Unified Interface for NFV Tracing and Anomaly Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current testing tools for network function virtualization (NFV) architectures face challenges in efficiently detecting anomalies and identifying root causes across multiple virtual network functions (VNFs) and their sub-functions, due to their complexity and the need for separate interfaces and sequential data viewing.
Innovation Solution
A unified interface and tracing tool that allows concurrent testing and analysis of VNFs and sub-functions, enabling simultaneous packet probing, log tracing, and data capture across multiple components, with a unified query mechanism for processing queries across all functions, thereby improving operational efficiency and root cause identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate interfaces and sequential data viewing are used for each VNF, then detailed analysis of individual functions is possible, but operational efficiency decreases and testing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate testing interfaces into a single unified interface that can simultaneously manage and display data from multiple VNFs. This merging allows operators to view and analyze data from different virtual network functions in one consolidated dashboard, eliminating the need to switch between separate interfaces and significantly improving testing efficiency while maintaining comprehensive anomaly detection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified interface is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle diverse VNF types and sub-functions through a single platform. It provides universal data collection, analysis, and visualization features that work across different network function types, enabling efficient concurrent testing of multiple VNFs without requiring function-specific interfaces.
2Reliability
If multiple separate tools are used to test different VNF components, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unified interface serves as a universal platform that can test and analyze multiple VNF types and sub-functions through standardized mechanisms. It provides comprehensive testing coverage by implementing versatile data collection and analysis capabilities that work across different network function components, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools while maintaining complete testing coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
While providing unified access, the interface internally segments and organizes data from different VNFs and sub-functions in a structured manner. This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage of all components while presenting organized, manageable information to users, reducing the perceived complexity despite the comprehensive nature of the testing capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If sequential data viewing is used for each VNF, then detailed individual analysis is possible, but root cause identification becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The unified interface merges data from multiple VNFs and sub-functions into a single integrated view, allowing operators to simultaneously analyze individual component details while seeing their relationships in context. This combination enables efficient root cause identification by displaying correlated data from affected components together, making it easier to trace anomalies through the network function chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that automatically correlate and cross-reference data across different VNFs when anomalies are detected. By providing real-time feedback about relationships between components and propagating anomaly information across the unified interface, the system accelerates root cause identification while maintaining detailed analysis capabilities for each individual component.
Data Source
AI summary
A system instantiates a unified interface for a telecommunications network including a Network Function Virtualization (NFV) architecture of an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) with multiple Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) that each have multiple component VNFs. The system instantiates a tracing tool configured to evaluate performance of the IMS in response to execution of a test case, which includes a test script to test a computing product and where the performance of the IMS is based on packets captured concurrently from VNFs. The test script causes capture and analysis of parameters extracted from packets of the VNFs. In response to completing the test case, the system reports test results indicating the performance of the IMS relative to pass/fail criteria, where the test results are presented through the unified interface.