PON Execution Instance Recovery via Partial Service Flow Creation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing approaches for recovering or restarting execution instances in CCAP and PON networks are hindered by the time required to create downstream Service Flow classifiers and Access Control Lists, leading to potential service outages for thousands of subscribers.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves gradually or partially creating classifiers and Service Flows after the packet processing application has started, allowing for immediate servicing of cable modems or optical network units using a default service flow, while continuing to build out additional service flows over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If downstream Service Flow classifiers and Access Control Lists are created before allowing service, then service quality is ensured, but execution instance recovery time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service flow creation process into multiple phases: a critical subset of Service Flows and Access Control Lists is created first to enable immediate service, while the remaining configurations are created subsequently. This segmentation allows the system to balance between quick recovery and complete service quality assurance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-creating the most critical Service Flow classifiers and Access Control Lists before the execution instance is fully recovered and before allowing service traffic. This ensures that essential service pathways are ready in advance, reducing overall recovery time while maintaining service quality.
2Loss of time
If execution instance recovers quickly with minimal configuration, then recovery time is reduced, but service quality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by creating only the essential subset of Service Flow classifiers and Access Control Lists needed for basic service functionality, rather than waiting for complete configuration. This partial configuration enables faster recovery while sufficient service quality is maintained, with remaining configurations added afterward.
3Reliability
If redundant hardware entities are used for high availability, then service reliability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action to pre-create critical Service Flow classifiers and Access Control Lists on standby execution instances before failover is needed. This ensures that when a failover occurs, the standby instance can immediately provide service with essential configurations already in place, reducing the need for complex real-time configuration mechanisms during failover.
Data Source
AI summary
Recovering or restarting an execution instance. In response to detecting that a particular execution instance in which a software application, such as an optical line terminal (OLT) software application or a broadband network gateway (BNG) software application, providing services for a Passive Optical Network (PON) has failed, restarting the execution instance having only downstream service flow classifiers and entries of an access control list for the particular execution instance to support default service flows and/or voice calls. After restarting the execution instance, the configuration of the instance is adjusted over time to add one or more downstream service flow classifiers or access control list entries such that the instance can provide additional services, beyond the initially supported default service flows and voice calls, to optical network units. Required time to register optical network units with the execution instance is advantageously reduced while maintaining quality of service.