IMS Session Manager for Seamless Server Takeover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for maintaining high availability in enterprise IMS networks are complex and costly, with redundant servers not naturally receiving information from primary servers, leading to difficulties in ensuring zero service interruption and effective fault tolerance.
Innovation Solution
A high availability enterprise IMS system with an active application server and a synchronized standby server, managed by a session manager that sequences and routes SIP messages in either serial or parallel fashion to ensure seamless takeover in case of failures, reducing the need for direct communication between servers and minimizing maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant backup servers are implemented to ensure high availability, then service reliability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the primary server's functionality in the standby server. Instead of full redundancy, the standby server receives copied session data and state information from the primary server through the session manager, allowing it to take over functionality without requiring complex synchronization protocols or continuous active monitoring of all server processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The session manager acts as an intermediary between the primary and standby servers. It manages the replication of session data, state information, and signaling messages to the standby server, eliminating the need for direct complex communication between servers and simplifying the overall system architecture through a centralized coordination function.
2Reliability
If redundant servers are kept in synchronization to ensure zero downtime, then fault tolerance is improved, but maintenance cost and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization of session data and state information to the standby server before any failure occurs. The session manager continuously replicates relevant data to the standby server in advance, so when a failure happens, the standby server can immediately take over without requiring real-time active synchronization or complex maintenance operations during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The standby server maintains only the necessary local state information and session data required for functionality takeover, rather than maintaining complete copies of all server processes. This selective synchronization reduces maintenance overhead while ensuring sufficient fault tolerance capability when needed.
3Reliability
If out-of-band communication is used for high availability, then service continuity is improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized vendor requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The session manager uses standard SIP signaling and existing IMS protocols to manage both primary server operations and standby server synchronization. Instead of requiring specialized out-of-band communication mechanisms, the system leverages the universal SIP protocol stack already present in the IMS network, eliminating the need for additional dedicated communication infrastructure or vendor-specific solutions.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention may enable applications that are deployed at the application layer of an IMS network to frequently carry out business critical functions via a highly available application server architecture. This may be achieved by using a session manager that manages the role of active and standby server(s) of the highly available application architecture. Further, the session manager may manage the roles of the active and standby server(s) by routing SIP messaging in either serial or parallel fashion to the application server architecture. Furthermore, the active and the standby servers are automatically kept in sync by their position in the signaling path determined by the session manager. The session manager makes sure that if the active server goes down, then the standby server must be able to take over the role of the active server in a seamless fashion.