Telecom Network Reconfiguration Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reconfiguring telecommunications networks is a slow, resource-intensive, and poorly scalable process due to the need for manual user input and the complexity of ensuring that reconfigurations do not cause detrimental effects, such as unplanned network downtime.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a network orchestrator, network nodes, and a network ledger to automate the reconfiguration process by generating instructions, retrieving status information, recording data in the ledger, and communicating instructions to nodes for implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual user input is used to plan, verify and implement reconfigurations, then reconfigurations can be carefully assessed to avoid detrimental effects, but the process becomes slow and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through automated reconfiguration execution. The network orchestrator automatically implements reconfigurations without requiring manual user input for each step, while the automated verification system ensures safety by checking reconfiguration effects before and after implementation, thus maintaining reliability while improving speed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with automated computer-based systems. The network orchestrator generates and executes reconfiguration instructions automatically, and the verification system automatically assesses reconfiguration effects, substituting human manual processes with automated mechanisms that are both faster and more consistent
2Reliability
If reconfigurations are applied step-wise to limited portions of the network, then detrimental effects are limited, but the overall reconfiguration process becomes slower and less scalable
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments reconfigurations into discrete, verifiable steps that can be applied systematically. Each reconfiguration is broken down into manageable units with defined before and after states, allowing automated verification at each step while enabling efficient progression through the entire network configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The verification system provides feedback by automatically checking reconfiguration effects before and after implementation. This feedback mechanism ensures network stability by detecting any detrimental effects immediately, while the automated nature of feedback collection enables rapid verification across the entire network without manual intervention
3Adaptability or versatility
If rolling back reconfiguration changes requires manual input, then complex non-time-reversible changes can be managed, but the rollback process becomes resource-intensive and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by recording the before-state of reconfigurations in the network ledger. This stored state information enables automated rollback by automatically retrieving and applying the previous state, eliminating the need for manual assessment of complex non-time-reversible changes while maintaining flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The network ledger creates a copy of the network state before reconfiguration. This snapshot allows automated rollback by restoring the copied previous state without requiring manual analysis of the original complex configuration, significantly speeding up the rollback process while preserving adaptability for complex changes
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method (200) of managing a telecommunications network (110), the telecommunication network comprising a network orchestrator (120), a plurality of network nodes (150) and a network ledger (140) for electronically storing data, the method comprising the steps of: the network orchestrator generating an instruction for reconfiguring at least one of the plurality of nodes (210); in response to generating said instruction, requesting and retrieving first status information from the at least one of the plurality of nodes (240); recording the instruction and the first status information to the network ledger (240)); communicating the instruction to the at least one of the plurality of nodes thereby to effect the instructed reconfiguration (230); in response to effecting the instructed reconfiguration, requesting and retrieving second status information from the at least one of the plurality of nodes; and recording said second status information in the network ledger (280).