gNB Reallocation Across HA Clusters for Rapid Service Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network recovery methods incur unnecessary capital and operational expenditures due to standby resources, and prolonged recovery times in virtualized network function environments, especially during failures like earthquakes or large-scale power outages.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for high availability service management that monitors gNB-CUs in real-time, forms HA cluster groups, and relocates logical gNBs to adjacent gNB-CUs within or across data centers to minimize latency and resource wastage, enabling rapid service recovery without standby resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standby resources are configured for failure recovery, then service availability is improved, but capital expenditure and operational expenditure increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidstandby resources
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-establishes HA cluster groups and configures inter-gNB-CU connectivity before failures occur. gNB-CUs are pre-registered in cluster groups with defined adjacency relationships, enabling immediate failover without requiring standby resources. This preliminary configuration resolves the contradiction by preparing recovery infrastructure in advance that can be activated on-demand.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes all gNB-CUs multi-functional by enabling each to serve both as a primary service provider and as a potential recovery target for other gNB-CUs. Through HA cluster group membership and inter-gNB-CU connectivity, any gNB-CU can assume the role of another failed gNB-CU, eliminating the need for dedicated standby resources while maintaining high availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If virtualized network functions are used for flexibility, then adaptability is improved, but recovery time increases during failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork flexibilityVSAvoidrecovery time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-configures HA cluster groups and establishes inter-gNB-CU connectivity before failures occur. Recovery targets are pre-identified and registered in the cluster group structure, eliminating the time required to search for or configure recovery resources during actual failures. This preliminary preparation resolves the time penalty associated with virtualized network function recovery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables direct, immediate failover by skipping traditional recovery procedures. When a gNB-CU fails, the system immediately activates a pre-identified recovery target from the HA cluster group without requiring resource search, allocation, or configuration steps. This rushing through of the failover process dramatically reduces recovery time while maintaining virtualization flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Speed

If gNB-CU reallocation is performed rapidly, then service recovery speed is improved, but data consistency may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecovery speedVSAvoiddata consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a recovery point object as an intermediary between the failed gNB-CU and the recovery target. This object stores critical data and state information externally, allowing rapid gNB-CU reallocation while preserving data consistency. The recovery point object acts as a mediator that ensures the recovering gNB-CU receives accurate, up-to-date information without being constrained by the speed of direct peer-to-peer data transfer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts critical data and state information from the gNB-CU memory and stores it externally in a recovery point object before failure occurs. This extraction separates volatile gNB-CU data from persistent external storage, enabling rapid gNB-CU reallocation while ensuring data consistency through the externally stored recovery point object that can be quickly restored to the recovering gNB-CU.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3985926B1Method for providing high availability service through gnb reallocation and device therefor
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3985926B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3985926B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3985926B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for convergi ng a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system for supporting higher data rates b eyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system with a technology for Internet of Things (IoT ). The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G c ommunication technology and the IoT-related technology, such as smart home, sm art building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health care, digital education, s mart retail, security and safety services.