Policy Combining via Purpose Ranking for Network Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network management systems face challenges in efficiently combining policies from different originators with divergent purposes in mobile networking environments, leading to inconsistent policy enforcement across heterogeneous networks.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a ranked or ordered list of policy purposes to combine policies from different originators, enabling consistent policy enforcement across multiple access networks by exchanging policy information and using a combining algorithm to generate a unified policy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If policies from different originators are combined without considering policy purposes, then policy combination can be performed, but inconsistent policy enforcement occurs across heterogeneous networks
Solution Approach 1:
A policy combining function acts as an intermediary between policy originators and policy enforcement points. This mediator receives policies from multiple originators, combines them according to a ranked list of policy purposes, and generates a unified combined policy that ensures consistent enforcement across heterogeneous networks while managing the complexity of coordinating multiple policy sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a ranked list of policy purposes as a new parameter that transforms how policies are combined. By assigning priorities to different policy purposes (e.g., cost, performance, resiliency), the system changes the combination process from a simple aggregation to a priority-based synthesis, ensuring consistent enforcement while managing complexity through structured parameterization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple policies from different originators are enforced, then comprehensive network management is achieved, but policy conflicts and inconsistent enforcement occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy combination process into distinct components: policy purposes are divided into ranked categories (cost, performance, resiliency, etc.), and policies are segmented according to which purpose they serve. This segmentation allows comprehensive network management through multiple policies while ensuring consistent enforcement by systematically resolving conflicts through the ranked priority structure.
3Productivity
If policies are combined without a structured approach, then policy combination is simple, but network resource optimization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ranked list of policy purposes as a structured parameter system that enables efficient network resource optimization. By categorizing policies according to priorities (cost, performance, resiliency, etc.), the system achieves comprehensive resource optimization without excessive complexity, as the structured parameterization provides a clear framework for systematic policy synthesis and enforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described to provide for the ability to combine policies in a manner that utilized policy purposes to generate a combined policy. In one example, a method includes obtaining, at a network entity of a network, a plurality of policies, wherein each policy is associated with a policy purpose defined by a policy originator; combining the plurality of policies by the network entity to generate a combined policy, wherein the combining is performed based on a ranking of policy purposes; and enforcing the combined policy at one or more policy enforcement entities of the network for one or more packet flows communicated between a client and the network.