Blade Cluster Resource Pooling via Central Master Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-capacity MSC server architectures with a blade cluster structure face inefficiencies in resource utilization and management, particularly with TDM terminations and BICC, leading to difficulties in sharing resources and adapting to changes in the number of blades, resulting in suboptimal connectivity and increased operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A switching center server with a blade cluster that utilizes resource pools accessible by all blades, with a dedicated master for centralized coordination of resource allocation, de-allocation, and maintenance, ensuring efficient sharing and scalability without partitioning, and includes redundancy for high availability and integrity, along with a blade status information unit and group communication service for message delivery and failure handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If TDM terminations are used in a blade cluster server, then call handling capability is provided, but resource sharing between blades becomes difficult and partitioning is required
Solution Approach 1:
A master blade is introduced as an intermediary component that centrally coordinates resource allocation and management across all blades in the cluster. The master blade receives resource requests from call controllers on different blades and mediates the allocation of TDM terminations and CICs, eliminating the need for complex inter-blade coordination protocols while enabling efficient resource sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments resource management functions by separating call control (handled by call controllers on individual blades) from resource allocation (handled by the master blade). This segmentation allows independent scaling of call handling capacity while maintaining centralized resource coordination, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Productivity
If resources are partitioned and administratively assigned to particular blades, then resource allocation is simplified, but efficient use of user plane circuits is inhibited and connectivity becomes difficult when number of blades changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static administrative partitioning of resources to dynamic resource allocation. The master blade maintains a pool of available TDM terminations and CICs and dynamically assigns resources to call controllers based on real-time demand. This dynamic allocation enables efficient circuit utilization and automatic adaptation when blades are added or removed from the cluster.
Solution Approach 2:
The master blade serves multiple functions: it acts as a resource allocator, a coordination point for call controllers, and a scalability mechanism. Any blade in the cluster can become the master blade, and the master blade can serve multiple call controllers simultaneously, providing universal functionality that supports both efficient resource use and cluster scalability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If blades are added or removed from the cluster, then server capacity can be adjusted, but repartitioning of resources assigned to other blades is required increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The master blade automatically detects when blades are added or removed from the cluster and self-adjusts resource allocation without requiring manual repartitioning operations. When a blade joins or leaves, the master blade receives notifications, updates its resource pool, and redistributes available resources to remaining call controllers, making the system self-managing and operationally simple.
4Ease of manufacture
If TDM circuits are partitioned among blades, then resource allocation is straightforward, but connectivity cannot be provided to all blades when fewer circuits exist than blades
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges resource pools from all blades into a single centralized pool managed by the master blade. Instead of maintaining separate circuit partitions for each blade, all TDM circuits and CICs are combined into a shared resource pool that can be allocated to any blade needing connectivity. This merging ensures that connectivity is available to all blades as long as total circuits exceed total active blades, regardless of how circuits are physically distributed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a switching center server comprising: - a blade cluster with a plurality of blades (110), - a plurality of pooled resources accessible by said plurality of blades (110) for handling a call, and - a master (112) provided on one of the blades centrally coordinating the usage of the pooled resources, the master as a central instance being responsible for allocation, de-allocation and maintenance of the pooled resources. At outage of one or more blades, the invention provides mechanisms to keep impacts on ongoing calls to a minimum and to keep pooled resources available to the remaining blades.