Conflict-free change deployment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12052136-B2
Application number	US-202217900061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2022
Priority date	Feb 15, 2019
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A new scalable approach to conflict-free deployment of changes across networks. The conflict rules or constraints may be modeled using policies and algorithms to determine an optimized schedule for change deployment.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A device, comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a first group of requests to schedule first network changes for first network functions in a network;
determining a number of the first group of requests is above a threshold resulting in satisfying the threshold;
in response to satisfying the threshold, generating a schedule for the first network changes;
transmitting the schedule to a network device;
receiving a second group of requests to schedule second network changes for second network functions in the network; and
adjusting the first network changes resulting in first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the second network changes impact the first network changes, wherein the generating the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise determining a first number of conflicts based on the first network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first network changes in response to determining that the first number of conflicts being less than a first conflict threshold.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the operations comprise determining a second number of conflicts based on the first network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first network changes in response to determining that the second number of conflicts being greater than a second conflict threshold and the second number of conflicts less than a third conflict threshold.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first network changes in response to determining that a first time period to resolve the second number of conflicts is greater than a first time period threshold.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the operations comprise determining a third number of conflicts based on the first adjusted network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the third number of conflicts being less than a fourth conflict threshold.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the operations comprise determining a fourth number of conflicts based on the first adjusted network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the fourth number of conflicts being greater than a fifth conflict threshold and the fourth number of conflicts less than a sixth conflict threshold.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that a second time period to resolve the fourth number of conflicts is greater than a second time period threshold.

8. A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to effectuate operations comprising:
receiving a first group of requests to schedule first network changes for first network functions in a network;
determining a number of the first group of requests is above a threshold resulting in satisfying the threshold resulting in a first determination;
determining a first number of conflicts based on the first network changes resulting in a second determination;
generating a schedule for the first network changes based on the first determination and the second determination in response to determining that the first number of conflicts being greater than a first conflict threshold and the first number of conflicts less than a second conflict threshold;
transmitting the schedule to a network device;
receiving a second group of requests to schedule second network changes for second network functions in the network; and
adjusting the first network changes resulting in first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the second network changes impact the first network changes, wherein the generating the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes.

9. The non-transitory, computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first network changes in response to determining that a first time period to resolve a second number of conflicts is greater than a first time period threshold.

10. The non-transitory, computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations comprise determining a second number of conflicts based on the first adjusted network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the second number of conflicts being less than a third conflict threshold.

11. The non-transitory, computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations comprise determining a third number of conflicts based on the first adjusted network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that the third number of conflicts being greater than a fourth conflict threshold and the third number of conflicts less than a fifth conflict threshold.

12. The non-transitory, computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the generating of the schedule for the first network changes comprises generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes in response to determining that a time period to resolve the third number of conflicts is greater than a time period threshold.

13. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a first group of requests to schedule first network changes for first network functions in a network;
receiving, by the processing system, a second group of requests to schedule second network changes for second network functions in the network;
determining, by the processing system, that the second network changes impact the first network changes;
adjusting, by the processing system and in response to the determining that the second network changes impact the first network changes, the first network changes resulting in first adjusted network changes;
determining, by the processing system, a number of the first group of requests is above a threshold resulting in satisfying the threshold;
in response to satisfying the threshold, generating, by the processing system, a schedule for the first network changes including generating the schedule for the first adjusted network changes; and
transmitting, by the processing system, the schedule to a network device.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising determining, by the processing system, a first number of conflicts based on the first adjusted network changes, wherein the generating of the schedule for the first adjusted network changes comprises generating, by the processing system, the schedule f

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Mahimkar Ajay
• Sinha Rakesh
• De Andrade Carlos Eduardo
• Zhang Weiyi
• Riding Robert

Classifications

• H04L41/0813 Primary

  characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings · CPC title

• H04N21/26291 Primary

  for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25) · CPC title

• H04L41/0873

  Checking configuration conflicts between network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L41/085

  Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history · CPC title