Virtual network manager system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10880370-B2
Application number	US-201816200778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Nov 27, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A virtual network manager system comprising a server in communication with a node, the server including at least one virtual network function (VNF), a cluster manager in communication with the server, the cluster manager is configured to detect a change in a health of the VNF on the server and when the change in the health of the VNF occurs generate a signal to a node to perform an action, the action including at least one of throttling traffic to the VNF, rerouting traffic to an alternate VNF, changing a weight value for traffic to the VNF, and generating an alert indicating a relative capacity change at the VNF.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A virtual network manager system comprising:
a server in communication with a node, the server including at least one virtual network function (VNF);
a cluster manager in communication with the server; and
an orchestrator in communication with the server, wherein the cluster manager communicates a signal to a node via the orchestrator;
wherein the cluster manager is configured to detect a change in a health of the VNF on the server and when the change in the health of the VNF occurs, generate the signal to a node to perform an action, and
wherein the action comprises at least one of: throttling traffic to the VNF, rerouting traffic to an alternate VNF, changing a weight value for traffic to the VNF, and generating an alert indicating a relative capacity change at the VNF.

2. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 , wherein the server is a peer 3GPP server, and wherein the action includes signaling a rest API to select the alternate VNF.

3. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 , wherein the server is a peer 3GPP server, and wherein the action includes signaling a rest API to limit traffic to the VNF and reroute traffic to the alternate VNF.

4. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 further comprising a first orchestrator residing on a first cloud network associated with the VNF, and a second orchestrator residing on a second cloud network; wherein the cluster manager communicates the signal to the second orchestrator via the first orchestrator.

5. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 wherein the cluster manager includes a memory, a threshold for the health of the VNF is stored in the memory; and wherein the cluster manager sends the signal only when the threshold is crossed.

6. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 , wherein the node includes at least one of an eNB, an MME, a new radio and access and mobility management function, the orchestrator on a second cloud network, and an application server.

7. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 , wherein the cluster manager resides in at least one of the VNF, an orchestrator connected to the VNF and a virtual machine within the VNF.

8. The virtual network manager system of claim 1 further comprising plural virtual machines supporting the VNF, wherein the cluster manager monitors the plural virtual machines to determine the health of the VNF.

9. The virtual network manager system of claim 8 further comprising a load balancer communicating with the plural virtual machines, wherein the cluster manager communicates the signal to the node via the load balancer.

10. A network device comprising a processor, a memory coupled with the processor, and an input/output device, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:
monitoring a health of a VNF supporting a node;
instantiating a cluster manager, wherein the cluster manager monitors the health of the VNF supporting the node and is instantiated in an orchestrator communicating with the VNF and the node;
alerting the node when the health of the VNF indicates a loss of capacity; and
taking an action based on the loss of capacity, the action comprises at least one of throttling traffic to the VNF, rerouting traffic to an alternate VNF, or changing a weight value for traffic to the VNF.

11. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the cluster manager performs the alerting step.

12. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the orchestrator performs the step of alerting.

13. The network device of claim 10 wherein the orchestrator performs the step of taking the action.

14. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the step of instantiating includes instantiating the cluster manager in at least one virtual machine supporting the VNF.

15. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the operations further include comparing the health of the VNF to at least one threshold, and performing the step of taking the action when at least one threshold is crossed.

16. The network device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one threshold includes a first traffic capacity for the VNF of 50%, wherein the action includes rerouting traffic away from the VNF when the health of the VNF drops below the first traffic capacity.

17. The network device of claim 10 further comprising storing a first threshold of 75% capacity for the VNF, a second threshold of 50% capacity and a third threshold of 25% capacity, wherein when the health of the VNF drops below the first threshold, the step of alerting is performed; wherein when the health of the VNF drops below the second threshold, the action includes rerouting a portion of the traffic away from the VNF; and wherein the health of the VNF drops below the third threshold, all traffic the action includes diverting all traffic from the VNF.

18. A method comprising:
monitoring, by one or more processors, a health of a VNF supporting a node;
instantiating, by the one or more processors, a cluster manager, wherein the cluster manager monitors the health of the VNF supporting the node and is instantiated in an orchestrator communicating with the VNF and the node;
alerting, by the one or more processors, the node when the health of the VNF indicates a loss of capacity; and
taking an action, by the one or more processors, based on the loss of capacity, the action comprising at least one of throttling traffic to the VNF, rerouting traffic to an alternate VNF, or changing a weight value for traffic to the VNF.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Seenappa Vikram
• Deccio Henry
• Tirumala Srikanth
• Mhatre Vivek

Classifications

• H04L41/0659

  by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities · CPC title

• H04L43/20

  the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV · CPC title

• H04L41/40

  using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities · CPC title

• H04L43/0817

  by checking functioning · CPC title

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title