Intent Execution Conflict Resolution in Network Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intent execution methods in network management systems lack flexibility, leading to conflicts between network management intents, which can degrade user experience as they either execute or ignore conflicting intents without partial execution options.
Innovation Solution
An intent execution method and apparatus that allow partial execution of intents by receiving conflict policy information from a network management system, enabling the element management system to determine whether to execute commands based on priority, scope, or receipt time, thereby resolving conflicts and improving flexibility and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the EMS executes a conflicting intent completely or ignores it, then the intent execution is simple, but the intent execution flexibility and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the intent execution process into multiple stages: intent reception, conflict detection, partial execution decision, and command translation. By dividing the execution scope into network elements that can be partially affected by conflicts, the system achieves flexible intent execution while maintaining operational simplicity through structured processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial execution of intents by allowing the EMS to execute commands on some network elements while skipping others when conflicts are detected. The first parameter controls the degree of partial execution, enabling the system to balance between executing all intents and avoiding conflicts, thereby improving both flexibility and user experience.
2Reliability
If the EMS translates the first intent into a non-conflicting command, then the conflict is resolved, but the management operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting conflicts between intents before executing commands. The EMS identifies conflicting intents in advance, determines whether partial execution is appropriate based on the first parameter and conflict policy information, and then selectively translates commands only for non-conflicting network elements. This approach resolves conflicts reliably while minimizing translation complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the EMS executes only one of the conflicting intents, then the conflict is avoided, but both intents cannot be fulfilled simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different network elements to be treated differently based on local conflict conditions. The EMS evaluates conflicts locally for each network element and executes commands selectively: executing commands for network elements without conflicts and skipping or translating commands for network elements with conflicts. This enables both conflicting intents to be fulfilled partially across different network elements, improving overall intent fulfillment rate while maintaining execution consistency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application relate to the field of network technologies, and provide an intent execution method and apparatus, so that an element management system EMS may partially execute a first intent when the first intent conflicts with a second intent. This improves intent execution flexibility and user experience. The method includes: The EMS receives the first intent from a network management system NMS, where the first intent is used to indicate the EMS to execute a first command on a first network element and execute a second command on a second network element, the second intent in an active state is maintained in the EMS, the second intent is used to indicate the EMS to execute a third command on the first network element, and the first command and the third command are mutually exclusive. The EMS receives a first parameter and conflict policy information from the NMS. The EMS determines, based on the first parameter and the conflict policy information, whether to execute the second command on the second network element. The EMS executes the first command or the third command on the first network element based on the conflict policy information.