NFV Service Instantiation Through Remote Descriptor Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanisms in network function virtualization (NFV) systems fail to handle situations where virtualized network function descriptors (VNFDs) are not available at the NFVO entity level, leading to network service instantiation failures.
Innovation Solution
The method modifies network service descriptors to include information for identifying and accessing target entities that can provide or instantiate missing VNFDs, allowing the NFVO entity to retrieve or transmit requests to these entities for object descriptors, thereby enabling network service instantiation even when descriptors are not locally available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the NFVO entity requires network service descriptors to be available locally before instantiation, then the instantiation process is simple and fast, but network service deployment fails when descriptors are not available at the NFVO entity level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a target entity as an intermediary that stores and provides network service descriptors. When the NFVO entity cannot find a descriptor locally, it queries the target entity through a name server, which resolves the descriptor identifier to the target entity's address. This intermediary mechanism enables successful instantiation even when descriptors are not available at the NFVO entity level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to the descriptor availability model by introducing external target entities that can be accessed through name resolution. Instead of requiring descriptors to be physically present at the NFVO entity, the system allows descriptors to be retrieved from external sources via identifier resolution, expanding the availability scope beyond local storage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system allows dynamic resolution of missing descriptors from target entities, then network service deployment flexibility is improved, but the instantiation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-storing network service descriptors at target entities and pre-configuring name server mappings between descriptor identifiers and target entity addresses. This preparation allows the NFVO entity to simply query and retrieve descriptors when needed, without having to handle complex descriptor acquisition logic during the instantiation process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The name server acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of identifier resolution and target entity location. By abstracting this complexity away from the NFVO entity through the name server's mediation, the instantiation process remains relatively simple while still supporting flexible descriptor acquisition from external sources.
3Reliability
If multiple target entities can provide the same descriptor, then system redundancy and load distribution are improved, but the selection process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows multiple target entities to store copies of the same network service descriptor, creating redundancy in the system. When the NFVO entity needs a descriptor, it can query multiple target entities and select from available copies. This excessive duplication of descriptors across multiple entities provides redundancy and enables load distribution without requiring complex selection logic, as any available descriptor can be used for instantiation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and device for processing a network service instantiation request (E20) received by an orchestration entity (NFVOp) using a virtualized network function service. A descriptor (NSD-X) of the network service comprises at least one reference to an object to be deployed in order to instantiate the network service. When the descriptor of the object is not available (E30) at the orchestration entity (NFVOp), the orchestration entity obtains (E31) information from the network service descriptor (NSD-X) that can be used to identify at least one target entity configured to instantiate the object on instruction from the orchestration entity or to transmit the descriptor of the object to the orchestration entity, and transmits (E33), to one of said at least one target entities, a request to instantiate the object or a request to recover a file comprising the descriptor of the object.