VNF Deployment via Logical Management Unit Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of virtual network functions (VNFs) in NFV systems results in a large number of Virtual Network Function Descriptors (VNFDs), leading to high maintenance and management costs, and poses challenges in ensuring service continuity when equipment rooms are faulty.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for deploying VNFs that map management units to logical management units based on input adaptation information, suppressing fault domain differences and deploying VNFs on multiple logical management units, thereby improving data and network reliability, reducing the number of VNFDs, and enhancing software version adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If VNFs are deployed on multiple management units to improve reliability, then data reliability and network reliability are improved, but the number of VNFDs increases leading to higher maintenance and management costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the management unit into a logical management unit through mapping relationships. Multiple physical management units are abstracted into a unified logical management unit, allowing VNFs to be deployed across multiple physical units while being managed as a single logical entity, thus reducing the number of VNFDs needed while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The logical management unit serves multiple functions by representing multiple physical management units simultaneously. This universal abstraction allows a single VNFD to describe deployment across multiple physical units, reducing the total number of VNFDs required while enabling reliable multi-unit deployment
2Reliability
If VNFs are deployed on multiple management units to ensure service continuity, then network reliability is improved, but maintenance and management costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex multi-unit management into a unified logical management unit through mapping relationships. This segmentation allows administrators to manage multiple physical units through a single logical interface, reducing maintenance and management costs while maintaining the reliability benefits of multi-unit deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The logical management unit acts as an intermediary between physical management units and VNF deployments. This intermediary abstraction layer simplifies operations by providing a unified view and management interface, reducing the complexity and cost of managing multiple physical units while ensuring service continuity
3Adaptability or versatility
If fault domain differences are suppressed by mapping to logical management units, then VNF deployment flexibility is improved, but the mapping complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The logical management unit serves as a universal abstraction that can represent multiple different physical management units with different fault domain characteristics. This multi-functional abstraction provides deployment flexibility across diverse infrastructure while managing complexity through a single standardized interface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of management unit representation from physical-specific attributes to unified logical attributes through mapping relationships. This parameter transformation enables flexible deployment across different fault domains while standardizing the management interface, thus managing complexity through parameter abstraction
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual network function (VNF) deployment method and apparatus is provided. The method comprises: obtaining a virtual network function descriptor (VNFD), where the VNFD includes input parameter information, input adaptation information, and VNF descriptor information; the input parameter information includes N pieces of management unit information, each piece of management unit information is used to describe an attribute of a management unit; the input adaptation information is used to indicate a mapping relationship between the management unit and a logical management unit; mapping management units corresponding to the N management unit identifiers to the N logical management units based on the input adaptation information; and creating the VNF on the N logical management units based on the VNF descriptor information. The embodiments of this application are applicable to VNF deployment process.