CN112104468B

CN112104468B - Management service discovery method and device

Info

Publication number: CN112104468B
Application number: CN201910521531.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李卓明
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-06-17
Filing date: 2019-06-17
Publication date: 2021-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-17
Also published as: WO2020253343A1; CN112104468A

Abstract

The application provides a management service discovery method and device. The method comprises the following steps: the first network element acquires access information of a management service instance from a server according to expected management capability information, the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information, and the expected management capability information comprises at least one of a management action, a type of a management object or a capability attribute; the first network element calls a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, wherein the second network element comprises the management service instance; and the first network element receives creating and deploying information from the second network element, wherein the creating and deploying information comprises a management object instance corresponding to the type of the management object, and the management object instance is used for identifying the network resource managed by the management service instance. The scheme realizes that the created management object instance is returned to the first network element based on the request of the first network element, thereby realizing the operation of creating the management object instance.

Description

Management service discovery method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of mobile communications technologies, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for discovering a management service.

Background

In the prior art, a Management Service Repository (MSRF) network element is introduced to realize discovery of a Management Service instance. All management functions register their own management service instance information, including the interface access address of the management service instance and the network resources it manages, with the MSRF. Since the network resource Managed by the Management service Instance is identified by a Managed Object Instance (MOI), when a Management Function (MF) needs to perform a Management action on a certain network resource, it sends a query request to the MSRF, where the MOI of the Management Function is carried. And the MSRF inquires the stored registration information of the management service instance according to the MOI to obtain an interface access address of the management service instance, and then sends the interface access address to a management function through a response message.

By the method, the Management function can discover the network Management Service instance for managing the network resource identified by the MOI through the MSRF, obtain the interface access address, and then call a Management Service (MnS) to perform Management actions such as modification, deletion, subscription, notification and the like on the network resource.

The above scheme has the following defects: when a certain network resource needs to be created and deployed, if a plurality of management service instances support the creation and deployment of the network resource, because a management object MOI is not yet created, it is not known which management service instance can meet the management requirement of creating and deploying a target network resource using the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a management service discovery method and a management service discovery device, which are used for creating a management object instance according to expected management capability information of a management function.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for discovering a management service, the method comprising: the method comprises the steps that a first network element obtains access information of a management service instance from a server according to expected management capacity information, the management service instance is matched with the expected management capacity information, and the expected management capacity information comprises at least one of management actions, types of management objects or capacity attributes; the first network element calls a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, wherein the second network element comprises the management service instance; and the first network element receives creating and deploying information from the second network element, wherein the creating and deploying information comprises a management object instance corresponding to the type of the management object, and the management object instance is used for identifying the network resource managed by the management service instance. Based on the scheme, the created management object instance is returned to the first network element based on the request (carrying the expected management capability information) of the first network element, so that the operation of creating the management object instance is realized.

In a possible implementation method, the server is a management service repository function network element; more specifically, the management service repository Function network element may be any one or a combination of any more of a Core Function (CF), an Application programming Interface opening Function (AEF), an Application programming Interface Publishing Function (apf), or an Application programming Interface management Function (AMF) in a Common Application Programming Interface Framework (CAPIF); the first network element obtains the access information of the management service instance from the server according to the expected management capability information, and the access information comprises the following steps: the first network element sends a request message to the management service warehouse function network element, wherein the request message comprises the expected management capability information; the first network element receives access information of the management service instance from the management service repository function network element.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; more specifically, the Domain Name server is a Domain Name System (DNS) of the internet, or a function responsible for issuing, storing and supporting service API information discovery in a common application programming interface framework CAPIF may be implemented by the DNS; the first network element obtains the access information of the management service instance from the server according to the expected management capability information, and the access information comprises the following steps: the first network element sends a request message to the domain name server, wherein the request message comprises a query domain name, and the query domain name is constructed according to the expected management capability information; the first network element receives an authoritative domain name recorded by an authoritative name pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server; and the first network element acquires the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR.

In a possible implementation method, the acquiring, by the first network element, the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, includes: the first authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the first network element acquires the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the Authority domain name of the NAPTR record from the domain name server; or, the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is an authoritative domain name of the management service, the first network element acquires the authoritative domain name of the service SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the domain name server, and acquires the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

In a possible implementation method, the first network element is an open control management function network element, and the second network element is a management function network element; or, the first network element is a first management function network element, the second network element is a second management function network element, and the network resource managed by the second management function network element is a component of the network resource managed by the first management function network element.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a method for discovering a management service, the method comprising: the server receives desired management capability information, wherein the desired management capability information comprises at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute; the server acquires access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capability information, and the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information; the server sends access information of the management service instance. Based on the scheme, the created management object instance is returned to the first network element based on the request (carrying the expected management capability information) of the first network element, so that the operation of creating the management object instance is realized.

In a possible implementation method, the server is a management service repository function network element; the server receives desired management capability information, including: the service warehouse function network element receives a request message, wherein the request message comprises the expected management capacity information; the server acquires access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capability information, wherein the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information, and the method comprises the following steps: the service warehouse function network element is configured with a corresponding relation between access information and management capacity information of at least one management service instance, and the service warehouse function network element acquires the access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capacity information and the corresponding relation.

In a possible implementation method, the service repository function network element receives information of a management object instance, where the information of the management object instance includes a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance; and the service warehouse function network element updates the management capability information corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the server receives desired management capability information, including: the domain name server receives a request message, the request message queries a domain name, and the queried domain name is constructed according to the expected management capability information; the server acquires access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capability information, and the access information comprises the following steps: the domain name server acquires an authoritative domain name of NAPTR records corresponding to the query domain name; and the domain name server acquires the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR.

In one possible implementation method, the acquiring, by the domain name server, access information of the management service instance corresponding to an authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, includes: the authority domain name recorded by the NAPTR is the authority domain name of the management service instance, and the domain name server acquires the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authority domain name of the management service instance; or, the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service, the domain name server obtains the authoritative domain name of the SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service, and obtains the access information of the management service instance according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

In a possible implementation method, the domain name server receives information of a management object instance, where the information of the management object instance includes a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance, and the management object instance is a top-level node within a management capability range of the management service instance; and the server updates the NAPTR record corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a method for discovering a management service, the method including: a first network element sends a request message to a domain name server, wherein the request message comprises a query domain name, the query domain name is constructed according to expected management capability information, the expected management capability information comprises at least one of a management service, a management action, a type of a management object or a management object instance, and the management object instance is used for identifying network resources managed by the management service instance; the first network element receives an authoritative domain name recorded by a name authority pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server; the first network element acquires the access information of the management service instance from the server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR; and the first network element calls the management service to a second network element providing the management service according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information. Based on the above solution, when a consumer (e.g. a first network element) wants to inquire about providing a management service instance of a certain type, the management service can be invoked through NAPTR record inquiry according to the expected management capability information (including the management object instance).

In one possible implementation, the management object is a top node within a management capability range of the management service instance.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a method for discovering a management service, the method comprising: the first network element determines information object classes corresponding to tenants according to the identification of the tenants, wherein one information object class is used for identifying a creatable network resource type; the first network element acquires information of the available creation class management service corresponding to the information object class from a server according to the information object class corresponding to the tenant, wherein the information of the creation class management service comprises at least one of a creation class management service name, a creation class management action or a capability attribute; and the first network element sends a first message to the tenant, wherein the first message comprises an information object class corresponding to the tenant and the available information of creating class management service. Based on the above scheme, the information object class corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available created class management service are provided for the tenant, or the information object class corresponding to the tenant, the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, the information of the available management service and the information of the available created class management service are provided, that is, the information of the management capability range of the tenant is provided.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the first network element obtains, from a server, the providable created class management capability information corresponding to the information object class according to the information object class corresponding to the tenant, and includes: the first network element sends a request message to the domain name server, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting NAPTR record; the first network element receives information of the available creation class management services from the domain name server.

In a possible implementation method, the first network element determines a management object instance corresponding to a tenant according to an identifier of the tenant, where one management object instance is used to identify a network resource that can be managed; the first network element acquires information of available management services corresponding to a management object instance from the server according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, wherein the information of the management services comprises at least one of management services or management actions; and the first network element sends a second message to the tenant, wherein the second message comprises a management object instance corresponding to the tenant and information of the available management service.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the acquiring, by the first network element, information of the management service that can be provided and corresponds to the management object instance from the server according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant includes: the first network element sends a request message to the domain name server, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting to inquire NAPTR records; the first network element receives information of the providable management service from the domain name server.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a device for discovering a management service, where the device may be a first network element and may also be a chip for the first network element. The apparatus has the function of implementing the embodiments of the first aspect described above. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing a service, where the discovery apparatus may be a server or a chip for the server. The apparatus has the function of implementing the embodiments of the second aspect described above. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a device for discovering a management service, where the device may be a first network element and may also be a chip for the first network element. The apparatus has a function of realizing the embodiments of the third aspect described above. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing a service, where the apparatus may be a first network element, and may also be a chip for the first network element. The apparatus has a function of realizing the embodiments of the fourth aspect described above. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing services, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform the method as described in the preceding aspects.

In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing a service, including: comprising means or units for performing the steps of the above-mentioned aspects.

In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing services, comprising a processor and an interface circuit, the processor being configured to communicate with other apparatuses via the interface circuit and to perform the method of the above aspects. The processor includes one or more.

In a twelfth aspect, the present application provides a discovery apparatus for managing services, including a processor, connected to a memory, for calling a program stored in the memory to execute the method of the above aspects. The memory may be located within the device or external to the device. And the processor includes one or more.

In a thirteenth aspect, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause the processor to perform the method of the above-described aspects.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the above aspects.

In a fifteenth aspect, the present application further provides a chip system, comprising: a processor configured to perform the method of the above aspects.

In a sixteenth aspect, the present application further provides a communication system, comprising: a first network element for performing the method of any of the above first aspects and a server for performing the method of any of the above second aspects.

In a seventeenth aspect, the present application further provides a management service discovery method, including:

the method comprises the steps that a first network element sends expected management capacity information to a server, wherein the expected management capacity information comprises at least one of management actions, types of management objects or capacity attributes;

the server receiving the desired management capability information;

the server acquires access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capacity information, wherein the management service instance is matched with the expected management capacity information;

the server sends the access information of the management service instance to the first network element;

the first network element calls a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, wherein the second network element comprises the management service instance;

and the first network element receives creating and deploying information from the second network element, wherein the creating and deploying information comprises a management object instance corresponding to the type of the management object, and the management object instance is used for identifying the network resource managed by the management service instance.

In an eighteenth aspect, the present application further provides a system for discovering management services, including:

a first network element to: acquiring access information of a management service instance from a server according to expected management capability information, wherein the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information, and the expected management capability information comprises at least one of management actions, types of management objects or capability attributes; calling a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, wherein the second network element comprises the management service instance; receiving creating and deploying information from the second network element, wherein the creating and deploying information comprises a management object instance corresponding to the type of the management object, and the management object instance is used for identifying the network resource managed by the management service instance;

a server for receiving the desired management capability information from the first network element; acquiring access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capability information; and sending the access information of the management service instance to the first network element.

Drawings

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture based on a service-oriented architecture;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a management plane services architecture;

FIG. 3 is a management open control architecture and application scenario;

FIG. 4 is another schematic diagram of a management plane services architecture;

fig. 5 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a discovery method for a management service provided in the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a network structure provided in the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a top level node MOI and top level node identifier within a management scope of a management service instance;

fig. 12 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a discovery method for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic diagram of a device for discovering a management service provided in the present application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a discovery apparatus for another management service provided in the present application;

fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a discovery apparatus for another management service provided in the present application.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clear, the present application will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particular methods of operation in the method embodiments may also be applied to apparatus embodiments or system embodiments. Wherein, in the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

Fig. 1A is a schematic diagram of the 5th-generation (5G) network architecture based on the service-oriented architecture. The 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1A may include three parts, which are a terminal device part, a Data Network (DN) and an operator network part. The functions of some of the network elements will be briefly described below.

Wherein the operator network may comprise one or more of the following network elements: a network open function (NEF) network element, a Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, a Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, a network warehouse function (NRF) network element, AN Application Function (AF) network element, AN authentication server function (AUSF) network element, AN access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, a radio access network (R) AN, and a User Plane Function (UPF) network element, etc. In the above operator networks, the parts other than the (radio) access network part may be referred to as core network parts. For convenience of explanation, the (R) AN will be referred to as RAN as AN example.

A terminal device, which may also be referred to as a User Equipment (UE), is a device having a wireless transceiving function, and may be deployed on a land, including indoors or outdoors, in a handheld manner, or in a vehicle; can also be deployed on the water surface (such as a ship and the like); and may also be deployed in the air (e.g., airplanes, balloons, satellites, etc.). The terminal device may be a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet computer (pad), a computer with a wireless transceiving function, a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an Augmented Reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in transportation safety (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in smart home (smart home), and the like.

The terminal device may establish a connection with the carrier network through an interface (e.g., N1, etc.) provided by the carrier network, and use data and/or voice services provided by the carrier network. The terminal device may also access the DN via an operator network, use operator services deployed on the DN, and/or services provided by a third party. The third party may be a service party other than the operator network and the terminal device, and may provide services such as data and/or voice for the terminal device. The specific expression form of the third party may be determined according to an actual application scenario, and is not limited herein.

The RAN is a sub-network of the operator network and is an implementation system between the service node and the terminal device in the operator network. The terminal device is to access the operator network, first through the RAN, and then may be connected to a service node of the operator network through the RAN. The RAN device in this application is a device that provides a wireless communication function for a terminal device, and is also referred to as an access network device. RAN equipment in this application includes, but is not limited to: next generation base station (G node B, gNB), evolved node B (eNB), Radio Network Controller (RNC), Node B (NB), Base Station Controller (BSC), Base Transceiver Station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), Base Band Unit (BBU), transmission point (TRP), Transmission Point (TP), mobile switching center, etc. in 5G.

The AMF network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator network and is responsible for access control and mobility management of terminal equipment accessing the operator network, for example, including functions of mobility state management, user temporary identity assignment, user authentication and authorization, and the like.

The SMF network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator network and is responsible for managing a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session of the terminal device. A PDU session is a channel for transmitting PDUs, and a terminal device needs to transfer PDUs to and from the DN through the PDU session. The PDU session is established, maintained, deleted and the like by the SMF network element. SMF network elements include Session-related functions such as Session establishment, modification and release, including tunnel maintenance between UPF and AN, selection and control of UPF network elements, Service and Session Continuity (SSC) mode selection, roaming, etc.

The UPF network element is a gateway provided by an operator and is a gateway for the operator network to communicate with the DN. The UPF network element comprises user plane related functions such as data packet routing and transmission, packet detection, Service usage reporting, Quality of Service (QoS) processing, legal monitoring, uplink packet detection, downlink data packet storage and the like.

A DN, which may also be referred to as a Packet Data Network (PDN), is a network located outside an operator network, where the operator network may access multiple DNs, and multiple services may be deployed on the DNs, so as to provide services such as data and/or voice for a terminal device. For example, the DN is a private network of a certain intelligent factory, a sensor installed in a workshop of the intelligent factory can be a terminal device, a control server of the sensor is deployed in the DN, and the control server can provide service for the sensor. The sensor can communicate with the control server, obtain the order of the control server, transmit the sensor data gathered to the control server, etc. according to the order. For another example, the DN is an internal office network of a company, the mobile phone or computer of the employee of the company may be a terminal device, and the mobile phone or computer of the employee may access information, data resources, and the like on the internal office network of the company.

The UDM network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator, and is responsible for storing information such as a subscriber permanent identifier (SUPI), a credential (trusted identity), a security context (security context), and subscription data of a subscribed user in an operator network. These information stored by the UDM network element can be used for authentication and authorization of the terminal device to access the operator network. The subscriber of the operator network may be specifically a user using a service provided by the operator network, for example, a user using a mobile phone core card of china telecommunications, or a user using a mobile phone core card of china mobile, and the like. The above-mentioned Permanent Subscription Identifier (SUPI) of the subscriber can be the number of the handset core card, etc. The credentials and security context of the subscriber may be a small file stored with an encryption key of the core card of the mobile phone or information related to encryption of the core card of the mobile phone, and used for authentication and/or authorization. The security context may be data (cookie) or token (token) stored on the user's local terminal (e.g., cell phone), etc. The subscription data of the subscriber may be a service associated with the mobile phone core card, such as a traffic package or a network using the mobile phone core card. It should be noted that the information related to the permanent identifier, the credentials, the security context, the authentication data (cookie), and the token equivalent authentication and authorization are not distinguished or limited in the present application for convenience of description. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present application will be described in the context of security, but the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to authentication, and/or authorization information in other expressions.

An AUSF network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator, and is generally used for primary authentication, i.e., authentication between a terminal device (subscriber) and an operator network. After receiving an authentication request initiated by a subscriber, the AUSF network element authenticates and/or authorizes the subscriber through authentication information and/or authorization information stored in the UDM network element, or generates authentication and/or authorization information of the subscriber through the UDM network element. The AUSF network element may feed back authentication information and/or authorization information to the subscriber.

The NEF network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator. The NEF network element opens the external interface of the operator network to the third party in a secure manner. When the SMF network element needs to communicate with a network element of a third party, the NEF network element may serve as a relay for the communication between the SMF network element and the network element of the third party. When the NEF network element is used as a relay, it can be used as a translation of the identification information of the subscriber and a translation of the identification information of the network element of the third party. For example, when NEF sends the SUPI of a subscriber from the carrier network to a third party, the SUPI may be translated into its corresponding external Identity (ID). Conversely, when the NEF element sends an external ID (the third party's element ID) to the operator network, it can be translated to SUPI.

An Application Function (AF) network element mainly provides Application layer services, and also supports interaction with a 5G core network to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, performing a policy control Function, or providing some services of a third party to a network side. In a specific application, the AF network element generally refers to a third-party server.

PCF network elements are control plane functions provided by an operator to provide policies to network elements. As one implementation, the policies may include access control policies, mobility management policies, charging related policies, QoS related policies, authorization related policies, and the like.

The NRF network element may be configured to provide a network element discovery function, and provide network element information corresponding to a network element type, such as address information and/or identification information, based on a request from another network element. NRF also provides network element management services such as network element registration, update, de-registration, and network element status subscription and push.

In fig. 1A, Nnef, Nausf, Npcf, Nudm, Naf, Namf, Nsmf, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N6 are interface serial numbers. The meaning of these interface sequence numbers can be referred to as that defined in the 3GPP standard protocol, and is not limited herein.

As shown in fig. 1B, the schematic diagram is a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface, where introduction of functions of a network element may refer to introduction of functions of a corresponding network element in fig. 1A, and details are not described again. The main differences between fig. 1B and fig. 1A are: the interfaces between the various network elements in fig. 1B are point-to-point interfaces, rather than serviced interfaces.

In the architecture shown in fig. 1B, where the interface between the UE and the AMF network element is referred to as N1 interface, the interface between the AMF network element and the RAN device is referred to as N2 interface, the interface between the RAN device and the UPF network element may be referred to as N3 interface, the interface between the SMF network element and the UPF network element is referred to as N4 interface, the interface between the PCF network element and the AF network element is referred to as N5 interface, the interface between the UPF network element and the DN is referred to as N6 interface, the interface between the SMF network element and the PCF network element is referred to as N7 interface, the interface between the AMF network element and the UDM network element is referred to as N8 interface, the interface between different UPF network elements is referred to as N9 interface, the interface between the UDM network element and the SMF network element is referred to as N10 interface, the interface between the amsf network element and the SMF network element is referred to as N11 interface, the interface between the AUSF network element is referred to as N12 interface, the interface between the AUSF network element is referred to as N13 interface, and the amsf 14 interface, the interface between the AMF network element and the PCF network element is called the N15 interface.

It is to be understood that the above network elements or functions may be network elements in a hardware device, or may be software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). Optionally, the network element or the function may be implemented by one device, or may be implemented by multiple devices together, or may be one functional module in one device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The network management system of the 5G network adopts a service architecture, and in the third generation partnership project (3 GPP) TS 28.533 standard specification, as shown in fig. 2, is a schematic diagram of a service architecture for a management plane. The Management Function (MF) may provide a management service (MnS) to the outside as a service provider, and may also call MnS provided by other MFs as a service consumer. The MF may be, for example, AMF, SMF, PCF, UPF, AF, AUSF, etc. shown in fig. 1A or fig. 1B, or may be a management function in future communication such as the 6th-generation (6G), and the present application is not limited thereto.

For a particular MnS, the MF contains a management service Instance (MnS Instance) of the MnS, which has an Interface (e.g., Application Programming Interface (API) call Interface), an Interface access address, etc.) providing management service access information. As shown in fig. 3, the management function MF1 includes two management service instances, where the interface providing the management service is a small circle shown in the drawing, each interface has an interface access address, and may be identified by an Internet Protocol (IP) address (IPv4 or IPv6), a port number, and a protocol type, or may be identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

In the 3GPP TS 28.533 standard specification, MnS consists of three parts:

1) and management action: such as create, modify, query, delete, subscribe, notify, etc.

2) And a management object: objects that manage actions, such as network functions, network slices, network slice subnets, and the like. The management Object may be a type of management Object, i.e. a Managed Object Class (MOC), or may be a specific instance of a management Object Class, i.e. a Management Object Instance (MOI). The type definition of the management Object is described using an Information Object Class (IOC), i.e., the MOC is described using the IOC. MOI is a specific example of a MOC. The MOC is an abstract class definition of network resources that can be managed, and the MOI is a concrete network resource that can be managed.

3) And management data: such as alarm information or performance statistics, etc. Only a part of the management service relates to the management data, and thus the management data is optional.

In one implementation, the management service MnS may consist of a management action plus a management object. For example, the management actions are: allocating (allocate) or deallocating (deAllocate), the management object is: network Function (NF), the management action and the management object form a Network Function provisioning deployment management service (NFProvisioning _ ms); for another example, the management action is: allocating (allocate) or deallocating (deAllocate), the management object is: and (3) the network sliced Subnet (network slice Subnet), the management action and the management object form a network sliced Subnet instance opening deployment management service (NSSIProvisioning _ ms).

In yet another implementation, the management service MnS may also consist of management actions plus management objects, management data. For example, the management action is as follows: performance reporting (performance reporting), wherein the management objects are as follows: the network function of the 5G Core network (5GC, 5G Core) comprises the following management data: 5GC, the management action, the management object and the management data form a network function performance reporting management service (NFPerformance reporting _ ms).

With the continuous emergence of various communication services, the requirements of different communication services on network performance are significantly different, and a network slice (network slice) is introduced into a 5G network to meet the differentiated requirements of different communication services on network performance. A network slice is a logical network that is customized to different service requirements over a physical or virtual network infrastructure. The network slice may be a complete end-to-end network including the terminal device, the access network, the transport network, the core network and the application server, which is capable of providing complete communication services. Network slicing is often provided to tenants in a Network Slice as a Service (NSaaS), that is, an operator creates a Network Slice Instance (NSI) to provide services to a third party (which may be an enterprise, an internet Service provider, or another operator). The network slicing instance is a logical network that can be really operated and is created by an operator to provide network slicing services for a specific tenant. One Network Slice Instance may be composed of one to more Subnet Slice instances (NSSI), for example, may be composed of a radio access Subnet Slice Instance and a core Network Subnet Slice Instance.

Because the network slice example is a relatively isolated logical network, the operator often opens a part of the administrative action authority to the tenant according to the needs of the service. For example, when the tenant of the network slice instance is an enterprise or an internet service provider, the tenant is often allowed to obtain some Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data of the network slice instance, such as end-to-end delay of the network slice. When the tenant of the network slice instance is another operator, in addition to allowing the tenant to obtain some key indexes of the network slice instance, the tenant is often allowed to obtain alarm information of the network slice instance, and even the tenant is allowed to perform some operations, such as allowing the configuration of some network functions in the network slice instance to be modified so that the network slice instance can be interfaced with network equipment of the tenant itself, so as to provide network services in a wider range.

In order to implement the above-described Management of tenants, the open 3GPP TS 28.533 defines an open control Management Function (EGMF). As shown in fig. 3, the control architecture and application scenarios are open for management. As can be seen from the figure, the management capability for the network is achieved by invoking the management service MnS. The EGMF, as a control function for managing the opening, opens a part of network management action authority to a third party (such as a vertical industry) or another operator, and checks whether the management action requested by the tenant is within the allowed range. If the network management action is allowed, the management service is invoked as a proxy and the result of the management action is provided to the tenant. As shown in fig. 3, vertical industry tenants call the management services provided by MnF1 through EGMF1, and MnF2 of another operator tenant calls the management services provided by MnF1 through EGMF 2.

In the above scenario, how a management function (e.g. MF3 in fig. 2) inside the network discovers other management service instances (e.g. management service instances of MF1 or MF2 in fig. 2) capable of providing the desired management capability according to the requirement of the management action. How a third party industry or other operator outside the network indirectly discovers management service instances (e.g., MnF1 management service instances in fig. 3) that can provide desired management capabilities and obtains management capabilities (i.e., allowed management actions and corresponding operating scopes of the third party industry or other operator) open to it by managing open control functions (e.g., EGMF in fig. 3, e.g., EGMF1, EGMF 2). These are problems that need to be solved.

In the prior art, a Management Service Repository Function (MSRF) network element as shown in fig. 4 was introduced in order to implement discovery of management service instances. All management functions register their own management service instance information with the MSRF, including the interface access address of the management service instance and the network resources it manages. Since the network resource managed by the management service instance uses the MOI identifier, MF3 in fig. 4 sends a query request to the MSRF when it needs to perform a management action on a certain network resource (e.g., a certain NF), where the MOI of the NF is carried. The MSRF queries the stored registration information of the management service instance according to the MOI to obtain an interface access address of the management service instance, and then sends the interface access address to MF3 through a response message.

By the method, a customer of the management service can discover a network management service instance for managing the network resources identified by the MOI through the MSRF, obtain an interface access address, and then call the management service to perform management actions such as modification, deletion, subscription, notification and the like on the network resources.

The above scheme has the following defects:

1) when a certain network resource needs to be created and deployed, if a plurality of management service instances support the creation and deployment of the network resource, because a management object MOI is not created yet, it is not known which management service instance can meet the management requirement of creating and deploying a target network resource by using the prior art.

2) The Domain Name Server (DNS) system is a widely existing network infrastructure, and the URI or URL contains a Domain Name, and the DNS system is used to map the Domain Name and the IP address to each other, but the prior art does not show how to use the DNS system to manage service instances.

3) Nor does the prior art show how a third party industry or other operator outside the network indirectly discovers management service instances that can provide the desired management capabilities through a management open control function.

In summary, the present application will solve the following technical problems:

1) management functions inside the network (e.g. MF3 in fig. 2), how to discover other management service instances (e.g. management service instances of MF1 or MF2 in fig. 2) that can provide the desired management capabilities, and especially how to create management object instances (i.e. network resources) of the management service instances, according to the requirements of the management actions.

2) How to provide DNS provides discovery of management service instances.

3) How a third party industry or other operator outside the network indirectly discovers management service instances (e.g., MnF1 management service instances in fig. 3) that can provide desired management capabilities and obtains management capabilities that are open to them (i.e., allowed management actions and corresponding operating ranges of the third party industry or other operator) by managing open control functions (EGMF in fig. 3, e.g., EGMF1, EGMF 2).

In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides the following technical solutions:

1) the management service instance and the management capability information thereof are registered to the MSRF or configured to the DNS in the form of NAPRT record, and the management service consumer provides an instance of the creation type management service and an instance of the non-creation type management service to the DNS or the MSRF inquiry according to the management capability information. The management capability information for creating the class management service includes: supported management service name, management action, type of management object (MOC or IOC), capability attribute. The management capability information of the non-creation class management service includes: a supported management service name, a management action, a type of management object (MOC or IOC), an MOI of the management object.

2) And configuring the management service instance and the management capability information thereof to the DNS in a NAPRT record form, if the newly created management object instance is a top level node within the management capability range of the management service instance, setting a top level node mark for the MOI, and simultaneously configuring a record for adding or refreshing the management capability information of the non-creation type management service in the DNS, wherein the MOI of the management object included in the management capability information in the configuration record is the management object instance with the top level node mark.

3) And aiming at the scheme that the management service instances and the management capability information thereof are configured to the DNS in a NAPRT record form, if the management service consumer desires to execute a non-creation type management action on the target management object instance, the management service consumer upwards searches the MOI with the top level node mark by taking the target MOI as a starting point, then uses the MOI with the top level node mark to construct the management capability information, and inquires the management service instance corresponding to the management capability information from the DNS.

4) The management open control function uses the management object class information or the management object instances which can be managed by the third party industry or other operators to identify the management actions which can be provided by inquiring DNS or MSRF for all the management service instances, and the management object class information or the management object instances and the corresponding management actions which can be provided form the management capacity range which is opened by the third party or other operators.

The above technical solution is specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in fig. 5, a schematic flow chart of a method for discovering a management service provided by the present application is used to implement a Management Object Instance (MOI) for providing a management service instance of a creation class for a first network element, and the following describes the scheme specifically.

As shown in fig. 5, the method comprises the steps of:

step 501, a first network element obtains access information (such as an access address and an API call interface) of a management service instance from a server according to expected management capability information, where the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information, and the expected management capability information includes at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute.

The first network element here may be, for example, an EGMF (e.g., EGMF1, EGMF2) in fig. 3, or may also be a 5G NF, such as MF1, or MF2, or MF3 in fig. 2 or fig. 4.

The specific implementation manner of the step is as follows: the server receives expected management capacity information sent by the first network element, acquires access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capacity information, the management service instance is matched with the expected management capacity information, and then the server sends the access information of the management service instance to the first network element.

Step 502, the first network element calls a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, wherein the second network element comprises the management service instance.

The second network element is a network element including the management service, the access information of the management service instance is obtained by the first network element from the server, and the management service instance can be matched with the expected management capability information sent by the first network element, or the management service instance can provide the management capability corresponding to the expected management capability information.

In step 503, the first network element receives creation and deployment information from the second network element, where the creation and deployment information includes a management object instance corresponding to the type of the management object in the desired management capability information.

In particular, a management object instance is a network resource that can be managed, or it is understood that a management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by a management service instance. The management object instances include, for example, network functions, network slice instances, and the like. A network slice instance is created and deployed as a network resource that can be managed. The MOI is a specific instance of the management object class MOC. The management objects have some properties, such as certain configuration items that can be modified, a list of management objects at the next level (i.e., administrator management objects), and so on. The MOC will define which attributes the management object contains, and the MOI will contain the specific values of these attributes. The MOC is described in the form of object class Information (IOC), and a collection of IOCs forms a Network Resource Model (NRM). A Management Information database (MIB) is an example of an NRM, storing a series of MOIs, and attributes and interrelations of the MOIs.

That is, the first network element makes the management service instance create a management object instance (i.e., a network resource) by calling the management service of the first network element, and sends the management object instance to the first network element by carrying the management object instance in the creation deployment information, so that the first network element can obtain the management object instance from the second network element.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an implementation method, the first network element is an EGMF network element, and the second network element is an MF network element.

In yet another implementation, the first network element is a first MF network element, the second network element is a second MF network element, and the network resource managed by the second MF network element is a component of the network resource managed by the first MF network element, where the network resource is identified by a Management Object Instance (MOI).

Based on the embodiment shown in fig. 5, it is realized that the created management object instance is returned to the first network element based on the request (carrying the expected management capability information) of the first network element, thereby realizing the operation of creating the management object instance.

For the embodiment of fig. 5, the server may be an MSRF network element or a DNS. The following are described separately.

The server is an MSRF network element

When the server is an MSRF, the management service instance included in the management function may register its own management service access address and management capability information to the MSRF in advance, where the management capability information of the management service instance includes one or more of the following supported by the management service instance: management service name, management action, type information of management object, capability attribute. Namely, the MSRF network element is configured with the corresponding relation between the access information and the management capability information of at least one management service instance.

Therefore, the specific implementation manner of the step 501 is as follows: the first network element sends a request message to the MSRF network element, the request message comprises expected management capability information, then the MSRF network element obtains the access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capability and the corresponding relation, and then the MSRF network element sends the access information of the management service instance to the first network element.

Further, after creating the management object instance, the second network element may further send information of the management object instance to the MSRF network element, where the information of the management object instance includes the management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance; then, the MSRF network element updates the management capability information corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance, for example, updates the management object instance and the relationship between the management object instance and other management object instances to the management capability information corresponding to the management object instance.

Secondly, the server is a DNS

When the server is a DNS, the domain name and access information of the management service instance may be configured in the DNS in advance, for example, as an a record (i.e., mapping of DNS-defined domain name to IPv4 address) or an AAAA record (i.e., mapping of DNS-defined domain name to IPv6 address).

Configuring management services and management capability information which can be provided by a management service instance in a DNS, wherein the management capability information of the management service instance comprises one or more of the following items supported by the management service instance: management service name, management action, type information of management object, management object instance, capability attribute. The domain name of the management service instance and the management service provided are configured into the DNS in srv (service) records (including the server domain name defined by the DNS and the service provided by the server).

The management service provided by the management service instance and the corresponding management capability information are configured to the DNS through a Name Authority Pointer (NAPTR) record, so that the resolution from a domain Name query to an Authority domain Name is completed. I.e. one string is mapped to another string, completing the domain name rewrite. One or more items of management capability information of the management service instance are constructed to form a query domain name, the domain name of the management service or the management service instance provided by the management service instance is used as a power domain name, a regular expression or a replacement rule is configured at the same time, and one or more items of management capability information in the query domain name can be mapped to an authoritative domain name of the management service or the management service instance after being subjected to regular expression or replacement processing.

With the above configuration, if a customer wishes to inquire about the provision of creating a management service instance of a certain type, it is possible to inquire about a management service or a management service instance through NAPTR records according to desired management capability information. Further, the interface information of the management service instance providing the expected management capability is obtained through the query of the SRV record, the A record or the AAAA record.

Therefore, the specific implementation manner of the step 501 is as follows: a first network element sends a request message to a DNS, wherein the request message comprises a query domain name, and the query domain name is constructed according to expected management capability information; the DNS acquires an authoritative domain name of NAPTR record corresponding to the query domain name; then, the DNS obtains the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, and then sends the access information of the management service instance to the first network element.

The first network element may obtain the access information of the management service instance from the DNS according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, by the following two methods:

in the first method, the first authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the first network element acquires the access information corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the DNS.

That is, after acquiring the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record, the first network element may directly acquire the corresponding access information in the a record or the AAA record according to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record.

In the second method, the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service, the first network element acquires the authoritative domain name of the SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the DNS, and acquires the access information from the DNS according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

That is, after acquiring the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record, the first network element acquires the authoritative domain name of the SRV record according to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record, and then acquires the corresponding access information from the a record or the AAA record according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

Further, after the second network element creates the management object instance, the second network element may also send the information of the management object instance to the DNS, and then the DNS updates the NAPTR record corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance. The information of the management object instance comprises a management object instance and the relationship between the management object instance and other management object instances, the management object instance is used for identifying the network resources managed by the management service instance, and the management object instance is a top-level node within the management capacity range of the management service instance.

As shown in fig. 6, a schematic flow chart of a method for discovering another management service provided by the present application is provided, where the method can be used to implement invocation of a management service instance for providing a non-creation class for a first network element, and a server is taken as an example for description, and the scheme is specifically described below.

As shown in fig. 6, the method comprises the steps of:

step 601, a first network element sends a request message to a DNS, where the request message includes a query domain name, the query domain name is constructed according to desired management capability information, the desired management capability information includes at least one of a management service, a management action, a type of a management object, or a management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by a management service instance.

In step 602, the DNS obtains an authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record corresponding to the queried domain name.

Step 603, the DNS sends an authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record corresponding to the queried domain name to the first network element.

In step 604, the first network element obtains the access information of the management service instance from the DNS according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR.

Step 605, the first network element invokes the management service to the second network element providing the management service according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information.

In an implementation method, the management object is a top node within a management capability range of the management service instance.

Based on the above solution, when a consumer (e.g. a first network element) wants to inquire about providing a management service instance of a certain type, the consumer can inquire about a management service or a management service instance through NAPTR records according to the expected management capability information (including management object instances). Further, the interface information of the management service instance providing the expected management capability is obtained through the query of the SRV record, the A record or the AAAA record.

As shown in fig. 7, a flowchart of a discovery method for a further management service provided by the present application is provided, and the method can enable a tenant (e.g., an external operator or a third party vertical industry) to query a range of management capabilities for which the tenant is authorized, that is, which network resources the tenant is allowed to manage, what operation the tenant is allowed to perform, and the like. This scheme is explained in detail below.

As shown in fig. 7, the method comprises the steps of:

in step 701, a first network element determines, according to an identifier of a tenant, an information object class corresponding to the tenant, where one information object class is used to identify a network resource type that can be created.

Step 702, a first network element obtains, from a server, information of a creation class management service that can be provided and corresponds to an information object class corresponding to a tenant, where the information of the creation class management service includes at least one of a creation class management service name, a creation class management action, or a capability attribute.

In step 703, the first network element sends a first message to the tenant, where the first message includes an information object class corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available created class management service.

Further, after the step 703, the following steps 704 to 706 may be further included.

Step 704, the first network element determines a management object instance corresponding to the tenant according to the identifier of the tenant, wherein one management object instance is used for identifying a network resource that can be managed.

Step 705, the first network element obtains, from the server, information of an available management service corresponding to the management object instance according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, where the information of the management service includes at least one of a management service or a management action.

Step 706, the first network element sends a second message to the tenant, where the second message includes the management object instance corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available management service.

Based on the above scheme, the information object class corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available created class management service are provided for the tenant, or the information object class corresponding to the tenant, the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, the information of the available management service and the information of the available created class management service are provided, that is, the information of the management capability range of the tenant is provided.

It should be noted that, in a specific implementation, the step 701 and the step 704 may be combined into one step, the step 702 and the step 705 may be combined into one step, and the step 703 and the step 706 may be combined into one step.

The server may be an MSRF network element or a DNS. Wherein, when the server is a DNS, the step 702 is specifically implemented as: a first network element sends a request message to a DNS, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting NAPTR record; the first network element receives from the DNS said available information creating a class management service. When the server is a DNS server, the step 705 is specifically implemented as: a first network element sends a request message to a DNS, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting to inquire NAPTR records; the first network element receives information of said available management services from the DNS.

The embodiments of fig. 5 to 7 are described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a network structure provided in the present application. This figure will be described as an example. There are two Network Slice Management Functions (NSMF) in the Network shown in fig. 8, which are capable of managing different types of Network slices, for example, the NSMF1 may create and manage enhanced Mobile broadband (eMBB) and mass Machine Type Connection (mtc) Type Network slices, and the NSMF2 may create and manage ultra-reliable and Low Latency Connection (urrllc) Type Network slices. There are also two Subnet Slice Management functions (NSSMFs) in the Network shown in fig. 8, where NSSMF1 can create and manage Subnet slices and Network functions in Network area a and NSSMF2 can create and manage Subnet slices and Network functions in Network area B. The third party industry vertical or other operator sends a management request to the EGMF, such as creating a network slice instance, obtaining performance statistics for the network slice, etc. EGMF finds a management function (i.e., a management service instance) capable of providing a desired management service through MSRF or DNS according to the requested network management, such as NSMF2 in fig. 8, and then EGMF calls the management service provided by NSMF2 as a consumer of the management service. In the above process, if the NSMF2 needs to further call a management service provided by another network function to complete the requested management service, the NSMF2 discovers a management service instance capable of providing the required management service, such as NSSMF2 in fig. 8, through MSRF or DNS according to the required network management. Finally, NSMF2 calls the management service provided by NSSMF2.

In the network shown in fig. 8, where other operators request to create a network slice of urrllc in network area B, the system flow is shown in fig. 9, where the server is an MSRF network element. The embodiment of fig. 9 is a specific application of the embodiment of fig. 5. Here, the EGMF, the NSMF2, and the MSRF in the embodiment of fig. 9 may be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment of fig. 5, and the NSMF2, the NSSMF2, and the MSRF in the embodiment of fig. 9 may also be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment of fig. 5.

The process comprises the following steps:

step 900: the management function includes a management service instance that registers its own management service access address and management capability information to the MSRF. Wherein the management capability information of the management service instance comprises one or more of the following supported by the management service instance: management service name, management action, type information of management object, capability attribute.

Specifically, the management service name may be a standard name of the management service defined in 3GPP TS 28.531 and TS 28.532, for example, the management service names supported by NSMF1 and NSMF2 may be Provisioning for NSI and Provisioning data report for NSI.

In particular, the management action may be an operation or notification defined by 3GPP TS 28.531 and TS 28.532, such as allocatansi, createMOI, subscription (subscribe), notifynelarm, and the like.

Specifically, the type information of the management object is a type of the management object of the management action operation, and may be a management object class MOC or an information object class IOC, for example, the types supported by the NSMF1 and the NSMF2 for the management object are NetworkSlice defined in 3GPP TS 28.541, and the types supported by the NSSMF1 and the NSSMF2 for the NetworkSliceSubnet, and the like.

Specifically, a capability attribute is a parameter describing a management requirement, such as a type requirement parameter of a network slice, a subnet slice, or a network function, a performance requirement parameter, a scope parameter, and so on. The capability attribute may be network slice and service type sST in ServiceProfile or SliceProfile defined by TS 28.541, network slice coverage area, latency, terminal mobile level uEMobilityLevel, and so on. For example, the NSMF2 in fig. 5 registers the supported urrllc slice type as a capability attribute to the MSRF, and the NSSMF2 registers a Tracking Area (TA) list corresponding to the supported Area B as a capability attribute to the MSRF.

Step 901: some external operator requests to create and deploy a network slice instance of the uRLLC type in the area B, and a network slice creation request message is sent to the open control management function (EGMF) of the operator, where the message carries the desired management action (i.e., creating and deploying the network slice instance), the type of the management object (i.e., network slice), and the desired object attributes (i.e., the uRLLC type and the coverage area B).

Step 902: the EGMF checks the management authority of the external operator, confirms that the external operator is allowed to create a network slice instance according to an agreement which both parties sign in advance, and thus authorizes execution of the requested operation.

Step 903: the EGMF queries the MSRF for management services and access addresses that can satisfy the desired management capabilities, i.e., management services and interfaces provided by the management service instance, according to the desired management capability information carried in the request message, i.e., the desired management action (i.e., creating a deployed network slice instance), the type of the management object (i.e., the network slice), the desired object attributes (e.g., the uRLLC slice type). MSRF query step 900 determines that the management capability information registered by the NSMF2 matches the desired management capability information carried in the query message, and sends the management service and access address of NSMF2 as a response message to the EGMF.

Step 904: EGMF calls the management service provided by NSMF2 that allocates the network slice, which carries the desired management actions received from step 901 (i.e., creating a deployed network slice instance), the type of management object (i.e., network slice), the desired object attributes (i.e., uRLLC type and coverage area B).

Step 905: the NSMF2 decomposes the request to create a network slice into the creation requirements of a subnet slice, e.g., creating a subnet slice instance in coverage area B, according to the process defined by TS 28.531.

Step 906: the NSMF2 constructs desired management capability information, i.e. a desired management action (i.e. creating and deploying subnet slice instance), a type of a management object (i.e. subnet slice), a desired object attribute (i.e. coverageareaalist is area B), according to the creation requirement of the decomposed subnet slice, and queries the MSRF for a management service and an access address capable of satisfying the desired management capability. The MSRF queries the information registered by each management service instance in step 0, determines that the management capability information registered by NSSMF2 matches the expected management capability information carried in the query message, and sends the management service and the access address of NSSMF2 as a response message to NSMF2.

Step 907: the NSMF2 invokes the management service provided by NSSMF2 that allocates the subnet slice, which carries the creation requirements of the decomposed subnet slice.

Step 908: NSSMF2 creates a deployment subnet slice instance and creates and configures an MOI for the newly created subnet slice instance according to the process defined in TS 28.531, for example, configuring the identity of the newly created subnet slice instance as an attribute into the MOI.

Step 909: (optional in this step) NSSMF2 may update its registration information in MSRF with the MOI of the newly created subnet slice instance as the management object instance part in the management capability information, and the specific operation is similar to step 900.

Step 910: NSSMF2 sends the creation result of the subnet slice instance to NSMF2, which includes the MOI of the newly created subnet slice.

Step 911: if the NSMF2 needs to create other subnet slices according to the decomposed requirement of step 905, the creation of all subnet slice instances included in the network slice instance is continuously completed according to the methods of steps 906 to 910 described above.

Step 912: after all subnet slice creation deployments are completed, the NSMF2 creates and configures the MOI of the network slice instance, such as configuring the identity of the newly created network slice instance as an attribute into the MOI.

Step 913: (optional in this step) the NSMF2 may update its registration information in the MSRF by using the MOI of the newly created network slice instance as the management object instance part in the management capability information, and the specific operation is similar to step 900.

Step 914: NSMF2 sends the creation deployment result of the network slice instance to EGMF, which carries the MOI of the newly created network slice instance.

Step 915: the EGMF sends the result of creating the network slice instance to the external carrier through a create network slice response message, wherein the result carries the identification of the newly created network slice instance.

Based on the above embodiment, the management function inside the network can discover the creation-class management service and the access address that satisfy the desired management capability information, and the external industry or other operators can also indirectly discover the creation-class management service and the access address that satisfy the desired management capability information through the management open control function. Compared with the prior art, the scheme of the embodiment can find one management service instance meeting the expected management capability information in a plurality of management service instances supporting the creation operation.

In the network shown in fig. 8, where other operators request to create a network slice of urrllc in network area B, the system flow is shown in fig. 10, where the server is DNS. The embodiment of fig. 10 is a specific application of the embodiment of fig. 5. The EGMF, the NSMF2, and the DNS in the embodiment in fig. 10 may be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment in fig. 5, and the NSMF2, the NSSMF2, and the DNS in the embodiment in fig. 10 may also be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment in fig. 5.

The process comprises the following steps:

step 1000: the domain name and access address of the management service instance are configured in the DNS, for example in an a record (i.e. DNS-defined mapping of domain name to IPv4 address) or an AAAA record (i.e. DNS-defined mapping of domain name to IPv6 address). For example, an authoritative domain name (such as nsmf1.plmn1) and an access address (such as IPv4 address 100.100.100.100) of a management service instance contained in the NSMF1 are configured into the DNS in the form of an a record.

Configuring management services and management capability information which can be provided by a management service instance in a DNS, wherein the management capability information of the management service instance comprises one or more of the following items supported by the management service instance: management service name, management action, type information of management object, management object instance, capability attribute. The specific contents of the items of management capability information are the same as those described in the embodiment of fig. 9. The domain name of the management service instance and the management service provided are configured into the DNS in SRV records (server domain name containing DNS definitions and service provided by the server). For example, the NSMF1 (authoritative domain name NSMF1.plmn1) supports Provisioning for NSI management service, and the SRV record may be _ NSMF1.plmn1._ Provisioning for NSI. The underline (_) header is used for the purpose of preventing collisions with other DNS tags that are naturally configured on a daily basis. The management service provided by the management service instance and the corresponding management capability information are configured to the DNS in NAPTR records. NAPTR stands for Name Authority Pointer (RFC 2915), and completes the resolution of a query domain Name to an authoritative domain Name. I.e. one string is mapped to another string, completing the domain name rewrite. One or more items of management capability information of the management service instance are constructed to form a query domain name, the domain name of the management service or the management service instance provided by the management service instance is used as an authoritative domain name, a regular expression or a replacement rule is configured at the same time, and one or more items of management capability information in the query domain name can be mapped to the authoritative domain name of the management service or the management service instance after being subjected to regular expression or replacement processing. For example, the NSMF1 supports creation of eMBB type network slices, i.e., the NSMF1 management capability information includes: the management action (allocatnesi), the type information (NetworkSlice) of the management object, and the capability attribute (sST ═ eMBB), the query domain name configured to the NAPTR record in the DNS may be _ allocatnesi _ NetworkSlice _ eMBB, the corresponding authoritative domain name may be _ nsmf1.plmn1 _ ProvisioningforNSI, and the regular expression may be any segment in the matching query domain name. For another example, NSSMF1 (domain name NSSMF1. plmnn 1) supports creation of a subnet slice instance in area a, i.e., NSSMF1 management capability information includes: the type information (networkslicecubnet) of the management object, the capability attribute (coveragearealist ═ TAI-a), the query domain name configured to the NAPTR record in the DNS may be _ networkslicecunnet. _ TAI-a, the corresponding authoritative domain name may be _ nssmf1.plmn1._ provisionfornssi, and the regular expression may be the last segment and any other segment in the matching query domain name.

With the above configuration, if a customer wishes to query an instance of a management service providing creation of a certain type of network slice, it is possible to query the management service or the instance of the management service through NAPTR records according to desired management capability information. Further, the interface information of the management service instance providing the expected management capability is obtained through the query of the SRV record, the A record or the AAAA record.

Step 1001: an external operator requests to create and deploy a network slice instance of the urrllc type in an area B, and a create network slice request message is sent to an open control management function EGMF of the external operator, where the message carries a desired management action (i.e., creating and deploying the network slice instance), a type of a management object (i.e., network slice), and desired object attributes (i.e., the urrllc type and the coverage area B).

Step 1002: the EGMF checks the management authority of the external operator, confirms that the external operator is allowed to create the network slice instance according to the agreement previously signed by both parties, and thus authorizes the requested operation to be performed.

Step 1003: the EGMF queries the DNS for a management service or management service instance that can satisfy the desired management capability according to the desired management capability information carried in the request message, i.e., the desired management action (i.e., creating a deployment network slice instance), the type of the management object (i.e., network slice), the desired object attributes (e.g., uRLLC slice type and coverage area B). Specifically, the EGMF constructs a query domain name _ allocatansi _ NetworkSlice _ urlclc _ TAI-B with the above expected management actions, and then sends a NAPTR query request to the DNS.

The DNS queries the relevant records configured in step 1000, and determines, by regular expression or replacement, that the NAPTR record configured for the NSMF2 in step 1000 may match the query request, for example, the query domain name _ allocateNSI. _ network service. _ urlclc. _ TAI-B includes the _ allocateNSI. _ network service. _ urlclrlc in the NAPTR record, that is, the management capability information of the NSMF2 matches the desired management capability information carried in the query message, and then sends the authority domain name nsmf2.plmn1 of the management service instance of the NSMF2 to the EGMF as a response message, where a flag of the response message is set to a, that is, the authority domain name obtained according to the response message may next perform an a query to obtain the access address. In another possible implementation manner, if the authoritative domain name in the NAPTR record set in step 1000 is management service _ NSMF2.plmn1._ ProvisioningforNSI provided by NSMF2, the flag of the response message is set to S, that is, next, according to the authoritative domain name obtained by the response message, SRV query may be performed to obtain the authoritative domain name NSMF2.plmn1 of the management service instance of NSMF2, and then a query is performed to obtain the access address, which is also supported by the existing DNS system, and details are not described in this embodiment.

Step 1004: the EGMF uses an authoritative domain name query DNS of the management service instance of the NSMF2 to obtain an access address of the management service instance, i.e., an IP address and port information of an access management service interface.

Step 1005: EGMF calls the management service provided by NSMF2 that allocates the network slice, which carries the desired management actions received from step 1 (i.e., creating a deployed network slice instance), the type of management object (i.e., network slice), the desired object attributes (i.e., uRLLC type and coverage area B).

Step 1006: the NSMF2 decomposes the request to create a network slice into the creation requirements of a subnet slice, e.g., creating a subnet slice instance in coverage area B, according to the process defined by TS 28.531.

Step 1007: the NSMF2 constructs desired management capability information, i.e. a desired management action (i.e. creating and deploying a subnet slice instance), a type of a management object (i.e. subnet slice), a desired object attribute (i.e. coverageareaalist is area B), according to the creation requirement of the decomposed subnet slice, and queries the DNS for a management service or a management service instance capable of satisfying the desired management capability. Specifically, similar to step 1003, the NSMF2 constructs a query domain name _ allocatanssi _ network slicescubnet _ TAI-B with the desired management actions described above, and then sends a NAPTR query request to the DNS.

The DNS queries the configured relevant records in step 1000, and determines that the NAPTR record configured for NSSMF2 can match the query request (i.e., according to the regular expression operation _ allocatanssi. _ network slownetwork. _ TAI-B contains _ network slownetwork. _ TAI-B), the authoritative domain name NSSMF2.plmn1 of the management service instance of NSSMF2 is sent to NSMF as a response message, where the flag of the response message is set to a.

Step 1008: the NSMF2 uses the authoritative domain name query DNS of the management service instance of NSSMF2 to obtain the access address of the management service instance.

Step 1009: the NSMF2 invokes the management service provided by NSSMF2 that allocates the subnet slice, which carries the creation requirements of the decomposed subnet slice.

Step 1010: NSSMF2 creates a deployment subnet slice instance and creates and configures an MOI for the newly created subnet slice instance according to the process defined in TS 28.531, for example, configuring the identity of the newly created subnet slice instance as an attribute into the MOI.

Step 1011-1 (which is optional): if the newly created MOI is the top level node within the management capabilities of the management service instance, a top level node flag is set on the newly created MOI.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a top level node MOI and a top level node identifier within a management scope for managing a service instance. If the management service instance is NSMF, its management scope includes the entire network slice instance, so the MOI of the network instance newly created by NSMF (such as NSI # A and NSI # B in the figure) will be set by NSMF with the top node flag. Similarly, the MOI of the subnet slice instances NSSI #1, NSSI #2, NSSI #3, etc. in FIG. 11 will be set by NSSMF to the top node flag. Because the management service instance in fig. 11 has both NSSMF and NFMF functions, the network function such as NF #1 is not the top node in the management range of the management service instance, and therefore, the top node flag is not set.

Step 1011-2 (optional): if the newly created MOI is set with the top node flag, the MOI may be used as part of the management capability information to update the management capability information for the management service instance and update the NAPTR record configured in DNS at step 0 with the new management capability information. For example, the query domain name corresponding to the management capability information of the NSSMF2 is originally a _ network slicesvicubnet. _ TAI-B, and is updated to a _ network slicesvicubnet. _ TAI-B. _ NSSI-1, or a NAPTR record is newly added, the query domain name is a _ network slicesvicubnet. _ NSSI-1, and the authoritative domain name is the domain name of the NSSMF2. In this way, a subsequent query domain name _ NSSI-1 constructed using the MOI of network slice subnet NSSI #1 can also find NSSMF2 that manages NSSI # 1.

Step 1012: NSSMF2 sends the creation result of the subnet slice instance to NSMF2, which includes the MOI of the newly created subnet slice.

Step 1013: if the NSMF2 needs to create other subnet slices according to the decomposed requirement in step 1005, the creation of all subnet slice instances included in the network slice instance is continued according to the method in steps 1006 to 1012.

Step 1014: after all subnet slice creation deployments are completed, the NSMF2 creates and configures the MOI of the network slice instance, such as configuring the identity of the newly created network slice instance as an attribute into the MOI.

Step 1015 (optional): the MOI of the newly created network slice instance may be taken as part of the NSMF2 management capability information and the configuration in the DNS updated or newly added so that NSMF2 may be subsequently queried by the MOI of the newly created network slice instance, in a manner similar to steps 1011-1 and 1011-2.

Step 1016: NSMF2 sends the creation deployment result of the network slice instance to EGMF, which carries the MOI of the newly created network slice instance.

Step 1017: the EGMF sends the result of creating the network slice instance to the external operator through a create network slice response message, where the result carries the identifier of the newly created network slice instance.

Based on the embodiment, the management function inside the network can discover the creation-class management service and the access address meeting the expected management capability information, and the external industry or other operators can also indirectly discover the creation-class management service and the access address meeting the expected management capability information through the management open control function. Compared with the prior art, the scheme of the embodiment can find one management service instance meeting the expected management capability information in a plurality of management service instances supporting the creation operation. Furthermore, the system can be compatible with the existing DNS system, and an MSRF entity does not need to be added, so that the cost of the system is further reduced.

With the embodiments of fig. 9 or fig. 10, a management object instance of a management service embodiment may be created, and then may be used directly subsequently. The following further describes the processing flow when the external operator requests to obtain the performance statistics of the network slice instance created for the external operator, and uses DNS to perform management service and management capability discovery based on the embodiment of fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for discovering another management service provided by the present application, where the embodiment of fig. 12 is a specific example of the embodiment shown in fig. 6. The EGMF, the NSMF2, and the DNS in the embodiment in fig. 12 may be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment in fig. 6, and the NSMF2, the NSSMF2, and the DNS in the embodiment in fig. 12 may also be respectively regarded as the first network element, the second network element, and the server in the embodiment in fig. 6.

Based on the example of the network architecture of fig. 11, the method comprises the following steps:

step 1201: an external operator requests to obtain performance statistics data of the network slice instance NSI # B, and sends a request message for subscribing the network slice performance statistics to EGMF, wherein IOC (i.e. NetworkSlice) and MOI (the MOI is not MOI of the top node or MOI of the top node, and the MOI is NSI-B) of the NSI # B are carried.

Step 1202: the EGMF checks the management authority of the external operator, confirms that the external operator is allowed to obtain the performance data of the NSI # B according to the agreement previously signed by both parties, and thus authorizes the execution of the requested operation.

Step 1203: the EGMF queries the DNS for a management service or a management service instance that can satisfy the desired management capability according to the desired management capability information carried in the request message, that is, one or more of the desired management service (i.e., performance association management service), the management action (i.e., subscription), the type of the management object (i.e., network slice), and the MOI of the management object (i.e., NSI-B). Specifically, the EGMF constructs a query domain name _ subscribe. _ network slice. _ NSI-B using the desired management action, and then sends a NAPTR query request to the DNS.

The DNS queries the updated or configured related records, and determines that the NAPTR record configured for the NSMF2 can be matched with the query request through regular expression or replacement, and sends the authoritative domain name NSMF2.plmn1 of the management service instance of the NSMF2 to the EGMF as a response message, where a flag of the response message is set to a, that is, the authoritative domain name obtained according to the response message can execute a query to obtain an access address.

Step 1204: the EGMF uses an authoritative domain name query DNS of the management service instance of the NSMF2 to obtain an access address of the management service instance, i.e., an IP address and port information of an access management service interface.

Step 1205: EGMF calls the performance statistics management service provided by NSMF2, which carries the desired management actions (i.e., subscription performance statistics), the type of management object (i.e., network slice), and the desired object attributes (i.e., NSI-B) received from step 1.

Step 1206: the NSMF2 determines the performance data of the subnet slice or the network function to be collected according to the processing procedure defined in TS 28.550, and decomposes the performance data into sub-performance statistics tasks, such as collecting the performance statistics data of NSSI #3 and NF #4 in fig. 11.

Step 1207 a: for an MOI with top-level node flag such as NSSI #3, the NSMF2 constructs desired management capability information, i.e. desired management actions (subscription performance statistics), type of management object (i.e. sub-network slice), MOI of management object (i.e. NSSI-3), according to the decomposed sub-tasks, and queries the DNS for a management service or management service instance capable of satisfying the desired management capability. Specifically, similar to step 1203, the NSMF2 constructs a query domain name _ describe. _ network slicescubnet. _ NSSI-3 with the desired management actions described above, and then sends a NAPTR query request to the DNS. The DNS determines that the NAPTR record configured for NSSMF2 can match the query request according to the related record updated or configured in embodiment two, and sends the authoritative domain name NSSMF2.plmn1 of the management service instance of NSSMF2 as a response message to NSMF2.

Step 1207 b-1: for NF #4 such MOI without top node flag, the NSMF2 looks up the first top MOI with top flag starting from the target MOI. For example, the first MOI with the top flag looking up from NF #4 in FIG. 11 is NSSI-3.

Step 1207 b-2: NSMF2 constructs a DNS query message using the management capability range top-level MOI, specific method synchronization step 1207 a. The queried management capability range of the NSSMF2, which is capable of managing NSSI-3, contains the target MOI (i.e., NF #4), so that NSSMF2 may subsequently request a subscription to performance statistics of NF # 4.

Step 1208: the NSMF2 uses the authoritative domain name query DNS of the management service instance of NSSMF2 to obtain the access address of the management service instance.

Step 1209: the NSMF2 calls a subnet slice performance data subscription service and a network function performance data subscription service provided by the NSSMF2 to complete the creation of a performance statistics subtask.

Step 1210: therefore, after the subtask is successfully created, the NSMF2 creates the performance statistics task of NSI # B, and returns a performance statistics subscription response message to the EGMF, where the performance statistics subscription response message carries the identifier of the newly created performance statistics task.

Step 1211: the EGMF sends a subscription response message to the external operator.

Based on the embodiment, the management object is used as a part of the management capability information to perform DNS query, and a management service instance capable of supporting non-creation type operation on the management object is obtained. By translating the target MOI to the top-level MOI of the management scope, it can be achieved that only changes in the level MOI need to be synchronized to DNS, and other MOI changes do not affect DNS configuration. Therefore, the number of DNS configuration records can be greatly reduced, and frequent update of DNS record configuration is avoided.

Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for discovering another management service provided by the present application, where the embodiment of fig. 13 is a specific example of the embodiment shown in fig. 7. Wherein, the other operators, the EGMF and the MSRF of the embodiment of fig. 13 can be regarded as the tenant, the first network element and the server of the embodiment of fig. 7, respectively.

Outside operators or third party verticals often need to query themselves for the scope of their authorized management capabilities, i.e., which network resources the operator or third party is allowed to manage, what operations are allowed to perform, etc. The following description will be made taking as an example a flow in which an external operator requests to obtain its own management capability range by opening a management function.

The method comprises the following steps:

step 1301: and a certain external operator sends a request message to the EGMF to request for inquiring the authorized management capability range, wherein the request message carries the tenant identification. Wherein the tenant identity is an identity of an operator open to the outside providing network to a third party vertical industry or other operator tenants.

Step 1302: the EGMF checks and determines the tenant identification, and then determines the management authority of the tenant according to a protocol signed by the two parties in advance. Specifically, information of the network resource types that the tenant can create, that is, the IOC that the tenant can manage or a list thereof, is determined; and determining network resources that the tenant can manage, namely a management object MOI or a list thereof.

Step 1303: EGMF queries MRSF for registration information of management service instances with some IOC or IOC list obtained in step 1302, obtains names of creation class management services that all available state management service instances can provide to the target IOC, creation class management actions (optional), and capability attributes (optional). EGMF gets the create class management service name, create class management actions, and capability attributes that can be provided for each IOC in the IOC list.

Step 1304: the EGMF queries the MRSF for the registration information of the management service instance with a certain MOI or MOI list obtained in step 1302, and obtains the management service names, management actions (optional) that the management service instances in all available states can provide to the target MOI. EGMF gets the management service name, management action (optional) that can be provided for each MOI in the above list of MOIs.

Step 1305: the EGMF summarizes the results obtained in steps 1303 and 1304, and queries a list of { creatable IOC, one to multiple creation class management service names, one to multiple creation class management actions (optional), capability attributes (optional) } and/or { manageable MOI, one to multiple allowed management service names, one to multiple allowed management actions (optional) } as the tenant management capability range.

Step 1306: the EGMF sends the tenant management capability range obtained in step 1305 to the external operator as a query result response. The external operator can thus know which network resources are allowed to be managed, what operations are allowed to be performed, etc.

Based on the embodiment, the third party vertical industry or the external operator obtains network resources which can be managed by the third party vertical industry or the external operator, and the operation is allowed to be executed. The management capability range of the tenant comprises the range of the creating class operation and the range of the non-creating class operation, and is more comprehensive and flexible compared with the prior art.

Fig. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for discovering another management service provided by the present application, where the embodiment in fig. 14 is a specific example of the embodiment in fig. 7. Wherein, the other operators, the EGMF and the DNS of the embodiment of fig. 14 can be regarded as the tenant, the first network element and the server of the embodiment of fig. 7, respectively.

The method comprises the following steps:

step 1400: the management capability records for each management service instance are configured in the DNS system in a manner described in connection with step 1000 of the embodiment of fig. 10.

Step 1401: and a certain external operator sends a request message to the EGMF to request for inquiring the authorized management capability range, wherein the request message carries the tenant identification. Wherein the tenant identity is an identity of an operator open to the outside providing network to a third party vertical industry or other operator tenants.

Step 1402: the EGMF checks and determines the tenant identification, and then determines the management authority of the tenant according to a protocol signed by the two parties in advance. Specifically, information of the network resource types that the tenant can create, that is, the IOC that the tenant can manage or a list thereof, is determined; and determining network resources that the tenant can manage, namely a management object MOI or a list thereof.

Step 1403: the EGMF queries the DNS with the registration information of the management service instance from a certain IOC obtained in step 1402, obtains the name of the creation class management service that the management service instance in all available states can provide to the target IOC, the creation class management action (optional), and the capability attribute (optional). The specific EGMF uses the "_ IOC" to send a NAPTR query to the DNS, obtaining a query response with the replacement management service name and S tag. Wherein the replacement field "_ operation. _ IOC" or "_ operation. _ IOC. _ capability attribute" is the create class operation management capability range and the SVR field is the management service name. EGMF can be used to determine the information related to each IOC in the IOC list by repeating this step.

Step 1404a (optional step): the EGMF may further query the access address of the management service instance obtained in step 1403.

Step 1404b (optional step): the EGMF sends a message to the management service to detect that a management service instance can be accessed. If not, its associated record is removed from the results of step 1403.

Step 1405: the MOI of the top level flag of the management scope is found for each MOI obtained from the obtained MOI list in step 1402, and the method can refer to the related description of the embodiment of fig. 12. And forming a new list by all the obtained MOIs with the top-level marks.

Step 1406: the EGMF performs NAPTR query for each MOI with top-level flag set in the list obtained in step 1405, and the specific query request carries "_ MOI", and obtains a query response with the replacement management service name and S flag. Wherein the replacement field "_ operation. _ MOI" or "_ operation. _ IOC. _ MOI" is a non-creation class operation management capability range and the SVR field is a management service name. EGMF provides the above information related to each MOI in the above list of MOIs by repeating this step.

Step 1407 (optional step): like steps 1404a and 1404b, the EGMF queries the service address and the detection management service instance is accessible. If not, its associated record is removed from the results of step 1406.

Step 1408: the EGMF summarizes the results obtained in steps 1403 and 1406, and queries the obtained list of { creatable IOC, one to multiple creation class management service names, one to multiple creation class management actions (optional), capability attributes (optional) } and/or { manageable MOI with top-level flag, one to multiple allowed management services (optional), one to multiple allowed management actions (optional) } as tenant management capability scope.

Step 1409: the EGMF sends the tenant management capability range obtained in step 1408 to the external operator as a query result response. The external operator can thus know which network resources are allowed to be managed, what operations are allowed to be performed, etc.

Based on the embodiment, the third party vertical industry or the external operator obtains network resources which can be managed by the third party vertical industry or the external operator, and the operation is allowed to be executed. The management capability range of the tenant comprises the range of the creating class operation and the range of the non-creating class operation, and is more comprehensive and flexible compared with the prior art. In addition, the management capability range can be obtained through DNS inquiry and compatible with the existing DNS system.

In summary, the present application provides the following technical solutions:

(1) the management capability information for managing the service instance creation class includes: supported management services, supported operations, type of management object IOC, optional capability attributes; the management capability information of the non-creation class includes: supported management services, supported operations, type of management object IOC, optional MOI. The above management capability information of the management service instance is registered to the MSRF or configured to the DNS system.

(2) The management capability information of the management service instance is configured to the DNS in the form of NAPRT record, and the capability information is used for querying the DNS to obtain the domain name of the management service or the management service instance.

(3) The newly created management object is a top level node in the management capacity range, and a mark is set for the MOI of the top level node in the management capacity range. A management capability NAPTR record is configured in the DNS for the top level node with the flag set.

(4) If the DNS query is carried out, the management service consumer takes the target MOI as a starting point to query the MOI with the top-level node of the management capability range upwards, and then carries out DNS NAPTR query by using operation + IOC + top-level MOI to obtain the domain name of the management service or the management service instance.

(5) The EGMF uses the IOC and MOI which can be managed by the tenant as identifiers to inquire the MSRF about the management actions which can be provided by the management service instance of all available states, and the inquiry results form a tenant management capability range.

(6) And performing DNS NAPTR query by using IOC or top MOI which can be managed by the tenant to obtain a management range which can be provided by the management service instance, and forming the management range provided by the accessible management service instance into a tenant management capacity range.

Through the technical scheme, a customer of the management service can find the management service and the access address which meet the expected management capacity information according to the expected management action and the expected management object, and a third-party vertical industry or an external operator can also obtain network resources which can be managed by the third-party vertical industry or the external operator and allowed to execute the operation. The technology can be compatible with the existing DNS system, and the cost of the system is further reduced.

The above-mentioned scheme provided by the present application is mainly introduced from the perspective of interaction between network elements. It is to be understood that the above-described implementation of each network element includes, in order to implement the above-described functions, a corresponding hardware structure and/or software module for performing each function. Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software for performing the exemplary elements and computing steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein. Whether a function is implemented as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 15, which is a possible exemplary block diagram of a discovery apparatus for managing services according to the present application, the apparatus 1500 may exist in the form of software or hardware. The apparatus 1500 may include: a processing unit 1502 and a communication unit 1503. As one implementation, the communication unit 1503 may include a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The processing unit 1502 is configured to control and manage operations of the apparatus 1500. The communication unit 1503 is used to support communication of the apparatus 1500 with other network entities. The apparatus 1500 may further comprise a storage unit 1501 for storing program codes and data of the apparatus 1500.

The processing unit 1502 may be a processor or a controller, such as a general Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processing (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, or the like. The storage unit 1501 may be a memory. The communication unit 1503 is an interface circuit of the device for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented in the form of a chip, the communication unit 1503 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive a signal from another chip or device, or an interface circuit for the chip to transmit a signal to another chip or device.

The apparatus 1500 may be the first network element in any of the above embodiments, and may also be a chip for the first network element. For example, when the apparatus 1500 is a first network element, the processing unit 1502 may be a processor, and the communication unit 1503 may be a transceiver, for example. Optionally, the transceiver may comprise radio frequency circuitry and the storage unit may be, for example, a memory. For example, when the apparatus 1500 is a chip for a first network element, the processing unit 1502 may be a processor, for example, and the communication unit 1503 may be an input/output interface, a pin, a circuit, or the like, for example. The processing unit 1502 can execute computer-executable instructions stored in a storage unit, which is optionally a storage unit in the chip, such as a register, a cache, and the like, and the storage unit can also be a storage unit located outside the chip in the first network element, such as a read-only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM), and the like.

In the first embodiment, the communication unit 1503 is configured to obtain, from a server, access information of a management service instance according to desired management capability information, where the management service instance matches the desired management capability information, and the desired management capability information includes at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute; the processing unit 1502 is configured to invoke a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information, where the second network element includes the management service instance; the communication unit 1503 is further configured to receive, from the second network element, creation and deployment information, where the creation and deployment information includes a management object instance corresponding to a type of the management object, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance.

In a possible implementation method, the server is a management service repository function network element; the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to send a request message to the management service repository function network element, where the request message includes the expected management capability information; the first network element receives access information of the management service instance from the management service repository function network element.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to send a request message to the domain name server, where the request message includes a query domain name, and the query domain name is constructed according to the desired management capability information; receiving an authoritative domain name recorded by a name authority pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server; and acquiring the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR.

In a possible implementation method, the first authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to obtain, from the domain name server, access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record; or, the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is an authoritative domain name of the management service, and the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to acquire the authoritative domain name of the SRV record of the service corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the domain name server, and acquire the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

In a possible implementation method, the apparatus is an open control management function network element, and the second network element is a management function network element; or, the apparatus is a first management function network element, the second network element is a second management function network element, and the network resource managed by the second management function network element is a component of the network resource managed by the first management function network element.

In the second embodiment, the communication unit 1503 is configured to send a request message to a domain name server, where the request message includes a query domain name, the query domain name is constructed according to desired management capability information, the desired management capability information includes at least one of a management service, a management action, a type of a management object, or a management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance; receiving an authoritative domain name recorded by a name authority pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server; acquiring access information of the management service instance from the server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR; and calling the management service to a second network element providing the management service according to the access information of the management service instance and the expected management capability information.

In the third embodiment, the processing unit 1502 is configured to determine, according to an identifier of a tenant, an information object class corresponding to the tenant, where one information object class is used to identify one network resource type that can be created; the communication unit 1503, configured to obtain, from a server, information of a creation class management service that can be provided and that corresponds to an information object class corresponding to the tenant, where the information of the creation class management service includes at least one of a creation class management service name, a creation class management action, or a capability attribute; and sending a first message to the tenant, wherein the first message comprises an information object class corresponding to the tenant and the available information of the creation class management service.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to send a request message to the domain name server, where the request message includes the information object class, and the request message is used to request an NAPTR record; receiving information of the available creation class management services from the domain name server.

In a possible implementation method, the processing unit 1502 is further configured to determine, according to an identifier of a tenant, a management object instance corresponding to the tenant, where one management object instance is used to identify a network resource that can be managed; the communication unit 1503, configured to obtain, from the server, information of an available management service corresponding to a management object instance according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, where the information of the management service includes at least one of a management service or a management action; and sending a second message to the tenant, wherein the second message comprises the management object instance corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available management service.

In one possible implementation, the server is a domain name server; the communication unit 1503 is specifically configured to send a request message to the domain name server, where the request message includes the information object class, and the request message is used to request to query an NAPTR record; and receiving information of the available management services from the domain name server.

It can be understood that, for a specific implementation process and corresponding beneficial effects of the apparatus when used in the method for discovering the management service, reference may be made to the related description in the foregoing method embodiment, and details are not described here.

As shown in fig. 16, which is a possible exemplary block diagram of a discovery apparatus for managing services according to the present application, the apparatus 1600 may exist in the form of software or hardware. Apparatus 1600 may include: a processing unit 1602 and a communication unit 1603. As an implementation, the communication unit 1603 may include a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The processing unit 1602 is used for controlling and managing the operations of the apparatus 1600. Communication unit 1603 is used to support communication of device 1600 with other network entities. The apparatus 1600 may also include a storage unit 1601 for storing program codes and data for the apparatus 1600.

The processing unit 1602 may be a processor or a controller, and may be, for example, a CPU, a general purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, DSPs, and microprocessors, among others. The storage unit 1601 may be a memory. The communication unit 1603 is an interface circuit of the apparatus for receiving signals from other apparatuses. For example, when the device is implemented in the form of a chip, the communication unit 1603 is an interface circuit of the chip for receiving signals from other chips or devices, or an interface circuit of the chip for transmitting signals to other chips or devices.

The apparatus 1600 may be a server in any of the above embodiments, and may also be a chip for a server. For example, when the apparatus 1600 is a server, the processing unit 1602 may be a processor, and the communication unit 1603 may be a transceiver, for example. Optionally, the transceiver may comprise radio frequency circuitry and the storage unit may be, for example, a memory. For example, when the apparatus 1600 is a chip for a server, the processing unit 1602 may be a processor, for example, and the communication unit 1603 may be an input/output interface, a pin, a circuit, or the like, for example. The processing unit 1602 may execute computer-executable instructions stored in a storage unit, such as a register, a cache, etc., optionally in the chip, or in a storage unit located outside the chip in the server, such as a ROM or other types of static storage devices that may store static information and instructions, a RAM, etc.

In one embodiment, the communication unit 1603 is configured to receive desired management capability information, which includes at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute; the processing unit 1602, configured to obtain access information of a management service instance according to the expected management capability information, where the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information; the communication unit 1603 is further configured to send access information of the management service instance.

In one possible implementation method, the apparatus is a management service repository function network element; the communication unit 1603 is specifically configured to receive a request message, where the request message includes the desired management capability information; the service repository functional network element is configured with a corresponding relationship between access information of at least one management service instance and management capability information, and the processing unit 1602 is specifically configured to obtain the access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capability information and the corresponding relationship.

In a possible implementation method, the communication unit 1603 is further configured to receive information of a management object instance, where the information of the management object instance includes a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance; the processing unit 1602 is further configured to update the management capability information corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

In one possible implementation, the device is a domain name server; the communication unit 1603 is specifically configured to receive a request message, where the request message queries a domain name, and the queried domain name is constructed according to the desired management capability information; the processing unit 1602, is specifically configured to obtain an authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record corresponding to the queried domain name; and acquiring the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authority domain name of the NAPTR record.

In a possible implementation method, the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR is the authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the processing unit 1602 is specifically configured to obtain access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service instance; alternatively, the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is an authoritative domain name of the management service, and the processing unit 1602 is specifically configured to obtain the authoritative domain name of the SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service, and obtain the access information of the management service instance according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

In a possible implementation method, the communication unit 1603 is further configured to receive information of a management object instance, where the information of the management object instance includes a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance, and the management object instance is a top-level node within a management capability range of the management service instance; the processing unit 1602 is further configured to update the NAPTR record corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a discovery apparatus for managing services provided in the present application, where the discovery apparatus may be the first network element or the server in the foregoing embodiment. The apparatus 1700 includes: a processor 1702, a communication interface 1703, a memory 1701. Optionally, the apparatus 1700 may also include a communication line 1704. Among them, the communication interface 1703, the processor 1702, and the memory 1701 may be connected to each other through a communication line 1704; the communication line 1704 may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, or the like. The communication lines 1704 may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in FIG. 17, but this does not mean only one bus or one type of bus.

The processor 1702 may be a CPU, microprocessor, ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits configured to control the execution of programs in accordance with the teachings of the present application.

Communication interface 1703 may be implemented using any transceiver or the like for communicating with another device or communications network, such as an ethernet network, a Radio Access Network (RAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a wired access network, etc.

The memory 1701 may be, but is not limited to, a ROM or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a RAM or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disk, laser disk, optical disk, digital versatile disk, blu-ray disk, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be self-contained and coupled to the processor via communication line 1704. The memory may also be integrated with the processor.

The memory 1701 is used for storing computer executable instructions for executing the present invention, and the processor 1702 controls the execution. The processor 1702 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 1701 to implement the method for discovering the management service provided by the above-described embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as application program codes, which are not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that: the various numbers of the first, second, etc. mentioned in this application are only used for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application, but also to indicate the sequence. "and/or" describes an association relationship of associated objects, meaning that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character "/" generally indicates that the front and rear related objects are in an "or" relationship. "at least one" means one or more. At least two means two or more. "at least one," "any," or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of singular or plural items. For example, at least one (one ) of a, b, or c, may represent: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, or a-b-c, wherein a, b, c may be single or multiple. "plurality" means two or more, and other terms are analogous. Furthermore, for elements (elements) that appear in the singular form "a," an, "and" the, "they are not intended to mean" one or only one "unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, but rather" one or more than one. For example, "a device" means for one or more such devices.

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the procedures or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a network of computers, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another, for example, from one website site, computer, server, or data center to another website site, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device including one or more available media integrated servers, data centers, and the like. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., Solid State Disks (SSDs)), among others.

The various illustrative logical units and circuits described in this application may be implemented or operated upon by design of a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a digital signal processor core, or any other similar configuration.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in the embodiments herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software unit executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. The software cells may be stored in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. For example, a storage medium may be coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

Although the present application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Accordingly, the specification and figures are merely exemplary of the present application as defined in the appended claims and are intended to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of the present application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present application without departing from the scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for discovering management services, comprising:

a first network element sends a request message to a domain name server, wherein the request message comprises a query domain name, the query domain name is constructed according to expected management capability information, and the expected management capability information comprises at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute;

the first network element receives an authoritative domain name recorded by a name authority pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server;

and the first network element acquires the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, and the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining, by the first network element, the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, comprises:

the first authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the first network element acquires the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the domain name server; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service, the first network element acquires the authoritative domain name of the service SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record from the domain name server, and acquires the access information of the management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first network element is an open control management function network element and the second network element is a management function network element; or, the first network element is a first management function network element, the second network element is a second management function network element, and the network resource managed by the second management function network element is a component of the network resource managed by the first management function network element.

5. A method for discovering management services, comprising:

a management service repository function network element receiving a request message, the request message including desired management capability information, the desired management capability information including at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute;

the management service warehouse function network element is configured with a corresponding relation between access information and management capacity information of at least one management service instance, the management service warehouse function network element acquires the access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capacity information and the corresponding relation, and the management service instance is matched with the expected management capacity information;

the management service warehouse function network element sends the access information of the management service instance;

the management service warehouse function network element receives information of a management object instance, wherein the information of the management object instance comprises a management object instance and a relation between the management object instance and other management object instances, and the management object instance is used for identifying network resources managed by the management service instance;

and the management service warehouse function network element updates the management capability information corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

6. A method for discovering management services, comprising:

receiving a request message by a domain name server, wherein the request message comprises a query domain name, the query domain name is constructed according to expected management capability information, and the expected management capability information comprises at least one of management actions, types of management objects or capability attributes;

the domain name server acquires an authoritative domain name of NAPTR records corresponding to the query domain name;

the domain name server acquires access information of a management service instance corresponding to an authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, and the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information;

and the domain name server sends the access information of the management service instance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the domain name server obtaining access information for the management service instance corresponding to an authoritative domain name for the NAPTR record, comprises:

the authority domain name recorded by the NAPTR is the authority domain name of the management service instance, and the domain name server acquires the access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authority domain name of the management service instance; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is the authoritative domain name of the management service, the domain name server obtains the authoritative domain name of the SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service, and obtains the access information of the management service instance according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, further comprising:

the domain name server receives information of a management object instance, wherein the information of the management object instance comprises a management object instance and a relation between the management object instance and other management object instances, the management object instance is used for identifying network resources managed by the management service instance, and the management object instance is a top-level node within a management capacity range of the management service instance;

and the server updates the NAPTR record corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

9. A method for discovering management services, comprising:

the first network element determines information object classes corresponding to tenants according to the identification of the tenants, wherein one information object class is used for identifying one creatable network resource type;

the first network element acquires the information of the provided creation class management service corresponding to the information object class from a server according to the information object class corresponding to the tenant, wherein the information of the creation class management service comprises at least one of a creation class management service name, a creation class management action or a capability attribute;

and the first network element sends a first message to the tenant, wherein the first message comprises an information object class corresponding to the tenant and the available information of creating class management service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the server is a domain name server;

the first network element obtains, from a server, the providable created class management capability information corresponding to the information object class according to the information object class corresponding to the tenant, and includes:

the first network element sends a request message to the domain name server, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting NAPTR record;

the first network element receives information of the available creation class management services from the domain name server.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

the first network element determines a management object instance corresponding to a tenant according to the identification of the tenant, wherein one management object instance is used for identifying network resources which can be managed;

the first network element acquires information of available management services corresponding to the management object instances from the server according to the management object instances corresponding to the tenants, wherein the information of the management services comprises at least one of management services or management actions;

and the first network element sends a second message to the tenant, wherein the second message comprises a management object instance corresponding to the tenant and information of the available management service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the server is a domain name server;

the acquiring, by the first network element, information of the management service that can be provided and corresponds to the management object instance from the server according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant includes:

the first network element sends a request message to the domain name server, wherein the request message comprises the information object class and is used for requesting to inquire NAPTR records;

the first network element receives information of the available management services from the domain name server.

13. A discovery apparatus for managing services, comprising:

a communication unit, configured to send a request message to a domain name server, where the request message includes a query domain name, and the query domain name is constructed according to desired management capability information, where the desired management capability information includes at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute; receiving an authoritative domain name recorded by a name authority pointer NAPTR corresponding to the query domain name from the domain name server; and acquiring access information of a management service instance from the domain name server according to the authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, wherein the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is an authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the communication unit is specifically configured to obtain, from the domain name server, access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the communication unit is specifically configured to acquire, from the domain name server, an authoritative domain name of a service SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record, and acquire, from the domain name server, access information of the management service instance according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the apparatus further comprises a processing unit, configured to invoke a management service to a second network element according to the access information of the management service instance and the desired management capability information, the second network element including the management service instance;

the communication unit is further configured to receive, from the second network element, creation and deployment information, where the creation and deployment information includes a management object instance corresponding to a type of the management object, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is an open control management function network element and the second network element is a management function network element; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the device is a first management function network element, the second network element is a second management function network element, and the network resources managed by the second management function network element are components of the network resources managed by the first management function network element.

17. A management service discovery apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a management service repository function network element, comprising: a communication unit and a processing unit;

the communication unit is used for receiving a request message, wherein the request message comprises expected management capacity information, and the expected management capacity information comprises at least one item of management action, type of management object or capacity attribute;

the service warehouse function network element is configured with a corresponding relation between access information of at least one management service instance and management capacity information, the processing unit is used for acquiring the access information of the management service instance according to the expected management capacity information and the corresponding relation, and the management service instance is matched with the expected management capacity information;

the communication unit is further used for sending the access information of the management service instance;

the communication unit is further configured to receive information of a management object instance, where the information of the management object instance includes a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and another management object instance, and the management object instance is used to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance;

the processing unit is further configured to update management capability information corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

18. A discovery apparatus for managing services, the apparatus being a domain name server, comprising: a communication unit and a processing unit;

the communication unit is configured to receive a request message, where the request message includes a query domain name, where the query domain name is constructed according to desired management capability information, and the desired management capability information includes at least one of a management action, a type of a management object, or a capability attribute;

the processing unit is used for acquiring an authoritative domain name of NAPTR records corresponding to the query domain name; acquiring access information of a management service instance corresponding to an authoritative domain name recorded by the NAPTR, wherein the management service instance is matched with the expected management capability information;

the communication unit is further configured to send access information of the management service instance.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the authoritative domain name of the NAPTR record is an authoritative domain name of the management service instance, and the processing unit is specifically configured to obtain access information of the management service instance corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service instance; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the processing unit is specifically configured to acquire an authoritative domain name of an SRV record corresponding to the authoritative domain name of the management service, and acquire access information of the management service instance according to the authoritative domain name of the SRV record.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 or 19, wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive information of a management object instance, the information of the management object instance including a management object instance and a relationship between the management object instance and other management object instances, the management object instance being configured to identify a network resource managed by the management service instance, the management object instance being a top-level node within a management capability range of the management service instance;

the processing unit is further configured to update the NAPTR record corresponding to the management service instance according to the information of the management object instance.

21. A discovery apparatus for managing services, comprising: a communication unit and a processing unit;

the processing unit is used for determining information object classes corresponding to the tenants according to the identifications of the tenants, wherein one information object class is used for identifying one creatable network resource type;

the communication unit is used for acquiring information of the available creation class management service corresponding to the information object class from a server according to the information object class corresponding to the tenant, wherein the information of the creation class management service comprises at least one of a creation class management service name, a creation class management action or a capability attribute; and sending a first message to the tenant, wherein the first message comprises an information object class corresponding to the tenant and the available information of creating class management service.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the server is a domain name server;

the communication unit is specifically configured to send a request message to the domain name server, where the request message includes the information object class, and the request message is used to request an NAPTR record; receiving information of the available creation class management services from the domain name server.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine, according to an identifier of a tenant, a management object instance corresponding to the tenant, wherein one management object instance is used to identify a network resource that can be managed;

the communication unit is further configured to acquire, from the server, information of an available management service corresponding to a management object instance according to the management object instance corresponding to the tenant, where the information of the management service includes at least one of a management service or a management action; and sending a second message to the tenant, wherein the second message comprises the management object instance corresponding to the tenant and the information of the available management service.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the server is a domain name server;

the communication unit is specifically configured to send a request message to the domain name server, where the request message includes the information object class, and the request message is used to request to query an NAPTR record; and receiving information of the available management services from the domain name server.