.

[0069] State data can be used to represent the state of a POP itself, and also to represent the connection state between a POP and a Route Receiver (RR) that has established a neighbor relationship with it. For example, state data includes node state data and connection state data. Node state data represents the state of the POP itself; for example, node performance data may include routing data, node performance data, and other relevant data that can reflect the performance or state of the POP, which is not limited here. Connection state data represents the connection state between a POP and a Route Receiver that has established a neighbor relationship with it.

[0070] In the application, each POP, including those configured as route reflectors and those not configured as route reflectors, can periodically send status data to the control center. Correspondingly, the control center receives the status data reported by each POP in real time. In this way, the control center can evaluate the load of POPs, analyze indicators such as BGP neighbor status and link quality, and determine the stability and reliability of the connection between each POP.

[0071] S204: If a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data, determine the target inbound point from the remaining inbound points.

[0072] In the application, the control center can perform fault detection on each Route Reflector (RR) based on the status data reported by each Point of Presence (POP) to determine whether any RR is faulty. RR faults may include, but are not limited to, abnormal neighbor status, excessive system load, and inability to connect to the control center. If a faulty RR is identified, a fault recovery process is initiated. A target RR is determined from the remaining ingress points. This target RR acts as a new route reflector to ensure the normal updating of network topology routing information and maintain network stability and routing continuity.

[0073] The control center can determine the target entry point from the remaining entry points according to a preset selection strategy. The selection strategy can be preset and can be set according to the actual application scenario and actual application requirements; no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0074] S206: Send configuration update information to each access point to instruct each access point to perform configuration updates.

[0075] The target inbound point is configured and updated to the new route reflector, and each inbound point other than the target inbound point is configured as a client of the new route transmitter. For ease of description, the inbound points other than the target inbound point are referred to as other inbound points.

[0076] The configuration update information includes first configuration update information and second configuration update information, wherein the first configuration update information and the second configuration update information are different. The first configuration update information is used to configure a new route reflector for the target inbound point. The second configuration update information is used to configure other inbound points as clients of the new route reflector.

[0077] In the application, the control center can send a first configuration update message to the target inbound point. After receiving the first configuration update message, the target inbound point can perform RR configuration according to the first configuration update message, enable the route reflection function, and establish BGP neighbor relationships with other inbound points by setting the corresponding BGP parameters. The control center can also send a second configuration update message to other inbound points. After receiving the second configuration update message, the other inbound points can set the corresponding BGP parameters according to the second configuration update message to establish BGP neighbor relationships with the new route reflector, thereby updating the neighbor relationships between each POP in the network.

[0078] Taking the scenario shown in Figure 1 as an example, if the control center detects a POP1 failure and selects POP3 as the target inbound point from the remaining inbound points POP3 and POP4, it sends configuration update information to each of the four inbound points, causing POP3 to activate its route reflection function as a new route reflector. POP3 establishes BGP neighbor relationships with POP1, POP2, and POP4 respectively, while POP1 can disconnect its neighbor relationships with POP2 and POP4 respectively. In the updated SD-WAN configuration, POP1 and POP3 act as route reflectors, POP1, POP3, and POP4 act as clients of POP2, and POP1, POP2, and POP4 act as clients of POP3.

[0079] The network management method provided in the above embodiments receives status data sent by each entry point in the software-defined wide area network through the control center. If a faulty route reflector is determined based on the status data, the target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points, and configuration update information is sent to each entry point to instruct each entry point to perform configuration updates. Because the control center can collect and process the status data reported by each access point in real time and continuously, it can achieve immediate awareness of the network status and real-time detection of each route reflector in the network. Furthermore, when a faulty route reflector is detected, the control center can initiate a fault recovery process, elect a target access point from the remaining access points, and send configuration update information via a long connection to configure the target access point as a new route reflector. It can also configure other access points as clients of the new route reflector, dynamically adjusting the border gateway protocol neighbor relationships between access points to ensure the synchronization and distribution of routing information. In addition, because the software-defined wide area network (SDWAN) uses an architecture with at least two access points as route reflectors, it ensures that even if one route reflector fails, at least one route reflector can continue to process routing information, avoiding service interruption. Simultaneously, it can quickly elect a target access point as a new route reflector from the remaining access points, ensuring the continuity of routing information and network stability, and achieving efficient management of each access point.

[0080] In some embodiments, the number of POP nodes configured as route reflectors in SD-WAN is two. This dual-RR master-master architecture ensures that even if one RR fails, the other RR can continue processing routing information, preventing service interruption and guaranteeing the continuity of routing information and network stability. Furthermore, configuring two inbound points as route reflectors simplifies the topology between inbound points in SD-WAN while maintaining network routing functionality, thus improving network processing efficiency.

[0081] In some embodiments, status data includes node performance data. Node performance data is used to reflect the performance of the POP itself. For example, node performance data includes the CPU (Central Processing Unit) utilization, memory utilization, bandwidth, and other relevant data that can reflect the performance of the inbound point, which are not limited in detail here.

[0082] As shown in Figure 3, S204, the target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points, including the following steps.

[0083] S302: Obtain the geographical location information of each network entry point.

[0084] Geographic location information is used to represent the actual geographical location of the network entry points. The control center can pre-store a geographic location matrix, which includes the geographic location information of each network entry point in the software-defined wide area network. The control center can also receive geographic location information sent by each network entry point in real time. In application, the control center can obtain the geographic location information of each network entry point according to the actual scenario, without further limitations here.

[0085] S304: Determine the distance parameters between the remaining network entry points and the normal route reflectors based on the geographical location information of each entry point.

[0086] The distance parameter represents the distance between the inbound point and the normal route reflector. For example, the distance parameter can be the actual distance between the inbound point and the normal route reflector. Alternatively, the distance parameter can be a normalized value of the actual distance between the inbound point and the normal route reflector. In practical applications, it is sufficient to choose an appropriate distance parameter to represent the distance between each of the remaining inbound points and the normal route reflector; no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0087] Taking the scenario shown in Figure 1 as an example, if the control center detects that POP1, which acts as a route reflector, is faulty, it calculates the distances between the remaining inbound points POP3 and POP4 and the normal route reflector POP2, and then performs normalization processing to obtain the distance parameters between POP3 and POP2, as well as the distance parameters between POP4 and POP2.

[0088] S306: Perform performance evaluation processing based on the node performance data of the remaining network entry points, and determine the corresponding performance evaluation parameters for the remaining network entry points.

[0089] Performance evaluation parameters are used to represent the real-time performance of the network entry points. It is understood that node performance data can include performance data from various dimensions of the network entry points. Therefore, in this embodiment, performance evaluation processing can be performed separately based on the node performance data of the remaining network entry points, resulting in standardized performance evaluation parameters for each.

[0090] For example, node performance parameters include performance data from various dimensions; correspondingly, the performance evaluation parameter can be a weighted average of the performance data from each dimension. The weights of each dimension can be pre-defined, such as based on the degree of impact of each dimension's performance on the network entry point's performance; no further limitations are imposed here. For instance, if node performance parameters include CPU utilization, memory utilization, and bandwidth, then the performance evaluation parameter can be a weighted average of CPU utilization, memory utilization, and bandwidth. It should be noted that the above is only an illustrative example from a load perspective. In practical applications, the control center can evaluate the remaining network entry points from different perspectives based on the acquired status data to select a suitable target network entry point as a new route reflector.

[0091] S308: Determine the target entry point from the remaining entry points based on at least one of the distance parameters or performance evaluation parameters.

[0092] The control center can determine the priority information of the remaining inbound points based on at least one of the distance parameters and performance evaluation parameters, and then determine the target inbound point from the remaining inbound points based on the priority information. The priority information indicates the suitability of configuring the inbound point as a route reflector.

[0093] For example, priority information can be determined using the following formula: S = w L L i +w G G i (1) w L +w G =1 (2)

[0094] Where S represents the priority information of the entry point; L i G represents the performance evaluation parameters of the inbound points, 1≤i≤N, where N represents the number of remaining inbound points in the software-defined generalized network; i This represents the distance parameter between the ingress point and the normal route reflector; w L Indicates the weight of the performance evaluation parameter; w G This represents the weight of the distance parameter. Where w L and w G It is preset and can be adjusted according to the actual scenario; no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0095] Understandably, the better the performance of the entry point, such as its lower load and the greater the distance between the entry point and the normal route reflector, the higher the probability of it being identified as the target entry point. This ensures that the new route reflector provides sufficient resources for routing processing and can effectively cover the entire area, providing stable routing processing performance for each entry point.

[0096] The network management method provided in the above embodiments obtains the geographical location information of each entry point, determines the distance parameters between the remaining entry points and the normal route reflectors based on the geographical location information of each entry point, performs performance evaluation processing on the node performance data of the remaining entry points respectively, and determines the performance evaluation parameters of the remaining entry points accordingly. Based on at least one of the distance parameters or performance evaluation parameters, a target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points. In this way, the target entry point can be selected from at least one of the performance factors or geographical location factors of the entry points, ensuring that the new route reflectors provide sufficient resources to provide route reflection functions, and that the newly configured route reflectors and the normal route reflectors can effectively cover the entire network area, thereby providing stable and better route reflection functions for each entry point, helping to improve network stability and the continuity of routing information, and realizing efficient management of each entry point.

[0097] In some embodiments, S202, determining the target inbound point from the remaining inbound points may include: obtaining priority information of the remaining inbound points, and determining the target inbound point from the remaining inbound points based on the priority information. The priority information may be pre-configured or calculated in real-time using the aforementioned method, i.e., based on at least one of distance parameters or node performance parameters; no further limitations are imposed here. In this way, the target inbound point can be effectively and accurately determined from the remaining inbound points using priority information, enabling adaptive recovery in the event of a route reflector failure, and improving system stability and the continuity of routing information.

[0098] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the network management method further includes the following steps in the initialization phase of a software-defined wide area network.

[0099] S402: Obtain node status data of all network entry points that have established a connection with the control center.

[0100] The control center can communicate with network entry points via a long-lived gRPC (Remote Procedure Call) streaming interface. During the software-defined network initialization phase, the control center can set an initial network entry point connection waiting period. The control center can scan all network entry points that connect during this period and obtain the node status data of all network entry points that have established connections with the control center. The node status data is used to determine the status of the network entry points, including but not limited to their online status information and configuration information. The duration of the waiting period is preset and can be set according to actual needs, such as 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or other suitable values; no further limitations are imposed here.

[0101] S404: Determine at least two initial entry points from all entry points based on node status data.

[0102] The control center can determine at least two initial entry points from all entry points connected to it, based on a preset selection strategy, and configure these initial entry points as initial route reflectors in the network. For example, the control center can obtain priority information from all entry points and determine at least two initial entry points based on this priority information. The priority information can be pre-configured or calculated in real-time using the aforementioned method, i.e., based on at least one of distance parameters or node performance parameters, as described above. Further details are omitted here.

[0103] S406: Send the corresponding initial configuration information to all network access points respectively.

[0104] The initial configuration information is used to instruct all inbound points that have established a connection with the control center to perform initial configuration. Specifically, each initial inbound point is initially configured as a route reflector, and the remaining inbound points are initially configured as clients of their respective route reflectors.

[0105] In the application, the control center sends initial configuration information to the initial entry point. Upon receiving the initial configuration information, the initial entry point performs route reflection (RR) configuration, enables route reflection, configures the corresponding BGP parameters, and establishes BGP neighbor relationships with entry points other than itself. The control center then sends initial configuration information to all entry points other than the initial entry point. These entry points configure the corresponding BGP parameters and establish BGP neighbor relationships with the initial entry point.

[0106] It should be noted that both the initial configuration information and the aforementioned configuration update information are used to configure the network at the entry point. The initial configuration information is used in the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network (SDWAN), while the configuration update information is used when the SWAN detects a faulty route reflector. The information included in both is essentially the same; the difference lies in the phase at which the control center distributes the information to the entry point.

[0107] Taking the scenario shown in Figure 1 as an example, during the SD-WAN initialization phase, the control center sets a connection waiting time for the inbound points, such as 5 minutes. During these 5 minutes, the control center waits for the inbound points to establish communication connections. Subsequently, the control center scans and obtains the node status data of all inbound points that have successfully established connections, that is, it scans and confirms the status of all inbound points that have successfully established connections. For example, the inbound points that have successfully established connections with the control center include POP1, POP2, POP3, and POP4. Then, the control center determines POP1 and POP2 as the initial inbound points according to the preset selection strategy, and configures POP1 and POP2 as route reflectors. It also configures all other inbound points as BGP neighbors for POP1 and POP2 respectively through the gRPC interface. That is, it configures POP2, POP3, and POP4 as clients of POP1, and POP1, POP3, and POP4 as clients of POP2.

[0108] The network management method provided in the above embodiments, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, obtains node status data of all entry points that have established connections with the control center through the control center, determines at least two initial entry points from all entry points based on the node status data, and sends corresponding initial configuration information to each entry point. In this way, at least two entry points are configured as route reflectors during the initialization phase, that is, the network adopts a multiple route reflector architecture. Even if one route reflector fails, there are still remaining available route reflectors in the network, which can continuously process routing information, avoid service interruption, provide redundancy, and help improve the management performance of each entry point.

[0109] In some embodiments, the network management method further includes: after determining that all route reflectors are functioning normally, re-performing the step of receiving status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network. In this way, the control center can obtain the status data sent by each access point in real time, thereby gaining real-time awareness of the status of each access point in the network and providing support for the adaptive recovery process triggered by route reflector failures.

[0110] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, a network management method is provided for application in a control center of a software-defined wide area network as shown in FIG1. ​​The network management method includes the following steps.

[0111] S502: Initialize the control center in the software-defined wide area network.

[0112] S504: Set the initial connection time period for the network entry point, and wait for the network entry point to connect within the time period.

[0113] S506: Obtain node status data of all network entry points that have established a connection with the control center.

[0114] S508: Determine two initial entry points from all entry points based on node status data.

[0115] S510: Sends initial configuration information to all inbound points to instruct them to perform initial configuration; two initial inbound points are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining inbound points are configured as clients of each route reflector.

[0116] S512: Obtain the status data sent by each network entry point.

[0117] S514: Perform fault detection on each router reflector based on status data.

[0118] S516: Determine if any of the route reflectors are faulty. If yes, proceed to S618 below; otherwise, proceed to S512 again.

[0119] S518: Determine the target entry point from the remaining entry points.

[0120] S520: Send configuration update information to each inbound point to instruct each inbound point to perform configuration updates; wherein, the target inbound point is configured as the new route reflector, and other inbound points are configured as clients of the new route reflector.

[0121] Taking the software-defined wide area network shown in Figure 1 as an example, during the system network initialization phase, the control center sets an initial POP connection waiting time, such as 5 minutes, to wait for the POPs to establish communication connections. Here, it is assumed that the communication transmission modules of both parties use a long-connection communication via a gRPC streaming interface. Subsequently, the control center scans and confirms the status of all successfully connected POPs, for example, all inbound points that have established connections with the control center, including POP1 to POP4. Then, based on a preset selection strategy, two POPs, such as POP1 and POP2, are selected as the initial route preventers (RRs). All other POPs (as clients of the RR) are configured as BGP neighbors for the RR via the gRPC interface, enabling the RR to exchange routing information with these client nodes.

[0122] In addition to receiving initial configuration information from the control center for network configuration, each POP periodically collects BGP neighbor connection status and its own performance metrics, and reports the results, i.e., status data, to the control center. Upon receiving the status data, the control center performs real-time monitoring and analysis to assess the current network stability and reliability. When the control center detects unstable connections between a Reference Node (RR), abnormal neighbor status, or excessive load, it immediately initiates a fault recovery process. Based on a preset selection strategy, it selects a node with low load and a reasonable geographical distribution from the remaining POPs as the new RR and notifies all POPs to update their BGP neighbor relationships. The new RR, upon receiving the configuration update information, enables route reflection to ensure the network quickly recovers its dual-RR architecture, guaranteeing the continuity of routing information and network stability.

[0123] The control center determines the selection strategy for the initial and target entry points, which can be tailored to business needs. For example, a priority information can be pre-set for each POP, and this priority information can be fixed through manual maintenance. Alternatively, priority information can be obtained by real-time calculation of status data changes. Assuming the business scenario requires consideration of POP real-time load and geographical location factors—that is, it's desirable for the POP elected as the RR to have low load, and the two RRs should not be too close together, while comprehensively covering the entire area—then, after removing POPs with current connection anomalies or neighbor status anomalies, a new RR needs to be elected from the remaining N POPs. Based on the CPU utilization, memory utilization, and bandwidth reported by the POPs, the performance evaluation parameters for the remaining POPs are obtained as L. i (1≤i≤N), and the normalized geographic distances G between the remaining POPs and another RR are obtained through the geographic location matrix. i (1≤i≤N), and according to the pre-assigned weight value w L and w G Then the priority information S for each candidate POP can be calculated.

[0124] For example, if POP1 fails in Figure 1, the priority information of the remaining POP3 and POP4 can be calculated according to the aforementioned formulas (1) and (2), and one of POP3 and POP4 can be determined as the new RR according to the priority information. Then, configuration update information is issued. For example, if POP3 is configured as the new RR, then POP2 and POP3 are RRs, POP1, POP3 and POP4 are clients of POP2, and POP1, POP2 and POP4 are clients of POP3.

[0125] The network management method provided in the above embodiments adopts a dual-RR master-master architecture, ensuring that even if one RR node fails, the other RR node can continue to process routing information, avoiding service interruption. Simultaneously, it can quickly elect a new RR node from other POP nodes in the area. Furthermore, the control center continuously collects and processes status data reported by POPs, including but not limited to BGP neighbor connection status, routing information, and system performance metrics, enabling real-time awareness of network status and providing a basis for RR election based on the collected status data. Additionally, the control center can dynamically adjust the BGP neighbor relationships between POPs by issuing configuration update information to update the BGP neighbor topology via long-lived connections, ensuring the synchronization and distribution of routing information. This improves system stability and the continuity of routing information, achieving efficient management of each network access point.

[0126] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a network management method, which is applied to the access point in a software-defined wide area network. The solution provided by this method is similar to the implementation described in the network management method applied to the control center above. Therefore, the specific limitations in one or more network management method embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations of the network management method applied to the control center above, and will not be repeated here.

[0127] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, a network management method is provided for application to an inbound point in a software-defined wide area network (SDN) as shown in FIG1. ​​The inbound point is configured as a client of at least two route reflectors in the SDN. The network management method includes the following steps.

[0128] S602: Send status data to the control center in a software-defined wide area network.

[0129] The control center uses the aforementioned network management method to configure the network for each access point, as described in the previous section, and will not be repeated here.

[0130] Status data can include the status data of the inbound point itself, or the connection status data between the inbound point and the route reflector.

[0131] S604: Receive configuration update information sent by the control center.

[0132] The configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining the target ingress point from the remaining ingress points when it identifies a faulty route transmitter based on the status data.

[0133] S606: Update the configuration based on the configuration update information.

[0134] The inbound point is configured and updated to the new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured and updated to the client of the target inbound point.

[0135] The network management method provided in the above embodiments sends status data to the control center in the software-defined wide area network through the entry points, receives configuration update information sent by the control center, and updates the configuration according to the configuration update information. Since the control center can collect and process the status data reported by each entry point in real time and continuously, it can achieve immediate awareness of the network status and real-time detection of each route reflector in the network. Furthermore, when a faulty route reflector is detected, the control center can initiate a fault recovery process, elect a target entry point from the remaining entry points, and send configuration update information through a long connection to configure the target entry point as a new route reflector, and configure other entry points as clients of the new route reflector. This dynamically adjusts the border gateway protocol neighbor relationships between entry points, ensuring the synchronization and distribution of routing information. Furthermore, since the software-defined wide area network adopts an architecture with at least two entry points as route reflectors, it ensures that even if one route reflector fails, at least one route reflector can continue to process routing information, avoiding service interruption. At the same time, it can quickly elect a target entry point from the remaining entry points as a new route reflector, ensuring the continuity of routing information and the stability of the network, and achieving efficient management of each entry point.

[0136] In some embodiments, during the initialization phase of a software-defined wide area network, the network management method further includes the following steps: establishing a connection with a control center; receiving initial configuration information sent by the control center; performing initial configuration based on the initial configuration information; and initially configuring the access point as a client of a route reflector.

[0137] Correspondingly, as shown in Figure 7, a network management method is provided for application in the control center of the software-defined wide area network shown in Figure 1. The network management method includes the following steps.

[0138] S702: Establishes a connection with the control center during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network.

[0139] S704: Receives initial configuration information sent by the control center.

[0140] S706: Perform initial configuration based on initial configuration information; the inbound point is initially configured as a client of the route reflector.

[0141] S708: Sends status data to the control center in a software-defined wide area network.

[0142] S710: When the control center determines the faulty route transmitter based on the status data and determines the target entry point from the remaining entry points, it receives configuration update information sent by the control center.

[0143] S712: Perform configuration updates based on configuration update information; the inbound point is configured to be updated to a new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured to be updated to a client of the target inbound point.

[0144] Taking the application of this network management method to POP3 in Figure 1 as an example, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network (SDWAN), POP3 establishes a communication connection with the control center. POP3 receives the initial configuration information sent by the control center and configures the corresponding BGP parameters, establishing BGP neighbor relationships with both RRs, namely POP1 and POP2. Based on this, POP3 acts as a client for both POP1 and POP2. In application, POP3 sends status data to the control center. This status data includes POP3's own status data, connection status data between POP3 and POP1, and connection status data between POP3 and POP2.

[0145] If the control center detects a failure in route reflector POP1 based on the status data, it will identify POP3 as the target inbound point and send configuration update information to each POP. Upon receiving the configuration update information from the control center, POP3 will configure the RR parameters, start the route reflection function to act as a new route reflector, and configure the corresponding BGP parameters to establish BGP neighbor relationships with POP1, POP2, and POP4 respectively. That is, POP1, POP2, and POP4 will be configured as clients of POP3.

[0146] If the control center detects a failure in route reflector POP1 based on the status data, it will identify POP4 as the target entry point and send configuration update information to each POP. Upon receiving the configuration update information from the control center, POP3 will configure the corresponding BGP parameters and update the BGP neighbor relationships. After the configuration update, POP3 will be configured as a client of the original normal route reflector POP2 and the new route reflector POP4.

[0147] The network management method provided in the above embodiments adopts a dual-RR master-master architecture, ensuring that even if one RR node fails, the other RR node can continue to process routing information, avoiding service interruption. In addition, each POP can send status data to the control center in real time, thereby enabling the control center to have an immediate awareness of the network status and providing a basis for the control center to elect RRs. Furthermore, since there is a long connection between the POP and the control center, the POP can receive configuration update information issued by the control center in real time, thereby dynamically adjusting the BGP neighbor relationship between the POP and the new RR, ensuring the synchronization and distribution of routing information. In this way, the stability of the system and the continuity of routing information are improved, and efficient management of each entry point is achieved.

[0148] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0149] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a network management device for implementing the network management method described above. The solution provided by this device is similar to the implementation described in the above method; therefore, the specific limitations in one or more network management device embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations of the network management method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0150] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, a network management device 800 is provided, applied to a control center in a software-defined wide area network (SDN). The network management device includes a data acquisition module 801, an election module 802, and a first communication module 803. The data acquisition module 801 receives status data sent by each access point in the SDN; among the access points, at least two are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining access points are configured as clients of the route reflectors. The election module 802 determines a target access point from the remaining access points if a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data. The first communication module 803 sends configuration update information to each access point to instruct it to perform a configuration update; wherein the target access point is configured as a new route reflector, and the other access points are configured as clients of the new route transmitters.

[0151] In some embodiments, the status data includes node performance data. The election module is also used to obtain the geographical location information of each entry point; determine the distance parameters between the remaining entry points and the normal route reflectors based on the geographical location information of each entry point; perform performance evaluation processing on the node performance data of the remaining entry points respectively, and determine the performance evaluation parameters of the remaining entry points accordingly; and determine the target entry point from the remaining entry points based on at least one of the distance parameters or performance evaluation parameters.

[0152] In some embodiments, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network (SDWAN), the acquisition module is further configured to acquire node status data of all incoming points that have established connections with the control center. The election module is further configured to determine at least two initial incoming points from all incoming points based on the node status data. The first communication module is further configured to send corresponding initial configuration information to all incoming points respectively; wherein each initial incoming point is initially configured as a route reflector, and the remaining incoming points are initially configured as clients of each route reflector.

[0153] In some embodiments, the election module is further configured to trigger the acquisition module when it is determined that all routing reflectors are functioning normally, so as to instruct the acquisition module to receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network.

[0154] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9, a network management device 900 is provided, applied to an access point in a software-defined wide area network (SDN). The network management device 900 includes a reporting module 901, a second communication module 902, and a configuration module 903. The reporting module 901 is used to send status data to a control center in the SDN. The control center can use the aforementioned network management method for network management. The second communication module 902 is used to receive configuration update information sent by the control center; the configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining a target access point from the remaining access points based on the status data and identifying a faulty route transmitter. The configuration module 903 is used to perform configuration updates based on the configuration update information; wherein, the access point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, or the access point is configured to be updated as a client of the target access point.

[0155] In some embodiments, during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, the second communication module is further configured to establish a connection with the control center and receive initial configuration information sent by the control center. The configuration module is further configured to perform initial configuration based on the initial configuration information; the entry point is initially configured as a client of the route reflector.

[0156] Each module in the aforementioned network management device can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in the processor of a computer device in hardware form or independent of it, or stored in the memory of the computer device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the operations corresponding to each module.

[0157] In one embodiment, a computer device, which may be a server, is provided, and its internal structure is shown in Figure 10. The computer device includes a processor, memory, and a network interface connected via a system bus. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes non-volatile storage media and internal memory. The non-volatile storage media stores an operating system, computer programs, and a database. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs stored in the non-volatile storage media. The network interface is used to communicate with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a network management method.

[0158] Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure shown in Figure 10 is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the present application is applied. Specific computer devices may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or may combine certain components, or may have different component arrangements.

[0159] In one embodiment, a computer device is provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the aforementioned network management method.

[0160] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned network management method.

[0161] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned network management method.

[0162] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, data stored, data displayed, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties.

[0163] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0164] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0165] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A network management method, characterized in that, The method, applied to a control center in a software-defined wide area network, includes: Receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network; among the access points, at least two access points are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining access points are configured as clients of each route reflector; If a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data, a target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points; and Configuration update information is sent to each of the aforementioned entry points to instruct them to perform configuration updates; wherein, the target entry point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, and each entry point other than the target entry point is configured as a client of the new route transmitter.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The status data includes node performance data; determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points includes: Obtain the geographical location information of each of the aforementioned entry points; Based on the geographical location information of each of the aforementioned entry points, determine the distance parameters between the remaining entry points and the normal route reflectors; Based on the node performance data of the remaining network entry points, performance evaluation processing is performed on each node, and corresponding performance evaluation parameters for the remaining network entry points are determined; and The target entry point is determined from the remaining entry points based on at least one of the distance parameters or the performance evaluation parameters.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, the method further includes: Obtain node status data of all network entry points that have established connections with the control center; Based on the node status data, at least two initial entry points are determined from all the entry points; and Send corresponding initial configuration information to all the network entry points respectively; wherein, each of the initial network entry points is initially configured as the route reflector, and the remaining network entry points are initially configured as clients of each of the route reflectors.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If all the routing reflectors are confirmed to be functioning correctly, the step of receiving the status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network is executed again.

5. A network management method, characterized in that, An entry point is applied in a software-defined wide area network (SDWN), wherein the entry point is configured as a client of at least two route reflectors in the SWDN; the method includes: Send status data to the control center in the software-defined wide area network; Receive configuration update information sent by the control center; the configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points when it identifies a faulty routing transmitter based on the status data; and The configuration is updated according to the configuration update information; wherein, the inbound point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured to be updated as a client of the target inbound point.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network, the method further includes: Establish a connection with the control center; Receive initial configuration information sent by the control center; and Initial configuration is performed based on the initial configuration information; the entry point is initially configured as a client of the route reflector.

7. A network management device, characterized in that, The device, used as a control center in a software-defined wide area network, includes: The acquisition module is used to receive status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network; among the access points, at least two access points are configured as route reflectors, and the remaining access points are configured as clients of each route reflector. An election module is used to determine a target entry point from the remaining entry points when a faulty route reflector is identified based on the status data; and The first communication module is used to send configuration update information to each of the network entry points to instruct each of the network entry points to perform configuration updates; wherein, the target network entry point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, and each network entry point other than the target network entry point is configured as a client of the new route transmitter.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The status data includes node performance data; The election module is further configured to: acquire the geographical location information of each of the entry points; determine the distance parameters between the remaining entry points and the normal route reflectors based on the geographical location information of each of the entry points; perform performance evaluation processing on the node performance data of the remaining entry points respectively, and determine the performance evaluation parameters of the remaining entry points accordingly; and determine the target entry point from the remaining entry points based on at least one of the distance parameters or the performance evaluation parameters.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The acquisition module is also used to acquire node status data of all network entry points that have established a connection with the control center during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network. The election module is further configured to determine at least two initial entry points from all the entry points based on the node status data; and The first communication module is further configured to send corresponding initial configuration information to all the network entry points respectively; wherein each of the initial network entry points is initially configured as the route reflector, and the remaining network entry points are initially configured as clients of each of the route reflectors.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The election module is further configured to, after determining that all the routing reflectors are functioning normally, re-execute the step of receiving the status data sent by each access point in the software-defined wide area network.

11. A network management device, characterized in that, The device, used as an access point in a software-defined wide area network, includes: The reporting module is used to send status data to the control center in the software-defined wide area network; The second communication module is used to receive configuration update information sent by the control center; the configuration update information is sent by the control center after determining the target entry point from the remaining entry points when it identifies a faulty routing transmitter based on the status data; and The configuration module is used to update the configuration according to the configuration update information; wherein, the inbound point is configured to be updated as a new route reflector, or the inbound point is configured to be updated as a client of the target inbound point.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second communication module is further configured to establish a connection with the control center during the initialization phase of the software-defined wide area network; receive initial configuration information sent by the control center; and The configuration module is also used to perform initial configuration based on the initial configuration information; the entry point is initially configured as a client of the route reflector.

13. A computer device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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