Edge Device Service Profile Caching for Zero-Downtime Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for updating service profiles in data communications often require scheduled downtime or risk leaving active sessions in unstable states, disrupting subscriber services when updating service attributes.
Innovation Solution
Service profiles are cached on edge devices and updated dynamically, allowing new sessions to use the latest version while existing sessions continue with previous versions, ensuring seamless transitions and avoiding downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If service profiles are updated by pushing new versions to overlay existing profiles, then service updates can be performed in real-time, but active sessions are left in unstable states causing service disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The service profile is segmented into multiple versions (old version and new version) that coexist in the system. The edge device maintains both versions simultaneously, allowing sessions to be associated with specific versions without forcing immediate transitions. This segmentation enables gradual migration from old to new profiles without destabilizing active sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages profile versioning by tracking which sessions are using which profile version. When a new profile version is pushed, the system dynamically determines whether to apply it to existing sessions based on stability criteria, rather than forcing uniform updates. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt update timing to session states, maintaining reliability while enabling eventual progression to new profiles.
2Reliability
If all sessions are taken down for scheduled downtime to update profiles, then profile updates can be performed safely, but service availability is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pushing and caching the new service profile version in advance on the edge device before any sessions need to transition. Both old and new profiles are prepared and validated beforehand, allowing the system to safely switch between versions without requiring session termination. This preliminary preparation ensures update safety while maintaining continuous service availability.
3Ease of manufacture
If service profiles are updated off-line and pushed to edge server, then updates can be performed systematically, but service downtime is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by allowing service profiles to be pushed and cached in the background without interrupting ongoing sessions. The update process continues systematically through background operations - pushing new profiles, caching them, and tracking version usage - while service delivery remains uninterrupted. This enables systematic updates to proceed without requiring service downtime.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for dynamically updating service profiles in a network system. A device, such as an edge device providing network services to subscribers, is configured to dynamically update profiles for services provided to subscribers with no downtime required. Devices may be configured in accordance with this disclosure to receive a request by a first subscriber to access a network service having an associated service profile. The device may then cache the current version of the service profile into memory. Upon receiving a request from a second subscriber to access the same network service, the device may then determine whether a newer version of the service profile exists. If a newer version exists, then the device may then associate the newer version of the service profile to the second subscriber's session. Older versions may be purged as they are no longer used.