Network Functions Delivery System for Mobile VNF Procurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VNF procurement processes are time-consuming and complex, involving multiple technical and commercial steps, and are hindered by vendor-specific technical and commercial terms, making it difficult for mobile network operators to provide new service offerings, maintain or upgrade existing services, and maximize operating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A network functions delivery system that provides a centralized repository of VNFs from multiple vendors, allowing customers to select and deploy VNFs across diverse cloud platforms, with automated deployment and monitoring, and includes a cloud verifier entity to streamline the deployment process and improve resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If VNF procurement follows conventional processes with multiple technical and commercial steps, then vendor-specific terms can be negotiated, but the process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary platform that acts as a mediator between network operators and VNF vendors. This platform standardizes the procurement process by providing a common technical and commercial framework, eliminating the need for lengthy vendor-specific negotiations while still allowing operators to select from multiple vendors. The intermediary absorbs the complexity of vendor-specific terms and presents a unified interface to operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the procurement process by shifting from custom-negotiated terms to standardized parameters defined by the platform. Key parameters such as technical requirements, service level agreements, and commercial terms are pre-defined and can be selected rather than negotiated, dramatically reducing procurement time while maintaining adaptability through parameter selection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual VNF deployment methods are used, then flexibility in customization is maintained, but deployment time increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the deployment system automatically performs configuration, provisioning, and instantiation of VNFs based on standardized parameters selected by the operator. The system serves itself by automatically handling deployment tasks without requiring manual intervention, thereby increasing deployment speed while maintaining customization through automated parameter application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring deployment templates, resource allocations, and configuration scripts before the actual deployment process. All customization parameters are prepared in advance as standardized templates, allowing the deployment to execute automatically without manual customization steps, thus improving both speed and reliability.
3Extent of automation
If standardized VNF packaging is implemented, then deployment automation is improved, but vendor-specific optimizations are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the VNF packaging into standardized external interfaces and implementation-specific internal components. The standardized packaging format defines uniform external behavior, resource requirements, and deployment interfaces to enable automation, while allowing vendors to optimize internal implementation details within the standardized framework. This segmentation allows both automation and vendor-specific optimizations to coexist.
Data Source
AI summary
A network functions delivery system provides customers representing mobile network and enterprise operators with an online repository for virtualized network functions (VNFs) that are available from multiple VNF vendors and operable across infrastructure underlying the customer's mobile network including diverse private, public, and hybrid cloud platforms. The network functions delivery system provides a user interface exposing a catalog of VNFs offering differentiated performance across a range of categories of access network functions and core network functions from which the customer can compare VNF features and capabilities, associated technical requirements, and applicable commercial terms.