F1 Demux Rolling Upgrade for Low-Latency Telecom Microservices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load balancers are inefficient for handling F1-APP protocol load balancing across multiple backend pods in cloud deployments, requiring excessive CPU/RAM resources and adding latency to control plane signaling, and software upgrades for heterogeneous services are complex.
Innovation Solution
Implement a method for telecom microservice rolling upgrades by creating a new instance of F1 demux within the same cluster and namespace, advertising its availability, and seamlessly transitioning traffic from the old to the new instance, while maintaining minimal downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing load balancers are used for F1-APP protocol load balancing, then traffic distribution is achieved, but CPU/RAM resources are excessively consumed and latency is added to control plane signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the load balancing function from traditional load balancer hardware and implements it directly within the F1 demux software component. This removes the need for separate load balancing infrastructure, reducing CPU/RAM overhead while maintaining traffic distribution capabilities across backend pods.
Solution Approach 2:
The F1 demux acts as an intermediary component that combines both load balancing and protocol demultiplexing functions. By positioning the F1 demux as the mediator between the F1 interface and backend microservices, the system achieves efficient traffic routing without the overhead of traditional load balancers.
2Reliability
If traditional software upgrade methods are used for heterogeneous services, then service updates are achieved, but upgrade complexity increases and downtime extends
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the F1 demux functionality into independent, versionable units that can be upgraded individually. Each F1 demux instance can be updated without affecting others, allowing incremental upgrades across the fleet while maintaining service continuity and reducing overall upgrade complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by creating new F1 demux instances with updated software before deactivating old instances. This allows validation of new versions and seamless traffic switching, ensuring service continuity and simplifying the upgrade process through preparedness.
3Reliability
If F1 demux is upgraded during live signaling, then service continuity is maintained, but traffic routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates copy instances of the F1 demux with updated software versions. These copy instances can be activated or deactivated as needed, allowing traffic routing to be managed by simply switching between identical interface instances rather than managing complex routing rules during upgrades.
Solution Approach 2:
The F1 demux instances are designed to be dynamically activatable and deactivatable. This dynamic capability allows the system to switch between old and new instances based on upgrade status, maintaining service availability while simplifying traffic routing management through instance-level control rather than complex routing configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for providing a telecom microservice rolling upgrade, the method comprising: providing, by a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), a new instance of F1 demux in a same cluster and namespace; advertising the new instance of the F1 demux to all PODs and micro services; informing, by the SMO, an old F1 demux to start a version upgrade to a new instance; sending, by the old F1 demux, a trigger to start a reconcile procedure to a new F1 demux; advertising that the old instance of the F1 demux is not available to take up new calls from internal PODs and micro-service, and is accepting traffic via the new F1 demux only; routing, by the old F1 demux, all incoming F1 traffic from a Distributed Unit (DU) to the new F1 demux; and instructing the DU, by the old F1 demux, to add a Transport Network Layer (TNL) association of the new F1 demux.