NETCONF Config Change Notification Value Embedding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The NETCONF protocol's 'netconf-config-change' notification lacks information about the value configured during edit operations, requiring additional RPC messages for network management systems to gather complete configuration change details.

Innovation Solution

A new 'value' leaf is added to the 'edit' element in the 'netconf-config-change' notification, providing the target, type, and value of edit operations, enabling the network management system to monitor configuration changes without extra actions or tools.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the NETCONF protocol uses the existing 'netconf-config-change' notification structure, then the notification can be generated with minimal information, but the notification lacks the value configured during edit operations, requiring additional RPC messages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration change detailsVSAvoidnotification structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds a 'value' element within the existing 'edit' element structure of the NETCONF notification. The 'value' leaf is nested inside the 'edit' composite type, allowing the notification to contain complete configuration change information (target, operation type, and value) in a hierarchical structure without fundamentally changing the overall notification format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent prepares and includes the configured value information in advance within the notification itself, rather than requiring follow-up RPC messages to retrieve this information later. This preliminary inclusion of the value in the notification structure eliminates the need for additional information gathering steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the NETCONF protocol requires additional RPC messages to obtain configuration values, then the notification structure remains simple, but the network management efficiency decreases due to extra messages and time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork management efficiencyVSAvoidtime for configuration monitoring
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple pieces of information (target, operation type, and value) that were previously separated into different messages into a single integrated notification. By merging the value information into the config-change notification, the system retrieves all necessary configuration change details in one message, improving efficiency and reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the 'edit' element in the notification does not include a value leaf, then the notification structure remains compatible with existing YANG modules, but the network management system cannot determine the configured value without additional actions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration monitoringVSAvoidconfigured value
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a 'value' leaf nested within the existing 'edit' composite type in the notification structure. This nesting approach allows the value information to be included without disrupting the existing YANG module structure, maintaining compatibility while enhancing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3516824B1Method for network management based on netconf protocol, and associated network device
Publication Date: 2024.11.06 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3516824B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3516824B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3516824B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a method used in a network device for network management based on NETwork CONFiguration (NETCONF) protocol, and an associated network device. The method includes: receiving a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) message from a network management system, the RPC message instructing the network device to perform an edit operation on the network device's configuration; generating a configuration change notification based on the received RPC message to indicate that the network device's configuration has changed, the configuration change notification indicating a target of the edit operation, a type of the edit operation, and a value of the edit operation; and transmitting the configuration change notification to the network management system.