Automated Network Service Design Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing variety of virtual network functions (VNFs) offered by service providers makes it difficult to design network services that meet customer needs in terms of cost, performance, and efficiency, as existing methods lack an efficient platform to analyze and combine VNFs effectively.
Innovation Solution
A design platform that receives design parameters and attribute information about VNFs to generate a network service design using combinatorial optimization techniques, such as local search, branch and bound, and mixed integer linear programming, to identify optimal configurations of VNFs that meet specific requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual methods are used to design network services with multiple VNFs, then flexibility in service configuration is maintained, but the complexity of analyzing and combining VNFs increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated design platform as an intermediary system that receives service requirements and VNF attribute information, then automatically generates optimized network service designs. This intermediary handles the complex analysis and combination of VNFs, relieving the burden from manual design processes while maintaining service configuration flexibility through parameterized inputs and outputs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis and combination methods with automated computational algorithms. The system uses computer-implemented processes to automatically analyze VNF attributes, evaluate design options, and generate optimized service configurations, substituting human manual work with automated mechanical/computational systems that handle complexity more efficiently.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional design methods are used without automated optimization, then design process simplicity is maintained, but resource consumption and over-design occur
Solution Approach 1:
The automated design platform performs self-service by automatically analyzing service requirements, evaluating VNF combinations, and generating optimized designs without requiring extensive manual intervention. The system serves itself by using algorithms to autonomously make design decisions, thereby maintaining process simplicity from the user perspective while achieving resource optimization through automated analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes resource consumption by dynamically adjusting design parameters based on service requirements and VNF attributes. It changes parameters such as VNF selection, configuration settings, and resource allocation to achieve optimal designs that minimize resource usage while meeting service level requirements, avoiding over-design through parameter optimization.
3Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive VNF attribute analysis is performed to ensure optimal service design, then design quality improves, but the time and computational resources required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and storing VNF attribute information in a structured format before actual service design is needed. This preliminary organization of data enables faster querying and analysis during the design phase, allowing comprehensive attribute analysis to be conducted efficiently without excessive time consumption during the actual design generation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual analysis with automated computational algorithms that can process VNF attributes rapidly. The mechanical/computational system performs comprehensive analysis much faster than human analysts, achieving high design quality through thorough attribute evaluation while minimizing time loss through algorithmic efficiency and automated processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive a set of design parameters for a network service. The set of design parameters may include information that identifies one or more network functions associated with the network service. The device may determine attribute information associated with a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs). A VNF, of the plurality of VNFs, may be configurable to perform at least one network function of the one or more network functions. The device may generate a network service design, associated with providing the network service, based on the set of design parameters and the attribute information. The network service design may include information identifying one or more VNFs, of the plurality of VNFs, that are capable of providing the network service in accordance with the set of design parameters. The device may provide information associated with the network service design.