NETCONF YANG Model Reference Fields for Device Cascading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In NETCONF device cascading scenarios, the addition of an extension field to indicate target lower-level devices results in poor solution universality, low configuration processing efficiency, and complex data storage procedures, limiting interworking between third-party devices and requiring multiple messages for different configuration data.
Innovation Solution
A device configuration method using a predefined YANG model with reference fields and object fields to indicate target lower-level devices or groups, allowing multiple configuration data models to be referenced within a single NETCONF message, eliminating the need for an extension field and simplifying database management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an extension field is added to NETCONF message to indicate target lower-level device, then device information can be transferred, but solution universality deteriorates and interworking between third-party devices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a managed device as an intermediary between the network management device and lower-level devices. The managed device receives configuration data from the network management device via standard NETCONF protocol, extracts device information, and forwards it to the appropriate lower-level devices using device-specific protocols. This intermediary approach allows device information transfer without modifying the standard NETCONF protocol, thereby maintaining solution universality while enabling information transfer.
2Loss of information
If an extension field is added to NETCONF message, then device information can be indicated, but configuration processing efficiency deteriorates due to low processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The managed device acts as an intermediary that efficiently processes configuration data by receiving it once from the network management device and then distributing it to multiple lower-level devices. This eliminates the need for multiple separate NETCONF connections and improves configuration processing efficiency while maintaining standard protocol compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple configuration operations into a single NETCONF message by including device information for multiple lower-level devices within the configuration data structure. This merging approach reduces the number of messages that need to be processed and transmitted, thereby improving configuration processing efficiency.
3Loss of information
If an extension field is added to NETCONF message, then device information can be carried, but data storage procedures become complex requiring multiple databases
Solution Approach 1:
The managed device serves as an intermediary that maintains a single database for storing configuration data received from the network management device. When configuration data includes device information for multiple lower-level devices, the managed device extracts and routes the appropriate portions to the respective devices. This approach maintains simple single-database storage architecture while enabling comprehensive device information carrying.
Data Source
AI summary
A device configuration method, apparatus, and system based on Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF), and belong to the field of communications technologies. The method includes establishing, by a network management device, a model of configuration data using a predefined Yet Another Next Generation (YANG) model, and sending the configuration data to a managed device based on NETCONF. The predefined YANG model includes n reference fields and one or more object fields separately corresponding to each reference field. Hence, resolves problems that when an extension field is added to a NETCONF message to indicate a target lower-level device of configuration data in the NETCONF message in a device cascading scenario, solution universality is relatively poor, configuration processing efficiency is relatively low, and a data storage processing procedure is relatively complex.