Dynamic ENUM Service Instance Selection for Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Physical ENUMs are inflexible and costly, struggling to accommodate changing traffic loads and location changes, while virtual ENUMs face challenges in resource management and subscriber variability, necessitating a method to determine whether to handle requests using physical or virtual resources effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that determine whether to handle communication service requests using physical or virtual telephone number mapping service instances based on specific number ranges, preventing forwarding between instances as needed, and employing virtual machine flavors to optimize resource utilization and flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical ENUM instances are used to handle requests, then reliability and stability are improved, but adaptability and flexibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice stabilityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic service instance selection where the system can switch between physical ENUM instances and virtual ENUM instances based on real-time conditions. The load balancer dynamically determines whether to route requests to physical instances (for stability) or virtual instances (for flexibility), allowing the system to adapt its behavior dynamically rather than being static.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of ENUM services by introducing virtual ENUM instances with different characteristics compared to physical instances. Virtual instances can be rapidly provisioned, scaled, and migrated, changing the parameters of deployability and adaptability while physical instances maintain reliability parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If virtual ENUM instances are used to handle requests, then adaptability and flexibility are improved, but resource management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidresource management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a load balancer as an intermediary component that manages the complexity of coordinating between physical and virtual ENUM instances. The load balancer handles the decision-making logic for request routing, instance provisioning, and resource allocation, thereby isolating the complexity from the core ENUM services and simplifying overall system management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If physical ENUM instances are used, then cost structure is simplified, but infrastructure resiliency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost structureVSAvoidinfrastructure resiliency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the ENUM service infrastructure into two distinct types of instances: physical ENUM instances and virtual ENUM instances. This segmentation allows different portions of the system to serve different purposes - physical instances provide cost-effective baseline service while virtual instances enhance resiliency through rapid provisioning and geographic distribution, thereby improving overall infrastructure resiliency without completely overhauling the cost structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If virtual ENUM instances are used, then infrastructure resiliency is improved, but cost efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfrastructure resiliencyVSAvoidcost efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial virtualization where not all ENUM services are converted to virtual instances. Instead, a hybrid approach is used where critical services requiring high resiliency are virtualized while less critical services continue to run on physical instances. This partial action allows the system to gain resiliency benefits where needed while avoiding the full cost overhead of virtualization across the entire infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10277736B2Methods, systems, and computer readable storage devices for determining whether to handle a request for communication services by a physical telephone number mapping service or a virtual telephone number mapping service

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

A determination is made whether to handle a request associated with a specific number range by a physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or a virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range. If it is determined that the request should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance, forwarding of the request from the physical telephone number mapping service instance to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance is prevented. If it is determined that the request should be handled by the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, forwarding of the request from the virtual telephone number mapping service instance to the physical telephone number mapping service instance is prevented.