Network Controller for FPGA-VM-VNF Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network systems utilizing virtual network functions (VNFs) and programmable logic circuits, existing technologies face bottlenecks in CPU processing and require complex management of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for efficient operation, leading to challenges in updating and managing VMs and VNFs.
Innovation Solution
A control system that maintains a correspondence relation between programmable logic circuits, virtual machines (VMs), and VNFs, allowing for efficient management and updates of FPGA configurations, enabling the controller to manage the deployment and operation of VNFs on servers with or without FPGAs, ensuring seamless updates and operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If FPGAs are added to servers to accelerate CPU processing, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary device that manages the correspondence between FPGAs, VMs, and VNFs. The controller maintains mapping relationships and coordinates updates, separating the complexity of FPGA management from the server and VM operations, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved processing speed and increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments FPGA management functions into distinct components: the controller maintains separate correspondence relations for FPGA-VM and FPGA-VNF mappings. This segmentation allows independent management of each relationship type, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high processing speed through coordinated FPGA acceleration
2Adaptability or versatility
If FPGAs are dynamically added and updated according to VM updates, then adaptability is improved, but management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the controller monitors VM status changes and automatically triggers corresponding FPGA updates based on maintained correspondence relations. When a VM is updated, the controller detects this change, queries the FPGA-VM mapping, and initiates appropriate FPGA updates, enabling automatic adaptation without increasing manual management complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing and maintaining correspondence relations between FPGAs, VMs, and VNFs in the controller. These pre-configured mappings enable rapid automated responses to VM updates without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus improving adaptability while keeping management straightforward
3Ease of operation
If correspondence relation management is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as an intermediary that centralizes correspondence relation management. By consolidating FPGA-VM and FPGA-VNF mapping information in a single controller, the system simplifies operational tasks such as tracking which FPGAs support which VMs and VNFs, while the added device complexity is confined to the controller rather than distributed across the entire system
Data Source
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AI summary
A control method, a control apparatus, a network system, and a server, for efficiently controlling a network including programmable logical circuits as a VM/VNF infrastructure, are provided. A control apparatus (10), for a network including servers on which virtual network functions operate, includes a storage means (102, 103) that stores a correspondence relation among a programmable logic circuit included in a server, a virtual machine operating on the server, and a virtual network function implemented by the virtual machine of the server, and a control means (106) that controls at least the virtual machine and the programmable logic circuit on which the virtual machine operates, based on the correspondence relation.