SDN Controller Automates Optical Fiber Cut-Over Migration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual traffic switching during optical fiber maintenance or site addition in existing network services is labor-intensive and prone to errors, leading to service disruptions and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

An optical fiber cut-over method using an SDN controller that automatically determines a migration route for affected services based on topology resources, allowing for seamless service migration and return, thereby reducing labor costs and ensuring service integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual traffic switching is performed on operation services one by one during optical fiber maintenance or site addition, then the existing network service can be maintained, but labor costs increase and service disruption risk increases due to manual misoperation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice integrityVSAvoidlabor cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic service migration and traffic switching without human intervention. The SDN controller automatically identifies affected services, calculates migration routes, and executes the cut-over process, eliminating manual operations while maintaining service integrity through automated error-free execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations are replaced by an automated software-based SDN controller system. The controller uses electronic topology data and automated algorithms to perform service migration, substituting human operators with an intelligent system that reduces both labor costs and error rates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual traffic switching is performed on operation services one by one during optical fiber maintenance or site addition, then the existing network service can be maintained, but service disruption risk increases due to manual misoperation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice integrityVSAvoidservice disruption risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The SDN controller continuously monitors service status and provides feedback during the migration process. It tracks service migration progress, detects anomalies, and adjusts the cut-over execution accordingly, ensuring service integrity through real-time feedback control that prevents misoperations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The automated system self-manages the entire service migration process without human intervention, eliminating the risk of manual misoperation. The system autonomously identifies services, calculates routes, and executes migration while maintaining service integrity through built-in error prevention mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If automated service migration is performed using SDN controller based on topology resources, then labor costs decrease and service integrity is ensured, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelabor cost reductionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The SDN controller acts as an intermediary between the physical optical network and the management system. It abstracts the complex topology management and service migration logic into a centralized controller, simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling automated operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The SDN controller performs multiple functions including topology management, service identification, route calculation, and cut-over execution within a single unified platform. This multi-functionality consolidates system complexity into one versatile component rather than requiring separate systems for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3796667B1Optical fiber cut-over method and apparatus, and SDN controller, system and storage medium
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 ZTE CORP
  • EP3796667B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3796667B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3796667B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an optical fiber cut-over method and apparatus, and an SDN controller, a system and a storage medium. The method comprises: acquiring an optical fiber cut-over request carrying optical fiber cut-over information of a target optical fiber; determining, according to the optical fiber cut-over request, a topology resource corresponding to the optical fiber cut-over information, and determining, according to the topology resource, a migration route of an associated service corresponding to the target optical fiber; and migrating the associated service according to the migration route.