Network Software Update Management via Block Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale networks used by common carriers or data centers face reliability issues during software updates, as conventional methods reduce the number of available backup devices, leading to inefficiencies and lack of automation in updating network devices.
Innovation Solution
A software update management apparatus that divides the network into blocks, manages active and standby devices, and performs updates in parallel, ensuring minimal disruption by transferring traffic and updating devices based on their status, thereby optimizing the update process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If software update is performed by switching network devices between active and standby configurations, then software update can be performed on individual devices, but the number of available backup devices is reduced during update, worsening network reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The network is divided into multiple blocks, each containing active and standby devices. Software updates are performed by switching between active and standby devices within each block, allowing parallel updates across multiple blocks while maintaining sufficient backup devices in each block to preserve network reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The problem is solved by adding a spatial dimension through block division. Instead of updating devices sequentially in a single dimension, the system updates devices across multiple spatial blocks simultaneously, increasing update efficiency while maintaining reliability within each block through active-standby redundancy.
2Productivity
If manual scheduling is used for parallel software update operations, then some parallelization is achieved, but the scheduling process becomes complex and reliability is not sufficiently guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The control device automatically generates update schedules based on block configurations and device statuses, eliminating the need for manual scheduling. The system self-manages the complex coordination of parallel updates across multiple blocks, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high update efficiency and reliability.
3Reliability
If software updates are performed on all network devices, then comprehensive system updates are achieved, but the time required for updates is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
Software updates are performed periodically across different blocks in a structured sequence. The control device divides the network into blocks and schedules updates for each block at different time periods, enabling comprehensive update coverage across all devices while reducing the overall update duration through parallel periodic operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A software update management apparatus includes a storage unit adapted to divide a network into one or more blocks and store block management information indicating whether each of network devices belonging to each of the resulting blocks is an active device or a standby device; an update instruction receiving unit adapted to receive software update instructions; a software update information generating unit adapted to generate software update information; a software updating unit adapted to perform software update processes after transferring traffic to standby devices in same blocks as respective active devices when it is determined that the network devices are active devices according to the software update information and thereby perform the software update processes for active devices or standby devices in different blocks in parallel.