WO2018166366A1 - 用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法和装置 - Google Patents

用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法和装置 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018166366A1
WO2018166366A1 PCT/CN2018/077973 CN2018077973W WO2018166366A1 WO 2018166366 A1 WO2018166366 A1 WO 2018166366A1 CN 2018077973 W CN2018077973 W CN 2018077973W WO 2018166366 A1 WO2018166366 A1 WO 2018166366A1
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vnf
kpi
delay
expansion
request response
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PCT/CN2018/077973
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English (en)
French (fr)
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胡琳
李龙
虞红芳
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华为技术有限公司
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Priority to EP18766710.0A priority Critical patent/EP3576359B1/en
Publication of WO2018166366A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018166366A1/zh

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0895—Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0896—Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs
    • G06F9/455—Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
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    • G06F9/45533—Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0896—Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities
    • H04L41/0897—Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities by horizontal or vertical scaling of resources, or by migrating entities, e.g. virtual resources or entities
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/34—Signalling channels for network management communication
    • H04L41/342—Signalling channels for network management communication between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/40—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50—Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003—Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • H04L41/5009—Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
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    • H04L43/0852—Delays
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    • G06F9/45533—Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
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    • G06F2009/45595—Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/46—Multiprogramming arrangements
    • G06F9/50—Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0805—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability
    • H04L43/0817—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability by checking functioning
    • H—ELECTRICITY
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    • H04L43/16—Threshold monitoring

Definitions

  • the present application relates to the field of communications and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for virtual network function expansion.
  • NFV Network Function Virtualisation
  • NFV technology can implement some network functions in software on general-purpose hardware.
  • NFV technology can be used to implement partial telecommunications in general-purpose cloud servers, switches, and storage. Network capabilities to enable rapid and efficient deployment of network services.
  • the present application provides a method and apparatus for virtualized network function (VNF) expansion, which can reduce the risk of overall system failure when a system fails.
  • VNF virtualized network function
  • a method for capacity expansion of a virtual network function comprising: delaying a request response of a user accessing a first virtualized network function (VNF) exceeds a user's
  • VNF virtualized network function
  • the Management and Orchestration (MANO) determines that the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy the linkage expansion condition, and the second VNF is the A downstream VNF of the first VNF; the MANO expands the first VNF and the second VNF in parallel.
  • Linkage expansion conditions such as literal understanding, that is, joint expansion conditions.
  • first VNF satisfies the expansion condition
  • second VNF also satisfies the expansion condition.
  • Parallel means that the expansion of the first VNF and the expansion process of the second VNF may be completely overlapped or partially overlapped.
  • the principle of capacity expansion is to expand the capacity according to whether the user's request response delay meets the requirements. In practice, if the delay exceeds the user's tolerance time, you can consider expanding the capacity to improve the user experience.
  • the duration of the service function chain SFC response time can be shortened, and the overall usability is improved.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first virtual network function VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, and the second VNF cannot meet the requirements of the user accessing the second VNF.
  • the management orchestration MANO determines that the first VNF and the second VNF meet the linkage expansion condition, including: a delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF and a key performance indicator of the first VNF (Key Performance Indicators)
  • the KPI determines that the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy the linkage expansion condition when the delay of the request response of the strong positive correlation and the user accessing the second VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first virtual network function VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user and the second VNF cannot meet the requirement of the user accessing the second VNF by fitting the first VNF.
  • the scope is used to determine whether the user's tolerance time is exceeded or the user's needs are not met.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is significantly Increase.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is weakly positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is slowly Increase.
  • the method further includes: the MANO acquiring the KPI of the first VNF and the KPI of the second VNF multiple times; the MANO is changed according to a KPI of the first VNF and the second VNF a change in the KPI, determining a delay of a request response of a user accessing the first VNF, a strong positive correlation with a KPI of the first VNF, and a delay of a request response of a user accessing the second VNF with the second VNF KPI is weakly positively correlated.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the key performance indicator KPI of the first VNF and the request response of the user accessing the second VNF.
  • the MANO determines that the first VNF and the second VNF meet the linkage expansion condition, including: the MANO acquires the KPI of the first VNF multiple times; a change of the first VNF, determining that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF; the MANO sends the expansion notification information to the second VNF, where the expansion notification information is used
  • the delay of the request response of the user that informs the second VNF to access the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF; the MANO receives the expansion request sent by the second VNF according to the expansion notification information, and the expansion request
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is positively related to the KPI
  • the first VNF and the second VNF may be directly expanded when it is determined that the delay of the request response to access the first VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user. It is also possible to determine that the second VNF does not satisfy the requirement of the access user while determining that the delay of the request response to the first VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, and then expand the first VNF and the second VNF.
  • Expanding the second VNF in advance can improve the overall availability and prevent it in advance.
  • the second VNF and the third VNF are not satisfied by the access user when the delay of the request response to access the first VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, where the third VNF is Downstream of the second VNF, and so on, multiple VNFs can be expanded in parallel.
  • the KPI includes a resource KPI, where the resource KPI is used to indicate a resource usage rate of the first VNF, where the service KPI is used to indicate a user currently accessing the first VNF.
  • the number of shares occupies a proportion of the maximum number of users that the first VNF can tolerate.
  • the resource KPI includes at least one of the following information: a central processing unit (CPU) utilization, a memory utilization, a disk utilization, and a network bandwidth utilization.
  • CPU central processing unit
  • the MANO determines, according to the change of the first VNF, that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF, including: the MANO is based on The change of the resource KPI of the first VNF, determining that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the resource KPI of the first VNF; or the change of the service KPI of the MANO according to the first VNF The delay of determining the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the service KPI of the first VNF.
  • the relationship between the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF and the relationship between the resource KPI and the weighted average of the service KPI may also be simulated.
  • the method further includes: when the MANO determines that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF, acquiring the first access The number of users of the VNF and the number of service function chains (SFCs) passing through the second VNF; the MANO determines resources that satisfy the number of users according to the number of users; the MANO is based on the number of the SFCs, Determining a resource that satisfies the number of the SFCs; the MANO expands the first VNF and the second VNF in parallel, including: the MANO is in parallel according to the resource that satisfies the number of the user and the resource that satisfies the number of the SFC. The first VNF and the second VNF are expanded.
  • SFCs service function chains
  • the SFC is an SFC that is affected by an increase in the number of requests of users accessing the first VNF.
  • the resource includes at least one of the following information: a number of virtual machines, a number of chips, a memory size, a hard disk size, and a network card size.
  • the number of virtual machines required by the first VNF may be determined according to the number of users accessing the first VNF, or the number of virtual machines required by the second VNF may be determined according to the number of SFCs passing through the second VNF.
  • the number of virtual machines required by the second VNF may be equal to the number of the SFCs.
  • the capacity of the downstream VNF is determined according to the affected SFC, and resources can be saved without increasing the capacity.
  • the method further includes: the MANO receives the expansion alarm information of the first VNF; and the MANO determines, according to the expansion alarm information, that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF exceeds the tolerance of the user. time.
  • the method further includes: sending, by the MANO, the expansion success information to the first VNF and/or the second VNF, where the expansion success information is used to indicate that the MANO has completed the first VNF and/or the second Expansion of VNF.
  • the second aspect provides a method for expanding a virtual network function, where the method includes: the second virtual network function VNF receives the expansion notification information sent by the management MANO, and the expansion notification information is used to indicate that the first VNF is accessed. The delay of the user's request response exceeds the tolerance time of the user.
  • the second VNF is the downstream VNF of the first VNF. After receiving the expansion notification information, the second VNF determines that the second VNF cannot satisfy the access.
  • the second VNF sends a capacity expansion request to the MANO, and the capacity expansion request is used by the MANO to determine that the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy the linkage expansion condition.
  • the MAO After receiving the expansion notification information, the MAO can immediately report the expansion request, so that MANO can quickly make the decision of linkage expansion, which can shorten the duration of the SFC response time of the service function chain and improve the overall availability.
  • the contention notification information is specifically used to indicate that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the key performance indicator KPI of the first VNF, and the second VNF determines the The second VNF cannot meet the requirements of the user accessing the second VNF, and the second VNF is determined when the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is weakly positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF. The second VNF cannot meet the needs of the user accessing the second VNF.
  • the KPI includes a resource KPI and a service KPI, where the resource KPI is used to indicate a resource usage rate of the first VNF, where the service KPI is used to indicate that the number of users currently accessing the first VNF occupies the first The ratio of the maximum number of users that a VNF can tolerate.
  • the method further includes: acquiring, by the second VNF, a resource KPI or a service KPI of the second VNF, where the second VNF determines the access according to the change of the resource KPI of the second VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user of the second VNF is weakly positively related to the resource KPI of the second VNF; or the second VNF determines the user accessing the second VNF according to the change of the service KPI of the second VNF.
  • the delay in requesting a response is positively correlated with the service KPI of the second VNF.
  • the resource KPI includes at least one of the following information: CPU processor utilization, memory utilization, disk utilization, and network bandwidth utilization.
  • the method further includes: the second VNF receives the expansion success information sent by the MANO, and the expansion success information is used to indicate that the MANO has completed the expansion of the second VNF.
  • an apparatus for performing the method of any of the above-described first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the first aspect.
  • the apparatus comprises means for performing the method of any of the above-described first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the first aspect.
  • an apparatus for performing the method of any of the above-described second aspect or any of the possible implementations of the second aspect.
  • the apparatus comprises means for performing the method of any of the above-described second aspect or any of the possible implementations of the second aspect.
  • an apparatus comprising: a memory, a processor, an input interface, and an output interface.
  • the memory, the processor, the input interface, and the output interface are connected by a bus system.
  • the memory is for storing instructions for executing the memory stored instructions for performing the method of any of the first aspect or the first aspect of the first aspect.
  • an apparatus comprising: a memory, a processor, an input interface, and an output interface.
  • the memory, the processor, the input interface, and the output interface are connected by a bus system.
  • the memory is for storing instructions for executing the memory stored instructions for performing the method of any of the above-described second aspect or any of the possible implementations of the second aspect.
  • a computer storage medium for storing the method in any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect or the first aspect, or any possible implementation of the second or second aspect
  • Computer software instructions for use in the method of the present invention which comprise a program designed to perform the above aspects.
  • a system comprising the apparatus provided by the third aspect, the apparatus provided by the fourth aspect, and the first VNF described above.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an NFV-based network architecture provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the existence of a functional service chain SFC in an NFV architecture environment.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a method for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 4 is another schematic block diagram of a method for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 5 is still another schematic block diagram of a method for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 7 is another schematic block diagram of an apparatus for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 8 is still another schematic block diagram of an apparatus for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 9 is still another schematic block diagram of an apparatus for virtual network function expansion provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the network architecture and the service scenario described in the embodiments of the present application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application.
  • the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.
  • the method of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an NFV-based network architecture, and can also be applied to an application container engine (Docker)-based network architecture, a virtual machine monitor (VMM)-based network architecture, or other virtualization.
  • the VMM may also be referred to as a hypervisor.
  • the following describes the solution of the embodiment of the present application by taking an NFV-based network architecture as an example.
  • NFV proposed by telecommunications network operators, refers to the technical standards that use network virtualization technology to support a wide variety of network software functions using industry-standard, high-capacity servers, memories, and switches.
  • NFV implements flexible loading of software, enabling flexible deployment and configuration in various locations such as data centers, network nodes, and clients. This speeds up network deployment and adjustment, reduces the complexity of service deployment, and improves the uniformity and generalization of network devices. Adaptation, adaptability, etc.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an NFV-based network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application.
  • the network architecture includes: Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO), Virtualised Network Function Manager (VNFM), and Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (Virtualized Infrastructure). Manager, VIM), Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure (NFVI), Virtualised Network Function (VNF), and Element Manager System (EMS), where NFVO, VNFM, and VIM belongs to the Management and Orchestration (MANO) architecture of the NFV system.
  • OSS/BSS Operation Support System/Business Support System
  • FIG. 1 is an existing OSS or BSS of the operator.
  • a Virtualization Container is part of a compute node that provides an isolated virtualized computing environment.
  • An example of a typical virtualization container is a virtual machine.
  • a virtual machine refers to a virtual device that is simulated on a physical device by virtual machine software. For applications running in virtual machines, these virtual machines work just like real physical devices, which can have operating systems and applications installed on them, and virtual machines can access network resources.
  • VNF also known as virtualized network elements
  • VNF corresponds to physical network functions in traditional non-virtualized networks.
  • the functional behavior and state of the network function is independent of the virtualization of the network function.
  • the VNF can be composed of multiple lower-level components.
  • one VNF can be deployed on multiple VMs, and each VM carries a Virtualised Network Function Component (VNFC).
  • VNFC Virtualised Network Function Component
  • a VNF can also be deployed on a VM.
  • VNFD Virtualised Network Function Descriptor
  • VNFD is a deployment template for the VNF.
  • the VNFD and the VNF are in one-to-one correspondence, and the VNFD describes the virtual resource parameters and requirements required to implement the VNF, and is mainly used to establish a VNF instance and manage the life cycle of the VNF.
  • the VNFM is mainly used to implement the lifecycle management of the VNF instance, including the initialization of the VNF instance, the expansion or contraction of the VNF instance, and the termination of the VNF instance.
  • EMS is mainly used to perform traditional fault management, configuration management, billing management, performance management, and security management (Fault Management, Configuration Management, Accounting Management and Security Management, FCAPS) functions for the VNF.
  • FCAPS fault Management, Configuration Management, Accounting Management and Security Management
  • the EMS can exist alone or as a VNF with EMS functionality.
  • VIM is mainly responsible for: management, monitoring, and fault reporting of infrastructure layer hardware resources and virtualized resources, and providing virtualized resource pools for upper-layer applications.
  • NFVI Provides hardware and virtual resources for the entire system, consisting of hardware resources (including computing, networking, and storage), virtualization layers (virtualizing hardware resources into resource pools), and virtual resources (also divided into computing, networking, and storage). Part) composition. From a VNF perspective, the virtualization layer and hardware resources appear to be an entity that provides the required virtual resources.
  • NFVO Network Service Descriptor
  • VNFD Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graph
  • NS Network Service lifecycle management
  • the global view feature is used to implement Network Service Descriptor (NSD), VNFD, Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graph (VNFFG) management, Network Service (NS) lifecycle management, and resources.
  • NSD Network Service Descriptor
  • VNFFG Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graph
  • NS Network Service lifecycle management
  • the network architecture shown in FIG. 1 may further include a Policy Management Function (PMF) unit.
  • PMF units are typically deployed within NFVO.
  • the PMF unit may also be deployed in the OSS or the BSS.
  • cascading failure/chain failure/chain failure is easy to occur. It is characterized by insufficient local service capability. If the capacity is not expanded, the scope of impact will become larger and larger, and faults will spread and cascading will occur. , eventually leading to the overall failure of the system.
  • SFC1 VNF1-VNF4-VNF5
  • SFC2 VNF2-VNF4-VNF6
  • SFC3 VNF3-VNF6.
  • the traffic of the VNF1 is increased, the traffic handling of the VNF4 is increased.
  • the VNF4 does not perform capacity expansion, the VNF2 traffic processing speed may be slowed down due to flow control measures.
  • the fault propagates in the direction of the flow, and also propagates against the direction of the flow. It also propagates from one chain to the other through a shared node, causing cascading failures.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a method 100 for virtual network function expansion according to an embodiment of the present application.
  • the method 100 can be performed by a MANO, and in particular can be performed by a VNFM.
  • the method 100 mainly includes the following steps:
  • Linkage expansion conditions such as literal understanding, that is, joint expansion conditions.
  • first VNF satisfies the expansion condition
  • second VNF also satisfies the expansion condition.
  • Parallel means that the expansion of the first VNF and the expansion process of the second VNF may be completely overlapped or partially overlapped.
  • the first VNF and the second VNF may be simultaneously expanded, and the expansion of the first VNF and the second VNF may be ended at the same time; or the first VNF and the second VNF may be simultaneously expanded, and the first VNF is terminated first.
  • the expansion of the second VNF is completed after the expansion. This application is not limited to this.
  • the principle of capacity expansion is to expand the capacity according to whether the user's request response delay meets the requirements. For example, in practice, if the delay exceeds the user's tolerance time, you can consider expanding the capacity to improve the user experience.
  • the delay of the request response of the user of the upstream VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, it is determined in advance whether the downstream VNF has not met the requirement of the access user, and if so, it may be considered to be upstream in parallel.
  • the VNF and the downstream VNF are expanded.
  • the method for expanding the VNF of the virtual network function in the embodiment of the present application expands the first VNF and the second VNF in parallel, in a case where the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy the linkage expansion condition, and the traditional Compared with the expansion scheme, the SFC response time of the service function chain can be shortened and the overall availability can be improved.
  • the EMS, MANO, or VNF can perform the monitoring of the service usage of the VNF itself, which may be a Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and/or a service KPI and a load rate. Wait. It may also be a virtualized network function component (VNFC) granularity, and a VNF may include multiple VNFCs, that is, whether a specific instance of the VNFC can monitor whether the service usage exceeds a certain threshold in a plurality of consecutive cycles or If it is within a certain range, it can be expanded for the current monitored VNFC.
  • KPI Key Performance Indicators
  • VNFC virtualized network function component
  • the threshold is obtained by fitting the relationship between the service usage rate of the VNF in advance and the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF. For example, if the relationship between the two is within a certain range, the relationship between the two is strong. Correlation, that is, when the service usage of the VNF is increased, the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF is significantly increased; if in another range, the relationship between the two is weakly correlated, that is, the VNF When the service usage rate increases, the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF is significantly increased.
  • the second VNF herein may be one or multiple. In other words, there may be more than one downstream VNF of the first VNF.
  • the SFC through VNF1 includes SFC1 and SFC2, SFC1 flows from VNF1 to VNF2, and SFC2 flows from VNF1 to VNF3, and then both VNF2 and VNF3 are referred to as downstream VNF of VNF1.
  • both the method 200 and the method 300 take the architecture of the NFV as an example.
  • the method 200 mainly includes the following steps:
  • the VNFM monitors the service usage of the VNF in the entire network.
  • VNFM can monitor resource KPI metrics and/or business KPI metrics for VNF1 and VNF2.
  • the resource KPI can be used to indicate the resource usage of the VNF, and can refer to the memory usage, the CPU usage in each VM that constitutes the VNF, the disk utilization, or the network bandwidth utilization.
  • the service KPI can be used to indicate that the number of users currently accessing the VNF occupies a proportion of the maximum number of users that the VNF can tolerate, such as the number of calls.
  • the monitoring here means that the VNFM can collect data on the VNF VM at regular intervals (such as 20s), or it can be the monitoring agent timing in the VNF to collect data on the VM of the VNF, or the EMS monitoring is collected on the VM of the corresponding VNF. The data is reported to VNFM.
  • the VNFM compares the data collected to the VNF1 at a timing with a preset first threshold.
  • the first threshold may be obtained by fitting the relationship between the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF1 and the KPI of the VNF1, and specifically, may be a threshold value of the KPI when the delay of the request response of the user is seriously increased.
  • the VNFM may perform weighted averaging according to the data of the VNF1 collected periodically, or according to a certain KPI of the VNF1 collected at multiple timings. If it is greater than a preset first threshold, the VNF1 may be determined to be accessed. The delay of the user's request response exceeds the user's tolerance time.
  • the first threshold may be 80%, or 75%, or may be another value.
  • the service delay will show a significant deterioration, and this value can be set as the first threshold.
  • the first threshold can be obtained through multiple simulations, obtained empirically, or estimated by machine learning/big data.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF1 exceeds the tolerance time of the user, which may be related to one or some SFCs of the VNF service, that is, if the VNF1 provides services for the telephone service and services for the mail service.
  • VNFM monitors that VNF1 does not provide enough services for the telephone service.
  • VNFM can determine to rebuild the virtual machine for VNF1, which can be used to transfer excess telephone service to the new virtual machine, or transfer the mail service. Go to the new virtual machine so that the original virtual machine provides services for the phone service. It should be understood that the services of the newly created virtual machine are not limited by the embodiments of the present application.
  • VNFM determines that the service capability of VNF1 is insufficient, VNFM does not rush to expand VNF2, but continues to determine whether VNF2 does not meet the user's needs, that is, whether the service usage rate of VNF2 is greater than the preset first threshold.
  • the VNFM can advance the expansion of VNF2 to parallel processing with VNF1.
  • the second threshold may be obtained by fitting the relationship between the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF2 and the KPI of the VNF2, and specifically, may be the threshold of the KPI when the delay of the user's request response is slowly increased. . If the VNFM determines that the service usage rate of the VNF1 is less than the preset first threshold, the VNFM may further determine whether the service usage rate of the VNF2 is greater than a preset second threshold. If greater than, the VNF1 and the VNF2 may also satisfy the coordinated expansion.
  • VNFM can also advance the expansion of VNF2 to parallel processing with VNF1.
  • the value can be set to the second threshold.
  • the second threshold may be 60%, may be 50%, or may be another value.
  • the second threshold is typically less than the first threshold.
  • the second threshold can be obtained through multiple simulations, obtained empirically, or estimated by machine learning/big data.
  • first threshold and the second threshold preset by different VNFs may be the same or may not be the same.
  • first threshold of VNF1 and the first threshold of VNF2 in the embodiment of the present application may be the same or different.
  • the second threshold of VNF1 and the second threshold of VNF2 may be the same or different.
  • VNF1, VNF2, and VNF3 can be simultaneously expanded in parallel. In this way, the time that the SFC is affected by the expansion is greatly shortened.
  • a third threshold may be further set. After determining that the service usage rate of the VNF2 is greater than a preset second threshold, it may further determine whether the downstream VNF of the VNF2, that is, the VNF3, is about to satisfy the user. Demand, if it is judged that VNF3 will not meet the user's demand, then VNF3 and VNF2 and VNF1 satisfy the linkage expansion condition, that is, the expansion time of VNF3 and VNF2 is advanced to the same as VNF1. If it is determined that the service usage rate of the VNF3 is less than the first threshold, it may be further determined whether the service usage rate of the VNF3 is greater than a second threshold.
  • the VNF3 and VNF2 and the VNF1 satisfy the linkage expansion condition. If it is determined that the service usage rate of the VNF3 is less than the second threshold, it may be further determined whether the service usage rate of the VNF3 is greater than a third threshold. If greater than, the VNF3 and VNF2 and the VNF1 satisfy the linkage expansion condition.
  • the VNFM can expand the two VNFs in parallel.
  • the VNFM can also expand the multiple VNFs in parallel.
  • the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, which means that the service usage rate of the VNF is greater than a preset first threshold, that is, in the existing NFV architecture. Determine whether the VNF needs to be expanded.
  • the VNFM determines the expansion sizes of the VNF1 and the VNF2 after determining that the VNF1 and the VNF2 satisfy the linkage expansion condition in the step S210.
  • the size of the expansion can be the number of virtual machines, the number of chips, the size of the memory, the size of the hard disk, and the size of the network card.
  • the number of users accessing the VNF1 and the number of service function chain SFCs passing through the VNF2 may be acquired, and resources satisfying the number of the users are determined according to the number of the users; and determining that the number is satisfied according to the number of the SFCs
  • the memory display program MEM, CPU, and input/output I/O monitoring it can be judged whether the VNF is under-served and the SFC is under-served, and the VNF load rate parameter is obtained.
  • SFC matrix G ⁇ gij ⁇ . Where gij indicates whether the i-th SFC has passed the j-th VNF; it is 1 when it passes, and 0 when it has not passed.
  • vj represents the load rate of the jth VNF.
  • Two load rate thresholds a load upper limit H_T and a load lower limit L_T (H_T>L_T), which are respectively a normal expansion threshold (ie, the first threshold described above) and a linkage expansion threshold (ie, the second threshold described above).
  • the service capability of the VNF is insufficient, that is, the delay of the request response of the user accessing the VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, in other words, when the request response of the access user is received.
  • the service usage rate of the extension and VNF is strongly positively correlated.
  • the above-mentioned normal expansion size ⁇ and the unit size ⁇ of the linkage expansion may refer to the number of virtual machines created.
  • two virtual machines can be created for VNF1, and VNF4 and VNF5 can be created.
  • the specific values of ⁇ and ⁇ are not limited here.
  • the above load rate parameter is a specific embodiment of the service usage rate, and may also be other parameters that can reflect the service usage rate.
  • the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.
  • the VNFM is capable of acquiring the topological relationship between each VNF in the NFV architecture and the service function chain. In other words, VNFM is very clear which SFCs pass through which VNF, or which VNF has which SFCs pass.
  • the SFC may be a different service, such as a service such as a phone, a mail, or a video.
  • the SFC may also be an SFC that is affected by an increase in the number of requests from users accessing the VNF 1.
  • the capacity of the downstream VNF is determined according to the affected SFC, and resources can be saved without increasing the capacity.
  • the size of the expansion may be: the number of virtual machines, the number of chips, the size of the memory, the size of the hard disk, and the size of the network card.
  • the VNFM may send a linkage expansion request to the NFVO expansion orchestration module, similarly, the linkage expansion request is a request pair. VNF1 and VNF2 request to expand in parallel.
  • the NFVO may adjust the resource scheduling according to the actual situation, and deliver the expansion response notification to the VNFM.
  • the capacity expansion processing module in the VNFM can further send a specific virtual machine resource request to the VIM. For example, you can request to increase the number of virtual machine VMs or increase the number of CPUs, MEMs, or I/Os in each VM.
  • the VIM may initiate a physical resource application to the NFVI to apply for creating a virtual machine or allocating resources of the CPU, the MEM, or the I/O.
  • the NFVI may return a response to the VIM that the virtual machine is successfully created or the resource allocation is successful.
  • VIM may return a resource application success message to the VNFM, so that the VNFM completes the deployment of the VNF.
  • VNFM sends a message of successful capacity expansion to VNF1 and VNF2, respectively.
  • the method 300 mainly includes the following steps:
  • VNF1 monitors its own service usage rate
  • VNF2 monitors its own service usage rate
  • VNF1 and VNF2 can monitor their respective resource KPI indicators and/or business KPI indicators, respectively.
  • the resource KPI can refer to the memory usage, the central processing unit (CPU) usage, the disk utilization, or the network bandwidth utilization in each VM that constitutes the VNF.
  • the business KPI can be the number of users, such as the number of calls. See S205 for details, so I won't go into details here.
  • VNF1 When the VNF1 detects that the service capability is insufficient, the VNF1 can send the expansion alarm information to the VNFM. Similarly, VNF1 compares the data collected at a time with a preset first threshold. If it is greater than a preset first threshold, it can be determined that the service capability of VNF1 is insufficient.
  • a preset first threshold the definition of insufficient service capability and the value of the first threshold are the same as described above.
  • the VNFM After receiving the expansion alarm information sent by the VNF1, the VNFM does not expand the VNF1, but sends the expansion notification information to the downstream VNF of the VNF1, that is, the VNF2 in FIG. 5, where the expansion notification information is used to notify the VNF2VNF1 that the service capability is insufficient.
  • the expansion notification information here can be used as a condition for triggering VNF2 to determine whether VNF2 needs to be expanded.
  • the VNF2 may first determine whether the service usage rate of the VNF2 is greater than a second threshold. If the VNF2 determines that the service usage rate of the VNF2 is less than the second threshold, that is, the VNF2 does not need to be used. If VNF2 can send a non-expanding notification to the VNFM, the VNFM can expand the VNF1 separately.
  • VNFM does not receive the expansion request sent by the VNF2 after a certain period of time (the timing is much smaller than the time for expanding the VNF)
  • VNF2 determines that its service usage is greater than the second threshold
  • VNF2 sends a capacity expansion request to VNFM to inform VNFM that VNF1 and VNF2 meet the linkage expansion conditions. Divide VNF1 and VNF2.
  • the VNFM after the VNFM receives the expansion request sent by the VNF2, the VNFM can determine that the VNF1 and the VNF2 satisfy the linkage expansion condition, and then the VNFM can determine the expansion sizes of the VNF1 and the VNF2.
  • the calculation process of the VNF1 and VNF2 expansion sizes is as described in method 200.
  • the service usage rate that determines whether the VNF meets the capacity expansion condition and the service usage rate that determines the capacity expansion in the method 200 and the method 300 may be acquired at the same time, or may be acquired at a certain time.
  • the data can be collected on the VM of the VNF periodically. The timing is 20s. If the VNF is satisfied at a certain time, the service usage rate obtained at this moment can be used to determine the capacity expansion. Then, the service usage rate of the VNF is obtained to determine the size of the expansion.
  • the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.
  • the size of the sequence numbers of the foregoing processes does not mean the order of execution sequence, and the order of execution of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not be applied to the embodiment of the present application.
  • the implementation process constitutes any limitation.
  • a method for virtual network function expansion according to an embodiment of the present application is described in detail above.
  • An apparatus for virtual network function expansion according to an embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG.
  • the technical features are applicable to the following device embodiments.
  • FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 400 for virtual network function expansion in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.
  • the apparatus 400 includes:
  • the first determining unit 410 is configured to: when the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first virtual network function VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, and the second VNF cannot meet the requirement of the user accessing the second VNF, Determining that the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy a linkage expansion condition, and the second VNF is a downstream VNF of the first VNF;
  • the expansion unit 420 is configured to expand the first VNF and the second VNF in parallel.
  • the apparatus for virtual network function expansion in the embodiment of the present application can shorten the duration of the service function chain SFC response time, and improve the overall usability.
  • the first determining unit 410 is specifically configured to: the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the key performance indicator KPI of the first VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF, it is determined that the first VNF and the second VNF satisfy the linkage expansion condition.
  • the apparatus 400 further includes: a first obtaining unit 430, configured to acquire a KPI of the first VNF and a KPI of the second VNF multiple times; and a second determining unit 440, configured to: Determining, according to the change of the KPI of the first VNF and the KPI of the second VNF, determining that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF and accessing the second The delay of the request response of the user of the VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF.
  • the first obtaining unit 430 is configured to acquire the KPI of the first VNF multiple times
  • the second determining unit 440 is configured to determine to access the first VNF according to the change of the first VNF.
  • the delay of the request response of the user is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF.
  • the device 400 further includes: a sending unit 450, configured to send the expansion notification information to the second VNF, where the expansion notification information is used to notify the first
  • the delay of the request response of the user of the second VNF accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the KPI of the first VNF
  • the receiving unit 460 is configured to receive the expansion request sent by the second VNF according to the expansion notification information, and the expansion is performed.
  • the first determining unit 410 is specifically configured to: determine, according to the expansion request, the first VNF and the The second VNF satisfies the linkage expansion condition.
  • the KPI includes a resource KPI, where the resource KPI is used to indicate a resource usage rate of the first VNF, where the service KPI is used to indicate that the first VNF is currently accessed.
  • the number of users occupies a proportion of the maximum number of users that the first VNF can tolerate.
  • the second determining unit 440 is specifically configured to: determine, according to the change of the resource KPI of the first VNF, a delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF, and the The resource KPI of a VNF is strongly correlated; or according to the change of the service KPI of the first VNF, the delay of determining the request response of the user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with the service KPI of the first VNF.
  • the resource KPI includes at least one of the following information: central processor CPU utilization, memory utilization, disk utilization, and network bandwidth utilization.
  • the apparatus 400 further includes: a second obtaining unit 470, configured to determine a delay of a request response of a user accessing the first VNF and a KPI of the first VNF Corresponding, the number of users accessing the first VNF and the number of service function chains SFCs passing through the second VNF are obtained; the third determining unit 480 is configured to determine resources that satisfy the number of the users according to the number of the users.
  • the expansion unit 420 is specifically configured to: in parallel to the first resource in parallel according to the resource that meets the number of the user and the resource that meets the number of the SFC The VNF and the second VNF are expanded.
  • the SFC is an SFC that is affected by an increase in the number of requests for accessing the first VNF user.
  • the resource includes at least one of the following information: a number of virtual machines, a number of chips, a memory size, a hard disk size, and a network card size.
  • the apparatus 400 for virtual network function expansion may correspond to the MANO in the method embodiment of the present application, and the above and other operations and/or functions of the respective units in the apparatus 400 are respectively implemented in order to implement the map. 3 to the corresponding process of MANO or VNFM in each method shown in FIG. 5, for brevity, no further details are provided herein.
  • FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 500 for virtual network function expansion in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.
  • the apparatus 500 includes:
  • the receiving unit 510 is configured to receive the expansion notification information sent by the management MANO, where the expansion notification information is used to indicate that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the first VNF exceeds the tolerance time of the user, and the second VNF is a downstream VNF of the first VNF;
  • the first determining unit 520 is configured to: after receiving the contention notification information, determine that the second VNF cannot meet the requirement of a user accessing the second VNF;
  • the sending unit 530 is configured to send a content expansion request to the MANO, where the capacity expansion request is used by the MANO to determine that the first VNF and the second VNF meet a linkage expansion condition.
  • the apparatus for virtual network function expansion in the embodiment of the present application can shorten the duration of the service function chain SFC response time, and improve the overall usability.
  • the contention notification information is specifically used to indicate that a delay of a request response of a user accessing the first VNF is positively correlated with a key performance indicator KPI of the first VNF.
  • the first determining unit 520 is specifically configured to: when the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is weakly positively correlated with the KPI of the second VNF, determining that the second VNF cannot satisfy the access The needs of the second VNF user.
  • the KPI includes a resource KPI and a service KPI, where the resource KPI is used to indicate a resource usage rate of the first VNF, where the service KPI is used to indicate current access.
  • the number of users of the first VNF occupies a proportion of the maximum number of users that the first VNF can tolerate.
  • the apparatus 500 further includes: an obtaining unit 540, configured to acquire a resource KPI or a service KPI of the second VNF multiple times; and a second determining unit 550, configured to The change of the resource KPI of the second VNF, determining that the delay of the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is weakly positively correlated with the resource KPI of the second VNF; or according to the change of the service KPI of the second VNF The delay in determining the request response of the user accessing the second VNF is positively correlated with the service KPI of the second VNF.
  • the resource KPI includes at least one of the following information: central processor CPU utilization, memory utilization, disk utilization, and network bandwidth utilization.
  • the apparatus 500 for virtual network function expansion may correspond to the second VNF in the method embodiment of the present application, and the above and other operations and/or functions of the respective units in the apparatus 500 are respectively The corresponding processes of the second VNF in each method shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are implemented. For brevity, details are not described herein again.
  • the embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus 600 for virtual network function expansion, and the apparatus 600 may be the apparatus 400 in FIG. 6 , which can be used to perform each of FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 .
  • the method corresponds to the steps of MANO.
  • the apparatus 600 includes an input interface 610, an output interface 620, a processor 630, and a memory 640.
  • the input interface 610, the output interface 620, the processor 630, and the memory 640 can be connected by a bus system.
  • the memory 640 is used to store programs, instructions or code.
  • the processor 630 is configured to execute a program, an instruction, or a code in the memory 640 to control the input interface 610 to receive a signal, control the output interface 620 to send a signal, and complete operations in the foregoing method embodiments, for example, S205, S210. , S215, etc. operations.
  • the apparatus for virtual network function expansion in the embodiment of the present application can shorten the duration of the service function chain SFC response time, and improve the overall usability.
  • the processor 630 may be a CPU, and the processor 630 may also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, off-the-shelf programmable gate arrays, or other programmable logic devices. , discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.
  • the general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor or any conventional processor or the like.
  • the memory 640 can include read only memory and random access memory and provides instructions and data to the processor 630. A portion of the memory 640 can also include a non-volatile random access memory. For example, the memory 640 can also store information of the device type.
  • each step of the foregoing method may be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in the processor 630 or an instruction in a form of software.
  • the steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented as a hardware processor, or may be performed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.
  • the software module can be located in a conventional storage medium such as random access memory, flash memory, read only memory, programmable read only memory or electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, and the like.
  • the storage medium is located in the memory 640, and the processor 630 reads the information in the memory 640 and combines the hardware to perform the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.
  • the first determining unit 410, the expanding unit 420, the first obtaining unit 430, the second determining unit 440, the second obtaining unit 460, and the third determining unit 470 in FIG. 6 may use the processing of FIG.
  • the implementation of the 630 is implemented by the output interface 620 of FIG. 8, and the receiving unit 460 can be implemented by the input interface 610 of FIG.
  • the embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus 700 for virtual network function expansion, and the apparatus 700 may be the apparatus 700 in FIG. 7 , which can be used to perform the operations in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 .
  • the method corresponds to the step of the second VNF.
  • the apparatus 700 includes an input interface 710, an output interface 720, a processor 730, and a memory 740.
  • the input interface 710, the output interface 720, the processor 730, and the memory 740 can be connected by a bus system.
  • the memory 740 is configured to store programs, instructions or code.
  • the processor 730 is configured to execute a program, an instruction, or a code in the memory 740 to control the input interface 710 to receive a signal, control the output interface 720 to send a signal, and complete operations in the foregoing method embodiments, for example, S305, S320. , S325, etc. operations.
  • the apparatus for virtual network function expansion in the embodiment of the present application can shorten the duration of the service function chain SFC response time, and improve the overall usability.
  • the processor 730 may be a CPU, and the processor 730 may also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, off-the-shelf programmable gate arrays, or other programmable logic devices. , discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.
  • the general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor or any conventional processor or the like.
  • the memory 740 can include read only memory and random access memory and provides instructions and data to the processor 730. A portion of the memory 740 can also include a non-volatile random access memory. For example, the memory 740 can also store information of the device type.
  • each step of the foregoing method may be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in the processor 730 or an instruction in a form of software.
  • the steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented as a hardware processor, or may be performed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.
  • the software module can be located in a conventional storage medium such as random access memory, flash memory, read only memory, programmable read only memory or electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, and the like.
  • the storage medium is located in memory 740, and processor 730 reads the information in memory 740 and, in conjunction with its hardware, performs the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.
  • the first determining unit 520 and the obtaining unit 540 in FIG. 7 can be implemented by the processor 730 of FIG. 9, and the sending unit 530 can be implemented by the output interface 720 of FIG. 9, the first receiving unit 510 and the The two receiving unit 550 can be implemented by the input interface 710 of FIG.
  • the present application also provides a system including a MANO, a first VNF, and a second VNF, which may be the device of the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 6 or the device provided by the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 8.
  • the second VNF may be the device of the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 7 or the device provided by the embodiment corresponding to FIG.
  • the communication system is for performing the method of the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.
  • the disclosed systems, devices, and methods may be implemented in other manners.
  • the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative.
  • the division of the unit is only a logical function division.
  • there may be another division manner for example, multiple units or components may be combined or Can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed.
  • the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interface, device or unit, and may be in an electrical, mechanical or other form.
  • the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.
  • each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.
  • the functions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as a standalone product.
  • the technical solution of the present application which is essential or contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, may be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium, including
  • the instructions are used to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in various embodiments of the present application.
  • the foregoing storage medium includes: a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, and the like, which can store program codes. .

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Abstract

本申请提供了一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法、装置和系统，该方法包括：在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求时，管理编排MANO确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，该第二VNF为该第一VNF的下游VNF；该MANO并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。本申请实施例提供的方法、装置和系统，能够降低系统故障时发生系统总体失效的风险。

Description

用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法和装置
本申请要求于2017年03月15日提交中国专利局、申请号为201710151953.1、申请名称为“用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法和装置”的中国专利申请的优先权，其全部内容通过引用结合在本申请中。
技术领域
本申请涉及通信领域，并且更具体地，涉及一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法和装置。
背景技术
网络功能虚拟化(Network Function Virtualisation，NFV)技术可以将部分网络功能以软件方式在通用硬件上实现，例如，在电信网络中，利用NFV技术可以在通用的云服务器、交换机和存储中实现部分电信网络功能，从而实现网络服务的快速、高效部署。
在NFV架构环境下，当系统发生局部故障时，如果不做扩容处理，则影响范围越来越大，形成故障扩散，发生连锁故障，最终导致系统总体失效。
发明内容
本申请提供一种用于虚拟网络功能(Virtualised Network Function，VNF)扩容的方法和装置，能够降低系统故障时发生系统总体失效的风险。
第一方面，提供了一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法，该方法包括：在接入第一虚拟化网络功能(Virtualised Network Function，VNF)的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求时，管理编排(Management and Orchestration，MANO)确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，该第二VNF为该第一VNF的下游VNF；该MANO并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。
“联动扩容条件”，如字面理解，即联合扩容条件。换句话说，在第一VNF满足扩容条件时，第二VNF也满足扩容条件。“并行”是指可以对第一VNF的扩容与对第二VNF的扩容过程完全重叠，也可以部分重叠。
扩容的原则就是根据用户的请求响应的延时是否满足要求来进行扩容，在实际中，如果时延超过用户的容忍时间，则可以考虑做扩容处理，改善用户体验。
通过在第一VNF和第二VNF满足联动扩容条件的情况下，并行地对第一VNF和第二VNF进行扩容，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求时，管理编排MANO确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，包括：在接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的关键性能指标(Key Performance Indicators，KPI)强正相关和接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时， 该MANO确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
通常情况下，接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求可以通过拟合第一VNF的KPI与接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时之间的关系和第二VNF的KPI与接入第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时之间的关系，获取一个阈值或一个范围来判断是否为超过了用户的容忍时间或者不满足用户需求。
接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关是指第一VNF的KPI增大时，接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时显著地增大。
接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关是指第二VNF的KPI增大时，接入第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时缓慢地增大。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该方法还包括：该MANO多次获取该第一VNF的KPI和该第二VNF的KPI；该MANO根据该第一VNF的KPI的变化和该第二VNF的KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关和接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该在接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关和接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，该MANO确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，包括：该MANO多次获取该第一VNF的KPI；该MANO根据该第一VNF的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关；该MANO向该第二VNF发送扩容通知信息，该扩容通知信息用于通知该第二VNF接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关；该MANO接收该第二VNF根据该扩容通知信息发送的扩容请求，该扩容请求用于指示接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关；该MANO根据该扩容请求，确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足该联动扩容条件。
可选地，可以在判断接入第一VNF的请求响应的延时超过了用户的容忍时间时，直接对第一VNF和第二VNF都进行扩容。也可以在判断出接入第一VNF的请求响应的延时超过了用户的容忍时间的同时判断出第二VNF不满足接入用户的需求，再对第一VNF和第二VNF都进行扩容。
对第二VNF提前进行扩容，可以提高整体可用性，能做到提前预防。
可选地，可以在判断出接入第一VNF的请求响应的延时超过了用户的容忍时间的同时判断出第二VNF、第三VNF不满足接入用户的需求，其中，第三VNF为第二VNF的下游，如此等等，可以并行对多个VNF进行扩容。
可选地，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示所述第一VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述第一VNF的用户的数量占用所述第一VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
可选地，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器(Central Processing Unit,CPU)利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该MANO根据该第一VNF的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关，包括：该MANO根据该第一 VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的资源KPI强正相关；或该MANO根据该第一VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的业务KPI强正相关。
可选地，还可以根据资源KPI和业务KPI加权平均的变化，模拟接入VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与其的关系。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该方法还包括：该MANO在确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关时，获取接入该第一VNF的用户的数量和经过该第二VNF的服务功能链(Service Function Chain,SFC)的数目；该MANO根据该用户的数量，确定满足该用户的数量的资源；该MANO根据该SFC的数目，确定满足该SFC的数目的资源；该MANO并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容，包括：该MANO根据该满足该用户的数量的资源和该满足该SFC的数目的资源，并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。
可选地，所述SFC为受接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求数增大影响的SFC。
可选地，所述资源包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小。
可选地，可以根据接入第一VNF的用户的数量，确定第一VNF所需虚拟机的个数，或根据经过第二VNF的SFC的数目，确定第二VNF所需虚拟机的个数，其中，第二VNF所需虚拟机的个数可以等于该SFC的数目。
根据受影响的SFC来确定下游VNF的扩容大小，能够在提高扩容的情况下，不浪费资源。
可选地，该方法还包括：该MANO接收该第一VNF的扩容告警信息；该MANO根据该扩容告警信息，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间。
可选地，该方法还包括：该MANO向该第一VNF和/或该第二VNF发送扩容成功信息，该扩容成功信息用于指示该MANO已完成对该第一VNF和/或该第二VNF的扩容。
第二方面，提供了一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法，该方法包括：第二虚拟网络功能VNF接收管理编排MANO发送的扩容通知信息，该扩容通知信息用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间，该第二VNF为该第一VNF的下游VNF；该第二VNF在接收到该扩容通知信息后，确定该第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求；该第二VNF向该MANO发送扩容请求，该扩容请求用于该MANO确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
通过在接收到扩容通知信息之后，立即向MANO上报扩容请求，使得MANO能够迅速做出联动扩容的决定，从而能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该扩容通知信息具体用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关，该第二VNF确定该第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求，包括：在接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，该第二VNF确定该第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求。
可选地，该KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，该资源KPI用于指示该第一VNF的资源使用率，该业务KPI用于指示当前接入该第一VNF的用户的数目占用该第一VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该方法还包括：该第二VNF多次获取该第二VNF的资源KPI或业务KPI；该第二VNF根据该第二VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的资源KPI弱正相关；或该第二VNF根据该第二VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的业务KPI弱正相关。
可选地，该资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
可选地，该方法还包括：该第二VNF接收该MANO发送的扩容成功信息，该扩容成功信息用于指示该MANO已完成对该第二VNF的扩容。
第三方面，提供了一种装置，用于执行上述第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法。具体地，该装置包括用于执行上述第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法的单元。
第四方面，提供了一种装置，用于执行上述第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法。具体地，该装置包括用于执行上述第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法的单元。
第五方面，提供了一种装置，该装置包括：存储器、处理器、输入接口和输出接口。其中，存储器、处理器、输入接口和输出接口通过总线系统相连。该存储器用于存储指令，该处理器用于执行该存储器存储的指令，用于执行上述第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法。
第六方面，提供了一种装置，该装置包括：存储器、处理器、输入接口和输出接口。其中，存储器、处理器、输入接口和输出接口通过总线系统相连。该存储器用于存储指令，该处理器用于执行该存储器存储的指令，用于执行上述第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法。
第七方面，提供了一种计算机存储介质，用于储存为执行上述第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法，或者上述第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法所用的计算机软件指令，其包含用于执行上述方面所设计的程序。
第八方面，提供了一种系统，该系统包括第三方面所提供的装置，第四方面所提供的装置以及上述第一VNF。
本申请的这些方面或其他方面在以下实施例的描述中会更加简明易懂。
附图说明
图1是本申请实施例提供的一种基于NFV的网络架构的示意图。
图2在NFV架构环境下，功能服务链SFC存在的示意性框图。
图3是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法的示意性框图。
图4是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法的另一示意性框图。
图5是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法的再一示意性框图。
图6是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置的示意性框图。
图7是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置的另一示意性框图。
图8是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置的再一示意性框图。
图9是本申请实施例提供的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置的再一示意性框图。
具体实施方式
下面将结合附图，对本申请中的技术方案进行描述。
本申请实施例描述的网络架构以及业务场景是为了更加清楚的说明本申请实施例的技术方案，并不构成对本申请实施例提供的技术方案的限定，本领域普通技术人员可知，随着网络架构的演变和新业务场景的出现，本申请实施例提供的技术方案对于类似的技术问题，同样适用。
本申请实施例的方法可以应用于基于NFV的网络架构，此外还可以应用于基于应用容器引擎(Docker)的网络架构、基于虚拟机监视器(Virtual Machine Monitor，VMM)的网络架构或者其它虚拟化的网络架构中，其中VMM也可以称为hypervisor，下面，以基于NFV的网络架构为例，对本申请实施例的方案进行说明。
NFV，是由电信网络运营商提出的，是指用借助网络虚拟化技术，采用业界标准的大容量服务器、存储器和交换机承载各种各样的网络软件功能的技术标准。NFV实现了软件的灵活加载，实现在数据中心、网络节点和用户端等各个位置灵活的部署配置，从而加快网络部署和调整的速度，降低业务部署的复杂度，提高网络设备的统一化、通用化、适配性等。
图1为本申请实施例提供的一种基于NFV的网络架构的示意图。如图1所示，该网络架构包括：网络功能虚拟化编排器(Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator，NFVO)、虚拟化网络功能管理器(Virtualised Network Function Manager，VNFM)、虚拟化基础设施管理器(Virtualized Infrastructure Manager，VIM)、网络功能虚拟化基础设施(Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure，NFVI)、虚拟化网络功能(Virtualised Network Function，VNF)和网元管理系统(Element Manager System，EMS)，其中，NFVO、VNFM和VIM属于NFV系统的管理编排(Management and Orchestration，MANO)架构。此外，图1所示网络架构中的运营支撑系统/业务支撑系统(Operation Support System/Business Support System，OSS/BSS)是运营商现有的OSS或BSS。
虚拟化容器(Virtualisation Container，VC)是计算节点的一部分，用于提供隔离的虚拟化计算环境，一个典型的虚拟化容器的例子是虚拟机。虚拟机(Virtual Machine，VM)指通过虚拟机软件在物理设备上模拟出的虚拟设备。对于在虚拟机中运行的应用程序而言，这些虚拟机就像真正的物理设备那样进行工作，虚拟机上可以安装操作系统和应用程序，虚拟机还可访问网络资源。
VNF，也可称之为虚拟化网元，对应于传统的非虚拟化网络中的物理网络功能。网络功能的功能性行为和状态与网络功能的虚拟化与否无关。VNF可以由多个更低级别的组件组成，可选的，一个VNF可以部署在多个VM上，每个VM承载一个虚拟网络功能组件(Virtualised Network Function Component，VNFC)。可选的，一个VNF也可以部署在一个VM上。
虚拟网络功能描述符(Virtualised Network Function Descriptor，VNFD)是VNF的部署模板。可选的，VNFD和VNF一一对应，VNFD描述实现该VNF所需的虚拟资源参数和需求，主要被用于建立VNF实例和管理VNF的生命周期。
VNFM主要用于：实现VNF实例的生命周期管理，包括VNF实例的初始化、VNF实例的扩容或缩容以及VNF实例的终止。
EMS主要用于：针对VNF执行传统的故障管理，配置管理，计费管理，性能管理，安全管理(Fault Management，Configuration Management，Accounting Management，Performance Management and Security Management，FCAPS)功能。EMS可以单独存在，也可以是具有EMS功能的VNF。
VIM主要负责：基础设施层硬件资源和虚拟化资源的管理、监控和故障上报，面向上层应用提供虚拟化资源池。
NFVI：提供整个系统运行的硬件和虚拟资源，由硬件资源(包括计算、网络、存储三部分)、虚拟化层(将硬件资源虚拟化成资源池)和虚拟资源(同样分成计算、网络、存储三部分)组成。从VNF的角度来说，虚拟化层和硬件资源看起来是一个能够提供所需虚拟资源的实体。
NFVO用于实现网络服务描述符(Network Service Descriptor,NSD)、VNFD、虚拟网络功能转发图(Virtualised Network Function Forwarding Graph，VNFFG)的管理，网络服务(Network Service，NS)生命周期的管理，和资源的全局视图功能。
可选的，图1所示的网络架构还可以包括策略管理功能(Policy Management Function，PMF)单元。PMF单元通常部署在NFVO内。可选的，在一些实施例中，PMF单元也可以部署在OSS或者BSS中。
在NFV架构环境下，容易发生级联故障/连锁故障/连锁失效，其特点为：系统发生局部服务能力不足，如果不做扩容处理，则影响范围越来越大，形成故障扩散，发生连锁故障，最终导致系统总体失效。以图2为例，网络中存在三条功能服务链SFC1：VNF1-VNF4-VNF5、SFC2：VNF2-VNF4-VNF6和SFC3：VNF3-VNF6。若因VNF1发生流量增加，导致VNF4的流量处理增加，在流量处理遇到瓶颈时，若VNF4不进行扩容处理，则可能由于流控措施导致VNF2流量处理速度减慢，形成级联故障。故障会顺着流的方向进行传播，也会逆着流的方向进行传播，还会通过共享节点从一条链传播到其他SFC，引起级联故障。
图3示出了本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法100的示意性框图。该方法100可以由MANO执行，具体地可以由VNFM执行，如图3所示，该方法100主要包括以下步骤：
S110，在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求时，确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
S120，并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。
“联动扩容条件”，如字面理解，即联合扩容条件。换句话说，在第一VNF满足扩容条件时，第二VNF也满足扩容条件。“并行”是指可以对第一VNF的扩容与对第二VNF的扩容过程完全重叠，也可以部分重叠。例如，可以同时对第一VNF和第二VNF开始扩 容，并且同时结束对第一VNF和第二VNF的扩容；也可以是同时对第一VNF和第二VNF开始扩容，先结束对第一VNF的扩容，后结束对第二VNF的扩容。本申请对此不够成限定。
扩容的原则就是根据用户的请求响应的延时是否满足要求来进行扩容，例如，在实际中，如果时延超过用户的容忍时间，则可以考虑做扩容处理，改善用户体验。在本申请实施例中，在判断上游VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过用户的容忍时间的同时提前判断下游VNF是否已经不满足接入用户的需求了，若是，则可以考虑并行地对上游VNF和下游VNF进行扩容。
因此，本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容VNF的方法，通过在第一VNF和第二VNF满足联动扩容条件的情况下，并行地对第一VNF和第二VNF进行扩容，与传统单独扩容方案相比，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
本领域技术人员理解，在当前NFV架构下，EMS、MANO或VNF自身可以完成VNF的服务使用率的监测，具体可以是资源关键性能指标(Key Performance Indicators,KPI)和/或业务KPI、负载率等。也可以是以虚拟网络功能组件(Virtualised Network Function Component,VNFC)为粒度，一个VNF可以包含多个VNFC，即可以监控VNFC的具体实例在多个连续周期内服务使用率均是否超过某个阈值或是否在一定的范围之内，则可以针对当前这个被监控的VNFC进行扩容处理。该阈值是通过提前拟合VNF的服务使用率与接入该VNF的用户的请求响应的延时之间的关系获得的，例如，若在某一范围内，二者之间的关系是强正相关的，即VNF的服务使用率增大时，接入VNF的用户的请求响应的延时显著地增大；若在另一范围内，二者之间的关系是弱相关的，即VNF的服务使用率增大时，接入VNF的用户的请求响应的延时显著地增大。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，MANO在确定第一VNF和第二VNF满足并行扩容的条件时，也就是说第一VNF和第二VNF的服务使用率均达到能减慢处理速度的阈值的条件下，MANO可以对第一VNF和第二VNF并行进行扩容。应理解，这里的第二VNF可以是一个，也可以是多个。换句话说，第一VNF的下游VNF可以有多个。例如，经过VNF1的SFC包括SFC1和SFC2，SFC1从VNF1流向VNF2，SFC2从VNF1流向VNF3，那么VNF2和VNF3均称为VNF1的下游VNF。
下面将结合图4和图5详细描述本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法200和300的流程。如图4和图5所示，方法200和方法300均以NFV的架构为例。
如图4所示，方法200主要包括以下步骤：
S205，VNFM监控整个网络中VNF的服务使用率。例如，VNFM可以监控VNF1和VNF2的资源KPI指标和/或业务KPI指标。资源KPI可以用于指示VNF的资源使用率，可以是指内存占用率、组成VNF的各个VM中的CPU使用率、磁盘利用率或者网络带宽利用率等。而业务KPI可以用于指示当前接入VNF的用户的数目占用该VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例，如打电话人数。这里的监控是指VNFM可以定时(如20s)去对VNF的VM上采集数据，也可以是VNF中的监控代理定时对VNF的VM上采集数据，或者是EMS监测在对应的VNF的VM上采集数据并上报给VNFM。
S210，VNFM根据定时采集到VNF1的数据与预先设定的第一阈值进行比较。该第一阈值可以是通过拟合接入VNF1的用户的请求响应的时延与VNF1的KPI的关系获得的， 具体地，可以是当用户的请求响应的时延严重增大时KPI的临界值。例如：VNFM可以根据多次定时采集到的VNF1的数据做加权平均，或者根据多次定时采集到的VNF1的某种KPI，若大于预先设定的第一阈值时，则可以判断接入该VNF1的用户的请求响应的时延超过了用户的容忍时间。具体地，该第一阈值可以是80％，也可以是75％，还可以是别的值。当服务使用率达到某一值时服务延时会呈现明显的恶化，此时这个值可以被设为第一阈值。通常该第一阈值可以经过多次仿真，根据经验获得，也可以通过机器学习/大数据进行估计获得。通常情况下，接入VNF1的用户的请求响应的时延超过了用户的容忍时间可以与VNF服务的某个或某些SFC相关，即若VNF1既为电话业务提供服务，又为邮件业务提供服务，VNFM在某一时刻监测到VNF1为电话业务的提供的需求不够，那么VNFM可以确定对VNF1重建虚拟机，可以用来将多余的电话业务转移到新的虚拟机上，也可以将邮件业务转移到新的虚拟机上，以使得原有的虚拟机为电话业务提供服务。应理解，新建的虚拟机为哪些业务服务，本申请实施例在此不够成限定。VNFM在判断出来VNF1的服务能力不足时，VNFM先不着急对VNF2进行扩容，而是继续判断VNF2是否不满足用户需求，也就是判断此刻VNF2的服务使用率是否大于预设的第一阈值，若大于，那么可以确定VNF1和VNF2满足联动扩容条件，那么VNFM可以将对VNF2的扩容提前到与VNF1并行处理。该第二阈值可以是通过拟合接入VNF2的用户的请求响应的时延与VNF2的KPI的关系获得的，具体地，可以是当用户的请求响应的时延缓慢增大时KPI的临界值。若VNFM在判断此刻VNF1的服务使用率小于预设的第一阈值，那么VNFM可以进一步判断VNF2的服务使用率是否大于预设的第二阈值，若大于，那么可以判断VNF1和VNF2同样满足联动扩容条件，也就是说VNFM同样可以将对VNF2的扩容提前到与VNF1并行处理。当服务使用率达到某一值时服务延时会有一定的恶化，但不是很明显，此时这个值可以被设为第二阈值。具体地，该第二阈值可以是60％，也可以是50％，还可以是别的值。该第二阈值通常是小于第一阈值的。同样该第二阈值可以经过多次仿真，根据经验获得，也可以通过机器学习/大数据进行估计获得。
应理解，不同VNF预设的第一阈值和第二阈值可以是相同的，也可以是不相同的。例如，本申请实施例中的VNF1的第一阈值和VNF2的第一阈值可以相同，也可以不同；VNF1的第二阈值和VNF2的第二阈值可以相同，也可以不同。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，可以在判断完接入VNF1的用户的请求响应的时延超过了用户的容忍时间时，即VNF1的服务使用率大于VNF1的第一阈值，进一步判断下游VNF2以及VNF2的下游VNF3的服务使用率是否都大于第二阈值，若都满足，则可以同时对VNF1、VNF2以及VNF3并行进行扩容。如此，极大的缩短了SFC受扩容影响的时间。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，还可以设置一个第三阈值，在判断完VNF2的服务使用率大于预设的第二阈值后，可以进一步判断VNF2的下游VNF即VNF3是否即将不满足用户需求，若判断VNF3即将不满足用户需求，那么同样VNF3和VNF2以及VNF1满足联动扩容条件，也就是说将VNF3和VNF2的扩容时间提前到与VNF1相同。若判断VNF3的服务使用率小于第一阈值时，可以进一步判断VNF3的服务使用率是否大于第二阈值，若大于，则同样VNF3和VNF2以及VNF1满足联动扩容条件。若判断VNF3的服务使用率小于第二阈值时，可以进一步判断VNF3的服务使用率是否大于第三阈值，若大于，则 同样VNF3和VNF2以及VNF1满足联动扩容条件。
也就是说，VNFM可以并行对两个VNF进行扩容，当多个VNF满足联动扩容条件，时，VNFM也可以并行对多个VNF进行扩容，本申请实施例不限于此。
在本申请实施例中，若无特殊情况，接入VNF的用户的请求响应的时延超过了用户的容忍时间是指VNF的服务使用率大于预设的第一阈值，即现有NFV架构中判断VNF是否需要进行扩容的条件。
S215，VNFM在根据在上述S210步骤中判断VNF1和VNF2满足联动扩容条件后，确定VNF1和VNF2的扩容大小。该扩容大小可以是虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小等。具体地，可以获取接入VNF1的用户的数量和经过VNF2的服务功能链SFC的数目，并根据所述用户的数量，确定满足该用户的数量的资源；以及根据该SFC的数目，确定满足该SFC的数目的资源；可选地，还可以根据VNF1的服务使用率确定VNF1的扩容大小；可以根据VNF2的服务使用率和经过VNF2的SFC的状态，确定VNF2的扩容大小。
下面将详细描述如何根据服务功能链SFC和VNF来计算关联的VNF的扩容大小。首先，说明以下几点：
1、根据入包率和出包率、内存显示程序MEM、CPU、和输入/输出I/O的监测，可以判断VNF是否服务不足和SFC是否被服务不足，并获得VNF负载率参数。
2、SFC被服务状态向量为T＝{ti}。其中当第i条SFC至少在一个VNF上监测出被服务不足时，ti＝1；当第i条SFC在所经过的VNF上都得到了有效服务，没有监测出被服务不足时，ti＝0。
3、SFC矩阵G＝{gij}。其中gij表示第i条SFC是否经过第j个VNF；经过时为1，没经过时为0。
4、VNF负载率向量为V＝{vj}。其中vj表示第j个VNF的负载率。
5、VNF服务能力状态向量为S＝{sj}。其中sj表示第j个VNF是否能力不足，服务能力不足时sj＝1。当vj超过阈值上限，则置响应sj＝1。
6、两个负载率门限：负载上限H_T和负载下限L_T(H_T>L_T)，分别为正常扩容的门限(即上述描述的第一阈值)和联动扩容门限(即上述描述的第二阈值)。
以图2为例对VNF扩容大小计算过程进行说明。
根据服务功能链SFC关系，计算G＝{1，0，0，1，1，0；0，1，0，1，0，1；0，0，1，0，0，1}，而V＝{v1，v2，v3，v4，v5，v6}，考虑到实际的故障情况，分以下2种情况：
(1)当VNF1故障(服务能力不足时)，对应的T＝{1，0，0}，S＝{1，0，0，0，0，0},因为s1＝1，故首先对VNF1做正常扩容λ，而若VNF4和VNF5满足L_T≤vj<H_T，则根据∑i ti*gij计算扩容大小，对应VNF4扩容1个Δ单位(Δ为联动扩容的单位大小)，对应VNF5也扩容1个Δ单位；
(2)当VNF4故障(服务能力不足时)，对应的T＝{1，1，0}，S＝{0，1，0，0，0，0，0}，因为s2＝1，故首先对VNF4做正常扩容λ，而对满足L_T≤vj<H_T的VNF5和VNF6根据∑i ti*gij计算扩容大小，对应VNF5扩容1个Δ单位，对应VNF6扩容1个Δ单位。
在本申请实施例中，若无特殊说明，VNF的服务能力不足，就是指接入VNF的用户的请求响应的时延超过了用户的容忍时间，换句话说，接入用户的请求响应的时延与VNF的服务使用率是强正相关的。
应理解，上述正常扩容大小λ和联动扩容的单位大小Δ可以是指创建虚拟机的个数，例如，上述(1)中的情况，可以为VNF1创建2台虚拟机，而为VNF4和VNF5创建1台虚拟机，λ和Δ的具体值是多少这里不作限定。
还应理解，上述负载率参数是服务使用率的一种具体体现，还可以是其他一些能够体现服务使用率的参数。本申请实施例并不限于此。另外，本领域技术人员理解，在本申请实施例中，VNFM是能够获取到NFV架构中各个VNF以及服务功能链之间的拓扑关系。也就是说，VNFM是很清楚哪些SFC经过哪些VNF，或哪个VNF都有哪些SFC经过。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，SFC可以是不同的业务，例如可以是电话、邮件或视频等业务。该SFC还可以为受接入所述VNF1的用户的请求数增大影响的SFC。根据受影响的SFC来确定下游VNF的扩容大小，能够在提高扩容的情况下，不浪费资源。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，扩容大小可以是：虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小。
S220，在上述S215中计算完VNF1和VNF2的扩容大小之后，VNFM可以跟现有技术中创建扩容步骤类似，向NFVO的扩容编排模块发送联动扩容请求，不同的是，该联动扩容请求是请求对VNF1和VNF2并行进行扩容的请求。
S225，NFVO在接收到S220中VNFM发送的联动扩容请求之后，可以根据实际情况调整资源编排，并且向VNFM下发扩容响应通知。
S230，VNFM中的扩容处理模块进而可以向VIM下发具体的虚拟机资源请求。例如，可以请求增加虚拟机VM的数量或者增加每个VM中CPU、MEM或I/O的数量。
S235，VIM在接收到VNFM发送的资源请求后，可以向NFVI发起物理资源申请，申请创建虚拟机或者分配上述CPU、MEM或者I/O的资源。
S240，NFVI在完成上述需求的虚拟机创建或者资源分配之后，可以向VIM返回虚拟机创建成功或者资源分配成功的响应。
S245，进而VIM可以向VNFM返回资源申请成功消息，使得VNFM完成VNF的部署。
S250，VNFM向VNF1和VNF2分别发送扩容成功的消息。
如图5所示，方法300主要包括以下步骤：
S305，VNF1监控自身的服务使用率，VNF2监控自身的服务使用率。同样地，VNF1和VNF2可以分别监控各自的资源KPI指标和/或业务KPI指标。资源KPI可以是指内存占用率、组成VNF的各个VM中的中央处理器(Central Processing Unit，CPU)使用率、磁盘利用率或者网络带宽利用率等。而业务KPI可以是用户数等，如打电话人数。详见S205，这里不再赘述。
S310，VNF1在监控到自身服务能力不足时，即可以向VNFM发送扩容告警信息。类似地，VNF1根据定时采集到的数据与预先设定的第一阈值进行比较。若大于预先设定的第一阈值时，则可以判断VNF1的服务能力不足。这里对服务能力不足的定义以及第一阈值的取值同上所述。
S315，当VNFM接收到VNF1发送的扩容告警信息之后，先不对VNF1进行扩容，而是向VNF1的下游VNF即图5中的VNF2发送扩容通知信息，该扩容通知信息用于通知VNF2VNF1的服务能力不足，这里的扩容通知信息可以被当做触发VNF2判断VNF2是否需要进行扩容的条件。
S320～S325，当VNF2接收到VNFM发送的扩容通知信息之后，可以首先判断VNF2的服务使用率是否大于第二阈值，若VNF2判断出自身的服务使用率小于第二阈值，也就是说VNF2不需要进行扩容，那么VNF2可以向VNFM发送不扩容的通知，那么VNFM可以单独对VNF1进行扩容，若VNFM在一定时间(定时要远小于对VNF进行扩容的时间)后未收到VNF2发送的扩容请求，可以认为消息丢失，再一次向VNF2发送扩容通知信息；若VNF2判断出自身的服务使用率大于第二阈值时，那么VNF2即向VNFM发送扩容请求，告知VNFM VNF1和VNF2满足联动扩容条件，可以并行对VNF1和VNF2进行扩容。
S330，当VNFM接收到VNF2发送的扩容请求之后，VNFM可以确定VNF1和VNF2满足联动扩容条件，那么VNFM可以确定VNF1和VNF2的扩容大小。VNF1和VNF2扩容大小的计算过程同方法200所述。
S335～S365，步骤同S220～S250，为了简洁，在此不再赘述。
应理解，上述方法200和方法300中的判断VNF是否满足扩容条件的服务使用率和确定扩容大小的服务使用率可以是同一时刻获取的，也可以是相差一定时间获取。举例来说，可以定时在VNF的VM上采集数据，该定时时间是20s，若在某一时刻判断出来VNF满足扩容条件，可以将此刻获取的服务使用率用作确定扩容大小，也可以在20s之后再获取该VNF的服务使用率用作确定扩容大小，本申请实施例并不限于此。
应理解，在本申请的各种实施例中，上述各过程的序号的大小并不意味着执行顺序的先后，各过程的执行顺序应以其功能和内在逻辑确定，而不应对本申请实施例的实施过程构成任何限定。
上文中详细描述了根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法，下面将结合图6至图9，描述根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，方法实施例所描述的技术特征适用于以下装置实施例。
图6示出了根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置400的示意性框图。如图6所示，该装置400包括：
第一确定单元410，用于在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了该用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入该第二VNF的用户的需求时，确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，该第二VNF为该第一VNF的下游VNF；
扩容单元420，用于并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。
因此，本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该第一确定单元410具体用于：在接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关和接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该装置400还包括：第一获取单元430，用于多次获取 该第一VNF的KPI和该第二VNF的KPI；第二确定单元440，用于根据该第一VNF的KPI的变化和该第二VNF的KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关和接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，第一获取单元430用于多次获取该第一VNF的KPI；第二确定单元440用于根据该第一VNF的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关；该装置400还包括：发送单元450，用于向该第二VNF发送扩容通知信息，该扩容通知信息用于通知该第二VNF接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关；接收单元460，用于接收该第二VNF根据该扩容通知信息发送的扩容请求，该扩容请求用于指示接入该第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第二VNF的KPI弱正相关；第一确定单元410具体用于：根据该扩容请求，确定该第一VNF和该第二VNF满足该联动扩容条件。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，该资源KPI用于指示该第一VNF的资源使用率，该业务KPI用于指示当前接入该第一VNF的用户的数目占用该第一VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该第二确定单元440具体用于：根据该第一VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的资源KPI强正相关；或根据该第一VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的业务KPI强正相关。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该装置400还包括：第二获取单元470，用于在确定接入该第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与该第一VNF的KPI强正相关时，获取接入该第一VNF的用户的数量和经过该第二VNF的服务功能链SFC的数目；第三确定单元480，用于根据该用户的数量，确定满足该用户的数量的资源，以及根据该SFC的数目，确定满足该SFC的数目的资源；该扩容单元420具体用于：根据该满足该用户的数量的资源和该满足该SFC的数目的资源，并行地对该第一VNF和该第二VNF进行扩容。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该SFC为受接入该第一VNF用户的请求数增大影响的SFC。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，该资源包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小。
应理解，根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置400可对应于本申请方法实施例中的MANO，并且装置400中的各个单元的上述和其它操作和/或功能分别为了实现图3至图5所示各方法中MANO或VNFM的相应流程，为了简洁，在此不再赘述。
图7示出了根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置500的示意性框图。如图7所示，该装置500包括：
接收单元510，用于接收管理编排MANO发送的扩容通知信息，所述扩容通知信息用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
第一确定单元520，用于在接收到所述扩容通知信息后，确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求；
发送单元530，用于向所述MANO发送扩容请求，所述扩容请求用于所述MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
因此，本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，所述扩容通知信息具体用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关，所述第一确定单元520具体用于：在接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示所述第一VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述第一VNF的用户的数目占用所述第一VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，所述装置500还包括：获取单元540，用于多次获取所述第二VNF的资源KPI或业务KPI；第二确定单元550，用于根据所述第二VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的资源KPI弱正相关；或根据所述第二VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的业务KPI弱正相关。
可选地，在本申请实施例中，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
应理解，根据本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置500可对应于本申请方法实施例中的第二VNF，并且装置500中的各个单元的上述和其它操作和/或功能分别为了实现图4和图5所示各方法中第二VNF的相应流程，为了简洁，在此不再赘述。
如图8所示，本申请实施例还提供了一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置600，该装置600可以是图6中的装置400，其能够用于执行与图3至图5中各方法对应的MANO的步骤。该装置600包括：输入接口610、输出接口620、处理器630以及存储器640，该输入接口610、输出接口620、处理器630和存储器640可以通过总线系统相连。所述存储器640用于存储包括程序、指令或代码。所述处理器630，用于执行所述存储器640中的程序、指令或代码，以控制输入接口610接收信号、控制输出接口620发送信号以及完成前述方法实施例中的操作，例如，S205、S210、S215等中的操作。
因此，本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
应理解，在本申请实施例中，该处理器630可以是CPU，该处理器630还可以是其他通用处理器、数字信号处理器、专用集成电路、现成可编程门阵列或者其他可编程逻辑器件、分立门或者晶体管逻辑器件、分立硬件组件等。通用处理器可以是微处理器或者该处理器也可以是任何常规的处理器等。
该存储器640可以包括只读存储器和随机存取存储器，并向处理器630提供指令和数据。存储器640的一部分还可以包括非易失性随机存取存储器。例如，存储器640还可以存储设备类型的信息。
在实现过程中，上述方法的各步骤可以通过处理器630中的硬件的集成逻辑电路或者软件形式的指令完成。结合本申请实施例所公开的方法的步骤可以直接体现为硬件处理器执行完成，或者用处理器中的硬件及软件模块组合执行完成。软件模块可以位于随机存储器，闪存、只读存储器，可编程只读存储器或者电可擦写可编程存储器、寄存器等本领域成熟的存储介质中。该存储介质位于存储器640，处理器630读取存储器640中的信息，结合其硬件完成上述方法的步骤。为避免重复，这里不再详细描述。
一个具体的实施方式中，图6中的第一确定单元410、扩容单元420、第一获取单元430、第二确定单元440、第二获取单元460、第三确定单元470可以用图8的处理器630实现，发送单元450可以用图8的输出接口620实现，接收单元460可以由图8的输入接口610实现。
如图9所示，本申请实施例还提供了一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置700，该装置700可以是图7中的装置700，其能够用于执行与图4和图5中各方法对应的第二VNF的步骤。该装置700包括：输入接口710、输出接口720、处理器730以及存储器740，该输入接口710、输出接口720、处理器730和存储器740可以通过总线系统相连。所述存储器740用于存储包括程序、指令或代码。所述处理器730，用于执行所述存储器740中的程序、指令或代码，以控制输入接口710接收信号、控制输出接口720发送信号以及完成前述方法实施例中的操作，例如，S305、S320、S325等中的操作。
因此，本申请实施例的用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，能够缩短服务功能链SFC响应时间变慢的时长，提高整体可用性。
应理解，在本申请实施例中，该处理器730可以是CPU，该处理器730还可以是其他通用处理器、数字信号处理器、专用集成电路、现成可编程门阵列或者其他可编程逻辑器件、分立门或者晶体管逻辑器件、分立硬件组件等。通用处理器可以是微处理器或者该处理器也可以是任何常规的处理器等。
该存储器740可以包括只读存储器和随机存取存储器，并向处理器730提供指令和数据。存储器740的一部分还可以包括非易失性随机存取存储器。例如，存储器740还可以存储设备类型的信息。
在实现过程中，上述方法的各步骤可以通过处理器730中的硬件的集成逻辑电路或者软件形式的指令完成。结合本申请实施例所公开的方法的步骤可以直接体现为硬件处理器执行完成，或者用处理器中的硬件及软件模块组合执行完成。软件模块可以位于随机存储器，闪存、只读存储器，可编程只读存储器或者电可擦写可编程存储器、寄存器等本领域成熟的存储介质中。该存储介质位于存储器740，处理器730读取存储器740中的信息，结合其硬件完成上述方法的步骤。为避免重复，这里不再详细描述。
一个具体的实施方式中，图7中的第一确定单元520和获取单元540可以用图9的处理器730实现，发送单元530可以用图9的输出接口720实现，第一接收单元510和第二接收单元550可以由图9的输入接口710实现。
本申请还提供了一种系统，包括MANO、第一VNF和第二VNF，所述MANO可以是图6对应的实施例的装置或图8对应的实施例提供的装置。所述第二VNF可以是图7对应的实施例的装置或图9对应的实施例提供的装置。所述通信系统用于执行图2或图3对应的实施例的方法。
本领域普通技术人员可以意识到，结合本文中所公开的实施例描述的各示例的单元及算法步骤，能够以电子硬件、或者计算机软件和电子硬件的结合来实现。这些功能究竟以硬件还是软件方式来执行，取决于技术方案的特定应用和设计约束条件。专业技术人员可以对每个特定的应用来使用不同方法来实现所描述的功能，但是这种实现不应认为超出本申请的范围。
所属领域的技术人员可以清楚地了解到，为描述的方便和简洁，上述描述的系统、装置和单元的具体工作过程，可以参考前述方法实施例中的对应过程，在此不再赘述。
在本申请所提供的几个实施例中，应该理解到，所揭露的系统、装置和方法，可以通过其它的方式实现。例如，以上所描述的装置实施例仅仅是示意性的，例如，所述单元的划分，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式，例如多个单元或组件可以结合或者可以集成到另一个系统，或一些特征可以忽略，或不执行。另一点，所显示或讨论的相互之间的耦合或直接耦合或通信连接可以是通过一些接口，装置或单元的间接耦合或通信连接，可以是电性，机械或其它的形式。
所述作为分离部件说明的单元可以是或者也可以不是物理上分开的，作为单元显示的部件可以是或者也可以不是物理单元，即可以位于一个地方，或者也可以分布到多个网络单元上。可以根据实际的需要选择其中的部分或者全部单元来实现本实施例方案的目的。
另外，在本申请各个实施例中的各功能单元可以集成在一个处理单元中，也可以是各个单元单独物理存在，也可以两个或两个以上单元集成在一个单元中。
所述功能如果以软件功能单元的形式实现并作为独立的产品销售或使用时，可以存储在一个计算机可读取存储介质中。基于这样的理解，本申请的技术方案本质上或者说对现有技术做出贡献的部分或者该技术方案的部分可以以软件产品的形式体现出来，该计算机软件产品存储在一个存储介质中，包括若干指令用以使得一台计算机设备(可以是个人计算机，服务器，或者网络设备等)执行本申请各个实施例所述方法的全部或部分步骤。而前述的存储介质包括：U盘、移动硬盘、只读存储器(Read-Only Memory，ROM)、随机存取存储器(Random Access Memory，RAM)、磁碟或者光盘等各种可以存储程序代码的介质。
以上所述，仅为本申请的具体实施方式，但本申请的保护范围并不局限于此，任何熟悉本技术领域的技术人员在本申请揭露的技术范围内，可轻易想到变化或替换，都应涵盖在本申请的保护范围之内。因此，本申请的保护范围应以所述权利要求的保护范围为准。

Claims (30)

  1. 一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法，其特征在于，包括：
    在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求时，管理编排MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
    所述MANO并行地对所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF进行扩容。
  2. 根据权利要求1所述的方法，其特征在于，所述在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求时，管理编排MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，包括：
    在接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关和接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，所述MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
  3. 根据权利要求2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述MANO多次获取所述第一VNF的KPI和所述第二VNF的KPI；
    所述MANO根据所述第一VNF的KPI的变化和所述第二VNF的KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关和接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关。
  4. 根据权利要求2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述在接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关和接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，所述MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，包括：
    所述MANO多次获取所述第一VNF的KPI；
    所述MANO根据所述第一VNF的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关；
    所述MANO向所述第二VNF发送扩容通知信息，所述扩容通知信息用于通知所述第二VNF接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关；
    所述MANO接收所述第二VNF根据所述扩容通知信息发送的扩容请求，所述扩容请求用于指示接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关；
    所述MANO根据所述扩容请求，确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足所述联动扩容条件。
  5. 根据权利要求2至4中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示相应VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述相应VNF的用户的数目占用所述相应VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
  6. 根据权利要求3至5中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述MANO根据所述第 一VNF的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关，包括：
    所述MANO根据所述第一VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的资源KPI强正相关；或
    所述MANO根据所述第一VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的业务KPI强正相关。
  7. 根据权利要求5或6所述的方法，其特征在于，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
  8. 根据权利要求2至7中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述MANO在确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关时，获取接入所述第一VNF的用户的数量和经过所述第二VNF的服务功能链SFC的数目；
    所述MANO根据所述用户的数量，确定满足所述用户的数量的资源；
    所述MANO根据所述SFC的数目，确定满足所述SFC的数目的资源；
    所述MANO并行地对所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF进行扩容，包括：
    所述MANO根据所述满足所述用户的数量的资源和所述满足所述SFC的数目的资源，并行地对所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF进行扩容。
  9. 根据权利要求8所述的方法，其特征在于，所述SFC为受接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求数增大影响的SFC。
  10. 根据权利8或9所述的方法，其特征在于，所述资源包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小。
  11. 一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的方法，其特征在于，包括：
    第二虚拟网络功能VNF接收管理编排MANO发送的扩容通知信息，所述扩容通知信息用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
    所述第二VNF在接收到所述扩容通知信息后，确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求；
    所述第二VNF向所述MANO发送扩容请求，所述扩容请求用于所述MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
  12. 根据权利要求11所述的方法，其特征在于，所述扩容通知信息具体用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关，所述第二VNF确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求，包括：
    在接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，所述第二VNF确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求。
  13. 根据权利要求12所述的方法，其特征在于，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示相应VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述相应VNF的用户的数目占用所述相应VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
  14. 根据权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述第二VNF多次获取所述第二VNF的资源KPI或业务KPI；
    所述第二VNF根据所述第二VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的资源KPI弱正相关；或
    所述第二VNF根据所述第二VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的业务KPI弱正相关。
  15. 根据权利要求13或14所述的方法，其特征在于，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
  16. 一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，其特征在于，包括：
    第一确定单元，用于在接入第一虚拟网络功能VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间和第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求时，确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
    扩容单元，用于并行地对所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF进行扩容。
  17. 根据权利要求16所述的装置，其特征在于，所述第一确定单元具体用于：
    在接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关和接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
  18. 根据权利要求17所述的装置，其特征在于，所述装置还包括：
    第一获取单元，用于多次获取所述第一VNF的KPI和所述第二VNF的KPI；
    第二确定单元，用于根据所述第一VNF的KPI的变化和所述第二VNF的KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关和接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关。
  19. 根据权利要求17所述的装置，其特征在于，所述装置还包括：
    第一获取单元，用于多次获取所述第一VNF的KPI；
    第二确定单元，用于根据所述第一VNF的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关；
    发送单元，用于向所述第二VNF发送扩容通知信息，所述扩容通知信息用于通知所述第二VNF接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关；
    接收单元，用于接收所述第二VNF根据所述扩容通知信息发送的扩容请求，所述扩容请求用于指示接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关；
    第一确定单元具体用于：
    根据所述扩容请求，确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足所述联动扩容条件。
  20. 根据权利要求17至19中任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示相应VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述相应VNF的用户的数目占用所述相应VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
  21. 根据权利要求18至20中任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述第二确定单元具体用于：
    根据所述第一VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的资源KPI强正相关；或
    根据所述第一VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的业务KPI强正相关。
  22. 根据权利要求20或21所述的装置，其特征在于，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
  23. 根据权利要求17至22中任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述装置还包括：
    第二获取单元，用于在确定接入所述第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的KPI强正相关时，获取接入所述第一VNF的用户的数量和经过所述第二VNF的服务功能链SFC的数目；
    第三确定单元，用于根据所述用户的数量，确定满足所述用户的数量的资源，以及根据所述SFC的数目，确定满足所述SFC的数目的资源；
    所述扩容单元具体用于：
    根据所述满足所述用户的数量的资源和所述满足所述SFC的数目的资源，并行地对所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF进行扩容。
  24. 根据权利要求23所述的装置，其特征在于，所述SFC为受接入所述第一VNF用户的请求数增大影响的SFC。
  25. 根据权利要求23或24所述的装置，其特征在于，所述资源包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：虚拟机个数、芯片个数、内存大小、硬盘大小和网卡大小。
  26. 一种用于虚拟网络功能扩容的装置，其特征在于，包括：
    接收单元，用于接收管理编排MANO发送的扩容通知信息，所述扩容通知信息用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时超过了所述用户的容忍时间，所述第二VNF为所述第一VNF的下游VNF；
    第一确定单元，用于在接收到所述扩容通知信息后，确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求；
    发送单元，用于向所述MANO发送扩容请求，所述扩容请求用于所述MANO确定所述第一VNF和所述第二VNF满足联动扩容条件。
  27. 根据权利要求26所述的装置，其特征在于，所述扩容通知信息具体用于指示接入第一VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第一VNF的关键性能指标KPI强正相关，所述第一确定单元具体用于：
    在接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的KPI弱正相关时，确定所述第二VNF无法满足接入所述第二VNF的用户的需求。
  28. 根据权利要求27所述的装置，其特征在于，所述KPI包括资源KPI和/或业务KPI，所述资源KPI用于指示相应VNF的资源使用率，所述业务KPI用于指示当前接入所述相应VNF的用户的数目占用所述相应VNF能够容忍的最大用户数目的比例。
  29. 根据权利要求28所述的装置，其特征在于，所述装置还包括：
    获取单元，用于多次获取所述第二VNF的资源KPI或业务KPI；
    第二确定单元，用于根据所述第二VNF的资源KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的资源KPI弱正相关；或
    根据所述第二VNF的业务KPI的变化，确定接入所述第二VNF的用户的请求响应的延时与所述第二VNF的业务KPI弱正相关。
  30. 根据权利要求28或29所述的装置，其特征在于，所述资源KPI包括以下信息中的至少一种信息：中央处理器CPU利用率、内存利用率、磁盘利用率和网络带宽利用率。
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