VNF Lifecycle Pre-notification for Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The processing efficiency of VNF lifecycle management is low because processing can only start when the VNF enters a new stage, leading to service losses and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Introduce pre-notification and pre-notification responses to allow the VNF to prepare for upcoming lifecycle stages, enabling pre-processing before actual stage entry, thus improving efficiency and avoiding service disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the VNF waits to enter a new lifecycle stage before processing, then the processing is executed in the correct stage sequence, but the processing efficiency is low due to waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by allowing the VNF to receive pre-notifications about upcoming lifecycle stages and execute pre-processing operations before officially entering those stages. This enables the VNF to prepare data, resources, and processing logic in advance, so that when the actual stage transition occurs, the processing can proceed immediately without waiting, thus improving efficiency while maintaining correct stage sequencing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the pre-notification mechanism where the VNFM sends advance notifications to the VNF about upcoming stage transitions. The VNF responds with pre-processing actions, and the system provides feedback through pre-notification response messages. This feedback loop enables the VNF to anticipate stage changes and prepare accordingly, reducing idle waiting time while ensuring processing occurs at the appropriate stages
2Productivity
If the VNF processes immediately upon entering a new lifecycle stage, then processing efficiency is improved, but service losses occur during stage transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action to execute service migration and data preparation operations before the VNF officially enters a new lifecycle stage. By migrating services and preparing data in advance during the pre-processing phase, the system ensures that when the VNF transitions to the new stage and begins processing, services are already migrated and ready, preventing service losses and ensuring continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by performing service migration and resource preparation operations in advance before the actual stage transition occurs. This creates a buffer or cushion that prevents service disruptions during the transition. The pre-processing phase acts as a protective measure, ensuring that all necessary preparations are complete before the VNF enters the new stage, thus preventing service losses while maintaining high processing efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a VNF lifecycle management method and an apparatus, and belongs to the field of network technologies. In this application, the procedure of interaction between a pre-notification and a pre-notification response is introduced to a lifecycle management procedure of a VNF. The pre-notification is sent to the VNF, and the VNF is controlled to enter a target stage of a lifecycle after the pre-notification response from the VNF is received. The VNF may be reminded in advance that the VNF is going to enter the target stage of the lifecycle, so that the VNF can execute a pre-processing procedure in advance based on the pre-notification, thereby improving service processing efficiency. In addition, this avoids a call loss caused by temporarily performing smooth service migration after the VNF enters the target stage of the lifecycle, thereby implementing that services are not affected.