Load Balancing in a Distributed Network Management Architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016277488-A1
Application number	US-201315029004-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2013
Priority date	Oct 23, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of distributing network management processing load across a plurality of network management processing elements is disclosed. Each network management processing element is a member of a cluster, one member being a head of the cluster updating the cluster state, and members of the cluster following the cluster state. The method comprises the cluster head monitoring the network management processing load across the members of Monitor network management processing the cluster. The method further comprises, upon detecting load across cluster members that the cluster load is unbalanced, the cluster head updating the cluster state to initiate automatic rebalancing of the network management processing load across at least a subset of the plurality of members of the cluster, once tasks being processed by the subset of the plurality of members have been completed. Also disclosed are a method of distributing the processing for controlling a communication network, and a network management processing element.

First claim

1 - 24 . (canceled)

25 . A method of distributing network management processing load across a plurality of network management processing elements, each network management processing element being a member of a cluster having a plurality of members, one member being a cluster head updating the cluster state, wherein members of the cluster follow the cluster state, the method comprising:
the cluster head monitoring the network management processing load across the members of the cluster; and in response to detecting that the cluster load is unbalanced, the cluster head updating the cluster state to initiate automatic rebalancing of the network management processing load across at least a subset of the members of the cluster once tasks being processed by the subset have been completed.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the rebalancing the network management processing load comprises:
suspending operation of each member of the subset upon completion of processing of current tasks; automatically rebalancing the network management processing load upon suspension of all members of the subset.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the automatically rebalancing the network management processing load comprises:
adding network management processing elements to the subset from a pool of started members of the cluster; or removing network management processing elements from the subset to the pool of started members of the cluster.

28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the automatically rebalancing the network management processing load comprises at least one member of the subset running a load balancing algorithm to set the network management processing load handled by the network management processing element according to processing load data shared between cluster members.

29 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
detecting that the cluster state has changed from a first state to a second state; changing the state of members of the cluster from the first state to the second state once tasks being processed have been completed.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the changing the state of cluster members comprises:
suspending operation of members upon completion of processing of current tasks; changing the state of members of the cluster from the first state to the second state.

31 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:
checking the cluster state on occurrence of a trigger event; wherein a trigger event comprises at least one of expiry of a time period or a network event.

32 . A network management processing element for operating as cluster head of a cluster comprising a plurality of network management processing elements, the network management processing element comprising:
a processor; memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the processor is configured to function as:
a monitor configured to monitor the network management processing load across the members of the cluster; and
a cluster state manager configured to update the cluster state in response to detecting that the monitored network processing load is unbalanced.

33 . A network management processing element for operating as a member of a cluster comprising a plurality of network management processing elements, one member of the cluster being a cluster head configured to update the cluster state; the network management processing element comprising:
a processor; memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network management processing element is operative to:
detect updating of the cluster state; and
rebalance the network management processing load handled by the network management processing element with reference to at least a subset of the members of the cluster once tasks being processed by the subset have been completed.

34 . The network management processing element of claim 33 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to suspend operation of the element.

35 . The network management processing element of claim 33 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to:
detect that the cluster state has changed from a first state to a second state; and change the state of the network management processing element from the first state to the second state once tasks being processed have been completed.

36 . The network management processing element of claim 33 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to run a load balancing algorithm to set the network management processing load handled by the network management processing element according to processing load data shared between cluster members.

37 . The network management processing element of claim 33 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to check the cluster state on occurrence of a trigger event, wherein a trigger event comprises at least one of expiry of a time period or a network event.

38 . The network management processing element of claim 33 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to:
monitor the network management processing load across the members of the cluster; and update the cluster state in response to detecting that the monitored network processing load is unbalanced.

39 . The network management processing element of claim 38 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are such that the network management processing element is further operative to determine if the network management processing element is to operate as the cluster head.

Assignees

• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Fallon Liam
• Achuthan Sajeevan

Classifications

• H04L67/1012 Primary

  based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources · CPC title

• H04L43/0817

  by checking functioning · CPC title

• G06F9/5083

  Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system · CPC title

• H04L67/1031

  Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests · CPC title

• H04L41/042 Primary

  comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network · CPC title