WO2018166379A1 - 网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统 - Google Patents

网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018166379A1
WO2018166379A1 PCT/CN2018/078224 CN2018078224W WO2018166379A1 WO 2018166379 A1 WO2018166379 A1 WO 2018166379A1 CN 2018078224 W CN2018078224 W CN 2018078224W WO 2018166379 A1 WO2018166379 A1 WO 2018166379A1
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function entity
policy
deployment
network function
instance
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PCT/CN2018/078224
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English (en)
French (fr)
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李卓明
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华为技术有限公司
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • H04L41/5019Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
    • H04L41/5025Ensuring fulfilment of SLA by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0803Configuration setting
    • H04L41/0813Configuration setting characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0894Policy-based network configuration management
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0896Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0896Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities
    • H04L41/0897Bandwidth 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
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/12Discovery or management of network topologies
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5003Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
    • H04L41/5019Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5041Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
    • H04L41/5051Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/5041Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
    • H04L41/5054Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/50Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
    • H04L41/508Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement
    • H04L41/5096Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements based on type of value added network service under agreement wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0805Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability
    • H04L43/0817Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability by checking functioning

Definitions

  • the present application relates to the field and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for network control and a communication system.
  • Future communication systems can support a variety of different service types, such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable ultra-low latency connection (uRLLC), and massive machine type connectivity ( Massive Machine Type Connection, mMTC), and more.
  • eMBB Enhanced Mobile Broadband
  • uRLLC ultra-reliable ultra-low latency connection
  • mMTC massive machine type connectivity
  • Different service types have different characteristics and network requirements. For example, eMBB's Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications have extremely high bandwidth requirements, and uRLLC's automatic driving applications are timely.
  • VR Virtual Reality
  • AR Augmented Reality
  • the sensitivity is extended, while the connection density of mMTC is extremely high. Therefore, in order to better meet the business needs, different service types have unique requirements for the deployment location of network functional entities.
  • PCF Policy Control Function
  • AF Application Function
  • UP User Plane
  • NG-CP Next Generation-Control Plane
  • the present application provides a method and apparatus for network control and a communication system capable of meeting the requirements for service quality of different service types.
  • a method for network control comprising: a policy control function entity determining a first network function entity required by a first session and a first deployment policy of the first network function entity; the policy control function entity determining Whether the current deployment status of the first network function entity satisfies the first deployment policy; if it is determined that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first deployment policy, the policy control function entity sends a network to the policy execution function entity
  • the function deployment adjustment indication is used to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is deployed at the target location.
  • the current deployment status of the first network function entity may refer to a current instance deployment status of the first network function entity, for example, may include a status of an instance of the first network function entity that is currently deployed.
  • the network function deployment adjustment indication may be used to indicate that deployment adjustment of the first network function entity is performed at the target location.
  • the policy execution function entity is a session management function entity or a network control function entity.
  • the network control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the deployment of the network function entity according to the deployment policy of the network function entity required by the session, which is beneficial to ensure that the deployment of the network function entity is globally optimal for the service session. Thereby improving network performance and user experience.
  • the first deployment policy includes at least one of the following: a deployment location, a deployment mode, an occupied resource, and a required UP capability.
  • the deployment method can be deployed for the same data center or across data centers.
  • the resources may include physical resources and/or network resources.
  • the physical resources may include physical infrastructure resources, etc.
  • the network resources may include resources such as bandwidth.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that an instance of the first network function entity deployed in the first location is migrated to the target location; or the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that Creating a first instance of the first network function entity; or the first network function entity is specifically a first user plane function entity, and the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that the deployment on the target location is started The first processing capability of the instance of the first user plane functional entity.
  • the policy control function entity determines a first network function entity required by the first session and a first deployment policy of the first network function entity, including: the policy control Determining, by the function of the first session, the first network function entity required by the first session and the first deployment policy of the first network function entity, where the information of the first session includes the first session Business type information.
  • the information of the first session may further include user information corresponding to the first session, such as user identity information.
  • the policy control function entity determines, according to information about the first session, a first network function required by the first session And the first deployment policy of the first network function entity, the policy control function entity determining, according to the information of the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session, the required The first network function entity; the policy control function entity determines the first deployment policy according to the information of the service type of the first session and the first network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity is configured to store at least one deployment policy of the first network function entity, where the at least one deployment policy includes the first deployment policy.
  • the data storage function entity is configured to store at least one deployment policy of each of the at least one network function entity, wherein the at least one network function entity comprises the first network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity determines, according to the information of the first session, a first deployment policy of the first network function entity
  • the method includes: the policy control function entity sends a deployment policy request to the data storage function entity, where the deployment policy request carries the information of the first session; the policy control function entity receives the data storage function entity sends the request according to the deployment policy request Indicates third indication information of the first deployment policy.
  • the policy control function entity may further receive indication information that is sent by the data storage function entity to indicate the first network function entity, and determine, according to the indication information, the first network function required by the first session. entity.
  • the policy control function entity determines whether the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first deployment policy, including : the policy control function entity acquires information of the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity; the policy control function entity determines, according to the first deployment policy and information of the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity Whether there is a deployed instance that satisfies the first deployment policy in the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity; correspondingly, if the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the deployment of the first network function entity a policy, the policy control function entity sends a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity, including: if at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity does not have a deployed instance that satisfies the first deployment policy, the policy The control function entity sends a network function to the policy enforcement function entity Deploy adjustment instructions.
  • the deployed instance of the first network functional entity may refer to an instance of the first network functional entity that has been deployed so far.
  • the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity may be specifically part or all instances of the first network function entity that have been deployed.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity is not Meet the first deployment strategy.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the The first deployment strategy.
  • the policy control function entity determines whether the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first deployment policy, including The policy control function entity determines the target location that satisfies the first deployment policy; the policy control function entity determines whether an instance of the first network function entity that meets the first deployment policy is deployed on the target location; correspondingly, If the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not meet the deployment policy of the first network function entity, the policy control function entity sends a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity, including: if the target location is not deployed, An instance of the first network function entity of the first deployment policy, the policy control function entity sending a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity satisfies the first deployment policy.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first deployment policy.
  • the method before the policy control function entity determines the first network function entity required for the first session, the method further includes The policy control function entity receives the flow policy request of the first session sent by the session management function entity; the policy control function entity determines the first network function entity required by the first session, including: the policy control function entity according to the A flow policy request determines a first network functional entity required for the first session.
  • the flow policy request of the first session may carry information of the first session.
  • the method further includes: Determining that the first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed in the target location, the policy control function entity sends a flow policy response to the session management function entity, where the flow policy response carries the first indication information, where the first indication information is used And indicating a first instance of the first network function entity deployed on the target location.
  • the deployment of the network function entity can be adjusted according to the deployment policy according to the service level agreement requirement of the service, so that the quality requirements of the service can be better ensured.
  • the policy control function entity may receive the indication information that is sent by the policy enforcement function entity to indicate that the deployment adjustment of the first network function entity is completed, and determine, according to the indication information, the first network function entity. After the deployment adjustment is completed, it is determined that the first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed at the target location.
  • the method further includes The policy control function entity determines a second instance of the first network function entity from at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity; the policy control function entity sends a flow policy response to the session management function entity, the flow The policy response carries first indication information indicating a second instance of the first network function entity; after the policy control function entity sends a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity, the method further includes: if A first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed on the target location, and the policy control function entity sends a first flow policy update indication to the session management function entity, where the first flow policy update indication is used to indicate that the first session is The second instance of the first network function entity migrates to the first network deployed on the target location Examples of the first functional entity.
  • the session is established by first selecting the deployed network function entity instance, and then determining whether the selected instance satisfies the deployment policy, so that the deployment adjustment of the network function entity and the session establishment process can be implemented in parallel, once the deployment adjustment is in place, directly Adjust the session to reduce the response time for session creation.
  • the method further includes: the policy control function entity receiving, by the policy execution function entity, a first deployment failure indication, where The first deployment failure indication is used to indicate that the available resources on the target location do not meet the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity; the policy control function entity receives the first deployment failure indication from the target Determining, in the service type of the at least one session carried by the at least one network function entity instance, the second service type, wherein the second service type is different from the first service type of the first session; the policy control function entity The session management function entity sends a service migration indication, where the service migration indication is used to indicate that the session of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location is migrated to the second location.
  • a plurality of network function entity instances may be deployed on the target location, and each network function entity instance may carry zero, one or more sessions, where the network function entity at the target location Sessions carried by instances can have different types of services.
  • the policy control function entity may determine the second service type from among a plurality of service types.
  • the second service type supports route reselection, and the priority of the service corresponding to the second service type is lower than the priority of the service corresponding to the first service type.
  • the method further includes: if the The second service type session carried by the network function entity instance on the target location is successfully migrated to the second location, and the policy control function entity sends second indication information to the policy enforcement function entity, where the second indication information is used to indicate The available resources at the target location have met the requirements for deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity.
  • a method for network control comprising: a policy execution function entity receiving a network function entity deployment adjustment indication sent by a policy control function entity, where the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is used to indicate that the first location is deployed at the target location A first instance of the network function entity; the policy enforcement function entity performs a process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location according to the network function entity deployment adjustment indication.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may deploy an adjustment indication according to the network function entity, and perform deployment adjustment of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may be a network control function entity or a session management function entity, where the network control function entity or the session management function entity may deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location .
  • the session management function entity may control the user plane controller to deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that an instance of the first network function entity deployed in the first location is migrated to the target location; or the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that Creating a first instance of the first network function entity; or the first network function entity is specifically a first user plane function entity, and the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically used to indicate that the deployment on the target location is started The first processing capability of the instance of the first user plane functional entity.
  • the policy execution function entity performs a process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location, including: The policy enforcement function entity determines whether the available resources of the target location meet the requirements of deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity.
  • the policy execution function entity determines whether the available resource of the target location meets the first requirement for deploying the first network function entity Before the requirement of the instance, the method further includes: the policy execution function entity sending a resource information request to the data storage function entity, the resource information requesting information for requesting the current available resource of the target location; the policy execution function entity receiving the data And storing, by the storage function entity, the information about the current available resource of the target location sent according to the resource information; correspondingly, the policy enforcement function entity determines whether the available resource of the target location meets the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity And determining, by the policy execution function entity, that the available resources of the target location meet the deployment of the first network according to the information about the current available resources of the target location and the information of the resources that the first instance of the first network function entity needs to occupy.
  • the requirements of the first instance of the functional entity is not limited to the resource of the functional entity.
  • the session management function entity may The indication information sent by the user plane controller determines whether the available resources of the target location meet the requirements of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • the policy execution function entity adjusts according to the network function entity deployment Instructing to perform the process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location, further comprising: if it is determined that the available resource of the target location does not meet the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity, the policy The execution function entity sends a resource request message to the NFV MANO, the resource request message requesting a resource for deploying the first instance of the first network function entity; the policy enforcement function entity receiving the resource allocation sent by the NFV MANO according to the resource request message a message, the resource allocation message is used to indicate a resource allocated for the target location to deploy the first instance of the first network function entity; the policy enforcement function entity deploys the first location on the target location according to the resource allocation message A first instance of a network functional entity.
  • the policy execution function entity is specifically a session management function entity, and the policy execution function entity deploys an adjustment indication according to the network function entity. And performing a process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location, including: the policy enforcement function entity transmitting an adjustment indication according to the network function entity, and sending a fourth indication to the user plane controller on the target location And the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the user plane controller deploys the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the method further includes: the policy execution function entity receiving a second deployment failure indication sent by the user plane controller, where The second deployment failure indication is used to indicate that the available resources of the target location do not satisfy the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity.
  • the method further includes: if it is determined that the available resource of the target location does not meet the first deployment of the first network function entity The requirement of the instance, the policy execution function entity sends a first deployment failure indication to the policy control function entity, where the first deployment failure indication is used to indicate that the available resources on the target location do not satisfy the first deployment of the first network function entity The needs of the instance.
  • the method further includes: the session management function entity receiving the a service migration indication sent by the policy control function entity according to the first deployment failure indication, the service migration indication is used to indicate that the session of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location is migrated to the second location; the session The management function entity determines, according to the service migration indication, at least one second session of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location; the session management function entity is configured to carry the second session to the target location
  • the network function entity instance sends a route reselection indication, the route reselection indication is used to indicate that the second session carried by the network function entity instance is migrated to the second location.
  • the policy control function entity may deploy the first instance at the target location, or the session management function entity may notify the user plane controller to deploy the The first instance.
  • the method further includes: the policy enforcement function entity receiving the second indication information sent by the policy control function entity, where The two indication information is used to indicate that the available resources on the target location have met the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • the policy execution function entity receives the policy control function entity to send Before the network function entity deploys the adjustment indication, the method further includes: the session management function entity sending a flow policy request to the policy control function entity, where the flow policy request carries the information of the first session; the method further includes: if The first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed, and the session management function entity receives the flow policy response sent by the policy control function entity, where the flow policy response carries the first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate A first instance of the first network functional entity deployed on the target location.
  • the policy execution function entity receives the policy control function entity to send Before the network function entity deploys the adjustment indication, the method further includes: the session management function entity sending a flow policy request to the policy control function entity, the flow policy request carrying information of the first session; the session management function entity receiving the policy Controlling, by the control function entity, a flow policy response, where the flow policy response carries first indication information indicating a second instance of the first network function entity; the method further includes: if the first network function is successfully deployed at the target location a first instance of the entity, the session management function entity receives a first flow policy update indication sent by the policy control function entity, where the first flow policy update indication is used to indicate that the first session is by the second instance of the first network function entity Migrating to the first network functional entity deployed on the target location Instance.
  • the session management function entity may migrate the first session to the first instance of the first network function entity deployed at the target location according to the first flow policy update indication.
  • a network controlled apparatus for performing the method of any of the above 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.
  • a fourth aspect there is provided another network controlled 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.
  • another apparatus for network control comprising: a memory for storing instructions for executing instructions stored in the memory, and a processor for executing the instructions stored by the memory The execution causes the processor to perform the method of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.
  • another apparatus for network control comprising: a memory for storing instructions for executing instructions stored in the memory, and a processor for executing instructions stored by the memory The execution causes the processor to perform the method of the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.
  • a communication system including a policy control function entity and a policy enforcement function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may be the device in any possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the third aspect, where the policy enforcement function entity may be in any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect. Device.
  • the policy control function entity may be the device in any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, where the policy execution function entity may be in any possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect. Device.
  • the communication system further includes a data storage function entity for storing at least one of the following information: at least one deployed instance of each of the one or more network function entities Information, information that can be deployed for each physical location in at least one physical location of the network functional entity.
  • the information of the deployed instance may include at least one of the following information: deployment location information, occupied resource information, information of the opened processing capability, and capacity utilization information.
  • the information of the physical location includes location information and/or available resource information of the physical location.
  • a computer readable medium for storing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for performing the method of the first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the first aspect.
  • a ninth aspect a computer readable medium for storing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for performing the method of any of the second aspect or the second aspect of the second aspect.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an architectural example of a communication system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another architectural example of a communication system to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a method for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of another method for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of another method for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of another method for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of another method for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of another network controlled apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of another network controlled apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of another network controlled apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • GSM Global System of Mobile communication
  • CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
  • WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
  • PRS General Packet Radio Service
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • FDD Frequency Division Duplex
  • TDD Time Division Duplex
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
  • WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
  • PLMN Public Land Mobile Network
  • FIG. 1 shows a communication system 100 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
  • the communication system 100 can include a policy control function entity 110 and at least one policy enforcement function entity 120, wherein the policy control function entity 110 can be used to perform network level policies in addition to user level policy control. control.
  • the policy control of the user level may include policy control of the session and the flow
  • the policy control of the network level may include policy control of the network function entity, for example, deployment control or adjustment of the network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity 110 may determine a deployment policy of a network function entity required by the session, and determine, according to the deployment policy, an instance of deploying the network function entity at the target location, for example, creating a new instance at the target location, The deployed instance migrates to the target location, or the processing capability of the instance deployed by the target location is turned on or off, and the like, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity 120 can be configured to perform a network level control policy determined by the policy control entity 110, such as adjusting the deployment of the network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity 110 may determine whether the deployed instance of the network function entity required by the session can meet the quality of service (QoS) requirement of the session, where the network function entity may be a control plane function entity or User face function entity.
  • the policy control function entity 110 may determine deployment adjustment of the network function entity to ensure the quality of service requirement of the session.
  • the deployment adjustment of the network functional entity may include migrating a deployed instance of the network functional entity, and/or deploying a new instance of the network functional entity at a certain network location.
  • the network function entity is specifically an UP function entity
  • an instance of the UP function entity deployed on a network location can support a certain processing capability, but the processing capability is not currently enabled.
  • the UP function is The deployment adjustment of the entity may also include the specific processing capability of the instance of the UP functional entity deployed on the network location; or the deployment adjustment of the UP functional entity may also include closing the UP functional entity deployed on a certain network location.
  • the specific processing capabilities of the examples, but embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto.
  • the processing capability herein may refer to the capability of traffic detection, charging monitoring, IP address allocation, terminal identifier allocation, forwarding control, packet encapsulation, encryption and decryption, or data caching, and may even include content acceleration, rendering, and the like.
  • the processing capability of the network function entity of the three-party application is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy control function entity 110 may be a PCF, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity 120 can be configured to perform deployment adjustments to the network function entity, ie, the policy control function entity 110 can implement deployment adjustments to the network function entity by instructing the policy enforcement function entity 120.
  • FIG. 1 exemplarily shows a policy control function entity 110 and a policy enforcement function entity 120.
  • the communication system 100 may include a plurality of policy control function entities 110 and/or a plurality of policy enforcement function entities 120, This embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.
  • policy control function entity 110 may also store data for policy control at the user and/or network level.
  • the policy control function entity 110 can be used to store deployment information for one or more network functional entities, such as information of deployed instances and/or deployment policies, and the like.
  • the communication system 100 can also include a data storage function entity 130 that stores data for policy control at the user and/or network level.
  • the data storage function entity 130 may store a user-level session and flow policy, including one or more of a user-level QoS control policy, a flow-based charging control policy, and an authorization control policy based on user subscription information. item.
  • the data storage function entity 130 can store a deployment policy of the network function entity, including a target location that the network function entity needs to be deployed, whether it needs to be deployed in the same data center or across data centers, and resources that need to be occupied. Or multiple.
  • the data storage function entity 130 may store multiple deployment policies of the same network function entity, where different deployment policies may correspond to different service types, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
  • the data storage function entity 130 may further store information indicating which physical locations have resources available for deploying the network function entity, where the resources may include physical resources and/or network resources, where the physical resources may be For the resources such as the infrastructure, the network resources may be resources such as the network bandwidth, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the data storage function entity 130 may further store current deployment information of the network function entity, including topology information and/or physical location information of the deployed instance of the network function entity, where the topology information of the network function entity instance may represent the network.
  • the physical location information of the network function entity instance can represent the location of the physical device where the network function entity instance resides.
  • the network function entity is a virtual network function entity (Virtual Network Function (VNF)
  • VNF Virtual Network Function
  • its physical location information may include the physical location of the infrastructure used by the virtual machine or container of the VNF, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
  • the data storage function entity 130 may be specifically Unified Data Management (UDM), but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • UDM Unified Data Management
  • the policy enforcement function entity 120 may be implemented by using an existing network element.
  • a Session Management Function (SMF) 220 may implement the policy enforcement function entity 120.
  • SMF 220 can perform deployment adjustments to network functional entities, such as creation and/or migration of network functional entities, or the opening or closing of specific processing capabilities of network functional entities.
  • the SMF 220 may also implement deployment adjustment of the user plane function entity by controlling a User Plane Function (UPF) 240.
  • UPF User Plane Function
  • the SMF 220 can control the UP controller to perform the deployment adjustment of the UPF 240 by interacting with the UP controller in the UPF 240, but the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.
  • the policy enforcement function entity 120 may also be implemented by adding a network element.
  • a new Network Control Function (NCF) 320 may be used to implement the policy enforcement function entity 120.
  • NCF Network Control Function
  • the deployment adjustment of the user plane (User Plane, UP) functional entity can be implemented, and the deployment adjustment of the control plane (Control Plane, CP) functional entity can be implemented, but the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.
  • the communication system may also optionally include an Access Management Function (AMF) or a Slice Selection Function (SSF) entity, which may be used for performing The processing of the terminal access signaling and the selection of the network slice, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • AMF Access Management Function
  • SSF Slice Selection Function
  • the communication system to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied may further include other network elements and/or functional entities, which are not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.
  • the network function entity, the policy control function entity, the policy execution function entity, the data storage function entity, the network control function entity, the session management function entity, etc. are only one name, and the name does not constitute the device itself. limited.
  • the network element or entity corresponding to the network function entity, the policy control function entity, the policy execution function entity, the data storage function entity, the network control function entity, the session management function entity, etc. may also be There are other names, which are not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.
  • a network function entity may be referred to as a network function; or, an UP function entity may be referred to as UP, a CP function entity may be referred to as a CP, a policy control function entity may be referred to as a policy control function, etc., and a unified description is provided herein. , will not repeat them below.
  • each network element and/or functional entity in the foregoing communication system may have other functions in addition to the functions described in the embodiments of the present application.
  • the SMF may also be used to control the UPF to implement services.
  • the processing and/or forwarding of the flow is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.
  • the network element and/or the functional entity in the embodiment of the present application may be implemented by one physical device, or may be implemented by multiple physical devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application. That is, it can be understood that the network function entity, the policy control function entity, the data storage function entity, the network control function entity, the session management function entity, etc. in the embodiment of the present application may be a logical function module in the physical device, It may be a logical function module composed of a plurality of physical devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a method 400 of network control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the method 400 can be applied to the above communication system, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity determines a first network function entity required by the first session and a first deployment policy of the first network function entity.
  • the first network function entity may be specifically one or more network function entities, and may include a user plane function entity and/or a control plane function entity, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity may determine at least one network function entity required by the first session and determine a deployment policy of each of the at least one network function entity corresponding to the first session.
  • the policy control function entity may obtain information about the first session, and determine, according to the information of the first session, a first network function entity required by the first session, and the first network function entity corresponds to the The deployment strategy of the first session (ie, the first deployment strategy).
  • the information of the first session may include information about a service type of the first session, or may further include user information corresponding to the first session (such as user identification information and/or user subscription information, etc. And so on, and/or the priority information of the service to which the first session belongs, or may include other information, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the information of the first session may include information about a service type of the first session and user information corresponding to the first session.
  • the policy control function entity may determine, according to the information of the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session, the first network function entity required by the first session, and then the policy control function.
  • the entity may determine the first deployment policy according to the information of the service type of the first session and the first network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may store data for performing network level policy control, eg, at least one deployment policy for each of the one or more network function entities.
  • the policy control function entity may determine the first network function entity required by the first session and the first by querying data stored by the first session for performing network level policy control.
  • the first deployment strategy for network functional entities For example, the policy control function entity may determine, according to the information of the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session, the first network function entity required by the first session. And the policy control function entity may determine, according to the information about the service type of the first session, the first deployment policy from the stored at least one deployment policy of the first network function entity.
  • the data for network level policy control may also be stored in a data storage functional entity, such as in a UDM.
  • the policy control function entity may send the information of the first session to the data storage function entity, and the data storage function entity may determine the first deployment policy according to the information of the first session, and perform the policy control function The entity sends indication information indicating the first deployment policy.
  • the data storage function entity may further determine, according to the information of the first session, a first network function entity required by the first session, and send an indication to the policy control function entity to indicate the first network function entity. information.
  • the policy control function entity may determine the first network function entity required for the first session according to the indication information sent by the data storage function entity for indicating the first network function entity.
  • the data storage function entity may carry indication information for indicating the first network function entity and indication information for indicating the first deployment policy in the same message, or may be sent to indicate the first network function. The indication information of the entity and the indication information used to indicate the first deployment policy.
  • the policy control function entity may send the information of the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session to the data storage function entity, where the data storage function entity may be based on the service type information of the first session.
  • the user information corresponding to the first session determines a first network function entity required by the first session, and sends indication information for indicating the first network function entity to the policy control function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may send a deployment policy request to the data storage function entity, where the deployment policy request may carry the first The identification information of the network function entity and the information of the service type of the first session.
  • the data storage function entity may determine the first deployment policy of the first network function entity according to the received identifier information of the first network function entity and the service type information of the first session, and control the function entity to the policy function entity Sending indication information indicating the first deployment policy.
  • the policy control function entity may send a deployment policy request to the data storage function entity, where the deployment policy request carries the information of the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session, where the data storage function entity may Determining, according to the deployment policy request, the first network function entity required by the first session and the first deployment policy of the first network function entity, and sending, to the policy control function entity, the first network function entity and The indication information of the first deployment policy, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity may obtain information about the first session in multiple manners.
  • the policy control function entity may receive a flow policy request of the first session sent by the SMF.
  • the policy control function entity may request to obtain information about the first session according to the flow policy.
  • the flow policy request may carry all information required by the first session for determining the network function entity required by the first session and its deployment policy, such as information of the service type of the first session and optional User information corresponding to the first session.
  • the flow policy request may carry part of the information required by the first session to determine the network function entity required for the first session and its deployment policy.
  • the policy control function entity may according to the flow policy.
  • the information of the first session that is carried in the request is obtained, and all the information required for determining the network function entity and the deployment policy required by the first session are obtained, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the first deployment policy may include at least one of the following: a deployment location, a deployment mode, and an occupied resource.
  • the deployment location may refer to a physical location, such as which data center is deployed.
  • Deployment methods can include the same data center deployment or cross-data center deployment.
  • the occupied resources may include occupied or required physical resources and/or network resources, where the physical resources may include resources such as infrastructure, and the network resources herein may include resources such as bandwidth, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy control function entity determines whether the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first deployment policy.
  • the current deployment status of the first network function entity may specifically refer to a status of at least one instance that is currently deployed by the first network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may obtain information about at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity, where the term “deployed instance” may refer to an instance that is currently deployed or currently exists in the network. An example.
  • the policy control function entity may determine, according to the information about the first deployment policy and the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity, whether the first deployment policy is satisfied in the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity. Deployed instance.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first A deployment strategy.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first A deployment strategy, but embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto.
  • the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity may be all instances that the first network function entity is currently deployed.
  • the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity may also be a partial instance of the first network function entity that is currently deployed.
  • the at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity may be specifically a second instance determined by the policy control function entity from all deployed instances of the first network function entity, where optionally For the manner in which the policy control function entity determines the second instance, reference may be made to the prior art, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy control function entity may determine a target location that satisfies the first deployment policy, and determine whether there is a deployed instance of the first network function entity that meets the first deployment policy on the target location. That is, it is determined whether an instance of the first network function entity that satisfies the first deployment policy is deployed on the target location.
  • the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first deployment Strategy. Otherwise, if there is no deployed instance of the first network function entity that meets the first deployment policy, the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first A deployment strategy, but embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity sends a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity, where the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is used to indicate the The first network functional entity makes deployment adjustments and indicates the target location for the deployment adjustment.
  • the network function deployment adjustment indication may be used to indicate adjustment of the deployment of the first network function entity, which may include creation of an instance, migration of a deployed instance, or opening or closing of processing capability of a deployed instance.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication may be specifically used to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is deployed at the target location.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is specifically for indicating that an instance of the first network function entity deployed in the first location is migrated to the target location.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication may be specifically used to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is created at the target location, that is, a new instance of the first network function entity is deployed at the target location.
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication may be specifically used to indicate that one or more processing capabilities of the first user plane function entity deployed on the target location are enabled, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy execution function entity may deploy an adjustment indication according to the network function, and perform deployment adjustment of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the policy execution function entity may adjust the deployment of the first network function entity according to the network function deployment adjustment indication, that is, perform the process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may be a network control function entity or a session management function entity, where the network control function entity or the session management function entity may deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location .
  • the session management function entity may control the user plane controller to deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location, and at this time, optionally, the session management function entity may be the user plane controller on the target location Sending the fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the user plane controller deploys the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the user plane controller may deploy the first instance of the first network function entity in the target location according to the fourth indication information, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may determine whether the available resources of the target location meet the requirements of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • the available resources of the target location may include available physical resources and/or available network resources of the target location, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may obtain information about a currently available resource of the target location and information of resources that the first instance of the first network function entity needs to occupy.
  • the policy execution function entity can obtain the foregoing information in multiple manners.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may obtain the available resource information of the target location and/or the occupied resource information of the first instance of the first network function entity from the data storage function entity, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy execution function entity may determine, according to the available resource information of the target location and the occupied resource information of the first instance of the first network function entity, whether the available resource of the target location meets the first instance of deploying the first network function entity The requirements, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
  • the target location may be The user plane controller determines whether the available resources at the target location meet the requirements of deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity. Specifically, after receiving the fourth indication information sent by the session management function entity, the user plane controller may determine, according to the fourth indication information, whether the available resources of the target location meet the first deployment of the first network function entity. The need for an instance. For example, the user plane controller may determine the target location according to the information about the currently available resource of the target location acquired from the data storage function entity and the information of the resource that the first instance of the first network function entity needs to occupy.
  • the user plane controller may deploy the first network function entity at the target location The first instance.
  • the user plane controller may send the second deployment failure to the session management function entity. Instructing that the second deployment failure indication is used to indicate that the available resources of the target location do not satisfy the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity.
  • the session management function entity may determine that the available resource of the target location does not meet the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity according to the second deployment failure indication, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity determines that the available resource of the target location meets the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity
  • the first of the first network function entity may be deployed at the target location
  • the session management function entity may instruct the user plane controller to deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy enforcement function entity eg, the session management function entity or the network control function entity
  • the policy control function entity may determine a second service type from a service type of at least one session carried by the at least one network function entity instance on the target location, where the second service type The type is different from the first service type of the first session.
  • the policy control function entity may determine a service type set of all sessions carried by the network function entity instance on the target location, where the service type set may include one or more service types, and determine from the service type set The second type of business.
  • the second service type may be a service type that supports route reselection and the priority of the corresponding service is lower than the priority of the service corresponding to the first service type, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity may send a service migration indication to the session management function entity, where the service migration indication is used to indicate that the session of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location is migrated to the second position.
  • the session management function entity may determine, according to the service migration indication, at least one second session of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance at the target location.
  • the at least one second session may be all the sessions of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the session management function entity may send a route reselection indication to the user plane function entity instance for carrying the second session at the target location, where the route reselection indication is used to indicate the second session migration carried by the user plane function entity instance To the second position.
  • the user plane function entity instance for carrying the second session may be configured to migrate the second session to the corresponding user plane function entity instance of the second location according to the route reselection indication, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this.
  • the session control function entity may send the policy control function entity to indicate the second service type.
  • the service migration success indication of the session successfully migrated, and the policy control function entity may determine, according to the service migration success indication, that the session migration of the second service type carried by the network function entity instance on the target location is successful, but
  • the embodiment of the invention is not limited thereto.
  • the policy control function entity may perform a function entity (eg, a network control function entity or The session management function entity sends a fifth indication information, where the fifth indication information can be used to indicate that the available resources on the target location have met the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • a function entity eg, a network control function entity or The session management function entity sends a fifth indication information, where the fifth indication information can be used to indicate that the available resources on the target location have met the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • the policy enforcement function entity may deploy the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location according to the fifth indication information; or the session management function entity may send the user plane controller of the target location to indicate the The available resources on the target location have met the indication information of the requirement of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity, so that the user plane controller deploys the first of the first network function entity at the target location according to the indication information.
  • the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
  • a resource request message may be sent to Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) management and orchestration (MANO), the resource request message requesting resources for deploying the first instance of the first network function entity.
  • NFV Network Functions Virtualization
  • the NFV MANO may allocate a resource for the target location according to the resource request message, and send a resource allocation message to the network control function entity, where the resource allocation message is used to indicate A resource allocated for the target location for deploying the first instance of the first network functional entity.
  • the network control function entity may deploy the first instance of the first network function entity on the target location according to the resource allocation message, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the data storage function entity and/or the policy control function entity may be sent to the data storage function entity and the policy control function entity.
  • Information of the first instance of the first network functional entity such as deployment location information, occupancy resource information, and the like.
  • the user plane controller of the target location may be registered, and the user plane controller receives the first instance.
  • the information of the first instance of the first network function entity such as topology information, may be sent to the data storage function entity.
  • the data storage function entity may send an indication to the policy control function entity to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed. information.
  • the policy control function entity may determine, according to the policy execution function entity and/or the indication information sent by the data storage function entity, that the first instance of the first network function entity is successfully deployed at the target location, but the embodiment of the present invention does not Limited to this.
  • the session may be The management function entity sends a flow policy response, where the flow policy response carries the first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the first instance of the first network function entity deployed on the target location.
  • the conference management function entity may establish the first session according to the first indication information, so that the first session carries the first network function entity deployed at the target location.
  • the policy control function entity may first determine a second instance from at least one deployed instance of the first network function entity, and send a flow policy response to the session management function entity, The flow policy response carries first indication information indicating a second instance of the first network function entity.
  • the session management function entity may establish the first session according to the first indication information, so that the first session is carried on the second instance of the first network function entity.
  • the policy control function entity may perform S420, that is, determine whether the second instance satisfies the first deployment policy. If the second instance does not satisfy the first deployment policy, the policy control function entity may determine that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not meet the first deployment policy, or may further determine the first network.
  • the policy control function entity determines that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first deployment policy, proceed to S430 and S440, and determine, at the target location, the policy control function entity
  • the first flow policy update indication may be sent to the session management function entity, where the first flow policy update indication is used to indicate that the first session is configured by the first network function entity
  • the second instance migrates to the first instance of the first network functional entity deployed on the target location.
  • the session management function entity may migrate the first session from the second instance of the first network function entity to the first network function entity according to the first flow policy update indication.
  • An example, but the embodiment of the invention is not limited thereto.
  • the network control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the deployment of the network function entity according to the deployment policy of the network function entity required by the session, which is beneficial to ensure that the deployment of the network function entity is the most global for the service session. Excellent, thereby improving network performance and user experience.
  • the deployment policy of the network function entity required for the session can be determined according to the service type of the session, which is beneficial to meet the service quality requirements of different service types.
  • the deployment policy of the network function entity required for the session is stored in the data storage function entity, and the data storage function entity is specifically The UDM, the first network function entity is specifically an UP function entity, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the UDM may be used to store a network level policy and topology information and physical location information of the network function entity, where the topology information may include a physical link between the physical devices where the network function entity is located.
  • the physical location information may include the specific location of the physical device where the network function entity is located. For example, if the network function entity is a virtual network function (VNF), the physical location is used by the virtual machine or container of the VNF.
  • VNF virtual network function
  • the data stored by the UDM can logically include the following parts:
  • Session and flow policy a dynamic QoS control policy and a dynamic flow-based charging control policy are stored, and an authorization control policy based on user subscription information is also stored.
  • Network function entity deployment strategy a deployment strategy for storing each network function entity in the network or network slice.
  • the deployment strategy can include the data center where the network function entity needs to be deployed, whether the network function entity needs to be deployed in the same data center or across the data center, and how much resources the network function entity needs to occupy in various situations. .
  • UP function entity topology database one or more kinds of information for storing the UP capability and service address of the user plane network function entity, the topology connection relationship between the user plane network function entities, the network route and the network exit.
  • Network function entity deployment state database used to store one or more of the following information: information about the deployed instance of each network function entity in the network or network slice (such as physical location, etc.), which physical locations are available The deployed network features virtualize the resources of the infrastructure.
  • the UDM can also store other data, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates another method 500 of network control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy enforcement function entity is specifically a network control function entity NCF.
  • the UE initiates a request for establishing a service session, and sends a session establishment request to the AMF/SSF.
  • the AMF/SSF After receiving the service request, the AMF/SSF sends a slice selection policy request to the PCF.
  • the service request may be specifically a session establishment request, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the PCF may obtain the user subscription information and the slice selection policy from the UDM.
  • the user subscription information herein may be subscription information of the user for performing slice selection.
  • the PCF may determine, according to the user subscription information and the slice selection policy obtained from the UDM, an SMF for processing the session, and send a slice selection policy response to the AMF/SSF, where the SMF for processing the session may be a public control.
  • the SMF of the face is either the SMF within a network slice.
  • the AMF/SSF may send a session establishment request of the UE to the SMF for processing the session according to the slice selection policy response.
  • the SMF may send a flow policy request to the PCF.
  • the flow policy request can be used to request QoS and charging policies for the session.
  • the flow policy request may carry information about the UE and information about a service type of the session, or may carry other information.
  • the information of the UE may include user identity information of the UE, but the present invention The embodiment is not limited to this.
  • the PCF may obtain user subscription information and a QoS control and charging policy of the session from the session and flow database of the UDM, where the user subscription information may be used by the user for determining. Information about QoS and charging policies.
  • the PCF may obtain processing capability information and topology information of the currently available UP functional entity instance from the network function entity topology database of the UDM, and perform processing according to the QoS control and charging policy of the session and the currently available UP functional entity instance.
  • the capability information and topology information determine the UP functional entity instance that the session needs to pass. For example, a session of the VR service type needs to pass through the instance A of the charging monitoring UP function entity and the instance B of the rendering UP function entity.
  • the processing capability information of the UP function entity instance may include one or more of the following capabilities: traffic detection, charging monitoring, IP address allocation, terminal identity allocation, forwarding control, message encapsulation, encryption and decryption, and data. Cache, etc., or may also include processing capabilities of UP functional entities of third-party applications such as content acceleration and rendering.
  • the topology information of the UP function entity instance may indicate a logical connection relationship between the UP function entity instance and the UP function entity instances, such as a logical connection between an IP address allocation function entity instance and which forwarding control function entity instances. The embodiment of the invention does not limit this.
  • the PCF may search for a deployment policy of the UP functional entity determined in S528 in the network function entity deployment policy database of the UDM according to the information about the service type of the session. For example, if the service type of the session is VR, the rendering UP function entity needs to be deployed at a location close to the edge computing node of the terminal device access network to ensure a lower delay.
  • the PCF may determine that the UP function entity instance determined in S528 cannot meet the service requirement of the session, and the deployment of the UP function entity needs to be adjusted. For example, the instance B of the UP function entity does not satisfy the VR service to render the UP function entity.
  • the PCF may send the network function entity deployment adjustment indication to the NCF, for example, indicating that an instance of the rendering UP function entity is deployed at a certain MEC location, and starting the network adjustment to render the newly deployed instance of the UP function entity and other deployed network functions.
  • the instances of the entities are connected, but embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto.
  • the PCF may determine the UP functional entity according to the deployment policy of the UP functional entity required by the current session obtained in S532, and the information about the deployed instance of the UP functional entity obtained from the network functional entity deployment state database of the UDM. Whether the deployed instance meets the deployment strategy of the UP functional entity.
  • the UP functional entity may have multiple deployed instances in the network.
  • the PCF may select one of the plurality of deployed instances of the UP functional entity.
  • the selected instance does not meet the deployment policy of the UP functional entity, it is required to reselect another instance and determine whether the reselected instance satisfies the deployment policy of the UP functional entity until the UP functional entity is found to be satisfied.
  • An embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the re-selection may be performed in a random order.
  • the method may proceed to S552.
  • the PCF determines that the deployment of the UP functional entity needs to be adjusted.
  • the specific adjustment method may be to migrate a deployed instance of the UP functional entity to a target location that meets the deployment policy, or to newly deploy an instance of the UP functional entity at a target location that meets the deployment policy. This example does not limit this.
  • the NCF may obtain the available resource information of the target location from the network function entity deployment state database of the UDM, or further obtain the information of the network function entity instance that has been deployed on the target location. For example, how many infrastructure resources are available at the specified MEC location, and which instance of the network functional entity is currently deployed in the MEC location.
  • the NCF may determine, according to the available resource information of the target location, whether the available resources of the target location are sufficient for deploying the instance of the UP functional entity (eg, rendering the UP functional entity). Alternatively, if sufficient, method 500 can proceed to S538.
  • the instance of the other network functional entity that has been deployed on the target location may be migrated to another location, or a deployed network may be deployed.
  • the business session carried by the instance of the functional entity is migrated to another location to free up more resources.
  • the NCF deploys an instance of the UP functional entity at the target location.
  • the specific deployment mode may use a technical manner such as a Software Defined Network (SDN) to start the UP functional entity at the target location through programmable control to complete the instance deployment.
  • SDN Software Defined Network
  • the NFV technology can be used to complete the instance deployment by starting the software image of the UP function entity B in the container provided by the infrastructure.
  • the NCF may directly execute S538 without executing S536, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the NCF may update the information of the newly deployed instance of the UP functional entity on the target location to the network functional entity deployment state database of the UDM.
  • S544 An instance of the UP functional entity deployed on the target location is registered with the UP controller after being started at the target location.
  • the UP controller may update the network address and topology information of the UP functional entity instance to the UP functional entity topology database of the UDM.
  • the PCF subscribes to the topology change information of the UP functional entity because the network adjustment is initiated. Once the associated logical functions and topology of the instance of the UP functional entity deployed at the target location are flushed into the UP functional entity topology database, the PCF can be notified, and then an instance of the UP functional entity deployed at the target location can be selected for the session.
  • the PCF sends a flow policy response to the SMF, where the flow policy responds with an instance of the UP function entity selected by the PCF for the session, and includes an instance of the UP function entity deployed on the target location.
  • the SMF establishes a session and commands the UP controller to prepare a bearer for the session.
  • the UP controller creates a session and controls an instance of the selected UP functional entity to establish a bearer. After the user plane bearer of the session is established, the user's service data can be processed and forwarded in the network.
  • the network control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the deployment of the network function entity according to the deployment policy according to the service level agreement (SLA) requirement of the service, thereby better ensuring the quality requirements of the service.
  • SLA service level agreement
  • FIG. 6 illustrates another method 600 of network control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the method execution function entity is specifically an NCF in the method 600.
  • the PCF determines whether the deployment of the network function entity needs to be adjusted, that is, whether the instance of the network function entity that carries the session meets the deployment policy of the network function entity.
  • S624-S628 is the same as S524-S528, and is not described here for brevity.
  • the PCF sends a flow policy response to the SMF, where the flow policy responds with information about the deployed instance selected by the PCF from the deployed instance of the UP function entity required by the session, including the rendering UP function deployed in the location 1. Instance B of the entity.
  • the SMF establishes a session and instructs the UP controller to prepare a bearer for the session.
  • the UP controller creates a session and controls the deployed instance of the selected UP functional entity to establish a bearer. After the user plane bearer of the session is established, the user's service data can be processed and forwarded in the network.
  • the PCF obtains a deployment policy of a network function entity (for example, a rendering UP function entity) required by the current session from the network function entity deployment policy database of the UDM according to the service type of the current session.
  • a network function entity for example, a rendering UP function entity
  • the PCF determines whether the instance of the UP function entity deployed in the location 1 meets the deployment policy of the UP function entity, for example, determining whether the instance B of the UP function entity satisfies the deployment policy of the UP function entity.
  • the PCF may continue to use the instance of the UP functional entity deployed on the already selected location 1 to establish a user plane bearer.
  • the PCF may send a network function entity deployment adjustment indication to the NCF, indicating that the instance of the UP function entity is deployed at the location 2.
  • the PCF may determine whether other deployed instances of the UP functional entity satisfy the deployment policy, and determine that all deployed instances do not satisfy the deployment policy. Then, the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is sent to the NCF, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the NCF obtains the available resource information of the location 2 from the UDM.
  • the NCF may determine, based on the available resource information, whether the available resources of location 2 meet the requirements of deploying an instance of the UP functional entity.
  • the NCF requests the NFV MANO to allocate more resources, and then the NCF can execute S648.
  • the NCF can directly execute S648.
  • the NCF sends a resource request to the NFV MANO to request the resource, and the NFV MANO allocates resources for the location 2 according to the request of the NCF.
  • the NCF performs network adjustment, and deploys an instance of the UP functional entity at location 2.
  • S652 The NCF updates an instance of the UP function entity deployed in the location 2 to the network function entity physical location database of the UDM, that is, updates the physical location information of the UP function entity.
  • the NCF notifies the PCF network that the adjustment is completed.
  • the S654 may not be executed, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the PCF determines that the instance of the UP function entity is successfully deployed in the location 2, and sends an updated flow policy to the SMF, indicating an instance of the UP function entity deployed in the location 2.
  • the PCF may determine an instance of the UP function entity successfully deployed in the location 2 according to the notification sent by the NCF, and may also determine an instance of successfully deploying the UP function entity in the location 2 according to the notification sent by the UDM, where the embodiment of the present invention is used. There is no limit to this.
  • the SMF initiates a route reselection, and the user plane of the session carries an instance of the UP function entity using the location 2.
  • the UP controller controls an instance of the UP function entity of the location 2 as a session establishment bearer.
  • the method 600 first selects an already deployed UP functional entity instance, establishes a session, and then determines whether the selected instance satisfies the deployment policy, so that the deployment adjustment of the network functional entity and the session establishment process can be implemented in parallel. Once the deployment adjustments are in place, you can adjust the session directly, making session response time shorter.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates another method 700 for network control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy execution function entity is specifically an NCF. It is assumed here that UE1 has established a session bearer at location 2, and UE2 initiates a service request.
  • S724-S736 is the same as S524-S536, and is not described here for brevity.
  • method 700 proceeds to S738.
  • the NCF sends a deployment resource shortage indication or a deployment failure indication to the PCF, indicating that the resource of the location 2 is insufficient.
  • the PCF may determine, according to the information of the deployed network function entity instance in the location 2 obtained from the UDM, all the network function entity instances deployed in the location 2. In addition, the PCF may determine that the service type 2 allows the route reselection, and the priority of the corresponding service is lower than the priority of the service type corresponding to the session request initiated by the UE2, wherein the established session of the UE1 belongs to the service type 2. The PCF may determine to migrate the service of the service type 2 to the sub-preferred location 3 according to the deployment policy of the network function entity for carrying the service type 2 and the information about the currently available instance of the network function entity at the location 2 obtained from the UDM.
  • the PCF may send a flow policy update indication of all sessions of the service type 2 carried by the location 2 to the SMF, where the information of the instance of the network function entity on the reselected location 3 may be carried.
  • the SMF may query all the sessions that meet the network adjustment target, and then send a route reselection command to the UP controller, indicating that all session routes of the service type 2 including the UE1 established session carried by the location 2 are reselected to the location 3. .
  • the UP controller controls an instance of the network function entity of the location 3 to create an UP session for the UE1, so that the session user plane bearer of the UE1 is successfully adjusted to the location 3.
  • the PCF may send a resource sufficient indication or a deployment adjustment command to the NCF, indicating that the location 2 has sufficient resources and instructing the NCF to deploy an instance of the UP functional entity at the location 2.
  • the NCF may deploy an instance of the UP functional entity in the location 2.
  • the specific deployment manner may be implemented by using a technical method such as SDN, and being programmablely controlled by the UP network function of the location 2.
  • the UP function entity is activated, and the software image of the UP function entity B is activated in the container provided by the infrastructure, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • the NCF updates the instance of the UP functional entity deployed in the location 2 to the physical location database of the network function entity of the UDM.
  • the NCF notifies the PCF network that the adjustment is completed.
  • the S756 may not be executed, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.
  • the PCF determines that the instance of the UP function entity is successfully deployed in the location 2, and may send a flow policy response of the UE2 session to the SMF.
  • the SMF may establish a session for the UE2 and command the UP controller to prepare the bearer for the session.
  • the UP controller creates a session for the UE2, and controls an instance of the selected UP functional entity to establish a bearer.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates another method 800 of network control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the policy execution function entity is specifically an SMF, and the functions of the NCF in the foregoing embodiment may be implemented by the SMF and the UP controller. It is assumed here that UE1 has established a session bearer at location 2, and UE2 initiates a service request.
  • S824-S832 is the same as S524-S532, and is not described here for brevity.
  • the PCF determines that the deployment of the UP function entity B needs to be adjusted, and sends a network function entity deployment adjustment indication to the SMF, indicating the UP capability of the UP function entity instance B required to enable the UE2 session at the target location.
  • the SMF may send a capability start indication and a session establishment indication to the UP controller, instructing the UP controller to enable the UP function entity of the location 2 to enable the new UP capability and serve the UE2. Create a session.
  • the UP controller may determine whether the available resources of the location 2 are sufficient for enabling the UP capability of the UP functional entity instance B. If the resource is found to be insufficient, the capability start failure indication may be sent to the SMF, indicating that the resource of the location 2 is insufficient.
  • the SMF may send an insufficient resource indication or a deployment adjustment failure indication to the PCF, indicating that the resource of the location 2 is insufficient.
  • the PCF may determine, according to the information of the deployed network function entity instance of the location 2 acquired from the UDM, all the network function entity instances deployed in the location 2. In addition, the PCF may determine that the service type 2 allows the route reselection, and the priority of the corresponding service is lower than the priority of the service type 1 corresponding to the session request initiated by the UE2, wherein the established session of the UE1 belongs to the service type 2. The PCF may determine to migrate the service of the service type 2 to the sub-preferred location according to the deployment policy corresponding to the network function entity for the service type 2 and the current available instance of the network function entity (ie, the deployed instance) obtained from the UDM.
  • a network function entity instance C on 3 (e.g., a border cloud) to idle the resources of location 2 for deploying an instance of the UP functional entity required for the UE2 session request.
  • the PCF may send a flow policy update indication of all sessions of the service type 2 carried by the location 2 to the SMF, where the information of the network function entity instance on the reselected location 3 may be carried.
  • the SMF may query all the sessions that meet the network adjustment target, and then send a route reselection command to the UP controller, indicating that all session routes of the service type 2 including the UE1 established session carried by the location 2 are reselected to the location 3. .
  • the UP controller controls the network function entity instance of the location 3 to create an UP session for the UE1, so that the session user plane bearer of the UE1 is successfully adjusted to the location 3.
  • the PCF may send a resource sufficient indication or a deployment adjustment command to the SMF, indicating that the location 2 has sufficient resources and instructing the SMF to enable the UP capability for the instance of the UP functional entity deployed in the location 2.
  • the SMF may send a resource sufficient indication to the UP controller to instruct the UP controller to enable one or more UP capabilities of the UP functional entity.
  • the UP controller can enable one or more UP capabilities of the UP functional entity in location 2.
  • the specific deployment manner can use a technical method such as SDN to activate the UP functional entity on the UP network function of the location 2 through programmable control.
  • embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto.
  • the UP capability of the instance of the UP functional entity deployed in the location 2 may be updated to the network function entity physical location database of the UDM.
  • the UP controller creates a session for the UE2, and controls an instance of the selected UP functional entity to establish a bearer.
  • FIG. 9 shows a device 900 for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention, including:
  • the processing unit 910 is configured to determine a first network function entity required by the first session and a first deployment policy of the first network function entity, and determine whether the current deployment status of the first network function entity meets the first deployment policy ;
  • the transceiver unit 920 is configured to: if the processing unit 910 determines that the current deployment status of the first network function entity does not satisfy the first deployment policy, send a network function deployment adjustment indication to the policy execution function entity, where the network function entity deploys an adjustment indication The first instance of the first network function entity is indicated to be deployed at the target location.
  • the apparatus 900 further includes: a storage unit, configured to store at least one deployment policy of the first network function entity, where the at least one deployment policy includes the first deployment policy.
  • the processing unit 910 may be specifically configured to determine, according to the information about the service type of the first session and the user information corresponding to the first session, the first network function entity required by the first session, and according to the first The information of the service type of the session and the first network function entity determine the first deployment policy stored by the storage unit.
  • the processing unit can obtain the first deployment policy from the storage unit.
  • the apparatus 900 herein is embodied in the form of a functional unit.
  • the device 900 may be specifically the policy control function entity in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 900 may be used to execute various processes corresponding to the policy control function entity in the foregoing method embodiment. / or steps, in order to avoid repetition, will not repeat them here.
  • FIG. 10 shows a device 1000 for network control according to an embodiment of the present invention, including:
  • the transceiver unit 1010 is configured to receive a network function entity deployment adjustment indication sent by the policy control function entity, where the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is used to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is deployed at the target location;
  • the policy execution unit 1020 is configured to perform, according to the network function entity deployment adjustment indication received by the transceiver unit 1010, a process of deploying the first instance of the first network function entity at the target location.
  • the apparatus 1000 herein is embodied in the form of a functional unit.
  • the device 1000 may be specifically a policy execution function entity in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 1000 may be used to execute various processes corresponding to the policy execution function entity in the foregoing method embodiment. / or steps, in order to avoid repetition, will not repeat them here.
  • unit may refer to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor for executing one or more software or firmware programs (eg, sharing). Processors, proprietary processors or group processors, etc.) and memory, merge logic, and/or other suitable components that support the described functionality.
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • FIG. 11 shows another network controlled device 1100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including: a processor 1110 and a memory 1120, wherein the memory 1120 is configured to store an instruction, and the processor 1110 is configured to execute the memory stored instruction. Wherein execution of the instruction causes the processor 1110 to perform the following operations:
  • the device 1100 may be specifically the policy control function entity in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 1100 may be used to execute various processes corresponding to the policy control function entity in the foregoing method embodiment. / or steps, in order to avoid repetition, will not repeat them here.
  • FIG. 12 shows another network-controlled apparatus 1200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including: a processor 1210 and a memory 1220, wherein the memory 1220 is configured to store instructions, and the processor 1210 is configured to execute the memory 1220.
  • An instruction wherein execution of the instruction causes the processor 1210 to perform the following operations:
  • the network function entity deployment adjustment indication is used to indicate that the first instance of the first network function entity is deployed at the target location;
  • the device 1200 may be specifically a policy execution function entity in the foregoing embodiment, and the device 1200 may be configured to execute various processes corresponding to the policy execution function entity in the foregoing method embodiment. / or steps, in order to avoid repetition, will not repeat them here.
  • the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), and the processor may also be other general-purpose processors, digital uplink signal processors (DSPs), and application specific integrated circuits ( ASIC), off-the-shelf programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, and more.
  • the general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor or any conventional processor or the like.
  • the memory can include read only memory and random access memory and provides instructions and data to the processor.
  • a portion of the memory may also include a non-volatile random access memory.
  • the memory can also store information of the device type.
  • the processor can be used to execute instructions stored in the memory, and when the processor executes the instructions, the processor can perform the steps corresponding to the terminal device in the above method embodiments.
  • each step of the above method may be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in a processor or an instruction in a form of software.
  • the steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention 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 a memory, and the processor executes instructions in the memory, in combination with hardware to perform the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.
  • the embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication system, which may include any of the policy control function entities in the foregoing embodiments and any of the policy execution function entities in the foregoing embodiments.
  • the communication system may further comprise a data storage function entity for storing at least one of the following information: at least one deployed instance of each of the one or more network function entities Information, information of each physical location in at least one physical location of the deployable network functional entity, wherein the information of each deployed instance may include at least one of the following information: deployment location information, occupied resource information, enabled Information of processing capabilities and capacity utilization information, the information of each physical location including location information and/or available resource information for each physical location.
  • a data storage function entity for storing at least one of the following information: at least one deployed instance of each of the one or more network function entities Information, information of each physical location in at least one physical location of the deployable network functional entity, wherein the information of each deployed instance may include at least one of the following information: deployment location information, occupied resource information, enabled Information of processing capabilities and capacity utilization information, the information of each physical location including location information and/or available resource information for each physical location.
  • the communication system may be specifically the communication system shown in FIG. 1, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.
  • system and “network” are used interchangeably herein.
  • the term “and/or” in this context is merely an association describing the associated object, indicating that there may be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which may indicate that A exists separately, and both A and B exist, respectively. B these three situations.
  • the character "/" in this article generally indicates that the contextual object is an "or" relationship.
  • 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 divided into one logical functional entity.
  • there may be another division manner for example, multiple units or components may be combined. Or it 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 entity unit in each embodiment of the present invention 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 functional entities if implemented in the form of software functional entity units and sold or used as separate products, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium.
  • the technical solution of the present invention 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 invention.
  • 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

一种网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统,能够根据会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略,对该网络功能实体的部署进行调整,有利于保障网络功能实体的部署对于该业务会话全局最优。该方法包括:策略控制功能实体确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略;该策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略;若确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。

Description

网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统
本申请要求于2017年3月17日提交中国专利局、申请号为201710159839.3、发明名称为“网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统”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
本申请涉及领域,并且更具体地,涉及网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统。
背景技术
未来的通信系统可以支持多种不同的业务类型,例如增强移动宽带(Enhanced Mobile Broadband,eMBB)、超高可靠性超低时延连接(ultra Reliability and Low Latency Connection,uRLLC)以及海量机器类型连接(massive Machine Type Connection,mMTC),等等。不同的业务类型具有不同的特点和网络要求,例如,eMBB的虚拟现实(Virtual Reality,VR)和增强现实技术(Augmented Reality,AR)等应用对于带宽要求极高,uRLLC的自动驾驶等应用对于时延敏感,而mMTC的连接密度极高。因此,为了更好的满足业务需求,不同业务类型对于网络功能实体的部署位置都有独特的要求。
目前,策略控制功能实体(Policy Control Function,PCF)作为策略决策点,根据应用功能实体(Application Function,AF)提供的应用会话信息、运营商的配置和用户签约信息等,从已经部署在固定位置的网络功能实体中选择业务会话流经的用户面(User Plane,UP)功能,并相应地为下一代控制面(Next Generation-Control Plane,NG-CP)提供不同的控制规则,以保障网络针对不同业务类型的服务质量。然而,这种机制不能很好地满足各种不同业务类型对服务质量的要求,用户体验较差。
发明内容
本申请提供一种网络控制的方法和装置以及通信系统,能够满足不同业务类型对服务质量的要求。
第一方面,提供了一种网络控制的方法,包括:策略控制功能实体确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略;该策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略;若确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
可选地,该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况可以指该第一网络功能实体当前的实例部署状态,例如可以包括该第一网络功能实体当前已部署的实例的状态。
可选地,该网络功能部署调整指示可以用于指示在目标位置执行对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整。
可选地,该策略执行功能实体为会话管理功能实体或网络控制功能实体。
本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法,能够根据会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略,对该网络功能实体的部署进行调整,有利于保障网络功能实体的部署对于该业务会话全局最优,从而提高网络性能和用户体验。
可选地,该第一部署策略包括下列中的至少一种:部署位置、部署方式、占用的资源、所需的UP能力。可选地,部署方式可以为同一数据中心部署或跨数据中心部署。
可选地,资源可以包括物理资源和/或网络资源。其中,物理资源可以包括物理基础设施资源等,网络资源可以包括带宽等资源。
可选地,该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的该第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至该目标位置;或者该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在该目标位置创建该第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者该第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启该目标位置上部署的该第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
在第一方面的第一种可能的实现方式中,该策略控制功能实体确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:该策略控制功能实体根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,其中,该第一会话的信息包括该第一会话的业务类型的信息。
可选地,该第一会话的信息还可以包括该第一会话对应的用户信息,例如用户身份信息。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第二种可能的实现方式中,该策略控制功能实体根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:该策略控制功能实体根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,确定该第一会话所需的该第一网络功能实体;该策略控制功能实体根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一网络功能实体,确定该第一部署策略。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体用于存储该第一网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,该至少一个部署策略包括该第一部署策略。
可选地,数据存储功能实体用于存储至少一个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,其中,该至少一个网络功能实体包括该第一网络功能实体。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第三种可能的实现方式中,该策略控制功能实体根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:该策略控制功能实体向数据存储功能实体发送部署策略请求,该部署策略请求携带该第一会话的信息;该策略控制功能实体接收该数据存储功能实体根据该部署策略请求发送的用于指示该第一部署策略的第三指示信息。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体还可以接收该数据存储功能实体发送的用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息,并根据该指示信息确定该第一会话所需的该第一网络功能实体。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第四种可能的实现方式中,该策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略,包括: 该策略控制功能实体获取该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息;该策略控制功能实体根据该第一部署策略以及该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,确定该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中是否存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例;相应的,若该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一网络功能实体的部署策略,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,包括:若该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中不存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
第一网络功能实体的已部署实例可以指当前已经部署了的该第一网络功能实体的实例。可选地,该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例可以具体为该第一网络功能实体当前已经部署了的部分或全部实例。
可选地,如果该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中不存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略。
可选地,如果该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况满足该第一部署策略。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第五种可能的实现方式中,该策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略,包括:该策略控制功能实体确定满足该第一部署策略的该目标位置;该策略控制功能实体确定该目标位置上是否部署有满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例;相应的,若该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一网络功能实体的部署策略,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,包括:若该目标位置上未部署满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例,该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
可选地,如果该目标位置上部署了满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例,即该目标位置上存在满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况满足该第一部署策略。
可选地,如果该目标位置上未部署满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例,即该目标位置上不存在满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第六种可能的实现方式中,在该策略控制功能实体确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之前,该方法还包括:该策略控制功能实体接收会话管理功能实体发送的该第一会话的流策略请求;该策略控制功能实体确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体,包括:该策略控制功能实体根据该流策略请求,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体。
可选地,该第一会话的流策略请求可以携带该第一会话的信息。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第七种可能的实现方式中,在该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,该方法还包括: 若确定在该目标位置成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,该策略控制功能实体向该会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,该流策略响应携带第一指示信息,该第一指示信息用于指示该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
这样,可以根据业务的服务等级协议要求,按照部署策略调整网络功能实体的部署,从而能够更好的保障业务的质量要求。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体可以接收该策略执行功能实体发送的用于指示对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整执行完毕的指示信息,并根据该指示信息确定对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整执行完毕,即确定在该目标位置成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第八种可能的实现方式中,在该策略控制功能实体确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之后,该方法还包括:该策略控制功能实体从该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中确定该第一网络功能实体的第二实例;该策略控制功能实体向该会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,该流策略响应携带用于指示该第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息;在该策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,该方法还包括:若确定在该目标位置上成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,该策略控制功能实体向该会话管理功能实体发送第一流策略更新指示,该第一流策略更新指示用于指示将该第一会话由该第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
这样,通过先选择已经部署的网络功能实体实例来建立会话,然后判断选定的实例是否满足部署策略,使得对网络功能实体的部署调整和会话的建立过程可以并行实现,一旦部署调整到位,直接调整会话即可,从而降低会话建立的响应时间。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第九种可能的实现方式中,该方法还包括:该策略控制功能实体接收该策略执行功能实体发送的第一部署失败指示,该第一部署失败指示用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求;该策略控制功能实体根据接收到的该第一部署失败指示,从该目标位置上的至少一个网络功能实体实例所承载的至少一个会话的业务类型中确定第二业务类型,其中,该第二业务类型不同于该第一会话的第一业务类型;该策略控制功能实体向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示,该业务迁移指示用于指示将该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置。
该目标位置上可以部署有多个网络功能实体实例,即网络功能实体的实例,每个网络功能实体实例上可以承载有零个、一个或多个会话,其中,该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例所承载的会话可以具有不同的业务类型。该策略控制功能实体可以从多个业务类型中确定第二业务类型。
可选地,该第二业务类型支持路由重选并且该第二业务类型对应业务的优先级低于该第一业务类型对应业务的优先级。
结合第一方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第一方面的第十种可能的实现方式中,在该策略控制功能实体向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示之后,该方法还包括:若确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的会话成功迁移到该第二位置,该策略控制功能实体向该策略执行功能实体发送第二指示信息,该第二指示信息用于指示该 目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
第二方面,提供了另一种网络控制的方法,包括:策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署第一网络功能实体的第一实例;该策略执行功能实体根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。
该策略执行功能实体可以根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,在目标位置执行对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整。
可选地,该策略执行功能实体可以为网络控制功能实体或者会话管理功能实体,其中,该网络控制功能实体或该会话管理功能实体可以在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。或者,会话管理功能实体可以控制用户面控制器在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
可选地,该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的该第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至该目标位置;或者该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在该目标位置创建该第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者该第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启该目标位置上部署的该第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
在第二方面的第一种可能的实现方式中,该策略执行功能实体根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,包括:该策略执行功能实体确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第二种可能的实现方式中,在该策略执行功能实体确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求之前,该方法还包括:该策略执行功能实体向数据存储功能实体发送资源信息请求,该资源信息请求用于请求该目标位置当前的可用资源的信息;该策略执行功能实体接收该数据存储功能实体根据该资源信息请求发送的该目标位置当前的可用资源的信息;相应的,该策略执行功能实体确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,包括:该策略执行功能实体根据该目标位置当前的可用资源的信息以及该第一网络功能实体的第一实例需要占用的资源的信息,确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
可选地,如果该策略执行功能实体为会话管理功能实体,且会话管理功能实体向用户面控制器发送用于指示在该目标位置部署第一实例的指示信息,则该会话管理功能实体可以根据该用户面控制器发送的指示信息确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第三种可能的实现方式中,如果该策略执行功能实体具体为网络控制功能实体,该策略执行功能实体根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,还包括:若确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,该策略执行功能实体向NFV MANO发送资源请求消息,该资源请求消息请求用于部署该第一网络 功能实体的第一实例的资源;该策略执行功能实体接收该NFV MANO根据该资源请求消息发送的资源分配消息,该资源分配消息用于指示为该目标位置分配的用于部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源;该策略执行功能实体根据该资源分配消息,在该目标位置上部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第四种可能的实现方式中,该策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体;该策略执行功能实体根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,包括:该策略执行功能实体根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,向该目标位置上的用户面控制器发送第四指示信息,该第四指示信息用于指示该用户面控制器在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第五种可能的实现方式中,该方法还包括:该策略执行功能实体接收该用户面控制器发送的第二部署失败指示,该第二部署失败指示用于指示该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第六种可能的实现方式中,该方法还包括:若确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,该策略执行功能实体向该策略控制功能实体发送第一部署失败指示,该第一部署失败指示用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第七种可能的实现方式中,若该策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,该方法还包括:该会话管理功能实体接收该策略控制功能实体根据该第一部署失败指示发送的业务迁移指示,该业务迁移指示用于指示将该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置;该会话管理功能实体根据该业务迁移指示,确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的至少一个第二会话;该会话管理功能实体向该目标位置上用于承载该第二会话的网络功能实体实例发送路由重选指示,该路由重选指示用于指示将该网络功能实体实例承载的该第二会话迁移至该第二位置。
可选地,在成功将该第二会话迁移到该第二位置之后,该策略控制功能实体可以在该目标位置部署该第一实例,或者该会话管理功能实体可以通知该用户面控制器部署该第一实例。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第八种可能的实现方式中,该方法还包括:该策略执行功能实体接收该策略控制功能实体发送的第二指示信息,该第二指示信息用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第九种可能的实现方式中,若该策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,在该策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,该方法还包括:该会话管理功能实体向该策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,该流策略请求携带该第一会话的信息;该方法还包括:若 在该目标位置成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,该会话管理功能实体接收该策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,该流策略响应携带第一指示信息,该第一指示信息用于指示该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
结合第二方面的上述可能的实现方式,在第二方面的第十种可能的实现方式中,若该策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,在该策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,该方法还包括:该会话管理功能实体向该策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,该流策略请求携带该第一会话的信息;该会话管理功能实体接收该策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,该流策略响应携带用于指示该第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息;该方法还包括:若在该目标位置成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,该会话管理功能实体接收该策略控制功能实体发送的第一流策略更新指示,该第一流策略更新指示用于指示将该第一会话由该第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
该会话管理功能实体可以根据该第一流策略更新指示,将该第一会话迁移到该目标位置部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
第三方面,提供了一种网络控制的装置,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,提供了另一种网络控制的装置,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,提供了另一种网络控制的装置,包括:存储器和处理器,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,并且当该处理器执行该存储器存储的指令时,该执行使得该处理器执行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,提供了另一种网络控制的装置,包括:存储器和处理器,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,并且当该处理器执行该存储器存储的指令时,该执行使得该处理器执行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,提供了一种通信系统,包括策略控制功能实体和策略执行功能实体。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体可以为第三方面或第三方面的任意可能的实现方式中的装置,该策略执行功能实体可以为第四方面或第四方面的任意可能的实现方式中的装置。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体可以为第五方面或第五方面的任意可能的实现方式中的装置,该策略执行功能实体可以为第六方面或第六方面的任意可能的实现方式中的装置。
可选地,该通信系统还包括数据存储功能实体,该数据存储功能实体用于存储下列信息中的至少一种:一个或多个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息、可部署网络功能实体的至少一个物理位置中每个物理位置的信息。
可选地,已部署实例的信息可以包括下列信息中的至少一种:部署位置信息、占用资源信息、开启的处理能力的信息和容量利用率信息。
可选地,物理位置的信息包括该物理位置的位置信息和/或可用资源信息。
第八方面,提供了一种计算机可读介质,用于存储计算机程序,该计算机程序包括用于执行第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法的指令。
第九方面,提供了一种计算机可读介质,用于存储计算机程序,该计算机程序包括用于执行第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式中的方法的指令。
附图说明
图1是本发明实施例应用的通信系统的示意性框图。
图2是本发明实施例应用的通信系统的架构示例的示意图。
图3是本发明实施例应用的通信系统的另一架构示例的示意图。
图4是本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法的示意性流程图。
图5是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法的示意性流程图。
图6是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法的示意性流程图。
图7是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法的示意性流程图。
图8是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法的示意性流程图。
图9是本发明实施例提供的网络控制的装置的示意性框图。
图10是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的装置的示意性框图。
图11是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的装置的示意性框图。
图12是本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的装置的示意性框图。
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。
本发明实施例的技术方案可以应用于各种通信系统,例如:全球移动通讯(Global System of Mobile communication,GSM)系统、码分多址(Code Division Multiple Access,CDMA)系统、宽带码分多址(Wideband Code Division Multiple Access,WCDMA)系统、通用分组无线业务(General Packet Radio Service,PRS)、长期演进(Long Term Evolution,LTE)系统、LTE频分双工(Frequency Division Duplex,FDD)系统、LTE时分双工(Time Division Duplex,TDD)、通用移动通信系统(Universal Mobile Telecommunication System,UMTS)、全球互联微波接入(Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access,WiMAX)通信系统、未来演进的公共陆地移动网络(Public Land Mobile Network,PLMN)或未来的5G系统等。
图1示出了本发明实施例应用的通信系统100。该通信系统100可以包括策略控制功能实体110和至少一个策略执行功能实体120,其中,该策略控制功能实体110除了可以用于进行用户级别的策略控制之外,还可以用于进行网络级别的策略控制。其中,可选地,该用户级别的策略控制可以包括会话和流的策略控制,网络级别的策略控制可以包括网络功能实体的策略控制,例如,对网络功能实体的部署控制或调整。作为一个例子,该策略控制功能实体110可以确定会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略,并根据该部署策略,确定在目标位置部署该网络功能实体的实例,例如,在目标位置新建实例,将已部署的实例 迁移到目标位置,或者开启或关闭目标位置部署的实例的处理能力,等等,但本发明实施例不限于此。该策略执行功能实体120可以用于执行策略控制实体110确定的网络级别的控制策略,例如对网络功能实体的部署进行调整。
具体地,策略控制功能实体110可以确定会话所需的网络功能实体的已部署实例是否能够满足会话的服务质量(Quality of Service,QoS)要求,其中,该网络功能实体可以是控制面功能实体或用户面功能实体。可选地,如果不存在能够满足会话的服务质量要求的该网络功能实体的已部署的实例,则该策略控制功能实体110可以确定对该网络功能实体进行部署调整,以保障会话的服务质量要求。其中,对该网络功能实体的部署调整可以包括迁移该网络功能实体的已部署实例,和/或在某个网络位置部署该网络功能实体的新的实例。可选地,如果该网络功能实体具体为UP功能实体,某个网络位置上部署的UP功能实体的实例能够支持某种处理能力,但是当前并未开启该处理能力,此时,对该UP功能实体的部署调整也可以包括开启该网络位置上部署的该UP功能实体的实例的特定处理能力;或者,对UP功能实体的部署调整也可以包括关闭某个网络位置上部署的该UP功能实体的实例的特定处理能力,但本发明实施例不限于此。可选地,这里的处理能力可以指流量检测、计费监控、IP地址分配、终端标识分配、转发控制、报文封装、加解密或数据缓存等能力,甚至还可以包括内容加速、渲染等第三方应用的网络功能实体所具备的处理能力,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
作为一个可选例子,该策略控制功能实体110可以是PCF,但本发明实施例不限于此。
该策略执行功能实体120可以用于执行对该网络功能实体的部署调整,即该策略控制功能实体110可以通过指示策略执行功能实体120实现对网络功能实体的部署调整。
图1示例性地示出了一个策略控制功能实体110和一个策略执行功能实体120,可选地,该通信系统100可以包括多个策略控制功能实体110和/或多个策略执行功能实体120,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
作为一个可选例子,策略控制功能实体110还可以存储用于进行用户和/或网络级别的策略控制的数据。例如,该策略控制功能实体110可以用于存储一个或多个网络功能实体的部署信息,例如已部署实例的信息和/或部署策略等等。作为另一个可选例子,该通信系统100还可以包括数据存储功能实体130,存储用于进行用户和/或网络级别的策略控制的数据。例如,该数据存储功能实体130可以存储用户级别的会话和流的策略,包括用户级别的QoS控制策略、基于流的计费控制策略、基于用户签约信息的授权控制策略等中的一项或多项。再例如,该数据存储功能实体130可以存储网络功能实体的部署策略,包括网络功能实体需要部署的目标位置、需要部署在同一个数据中心还是跨数据中心、以及需要占用的资源等中的一项或多项。可选地,数据存储功能实体130可以存储同一网络功能实体的多个部署策略,其中,不同的部署策略可以对应于不同的业务类型,但本发明实施例不限于此。再例如,数据存储功能实体130还可以存储用于指示哪些物理位置上具有可用于部署网络功能实体的资源的信息,其中,该资源可以包括物理资源和/或网络资源,这里的物理资源可以是基础设施等资源,网络资源可以是网络带宽等资源,本发明实施例对此不做限定。再例如,数据存储功能实体130还可以存储网络功能实体的当前部署信息,包括该网络功能实体已部署的实例的拓扑信息和/或物理位置信息,其中,网络功能实体 实例的拓扑信息可以表示网络功能实体实例所在的物理设备之间的物理链路连接关系,网络功能实体实例的物理位置信息可以表示网络功能实体实例所在物理设备的位置,例如,如果该网络功能实体为虚拟网络功能实体(Virtual Network Function,VNF),则其物理位置信息可以包括该VNF的虚拟机或容器所使用的基础设施的物理位置,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个例子,该数据存储功能实体130可以具体为统一数据管理(Unified Data Management,UDM),但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,在本发明实施例中,该策略执行功能实体120可以通过现有网元实现。例如,在如图2所示的通信系统200示例中,会话管理功能实体(Session Management Function,SMF)220可以实现该策略执行功能实体120。此时,SMF 220可以执行对网络功能实体的部署调整,例如网络功能实体的创建和/或迁移,或者网络功能实体的特定处理能力的开启或关闭。或者,SMF 220也可以通过控制用户面功能实体(User Plane Function,UPF)240实现对该用户面功能实体的部署调整,例如,如果UPF 240在UP功能实体的基础上还包括UP控制器,则可选地,SMF 220可以通过与UPF 240中的UP控制器的交互,控制UP控制器执行对该UPF 240的部署调整,但本发明实施例对此不做限定。
可选地,在本发明实施例中,该策略执行功能实体120也可以通过新增网元实现。例如,在图3所示的通信系统300中,新增的网络控制功能实体(Network Control Function,NCF)320可以用于实现该策略执行功能实体120。此时,不仅可以实现对用户面(User Plane,UP)功能实体的部署调整,也可以实现对控制面(Control Plane,CP)功能实体的部署调整,但本发明实施例对此不做限定。
此外,在图2和图3所示的例子中,通信系统还可以可选地包括接入管理功能(Access Management Function,AMF)或切片选择功能(Slice Selection Function,SSF)实体,可以用于进行终端接入信令的处理和网络切片的选择,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,本发明实施例应用的通信系统还可以包括其他网元和/或功能实体,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
需要说明的是,上述通信系统中网络功能实体、策略控制功能实体、策略执行功能实体、数据存储功能实体、网络控制功能实体、会话管理功能实体等仅是一个名称,该名称对设备本身不构成限定。在未来的5G网络以及未来其它的网络中,网络功能实体、策略控制功能实体、策略执行功能实体、数据存储功能实体、网络控制功能实体、会话管理功能实体等所对应的网元或实体也可以具有其他的名字,本申请实施例对此不作具体限定。例如,网络功能实体有可能称为网络功能;或者,UP功能实体可以称为UP,CP功能实体可以称为CP;策略控制功能实体有可能称为策略控制功能,等等,在此进行统一说明,以下不再赘述。
需要说明的是,上述通信系统中的各个网元和/或功能实体除了具备本申请实施例中所述的功能之外,还可能具备其他的功能,例如,SMF还可以用于控制UPF实现业务流的处理和/或转发,本申请实施例对此不作具体限定。
需要说明的是,本申请实施例中的各个网元和/或功能实体,可能由一个实体设备实现,也可能由多个实体设备共同实现,本申请实施例对此不作具体限定。即,可以理解的 是,本申请实施例中的网络功能实体、策略控制功能实体、数据存储功能实体、网络控制功能实体、会话管理功能实体等,可能是实体设备内的一个逻辑功能模块,也可能是由多个实体设备组成的一个逻辑功能模块,本申请实施例对此不作具体限定。
需要说明的是,在本发明实施例中,同一网元和/或功能实体采用相同或相似的附图标记标识,除非特别声明或者可以从上下文明确看出,其功能和/或作用相同或类似,各个实施例可以相互参照,为了简洁,不一一赘述。
图4示出了本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法400。该方法400可以应用于上述通信系统,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S410,策略控制功能实体确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略。
该第一网络功能实体可以具体为一个或多个网络功能实体,并且可以包括用户面功能实体和/或控制面功能实体,但本发明实施例不限于此。可选地,策略控制功能实体可以确定第一会话所需的至少一个网络功能实体并确定该至少一个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体对应于该第一会话的部署策略。
可选地,该策略控制功能实体可以获取该第一会话的信息,并根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体对应于该第一会话的部署策略(即该第一部署策略)。其中,可选地,该第一会话的信息可以包括该第一会话的业务类型的信息,或者还可以进一步包括该第一会话对应的用户信息(例如用户标识信息和/或用户签约信息,等等)和/或第一会话所属业务的优先级信息,或者还可以包括其他信息,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
作为一个例子,该第一会话的信息可以包括该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息。此时,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,确定该第一会话所需的该第一网络功能实体,然后,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一网络功能实体,确定该第一部署策略。
作为一个可选实施例,该策略控制功能实体可以存储用于进行网络级别的策略控制的数据,例如,一个或多个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略。此时,该策略控制功能实体可以通过利用该第一会话的信息查询自身存储的用于进行网络级别的策略控制的数据,来确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略。例如,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体。并且,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息,从存储的该第一网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略中确定第一部署策略。
作为另一个可选实施例,该用于进行网络级别的策略控制的数据也可以存储在数据存储功能实体中,例如存储在UDM中。此时,该策略控制功能实体可以向该数据存储功能实体发送该第一会话的信息,该数据存储功能实体可以根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一部署策略,并向该策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一部署策略的指示信息。或者,该数据存储功能实体还可以根据该第一会话的信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实 体,并向该策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息。此时,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该数据存储功能实体发送的用于指示第一网络功能实体的指示信息,确定该第一会话所需的该第一网络功能实体。其中,该数据存储功能实体可以在同一消息中携带用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息和用于指示该第一部署策略的指示信息,或者可以先后发送用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息和用于指示该第一部署策略的指示信息。
例如,该策略控制功能实体可以向该数据存储功能实体发送该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,该数据存储功能实体可以根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体,并向该策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息。该策略控制功能实体在接收到该数据存储功能实体发送的用于指示该第一网络功能实体的指示信息之后,可以向该数据存储功能实体发送部署策略请求,该部署策略请求可以携带该第一网络功能实体的标识信息以及该第一会话的业务类型的信息。该数据存储功能实体可以根据接收到的该第一网络功能实体的标识信息以及该第一会话的业务类型的信息,确定该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,并向该策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一部署策略的指示信息。
再例如,该策略控制功能实体可以向该数据存储功能实体发送部署策略请求,该部署策略请求携带该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,该数据存储功能实体可以根据该部署策略请求,确定该第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,并向该策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一网络功能实体以及该第一部署策略的指示信息,但本发明实施例不限于此。
在本发明实施例中,该策略控制功能实体可以通过多种方式获取该第一会话的信息。作为一个可选实施例,该策略控制功能实体可以接收SMF发送的该第一会话的流策略请求。该策略控制功能实体可以根据该流策略请求获取该第一会话的信息。例如,该流策略请求可以携带该第一会话的用于确定该第一会话所需的网络功能实体及其部署策略所需的所有信息,例如该第一会话的业务类型的信息和可选的该第一会话对应的用户信息。再例如,该流策略请求可以携带该第一会话的用于确定该第一会话所需的网络功能实体及其部署策略所需的部分信息,此时,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该流策略请求携带的该第一会话的部分信息,获取该第一会话的用于确定该第一会话所需的网络功能实体及其部署策略所需的所有信息,但本发明实施例不限于此。
在本发明实施例中,可选地,该第一部署策略可以包括下列中的至少一种:部署位置、部署方式和占用的资源。可选地,部署位置可以指物理位置,例如部署在哪个数据中心。部署方式可以包括同一数据中心部署或跨数据中心部署。占用的资源可以包括占用或所需的物理资源和/或网络资源,这里的物理资源可以包括基础设施等资源,这里的网络资源可以包括带宽等资源,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S420,策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略。
可选地,该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况可以具体指该第一网络功能实体当前已部署的至少一个实例的状态。
作为一个可选实施例,该策略控制功能实体可以获取该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,其中,术语“已部署实例”可以指当前已经部署了的实例或网络中当前存在的实例。该策略控制功能实体可以根据该第一部署策略以及该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,确定该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中是否存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例。可选地,如果该第一网络功能的至少一个已部署实例中存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况满足该第一部署策略。否则,如果该第一网络功能的至少一个已部署实例中不存在满足该第一部署策略的已部署实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例可以是该第一网络功能实体当前已部署的所有实例。或者,该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例也可以是该第一网络功能实体当前已部署的部分实例。作为一个例子,该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例可以具体为该策略控制功能实体从该第一网络功能实体的所有已部署实例中确定的第二实例,其中,可选地,该策略控制功能实体确定第二实例的方式可以参照现有技术,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
作为另一个可选实施例,该策略控制功能实体可以确定满足该第一部署策略的目标位置,并确定该目标位置上是否存在满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的已部署实例,即确定该目标位置上是否部署有满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例。可选地,如果该目标位置上部署有满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况满足该第一部署策略。否则,如果该目标位置上不存在满足该第一部署策略的该第一网络功能实体的已部署的实例,则该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S430,若确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示对该第一网络功能实体进行部署调整并指示该部署调整的目标位置。
该网络功能部署调整指示可以用于指示对该第一网络功能实体的部署进行调整,该调整可以包括实例的创建、已部署的实例的迁移或已部署的实例的处理能力的开启或关闭。
作为一个可选实施例,该网络功能实体部署调整指示可以具体用于指示在目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。例如,该网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的该第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至该目标位置。或者,该网络功能实体部署调整指示可以具体用于指示在该目标位置创建该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,即在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的新的实例。或者,如果该第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,该目标位置已经部署了该第一用户面实体的实例,该实例支持但并未开启一种或多种特定的处理能力,则该网络功能实体部署调整指示可以具体用于指示开启该目标位置上部署的该第一用户面功能实体的一种或多种处理能力,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S440,策略执行功能实体在接收到策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能部署调整指示之 后,可以根据该网络功能部署调整指示,在目标位置执行对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整。
该策略执行功能实体可以根据该网络功能部署调整指示,对该第一网络功能实体的部署进行调整,即执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。可选地,该策略执行功能实体可以为网络控制功能实体或者会话管理功能实体,其中,该网络控制功能实体或该会话管理功能实体可以在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。或者,会话管理功能实体可以控制用户面控制器在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,此时,可选地,会话管理功能实体可以向该目标位置上的用户面控制器发送第四指示信息,其中,该第四指示信息可以用于指示该用户面控制器在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。该用户面控制器在接收到该第四指示信息之后,可以根据该第四指示信息,在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个可选实施例,该策略执行功能实体可以确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。具体地,该目标位置的可用资源可以包括该目标位置的可用物理资源和/或可用网络资源,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个例子,该策略执行功能实体可以获取该目标位置的当前可用资源的信息以及该第一网络功能实体的第一实例需要占用的资源的信息。其中,该策略执行功能实体可以通过多种方式获取上述信息。例如,该策略执行功能实体可以从数据存储功能实体获取该目标位置的可用资源信息和/或该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的占用资源信息,但本发明实施例不限于此。该策略执行功能实体可以根据该目标位置的可用资源信息以及该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的占用资源信息,确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为另一个例子,如果该策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,并且会话管理功能实体控制用户面控制器执行对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整,则可选地,可以由目标位置上的用户面控制器确定目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。具体地,该用户面控制器在接收到该会话管理功能实体发送的第四指示信息之后,可以根据该第四指示信息,确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。例如,该用户面控制器可以根据从数据存储功能实体获取的该目标位置的当前可用资源的信息以及该第一网络功能实体的第一实例需要占用的资源的信息,并据此确定该目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,但本发明实施例不限于此。可选地,如果该用户面控制器确定该目标位置的可用资源满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,则该用户面控制器可以在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。可选地,如果该用户面控制器确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,则该用户面控制器可以向会话管理功能实体发送第二部署失败指示,该第二部署失败指示用于指示该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。此时,会话管理功能实体可以根据该第二部署失败指示,确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个可选实施例,如果策略执行功能实体确定该目标位置的可用资源满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,则可以在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,或者,会话管理功能实体可以指示用户面控制器在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为另一个可选实施例,如果确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,则策略执行功能实体(例如会话管理功能实体或网络控制功能实体)可以向策略控制功能实体发送第一部署失败指示,该第一部署失败指示用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署该第一用户面功能实体的第一实例的需求。策略控制功能实体在接收到该第一部署失败指示之后,可以从该目标位置上的至少一个网络功能实体实例所承载的至少一个会话的业务类型中确定第二业务类型,其中,该第二业务类型不同于该第一会话的第一业务类型。例如,该策略控制功能实体可以确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所有会话的业务类型集合,其中,该业务类型集合可以包括一个或多个业务类型,并从该业务类型集合中确定该第二业务类型。可选地,该第二业务类型可以是支持路由重选且对应业务的优先级低于该第一业务类型对应业务的优先级的业务类型,但本发明实施例不限于此。
具体实现中,该策略控制功能实体可以向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示,该业务迁移指示用于指示将该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置。会话管理功能实体在接收到该业务迁移指示之后,可以根据该业务迁移指示,确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的至少一个第二会话。可选地,该至少一个第二会话可以是该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的所有会话,但本发明实施例不限于此。会话管理功能实体可以向该目标位置上用于承载该第二会话的用户面功能实体实例发送路由重选指示,该路由重选指示用于指示将该用户面功能实体实例承载的第二会话迁移至该第二位置。相应地,用于承载该第二会话的用户面功能实体实例可以根据该路由重选指示,将承载的第二会话迁移至第二位置的对应用户面功能实体实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,会话管理功能实体在确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的第二业务类型的会话成功迁移到第二位置时,可以向策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第二业务类型的会话成功迁移的业务迁移成功指示,相应地,该策略控制功能实体可以根据该业务迁移成功指示,确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的会话迁移成功,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,如果策略控制功能实体确定该目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的该第二业务类型的会话迁移成功,则该策略控制功能实体可以向策略执行功能实体(例如网络控制功能实体或会话管理功能实体)发送第五指示信息,该第五指示信息可以用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。该策略执行功能实体可以根据该第五指示信息,在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者,会话管理功能实体可以向该目标位置的用户面控制器发送用于指示该目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求的指示信息,以使得该用户面控制器根据该指示信息在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,本发明实施例不限 于此。
如果该策略执行功能实体具体为网络控制功能实体,作为另一个可选实施例,若网络控制功能实体确定该目标位置的可用资源不满足部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,则可以向网络功能虚拟化(Network Functions Virtualization,NFV)管理和编排(management and orchestration,MANO)发送资源请求消息,该资源请求消息请求用于部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源。NFV MANO在接收到网络控制功能实体发送的资源请求消息之后,可以根据该资源请求消息,为该目标位置分配资源,并向网络控制功能实体发送资源分配消息,其中,该资源分配消息用于指示为该目标位置分配的用于部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源。网络控制功能实体在接收到该资源分配消息之后,可以根据该资源分配消息,在该目标位置上部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,如果该策略执行功能实体确定在该目标位置成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,则可以向数据存储功能实体和/或策略控制功能实体发送该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的信息,例如部署位置信息、占用资源信息等等。此外,可选地,该第一网络功能实体的第一实例或该第一实例的特定处理能力启动后,可以向该目标位置的用户面控制器注册,该用户面控制器在接收到该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的注册信息之后,可以向该数据存储功能实体发送该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的信息,例如拓扑信息等。可选地,该数据存储功能实体在接收到该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的信息之后,可以向策略控制功能实体发送用于指示该第一网络功能实体的第一实例部署成功的指示信息。该策略控制功能实体可以根据该策略执行功能实体和/或该数据存储功能实体发送的指示信息,确定在该目标位置成功部署了该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个可选实施例,如果该策略控制功能实体确定在该目标位置成功部署了该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,或确定对该第一网络功能实体的部署调整成功,则可以向会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,该流策略响应携带第一指示信息,该第一指示信息用于指示该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。会化管理功能实体在接收到该第一指示信息之后,可以根据该第一指示信息,建立该第一会话,以使得该第一会话承载在该目标位置部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例上,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为另一个可选实施例,在S420之前,该策略控制功能实体可以首先从该第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署的实例中确定第二实例,并向会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,该流策略响应携带用于指示该第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息。会话管理功能实体在接收到该第一指示信息之后,可以根据该第一指示信息,建立该第一会话,以使得该第一会话承载在该第一网络功能实体的第二实例上。然后,该策略控制功能实体可以执行S420,即确定该第二实例是否满足该第一部署策略。如果该第二实例不满足该第一部署策略,可选地,该策略控制功能实体可以确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,或者可以进一步确定该第一网络功能实体的其他已部署的实例中是否存在满足该第一部署策略的实例,并在其他已部署的实例中不存在满足该第一部署策略的实例时确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略。可选地,如 果该策略控制功能实体确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,则可以前进至S430和S440,并且在该策略控制功能实体确定在该目标位置上成功部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例时,可以向会话管理功能实体发送第一流策略更新指示,该第一流策略更新指示用于指示将该第一会话由该第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至该目标位置上部署的该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。会话管理功能实体在接收到该第一流策略更新指示之后,可以根据该第一流策略更新指示,将该第一会话由该第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至该第一网络功能实体的第一实例,但本发明实施例不限于此。
因此,本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法,能够根据会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略,对该网络功能实体的部署进行调整,有利于保障网络功能实体的部署对于该业务会话全局最优,从而提高网络性能和用户体验。
此外,能够根据会话的业务类型确定该会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略,有利于满足不同业务类型的服务质量要求。
下面将结合具体例子,详细描述本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法,在以下例子中,假设会话所需的网络功能实体的部署策略存储在数据存储功能实体中,并且数据存储功能实体具体为UDM,第一网络功能实体具体为UP功能实体,但本发明实施例不限于此。
可选地,在本发明实施例中,UDM可以用于存储网络级别的策略以及网络功能实体的拓扑信息和物理位置信息,其中,拓扑信息可以包括网络功能实体所在物理设备之间的物理链路连接关系,物理位置信息可以包括网络功能实体所在物理设备的具体位置,例如,如果网络功能实体是虚拟网络功能实体(Virtual Network Function,VNF),其物理位置就是VNF的虚拟机或容器所使用的基础设施的物理位置,比如网络功能实体部署在哪个数据中心,但本发明实施例不限于此。
作为一个例子,UDM存储的数据在逻辑上可以包括以下几部分:
(1)会话和流策略:存储动态QoS控制策略和动态的基于流的计费控制策略,同时还存储基于用户签约信息的授权控制策略。
(2)网络功能实体部署策略:用于存储网络或网络切片内每个网络功能实体的部署策略。部署策略可以包括网络功能实体需要部署在什么位置的数据中心,网络功能实体需要部署在同一个数据中心还是跨数据中心,网络功能实体在各种情况下需要占用多少资源等一种或多种信息。
(3)UP功能实体拓扑数据库:用于存储用户面网络功能实体的UP能力和业务地址、用户面网络功能实体之间的拓扑连接关系、网络路由和网络出口等一种或多种信息。
(4)网络功能实体部署状态数据库:用于存储以下一种或多种信息:网络或网络切片内每个网络功能实体的已部署实例的信息(例如物理位置等)、哪些物理位置有可供部署的网络功能虚拟化基础设施的资源。
可选地,UDM还可以存储其他数据,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
图5示出了本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法500。在方法500中,假设策略执行功能实体具体为网络控制功能实体NCF。
S512,UE发起业务会话的建立请求,向AMF/SSF发送会话建立请求。
S514,AMF/SSF接收到业务请求之后,向PCF发送切片选择策略请求。
该业务请求可以具体为会话建立请求,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S516,PCF接收到该切片选择策略请求之后,可以从UDM获得用户签约信息和切片选择策略。其中,这里的用户签约信息可以是用户的用于进行切片选择的签约信息。
S518,PCF可以根据从UDM获得的用户签约信息和切片选择策略,确定用于处理该会话的SMF,并向AMF/SSF发送切片选择策略响应,其中,用于处理该会话的SMF可以是公共控制面的SMF或者是某个网络切片内的SMF。
S522,AMF/SSF接收到PCF发送的切片选择策略响应之后,可以根据该切片选择策略响应向用于处理该会话的SMF发送该UE的会话建立请求。
S524,SMF在接收到该会话建立请求之后,可以向PCF发送流策略请求。
该流策略请求可以用于请求该会话的QoS和计费策略。可选地,该流策略请求可以携带该UE的信息和该会话的业务类型的信息,或者也可以携带其他信息,可选地,该UE的信息可以包括该UE的用户身份信息,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S526,PCF在接收到该流策略请求之后,可以从UDM的会话和流数据库中获得用户签约信息以及该会话的QoS控制和计费策略,其中,这里的用户签约信息可以是用户的用于确定QoS和计费策略的信息。
S528,PCF可以从UDM的网络功能实体拓扑数据库中获得当前可用的UP功能实体实例的处理能力信息和拓扑信息,并根据该会话的QoS控制和计费策略以及当前可用的UP功能实体实例的处理能力信息和拓扑信息,确定该会话需要经过的UP功能实体实例。例如,VR业务类型的会话需要经过计费监控UP功能实体的实例A和渲染UP功能实体的实例B。
可选地,UP功能实体实例的处理能力信息可以包括下列能力中的一种或多种:流量检测、计费监控、IP地址分配、终端标识分配、转发控制、报文封装、加解密和数据缓存等,或者还可以包括内容加速、渲染等第三方应用的UP功能实体所具备的处理能力。UP功能实体实例的拓扑信息可以指示该UP功能实体实例与哪些UP功能实体实例之间存在逻辑连接关系,比如某个IP地址分配功能实体实例和哪些转发控制功能实体实例之间存在逻辑连接,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S532,PCF可以根据该会话的业务类型的信息,在UDM的网络功能实体部署策略数据库中查找S528中确定的UP功能实体的部署策略。比如,该会话的业务类型为VR,则渲染UP功能实体需要部署在靠近终端设备接入网络的边缘计算节点的位置,以保证较低的时延。
S534,PCF可以确定S528中确定的UP功能实体实例无法满足该会话的业务要求,需要对该UP功能实体的部署进行调整,比如渲染UP功能实体的实例B不满足VR业务对渲染UP功能实体的部署策略,需要在MEC位置部署该UP功能实体的实例。PCF可以将网络功能实体部署调整指示下发给NCF,比如指示在某个MEC位置部署渲染UP功能实体的实例,并启动网络调整将渲染UP功能实体的新部署的实例和其它已经部署的网络功能实体的实例进行连接,但本发明实施例不限于此。
具体地,PCF可以根据S532中获得的当前会话所需的UP功能实体的部署策略,结合从UDM的网络功能实体部署状态数据库获得的该UP功能实体的已部署实例的信息,确定该UP功能实体的已部署实例是否符合该UP功能实体的部署策略。可选地,UP功能实体在网络中可能存在多个已部署的实例,此时,在S528中,PCF可以从UP功能实体的多个已 部署的实例中选择其中的一个实例。可选地,如果选择的该实例不满足该UP功能实体的部署策略,则需要重新选择另一个实例并确定重新选择的该实例是否满足该UP功能实体的部署策略,直到找到满足该UP功能实体的部署策略的实例,其中,该重新选择可以是随机选择,也可以按照一定优先顺序进行,本发明实施例不限于此。可选地,如果从该UP功能实体的已部署的实例中找到了满足该UP功能实体的部署策略的实例,则方法可以前进至S552。可选地,如果UP功能实体的已部署的所有实例都不满足该UP功能实体的部署策略,则PCF确定需要对该UP功能实体的部署进行调整。具体的调整方法可以是把该UP功能实体的某个已部署的实例迁移到符合部署策略的目标位置,也可以是在符合部署策略的目标位置新部署一个该UP功能实体的实例,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S536,NCF在接收到该网络功能实体部署调整指示之后,可以从UDM的网络功能实体部署状态数据库获得目标位置的可用资源信息,或进一步获取该目标位置上已经部署的网络功能实体实例的信息。比如在指定MEC位置上有多少基础设施资源可供使用,该MEC位置当前已经部署了什么网络功能实体的实例。NCF可以根据该目标位置的可用资源信息,确定该目标位置的可用资源是否足够于部署该UP功能实体(例如渲染UP功能实体)的实例。可选地,如果够用,则方法500可以前进至S538。可选地,如果不够用,则可以根据该UP功能实体的部署策略,判断是否可以将该目标位置上已经部署的其他网络功能实体的实例迁移到另外的位置,或者将某个已部署的网络功能实体的实例所承载的业务会话迁移到另外的位置,以空出更多的资源。
S538,NCF在目标位置部署UP功能实体的实例,具体的部署方式可以使用诸如软件定义网络(Software Define Network,SDN)的技术方式,通过可编程控制在目标位置启动UP功能实体来完成实例部署。或者,也可以使用NFV的技术方式,通过在基础设施提供的容器内启动UP功能实体B的软件镜像来完成实例部署。
可选地,NCF也可以不执行S536而直接执行S538,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S542,NCF在完成网络调整之后,可以将UP功能实体的新部署的实例在目标位置上的信息更新到UDM的网络功能实体部署状态数据库中。
S544,目标位置上部署的UP功能实体的实例在目标位置启动后,向UP控制器注册。
S546,UP控制器获得目标位置上部署的UP功能实体的实例的注册信息后,可以将该UP功能实体实例的网络地址和拓扑信息等更新到UDM的UP功能实体拓扑数据库。
S548,PCF因为启动了网络调整,所以订阅了UP功能实体的拓扑变化信息。目标位置部署的UP功能实体的实例的相关逻辑功能和拓扑一旦刷新到UP功能实体拓扑数据库中,PCF就能够得到通知,然后可以为该会话选定该目标位置部署的UP功能实体的实例。
S552,PCF向SMF下发流策略响应,该流策略响应携带该PCF为该会话选择的UP功能实体的实例,其中包括该目标位置上部署的UP功能实体的实例。
S554,SMF建立会话,并命令UP控制器为会话准备承载。
S556,UP控制器创建会话,并控制选定的UP功能实体的实例建立承载。该会话的用户面承载建立之后,用户的业务数据就可以在网络中进行处理和转发。
本发明实施例提供的网络控制的方法,可以根据业务的服务等级协议(Service Level Agreement,SLA)要求,按照部署策略调整网络功能实体的部署,从而能够更好的保障业 务的质量要求。
图6使出了本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的方法600。其中,在方法600中,该策略执行功能实体具体为NCF。PCF在会话建立后确定是否需要进行网络功能实体的部署调整,即确定用于承载该会话的网络功能实体的实例是否满足该网络功能实体的部署策略。
S624-S628与S524-S528相同,为了简洁,这里不再赘述。
S632,PCF向SMF发送流策略响应,其中,该流策略响应携带该PCF从会话所需的UP功能实体的已部署实例中选择的已部署实例的信息,其中包括位置1上部署的渲染UP功能实体的实例B。
S634,SMF建立会话,并命令UP控制器为会话准备承载。
S636,UP控制器创建会话,并控制选定的UP功能实体的已部署实例建立承载。该会话的用户面承载建立之后,用户的业务数据就可以在网络中进行处理和转发。
S638,PCF根据当前会话的业务类型,从UDM的网络功能实体部署策略数据库中获得当前会话所需的网络功能实体(例如渲染UP功能实体)的部署策略。
S642,PCF判断位置1上部署的UP功能实体的实例是否满足该UP功能实体的部署策略,例如,确定渲染UP功能实体的实例B是否满足渲染UP功能实体的部署策略。
如果满足部署策略,则PCF可以继续使用已经选择的位置1上部署的UP功能实体的实例,建立用户面承载。可选地,如果不满足部署策略,则PCF可以向NCF发送网络功能实体部署调整指示,指示在位置2部署该UP功能实体的实例。或者,如果确定位置1上部署的UP功能实体的实例不满足部署策略,则PCF可以确定UP功能实体的其他已部署的实例是否满足部署策略,并在确定所有已部署的实例均不满足部署策略之后,向NCF发送网络功能实体部署调整指示,本发明实施例不限于此。
S644,NCF从UDM获得位置2的可用资源信息。NCF可以根据该可用资源信息确定位置2的可用资源是否满足部署UP功能实体的实例的需求。
可选地,如果不满足需求,则可以前进至S646,即NCF向NFV MANO请求分配更多资源,然后该NCF可以执行S648。可选地,如果满足需求,则NCF可以直接执行S648。
S646,NCF向NFV MANO发送资源请求来请求资源,NFV MANO根据NCF的请求为位置2分配资源。
S648,NCF进行网络调整,在位置2部署UP功能实体的实例。
S652,NCF向UDM的网络功能实体物理位置数据库中更新位置2部署的UP功能实体的实例,即更新UP功能实体的物理位置信息。
S654,NCF通知PCF网络调整执行完毕。可选地,S654也可以不执行,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S656,PCF确定在位置2成功部署UP功能实体的实例,向SMF下发更新后的流策略,指示位置2部署的UP功能实体的实例。
其中,可选地,PCF可以根据NCF发送的通知,确定在位置2成功部署UP功能实体的实例,也可以根据UDM发送的通知,确定在位置2成功部署UP功能实体的实例,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S658,SMF发起路由重选,将该会话的用户面承载使用位置2的UP功能实体的实例。
S662,UP控制器控制位置2的UP功能实体的实例为会话建立承载。
与方法500相比,方法600先选择已经部署的UP功能实体实例,并建立会话,然后判断选定的实例是否满足部署策略,使得对网络功能实体的部署调整和会话的建立过程可以并行实现,一旦部署调整到位,直接调整会话即可,使得会话建立的响应时间更短。
图7示出了本发明实施例提供的而另一网络控制的方法700。其中,该策略执行功能实体具体为NCF。这里假设UE1已经在位置2建立了会话承载,UE2发起业务请求。
S724-S736与S524-S536相同,为了简洁,这里不再赘述。
具体地,如果NCF在S736中确定位置2不够用于部署该UP功能实体的实例,则方法700前进至S738。
S738,NCF向PCF发送部署资源不足指示或部署失败指示,指示位置2的资源不足。
S742,PCF在接收到NCF发送的资源不足指示或部署失败指示之后,可以根据从UDM获取的位置2已部署的网络功能实体实例的信息,确定位置2已部署的所有网络功能实体实例。并且,PCF可以确定业务类型2允许路由重选,并且其对应业务的优先级低于UE2发起的会话请求的业务类型对应业务的优先级,其中,UE1的已建立会话属于业务类型2。PCF可以根据从UDM获取的位置2上用于承载业务类型2的网络功能实体的部署策略以及该网络功能实体的当前可用实例的信息,确定将业务类型2的业务迁移到次优选的位置3(例如边界云)上的网络功能实体的实例,以使的位置2的资源空闲下来,用于部署UE2会话请求所需的UP功能实体的实例。此时,PCF可以向SMF发送位置2承载的业务类型2的所有会话的流策略更新指示,其中可以携带重新选择的位置3上的网络功能实体的实例的信息。
S744,SMF可以查询满足网络调整目标的所有会话,于是向UP控制器发送路由重选命令,指示将位置2承载的包括UE1已建立会话在内的业务类型2的所有会话路由重选至位置3。
S746,UP控制器控制位置3的网络功能实体的实例为UE1创建UP会话,以使得UE1的会话用户面承载成功调整到位置3。
S748,PCF在确定业务调整完成后,可以向NCF发送资源充足指示或部署调整命令,指示该位置2已有充足的资源并指示NCF在位置2部署UP功能实体的实例。
S752,NCF在接收到资源充足指示或部署调整命令之后,可以在位置2部署UP功能实体的实例,具体的部署方式可以使用诸如SDN的技术方式,通过可编程控制在位置2的UP网络功能上启动UP功能实体,也可以使用NFV的技术方式,在基础设施提供的容器内启动UP功能实体B的软件镜像,本发明实施例不限于此。
S754,NCF完成网络调整后,向UDM的网络功能实体物理位置数据库中更新位置2部署的UP功能实体的实例。
S756,NCF通知PCF网络调整执行完毕。
可选地,S756也可以不执行,本发明实施例对此不做限定。
S758,PCF确定在位置2成功部署UP功能实体的实例,可以向SMF发送UE2会话的流策略响应。
S762,SMF在接收到PCF发送的流策略响应之后,可以为UE2建立会话,并命令UP控 制器为会话准备承载。
S764,UP控制器为UE2创建会话,并控制选定的UP功能实体的实例建立承载。
图8示出了本发明实施例提供的而另一网络控制的方法800。其中,该策略执行功能实体具体为SMF,且上述实施例中NCF的功能可以由SMF和UP控制器共同实现。这里假设UE1已经在位置2建立了会话承载,UE2发起业务请求。
S824-S832与S524-S532相同,为了简洁,这里不再赘述。
S834,PCF确定需要对该UP功能实体B的部署进行调整,向SMF发送网络功能实体部署调整指示,指示在目标位置开启UE2会话所需的UP功能实体实例B的UP能力。
S836,SMF在接收到PCF发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之后,可以向UP控制器发送能力开启指示和会话建立指示,指示UP控制器为位置2的UP功能实体开启新的UP能力并为UE2创建会话。
S838,UP控制器接收到SMF发送能力开启指示之后,可以确定位置2的可用资源是否足够用于开启UP功能实体实例B的UP能力。如果发现资源不够用,则可以向SMF发送能力开启失败指示,指示位置2的资源不足。
可选地,如果发现资源够用,则可以前进至。
S842,SMF在接收到UP控制器发送的能力开启失败指示之后,可以向PCF发送资源不足指示或部署调整失败指示,指示位置2的资源不足。
S844,PCF在接收到SMF发送的资源不足指示或部署调整失败指示之后,可以根据从UDM获取的位置2已部署的网络功能实体实例的信息,确定位置2已部署的所有网络功能实体实例。并且,PCF可以确定业务类型2允许路由重选,并且其对应业务的优先级低于UE2发起的会话请求的业务类型1对应业务的优先级,其中,UE1的已建立会话属于业务类型2。PCF可以根据从UDM获取的用于承载业务类型2的网络功能实体对应的部署策略以及网络功能实体当前可用实例(即已部署实例)的信息,确定将业务类型2的业务迁移到次优选的位置3(例如边界云)上的网络功能实体实例C,以使的位置2的资源空闲下来,用于部署UE2会话请求所需的UP功能实体的实例。此时,PCF可以向SMF发送位置2承载的业务类型2的所有会话的流策略更新指示,其中可以携带重新选择的位置3上的网络功能实体实例的信息。
S846,SMF可以查询满足网络调整目标的所有会话,于是向UP控制器发送路由重选命令,指示将位置2承载的包括UE1已建立会话在内的业务类型2的所有会话路由重选至位置3。
S848,UP控制器控制位置3的网络功能实体实例为UE1创建UP会话,以使得UE1的会话用户面承载成功调整到位置3。
S852,PCF在确定业务调整完成后,可以向SMF发送资源充足指示或部署调整命令,指示该位置2已有充足的资源并指示SMF为位置2部署的UP功能实体的实例开启UP能力。
S854,SMF在接收到资源充足指示或部署调整命令之后,可以向UP控制器发送资源充足指示,指示UP控制器开启UP功能实体的一种或多种UP能力。
S856,UP控制器可以在位置2开启UP功能实体的一种或多种UP能力,具体的部署方式可以使用诸如SDN的技术方式,通过可编程控制在位置2的UP网络功能上启动UP功能 实体,但本发明实施例不限于此。
S858,UP控制器完成能力部署之后,可以向UDM的网络功能实体物理位置数据库中更新位置2部署的UP功能实体的实例的UP能力。
S862,UP控制器为UE2创建会话,并控制选定的UP功能实体的实例建立承载。
应理解,上述例子是为了帮助本领域技术人员更好地理解本发明实施例,而非要限制本发明实施例的范围。本领域技术人员根据所给出的上述示例,显然可以进行各种等价的修改或变化,这样的修改或变化也落入本发明实施例的范围内。
应理解,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,而不应对本发明实施例的实施过程构成任何限定。
上文中结合图1至图8,详细描述了根据本发明实施例的网络控制的方法,下面将结合图9至图12,详细描述根据本发明实施例的网络控制的装置。
图9示出了本发明实施例提供的网络控制的装置900,包括:
处理单元910,用于确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,并确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略;
收发单元920,用于若该处理单元910确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
作为一个可选实施例,该装置900还包括:存储单元,用于存储该第一网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,该至少一个部署策略包括该第一部署策略。
此时,该处理单元910可以具体用于根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一会话对应的用户信息,确定该第一会话所需的该第一网络功能实体,并根据该第一会话的业务类型的信息和该第一网络功能实体,确定该存储单元存储的该第一部署策略。
该处理单元可以从该存储单元获取该第一部署策略。
应理解,这里的装置900以功能单元的形式体现。在一个可选例子中,本领域技术人员可以理解,装置900可以具体为上述实施例中的策略控制功能实体,装置900可以用于执行上述方法实施例中与策略控制功能实体对应的各个流程和/或步骤,为避免重复,在此不再赘述。
图10示出了本发明实施例提供的网络控制的装置1000,包括:
收发单元1010,用于接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署第一网络功能实体的第一实例;
策略执行单元1020,用于根据该收发单元1010接收到的该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。
应理解,这里的装置1000以功能单元的形式体现。在一个可选例子中,本领域技术人员可以理解,装置1000可以具体为上述实施例中的策略执行功能实体,装置1000可以用于执行上述方法实施例中与策略执行功能实体对应的各个流程和/或步骤,为避免重复,在此不再赘述。
还应理解,在本发明实施例中,术语“单元”可以指应用特有集成电路(Application Specific Integrated Circuit,ASIC)、电子电路、用于执行一个或多个软件或固件程序 的处理器(例如共享处理器、专有处理器或组处理器等)和存储器、合并逻辑电路和/或其它支持所描述的功能的合适组件。
图11示出了本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的装置1100,包括:处理器1110和存储器1120,其中,该存储器1120用于存储指令,该处理器1110用于执行该存储器存储的指令,其中,对该指令的执行使得该处理器1110执行以下操作:
确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及该第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略;
确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足该第一部署策略;
若确定该第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足该第一部署策略,向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
在一个可选例子中,本领域技术人员可以理解,装置1100可以具体为上述实施例中的策略控制功能实体,装置1100可以用于执行上述方法实施例中与策略控制功能实体对应的各个流程和/或步骤,为避免重复,在此不再赘述。
图12示出了本发明实施例提供的另一网络控制的装置1200,包括:处理器1210和存储器1220,其中,该存储器1220用于存储指令,该处理器1210用于执行该存储器1220存储的指令,其中,对该指令的执行使得该处理器1210执行以下操作:
接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示,该网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署第一网络功能实体的第一实例;
根据该网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在该目标位置部署该第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。
在一个可选例子中,本领域技术人员可以理解,装置1200可以具体为上述实施例中的策略执行功能实体,装置1200可以用于执行上述方法实施例中与策略执行功能实体对应的各个流程和/或步骤,为避免重复,在此不再赘述。
应理解,在本发明实施例中,该处理器可以是中央处理单元(Central Processing Unit,CPU),该处理器还可以是其他通用处理器、数字上行信号处理器(DSP)、专用集成电路(ASIC)、现成可编程门阵列(FPGA)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。
存储器可以包括只读存储器和随机存取存储器,并向处理器提供指令和数据。存储器的一部分还可以包括非易失性随机存取存储器。例如,存储器还可以存储设备类型的信息。该处理器可以用于执行存储器中存储的指令,并且该处理器执行该指令时,该处理器可以执行上述方法实施例中与终端设备对应的各个步骤。
在实现过程中,上述方法的各步骤可以通过处理器中的硬件的集成逻辑电路或者软件形式的指令完成。结合本发明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,处理器执行存储器中的指令,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。
本发明实施例还提供了一种通信系统,该系统可以包括上述实施例中的任意策略控制功能实体和上述实施例中的任意策略执行功能实体。
可选地,该通信系统还可以包括数据存储功能实体,该数据存储功能实体用于存储下列信息中的至少一种:一个或多个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息、可部署网络功能实体的至少一个物理位置中每个物理位置的信息,其中,每个已部署实例的信息可以包括下列信息中的至少一种:部署位置信息、占用资源信息、开启的处理能力的信息和容量利用率信息,每个物理位置的信息包括该每个物理位置的位置信息和/或可用资源信息。
可选地,该通信系统可以具体为图1所示的通信系统,但本发明实施例不限于此。
应理解,上文对本发明实施例的描述着重于强调各个实施例之间的不同之处,未提到的相同或相似之处可以互相参考,为了简洁,这里不再赘述。
此外,本文中术语“系统”和“网络”在本文中常被可互换使用。本文中术语“和/或”,仅仅是一种描述关联对象的关联关系,表示可以存在三种关系,例如,A和/或B,可以表示:单独存在A,同时存在A和B,单独存在B这三种情况。另外,本文中字符“/”,一般表示前后关联对象是一种“或”的关系。
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。这些功能实体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实体,但是这种实现不应认为超出本发明的范围。
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实体划分,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,在本发明各个实施例中的各功能实体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。
所述功能实体如果以软件功能实体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,本发明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)执行本发明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所述以权利要求的保护范围为准。

Claims (56)

  1. 一种网络控制的方法,其特征在于,包括:
    策略控制功能实体确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略;
    所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略;
    若确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足所述第一部署策略,所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  2. 根据权利要求1所述的方法,其特征在于,所述第一部署策略包括下列中的至少一种:部署位置、部署方式、占用的资源,其中,所述部署方式包括同一数据中心部署或跨数据中心部署,所述资源包括物理设施资源和/或网络资源。
  3. 根据权利要求1或2所述的方法,其特征在于,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的所述第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至所述目标位置;或者
    所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在所述目标位置创建所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者
    所述第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启所述目标位置上部署的所述第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
  4. 根据权利要求1至3中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,其中,所述第一会话的信息包括所述第一会话的业务类型的信息。
  5. 根据权利要求4所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略控制功能实体用于存储所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,所述至少一个部署策略包括所述第一部署策略;
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一会话的业务类型的信息和所述第一会话对应的用户信息,确定所述第一会话所需的所述第一网络功能实体;
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一会话的业务类型的信息和所述第一网络功能实体,确定所述第一部署策略。
  6. 根据权利要求4所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体向数据存储功能实体发送部署策略请求,所述部署策略请求携 带所述第一会话的信息,所述数据存储功能实体用于存储至少一个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,其中,所述至少一个网络功能实体包括所述第一网络功能实体;
    所述策略控制功能实体接收所述数据存储功能实体根据所述部署策略请求发送的用于指示所述第一部署策略的第三指示信息。
  7. 根据权利要求1至6中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体获取所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息;
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一部署策略以及所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,确定所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中是否存在满足所述第一部署策略的已部署实例;
    相应的,若所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足所述第一网络功能实体的部署策略,所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,包括:
    若所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中不存在满足所述第一部署策略的已部署实例,所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
  8. 根据权利要求1至6中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体确定满足所述第一部署策略的所述目标位置;
    所述策略控制功能实体确定所述目标位置上是否存在满足所述第一部署策略的所述第一网络功能实体的已部署实例;
    相应的,若所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足所述第一网络功能实体的部署策略,所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,包括:
    若所述目标位置上不存在满足所述第一部署策略的所述第一网络功能实体的已部署实例,所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
  9. 根据权利要求1至8中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,在所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之前,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体接收会话管理功能实体发送的所述第一会话的流策略请求;
    所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体,包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体根据所述流策略请求,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体。
  10. 根据权利要求9所述的方法,其特征在于,在所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,所述方法还包括:
    若确定在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,所述策略控制功能实体向所述会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带第一指示信息,所述第一指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  11. 根据权利要求9所述的方法,其特征在于,在所述策略控制功能实体确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之后,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体从所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中确定所述 第一网络功能实体的第二实例;
    所述策略控制功能实体向所述会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带用于指示所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息;
    在所述策略控制功能实体向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,所述方法还包括:
    若确定在所述目标位置上成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,所述策略控制功能实体向所述会话管理功能实体发送第一流策略更新指示,所述第一流策略更新指示用于指示将所述第一会话由所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  12. 根据权利要求1至11中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略控制功能实体接收所述策略执行功能实体发送的第一部署失败指示,所述第一部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求;
    所述策略控制功能实体根据接收到的所述第一部署失败指示,从所述目标位置上的至少一个网络功能实体实例所承载的至少一个会话的业务类型中确定第二业务类型,其中,所述第二业务类型不同于所述第一会话的第一业务类型;
    所述策略控制功能实体向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示,所述业务迁移指示用于指示将所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置。
  13. 根据权利要求12所述的方法,其特征在于,所述第二业务类型支持路由重选并且所述第二业务类型对应业务的优先级低于所述第一业务类型对应业务的优先级。
  14. 根据权利要求12或13所述的方法,其特征在于,在所述策略控制功能实体向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示之后,所述方法还包括:
    若确定所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的会话成功迁移到所述第二位置,所述策略控制功能实体向所述策略执行功能实体发送第二指示信息,所述第二指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  15. 根据权利要求1至14中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略执行功能实体为会话管理功能实体或网络控制功能实体。
  16. 一种网络控制的方法,其特征在于,包括:
    策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署第一网络功能实体的第一实例;
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。
  17. 根据权利要求16所述的方法,其特征在于,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的所述第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至所述目标位置;或者所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在所述目标位置创建所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者
    所述第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启所述目标位置上部署的所述第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
  18. 根据权利要求16所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略执行功能实体根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  19. 根据权利要求18所述的方法,其特征在于,在所述策略执行功能实体确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求之前,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体向数据存储功能实体发送资源信息请求,所述资源信息请求用于请求所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息;
    所述策略执行功能实体接收所述数据存储功能实体根据所述资源信息请求发送的所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息;
    相应的,所述策略执行功能实体确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例需要占用的资源的信息,确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  20. 根据权利要求18或19所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略执行功能实体具体为网络控制功能实体;
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,还包括:
    若确定所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,所述策略执行功能实体向网络功能虚拟化管理和编排NFV MANO发送资源请求消息,所述资源请求消息请求用于部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源;
    所述策略执行功能实体接收所述NFV MANO根据所述资源请求消息发送的资源分配消息,所述资源分配消息用于指示为所述目标位置分配的用于部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源;
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述资源分配消息,在所述目标位置上部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  21. 根据权利要求16或17所述的方法,其特征在于,所述策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体;
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,向所述目标位置上的用户面控制器发送第四指示信息,所述第四指示信息用于指示所述用户面控制器在所述目标 位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  22. 根据权利要求21所述的方法,其特征在于,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体接收所述用户面控制器发送的第二部署失败指示,所述第二部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  23. 根据权利要求18或19或22所述的方法,其特征在于,所述方法还包括:
    若确定所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,所述策略执行功能实体向所述策略控制功能实体发送第一部署失败指示,所述第一部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  24. 根据权利要求23所述的方法,其特征在于,若所述策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,所述方法还包括:
    所述会话管理功能实体接收所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一部署失败指示发送的业务迁移指示,所述业务迁移指示用于指示将所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置;
    所述会话管理功能实体根据所述业务迁移指示,确定所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的至少一个第二会话;
    所述会话管理功能实体向所述目标位置上用于承载所述第二会话的网络功能实体实例发送路由重选指示,所述路由重选指示用于指示将所述网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二会话迁移至所述第二位置。
  25. 根据权利要求23或24所述的方法,其特征在于,所述方法还包括:
    所述策略执行功能实体接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的第二指示信息,所述第二指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  26. 根据权利要求16至25中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,若所述策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,在所述策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,所述方法还包括:
    所述会话管理功能实体向所述策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,所述流策略请求携带所述第一会话的信息;
    所述方法还包括:
    若在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,所述会话管理功能实体接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带第一指示信息,所述第一指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  27. 根据权利要求16至25中任一项所述的方法,其特征在于,若所述策略执行功能实体具体为会话管理功能实体,在所述策略执行功能实体接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,所述方法还包括:
    所述会话管理功能实体向所述策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,所述流策略请求携带所述第一会话的信息;
    所述会话管理功能实体接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带用于指示所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息;
    所述方法还包括:
    若在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,所述会话管理功能实体接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的第一流策略更新指示,所述第一流策略更新指示用于指示将所述第一会话由所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  28. 一种网络控制的装置,其特征在于,包括:
    处理单元,用于确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,并确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略;
    收发单元,用于若所述处理单元确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况不满足所述第一部署策略,向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  29. 根据权利要求28所述的装置,其特征在于,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的所述第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至所述目标位置;或者
    所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在所述目标位置创建所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者
    所述第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启所述目标位置上部署的所述第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
  30. 根据权利要求28或29所述的装置,其特征在于,所述处理单元确定第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述处理单元根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,其中,所述第一会话的信息包括所述第一会话的业务类型的信息。
  31. 根据权利要求30所述的装置,其特征在于,所述装置还包括:
    存储单元,用于存储所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,所述至少一个部署策略包括所述第一部署策略;
    所述处理单元根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述处理单元根据所述第一会话的业务类型的信息和所述第一会话对应的用户信息,确定所述第一会话所需的所述第一网络功能实体,并根据所述第一会话的业务类型的信息和所述第一网络功能实体,确定所述存储单元存储的所述第一部署策略。
  32. 根据权利要求30或31所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于:
    向数据存储功能实体发送部署策略请求,所述部署策略请求携带所述第一会话的信息,所述数据存储功能实体用于存储至少一个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个部署策略,其中,所述至少一个网络功能实体包括所述第一网络功能实体,
    接收所述数据存储功能实体根据所述部署策略请求发送的用于指示所述第一部署策 略的第三指示信息;
    所述处理单元根据所述第一会话的信息,确定所述第一网络功能实体的第一部署策略,包括:
    所述处理单元根据所述收发单元接收的所述第三指示信息,确定所述第一部署策略。
  33. 根据权利要求28至32中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,所述处理单元确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略,包括:
    所述处理单元获取所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,
    所述处理单元根据所述第一部署策略以及所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息,确定所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中是否存在满足所述第一部署策略的已部署实例;
    所述收发单元具体用于:若所述处理单元确定所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中不存在满足所述第一部署策略的已部署实例,向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
  34. 根据权利要求28至32中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,所述处理单元确定所述第一网络功能实体的当前部署状况是否满足所述第一部署策略,包括:
    所述处理单元确定满足所述第一部署策略的所述目标位置,
    所述处理单元确定所述目标位置上是否存在满足所述第一部署策略的所述第一网络功能实体的已部署实例;
    所述收发单元具体用于:若所述处理单元确定所述目标位置上不存在满足所述第一部署策略的所述第一网络功能实体的已部署实例,向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示。
  35. 根据权利要求28至34中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于在所述处理单元确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之前,接收会话管理功能实体发送的所述第一会话的流策略请求;
    所述处理单元确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体,包括:
    所述处理单元根据所述收发单元接收到的所述流策略请求,确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体。
  36. 根据权利要求35所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于:在向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,若所述处理单元确定在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,向所述会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带第一指示信息,所述第一指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  37. 根据权利要求35所述的装置,其特征在于,所述处理单元还用于:在确定所述第一会话所需的第一网络功能实体之后,从所述第一网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例中确定所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例;
    所述收发单元还用于:
    向所述会话管理功能实体发送流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带用于指示所述处理单元确定的所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息,
    在向策略执行功能实体发送网络功能部署调整指示之后,若所述处理单元确定在所述目标位置上成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,向所述会话管理功能实体发送第一流策略更新指示,所述第一流策略更新指示用于指示将所述第一会话由所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  38. 根据权利要求28至37中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于:接收所述策略执行功能实体发送的第一部署失败指示,所述第一部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求;
    所述处理单元还用于:根据所述收发单元接收到的所述第一部署失败指示,从所述目标位置上的至少一个网络功能实体实例所承载的至少一个会话的业务类型中确定第二业务类型,其中,所述第二业务类型不同于所述第一会话的第一业务类型;
    所述收发单元还用于:向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示,所述业务迁移指示用于指示将所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置。
  39. 根据权利要求38所述的装置,其特征在于,所述第二业务类型支持路由重选并且所述第二业务类型对应业务的优先级低于所述第一业务类型对应业务的优先级。
  40. 根据权利要求38或39所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于在向会话管理功能实体发送业务迁移指示之后,若所述处理单元确定所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的会话成功迁移到所述第二位置,向所述策略执行功能实体发送第二指示信息,所述第二指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  41. 根据权利要求28至40中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,所述策略执行功能实体为会话管理功能实体或网络控制功能实体。
  42. 一种网络控制的装置,其特征在于,包括:
    收发单元,用于接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示用于指示在目标位置部署第一网络功能实体的第一实例;
    策略执行单元,用于根据所述收发单元接收到的所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理。
  43. 根据权利要求42所述的装置,其特征在于,所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示将部署在第一位置的所述第一网络功能实体的实例迁移至所述目标位置;或者
    所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示在所述目标位置创建所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例;或者
    所述第一网络功能实体具体为第一用户面功能实体,并且所述网络功能实体部署调整指示具体用于指示开启所述目标位置上部署的所述第一用户面功能实体的实例的第一处理能力。
  44. 根据权利要求42或43所述的装置,其特征在于,所述策略执行单元具体用于确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  45. 根据权利要求44所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于:
    在所述策略执行单元确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能 实体的第一实例的需求之前,向数据存储功能实体发送资源信息请求,所述资源信息请求用于请求所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息,
    接收所述数据存储功能实体根据所述资源信息请求发送的所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息;
    所述策略执行单元确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,包括:
    所述策略执行单元根据所述收发单元接收到的所述目标位置当前的可用资源的信息以及所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例需要占用的资源的信息,确定所述目标位置的可用资源是否满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  46. 根据权利要求44或45所述的装置,其特征在于,所述装置具体为网络控制功能实体;
    所述收发单元还用于:
    若所述策略执行单元确定所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,向网络功能虚拟化管理和编排NFV MANO发送资源请求消息,所述资源请求消息请求用于部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源,
    接收所述NFV MANO根据所述资源请求消息发送的资源分配消息,所述资源分配消息用于指示为所述目标位置分配的用于部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的资源;
    所述策略执行单元根据所述收发单元接收到的所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,执行在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的处理,还包括:
    所述策略执行单元根据所述收发单元接收到的所述资源分配消息,在所述目标位置上部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  47. 根据权利要求42或43所述的装置,其特征在于,所述装置具体为会话管理功能实体;
    所述策略执行单元具体用于根据所述网络功能实体部署调整指示,向所述目标位置上的用户面控制器发送第四指示信息,所述第四指示信息用于指示所述用户面控制器在所述目标位置部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  48. 根据权利要求47所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于接收所述用户面控制器发送的第二部署失败指示,所述第二部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  49. 根据权利要求44或45或48所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于:
    若所述策略执行单元确定所述目标位置的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求,向所述策略控制功能实体发送第一部署失败指示,所述第一部署失败指示用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源不满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  50. 根据权利要求49所述的装置,其特征在于,若所述装置具体为会话管理功能实体,所述收发单元还用于接收所述策略控制功能实体根据所述第一部署失败指示发送的业务迁移指示,所述业务迁移指示用于指示将所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的第二业务类型的会话迁移至第二位置;
    所述策略执行单元还用于根据所述收发单元接收到的所述业务迁移指示,确定所述目标位置上的网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二业务类型的至少一个第二会话;
    所述收发单元还用于向所述目标位置上用于承载所述第二会话的网络功能实体实例发送路由重选指示,所述路由重选指示用于指示将所述网络功能实体实例承载的所述第二会话迁移至所述第二位置。
  51. 根据权利要求49或50所述的装置,其特征在于,所述收发单元还用于接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的第二指示信息,所述第二指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上的可用资源已满足部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例的需求。
  52. 根据权利要求42至51中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,若所述装置具体为会话管理功能实体,所述收发单元还用于:
    在接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,向所述策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,所述流策略请求携带所述第一会话的信息;
    若所述策略执行单元在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带第一指示信息,所述第一指示信息用于指示所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  53. 根据权利要求42至51中任一项所述的装置,其特征在于,若所述装置具体为会话管理功能实体,所述收发单元还用于:
    在接收策略控制功能实体发送的网络功能实体部署调整指示之前,向所述策略控制功能实体发送流策略请求,所述流策略请求携带所述第一会话的信息;
    接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的流策略响应,所述流策略响应携带用于指示所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例的第一指示信息;
    若所述策略执行单元在所述目标位置成功部署所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例,接收所述策略控制功能实体发送的第一流策略更新指示,所述第一流策略更新指示用于指示将所述第一会话由所述第一网络功能实体的第二实例迁移至所述目标位置上部署的所述第一网络功能实体的第一实例。
  54. 一种通信系统,其特征在于,包括:
    策略控制功能实体和策略执行功能实体,其中,所述策略控制功能实体为如权利要求28至41中任一项所述的装置,所述策略执行功能实体为如权利要求42至53中任一项所述的装置。
  55. 根据权利要求54所述的通信系统,其特征在于,所述通信系统还包括数据存储功能实体,所述数据存储功能实体用于存储下列信息中的至少一种:一个或多个网络功能实体中每个网络功能实体的至少一个已部署实例的信息、可部署网络功能实体的至少一个物理位置中每个物理位置的信息,其中,每个已部署实例的信息可以包括下列信息中的至少一种:部署位置信息、占用资源信息、开启的处理能力的信息和容量利用率信息,每个物理位置的信息包括所述每个物理位置的位置信息和/或可用资源信息。
  56. 一种网络控制的装置,包括:处理器和存储器;所述存储器用于存储计算机执行指令,当所述网络控制的装置运行时,所述处理器执行所述存储器存储的该计算机执行指令,以使所述网络控制的装置执行如权利要求1-27任一项所述的网络控制方法。
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