Automated Traffic Migration Between Processing Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional migration technologies in communications networks require manual intervention and can cause partial or complete resource outages during the migration of live traffic and resources, limiting their effectiveness and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that enable automated migration of live traffic and resources between processing units in a communications network, allowing for seamless and transparent transfer of user plane, control plane, and location-dependent resources without dependency on underlying hardware or cloud/platform infrastructure, enabling full or partial migration for planned upgrades or load balancing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If conventional migration technologies (Iu-Flex, PSTN gateways, flash cutover, RNC rehoming) are used to migrate traffic and resources, then migration can be achieved, but manual intervention is required and partial or complete resource outages occur during migration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of migrationVSAvoidservice continuity during migration

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of resource utilization and projected traffic before migration to determine optimal migration timing and targets. This advance preparation enables automated decision-making without manual intervention while maintaining service continuity through careful planning of migration sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors resource utilization metrics and traffic patterns, using this feedback to dynamically adjust migration decisions. This closed-loop control enables automated migration while maintaining service reliability by responding to real-time system conditions and preventing migration during critical periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If flash cutover migration is used to move traffic quickly between processing units, then migration speed is improved, but service disruption occurs during the cutover period

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration speedVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic migration that adapts to real-time conditions, allowing migration to proceed at optimal speeds while maintaining service continuity. The migration process can be accelerated or decelerated based on traffic patterns and system state, achieving fast migration without fixed service disruption periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs periodic evaluation of migration conditions and executes migration in controlled phases rather than single abrupt cutover events. This periodic approach maintains service continuity while achieving overall fast migration through multiple rapid succession phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of time

If manual intervention is used in conventional migration processes, then control over migration is maintained, but migration time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration timeVSAvoidmigration process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service migration by automatically evaluating its own resource utilization, selecting migration targets, and executing migration without external intervention. This self-managed approach reduces migration time and simplifies the process by eliminating manual coordination while maintaining control through automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters dynamically during migration, adjusting migration rate, resource allocation, and traffic routing based on real-time conditions. This parameter-based control automates the migration process while maintaining flexibility, reducing both time and complexity compared to fixed manual procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10932145B1Systems and methods for in-service traffic and/or resource migration between processing units in a communications network

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed that provide in-service traffic and/or resource migration between processing units in a communications network. An example method includes one or more processing units communicating with at least one processing unit of a plurality of processing units, where the communicating corresponds to a plurality of resources and resource requirements of the plurality of processing units. The one or more processing units evaluate resource utilization and projected traffic of a subset of the plurality of processing units. The one or more processing units determine, based on the resource requirements, to migrate one or more selected interdependent resources for a service from one or more processing units to one or more receiving processing units of the plurality of processing units. The one or more processing units instruct the one or more selected interdependent resources to perform payload processing corresponding to one or more receiving processing units of the plurality of processing units, where the payload processing causes the one or more migrated resources to provide the service to the one or more receiving processing units.