Cloud Buffering for IMS Network Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IMS network elements face inadequate buffering capacity, lack of fault tolerance, and data loss issues due to reliance on local host storage for network resource usage information, especially in virtualized environments where host failures or relocations occur.
Innovation Solution
Implementing cloud-based storage for buffering network resource usage information, allowing data to be transmitted to and retrieved from a cloud-based service for call detail record generation, providing scalable and fault-tolerant storage that follows network elements during virtualized host migrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If local host storage is used for buffering ACRs, then buffering capacity is limited by local resources, but cloud-based storage provides sufficient buffering capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cloud-based storage as an intermediary between network elements and the charging collection function. Network elements transmit ACRs to cloud storage, which acts as a mediator to buffer the data until the CCF is available for processing. This resolves the contradiction by providing abundant buffering capacity through cloud resources while maintaining the original local-host architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the buffering function from a local-dimension approach (host-based storage) to a cloud-dimension approach (remote storage service). By moving buffering to the cloud, the system gains access to virtually unlimited storage capacity while network elements retain their original functionality, effectively adding a new dimensional layer to the buffering architecture.
2Reliability
If local host storage is used for buffering ACRs, then fault tolerance is insufficient, but cloud-based storage provides guaranteed fault tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the cloud storage service's inherent fault tolerance capabilities rather than implementing custom fault tolerance mechanisms at the host level. The cloud storage system automatically handles data redundancy, backup, and recovery, providing fault tolerance as a self-service feature. This resolves the contradiction by achieving high reliability without increasing the complexity of the network element's storage architecture.
3Loss of information
If data is buffered locally at the host, then data loss occurs during host failure, but cloud-based storage prevents data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by transmitting ACRs to cloud storage immediately upon generation, before any potential host failure occurs. The cloud storage system pre-establishes data redundancy and backup mechanisms, ensuring that data is protected against loss before failures can happen. This resolves the contradiction by preventing data loss through proactive measures while simplifying data management through automated cloud-based operations.
4Stability of the object's composition
If network elements are moved between virtualized hosts, then data integrity may be compromised, but cloud-based storage ensures seamless data follow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements copying by maintaining data in cloud storage as a persistent copy that remains accessible regardless of which virtualized host the network element is running on. When network elements migrate between hosts, they can retrieve their buffered ACRs from cloud storage, ensuring data integrity is maintained throughout the migration process. This resolves the contradiction by providing stable data access across multiple virtualized environments.
Data Source
AI summary
A network element of an Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem buffers network resource usage information in the cloud. After generating network resource usage information based on an observation of network resource usage, the network element transmits the network resource usage information to a cloud-based storage service for buffering. Once a network resource usage collection function is available, the network element retrieves the network resource usage information from the cloud-based storage service and transmits it to a charging collection function for generation of call detail records.