Shared Database for Virtual Network Function Status Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network operators face challenges in managing communication statuses when network functions of dedicated appliances are executed virtually by software, as dynamic startup and shutdown of virtual machines complicate continuous management.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that uses a shared database to manage communication status information, allowing virtual network functions to refer to and store status information independently of their activation or migration, ensuring consistent status management across virtual machine changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual machines are used to execute network functions, then cost is reduced and flexibility is improved, but continuous management of communication status becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a management apparatus as an intermediary between virtual machines and communication status information. This management apparatus maintains communication status information independently of virtual machine lifecycle operations, allowing virtual machines to be started, stopped, or migrated without losing communication status data. The management apparatus acts as a mediator that decouples the virtual machine execution environment from the communication status management, resolving the contradiction between virtual machine flexibility and continuous status management reliability.
2Reliability
If dedicated appliances are used for network functions, then communication status management is reliable, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the communication status management function from the virtual machines themselves and places it in a separate management apparatus. This separation allows virtual machines to focus on executing network functions while the management apparatus handles communication status information independently. By taking out the management function from the executing entities, the system achieves reliable communication status management without requiring complex dedicated appliances for each network function, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If virtual machines are dynamically started and stopped, then resource utilization is improved, but communication status continuity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into two independent parts: virtual machines that execute network functions and can be dynamically started/stopped, and a management apparatus that maintains communication status information independently. This segmentation allows virtual machines to be dynamically managed for optimal resource utilization while the management apparatus ensures communication status continuity by preserving status information across virtual machine lifecycle changes. The segmentation decouples the transient nature of virtual machines from the persistent nature of communication status requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
When the functions of dedicated appliances are executed by using virtualization technology, the dynamic activation, deactivation, and the like of a virtual machine makes it difficult to continuously manage communication status. An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first means capable of providing a network function that executes communication processing; a second means capable of forwarding a received packet to a network function associated with a communication path to which the received packet belongs, among a plurality of network functions; and a third means capable of connecting a shared database with each of the plurality of virtual network functions, wherein the shared database stores communication status related to the communication path corresponding to each of the plurality of virtual network functions.