Unified NFV Resource Determination for VNF Allocation Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In NFV MANO systems, there is a difficulty in ensuring accuracy for allocating VNF resources and VNF VL resources due to separate processes for VNF resource grant and allocation, and VNF VL resource grant and allocation.

Innovation Solution

A unified resource determination method and device that determines resources required for the lifecycle operation of network services, including VNFs and VNF VL resources, and obtains corresponding grant information, thereby improving resource allocation accuracy by integrating the resource grant and allocation processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If separate processes are used for VNF resource grant and allocation, and VNF VL resource grant and allocation, then the complexity of the management system is reduced, but the accuracy of resource allocation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanagement system complexityVSAvoidresource allocation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the separate VNF resource grant and allocation processes with the VNF VL resource grant and allocation processes into a unified resource determination process. The NFVO determines both VNF resources and VNF VL resources together in one coordinated operation, ensuring that resource requirements are accurately assessed before VL connections are created, thereby improving allocation accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through integrated automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary determination of resource requirements before VNF instantiation and VL connection creation. The NFVO determines the resources required by performing lifecycle operations on VNFs in advance, obtaining grant information beforehand, which enables accurate planning and selection of VL connection locations before actual resource allocation occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If VNF resource grant and allocation is performed separately from VNF VL resource grant and allocation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of resource allocation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidresource allocation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate operational processes into a unified resource determination and grant process. The NFVO simultaneously determines VNF resources and VNF VL resources, obtaining grant information for both in one coordinated operation. This unified approach ensures that resource allocation decisions are made with complete information about both compute resources and network link resources, improving reliability while maintaining operational simplicity through automated integrated management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the NFVO determines resource requirements, obtains grant information, and uses this information to guide subsequent allocation decisions. The grant information serves as feedback that informs the resource allocation process, ensuring that allocations are made based on confirmed available resources, thereby improving reliability of the allocation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3550775B1Resource determination method and device
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 ZTE CORP
  • EP3550775B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3550775B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3550775B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Provided are a resource determination method and device, and a network function virtualization orchestrator, NFVO. The method includes: receiving a lifecycle operation for a network service, NS; determining unifiedly resources required by performing the lifecycle operation for the NS, where the resources include resources of a plurality of virtualized network functions, VNFs, and a VNF virtual link, VL, resource; and obtaining unifiedly grant information of the determined resources at least according to the determined resources. Through the technical solution, the problem of having difficulty of ensuring an accuracy for allocating VNF resources and VNF VL resources due to performing a VNF resource grant and allocation process and a VNF VL resource grant and allocation process separately is solved.