Communication Network Maintenance Scheduling for Dependency Impacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Performing maintenance actions in communication networks without considering interdependencies between components can lead to network disruptions and instability, making it challenging to maintain network functionality, security, and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An intent-driven management approach is implemented, using a Maintenance Agent to determine maintenance actions, predict impacts on other network entities, and schedule operations to minimize disruptions, leveraging machine learning and predefined templates for network maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If maintenance actions are performed on network entities without considering interdependencies, then maintenance productivity is improved, but network stability deteriorates due to disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary impact analysis before executing maintenance actions. The impact determination module assesses potential effects on dependent network entities beforehand, and the scheduler delays or adjusts maintenance actions based on this analysis, preventing disruptions while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance execution is made dynamic through the scheduler which adjusts the timing and ordering of maintenance actions based on real-time network state and interdependency relationships. The system can dynamically reschedule maintenance actions to avoid conflicts with other network operations
2Reliability
If maintenance actions are coordinated to consider all interdependencies, then network stability is improved, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the maintenance coordination process into distinct functional modules: impact determination module, scheduler, and execution module. Each module handles a specific aspect of complexity independently, making the overall system more manageable while maintaining comprehensive coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The scheduler acts as an intermediary between the maintenance action definitions and the network entities. It translates high-level maintenance goals into coordinated execution plans, managing the complexity of interdependencies without requiring manual intervention in each detail
3Ease of operation
If manual configuration of individual devices is used, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming manual processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service maintenance through automated impact analysis and scheduling. The impact determination module automatically assesses dependencies, and the scheduler automatically coordinates maintenance actions without requiring manual configuration of each device, thereby maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where the impact analysis results feed back into the scheduling decisions. This continuous feedback mechanism allows the system to learn from previous maintenance actions and optimize future scheduling, improving both ease of operation and productivity
Data Source
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AI summary
According to various embodiment, a method for performing maintenance of a communication network is described comprising receiving a specification of one or more maintenance goals for one or more network entities of the communication network, determining a set of maintenance actions to achieve the one or more maintenance goals, determining at least one impact of the set of maintenance actions on one or more further network entities if they are applied to the one or more network entities, determining one or more further maintenance actions which prevent negative impact of the set of maintenance actions on the one or more further network entities, determining a maintenance action schedule for at least a subset of the maintenance actions and the determined one or more further maintenance actions and carrying out the maintenance actions of the subset of the maintenance actions and the determined one or more further maintenance actions according to the maintenance action schedule.