Network Management System for Utility-Constrained Edge Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The finite nature of utilities such as power and space at network facilities limits the deployment and operation of network equipment, particularly for high-power consuming and heat-generating devices like multi-access edge compute (MEC) servers, which requires efficient management to optimize resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
A utilities-based network management system that obtains and analyzes data from sensors, including imaging devices, to determine the utilization of utilities at network facilities, enabling optimized deployment and operation of network equipment by adjusting power, cooling, and space usage based on real-time and predictive analytics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If network equipment that consumes large amounts of power is deployed at network facilities, then network service capacity and performance are improved, but utility consumption (power, cooling, space) increases and exceeds available resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of utility availability (power, cooling, space) at network facilities before deploying network equipment. By evaluating utility metrics in advance and predicting future utility consumption, the system prevents over-provisioning and ensures that equipment deployment does not exceed available resources, thus resolving the contradiction between improving service capacity and controlling power consumption.
2Productivity
If more network equipment is deployed to increase service capacity, then network performance improves, but the finite utilities (power, cooling, space) at network facilities are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors utility consumption metrics (power usage, cooling requirements, space utilization) at network facilities and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust equipment deployment decisions. By comparing real-time utility availability against predicted consumption, the system optimizes equipment placement to maximize service capacity while staying within utility resource constraints, resolving the contradiction between increasing capacity and preserving resource quantity.
3Power
If network equipment generating significant heat is deployed, then processing capability increases, but cooling requirements exceed available cooling capacity at the facility
Solution Approach 1:
Before deploying high-power processing equipment, the system performs preliminary evaluation of the facility's cooling capacity and thermal environment. By predicting the heat generation of proposed equipment and comparing it against available cooling resources, the system prevents thermal overload and ensures that processing capability increases do not compromise temperature control, thus resolving the contradiction between improving power capability and managing heat generation.
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative network management system obtains sensor data from one or more sensors at a network facility at which network equipment of a communication network is deployed. The sensor data includes image data representing imagery of the network facility. The system determines a utilization of a utility at the network facility based on the sensor data and performs, based on the utilization, a management operation for the communication network. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.