Devices and methods of using network function virtualization and virtualized resources performance data to improve performance
Devices and methods of providing performance measurements (PMs) for Network Function Virtualization are generally described. A Virtual Network Function (VNF) PM job is scheduled at a VNF and VNF PM data received in response. From the VNF PM data, it is determined that virtualized resource (VR) management may be a cause of poor VNF performance. A VR PM job is scheduled and results in VR PM data. The VR PM and VNF PM data are analyzed to determine whether to increase the VR at the VNF. If an increase is determined, a request for the increase is transmitted from an element manager to a VNF manager or the VNF PM and/or VR PM data are provided to a Network Manager (NM) for the NM to request the increase by a Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO).
1. An apparatus of an element manager (EM), the apparatus comprising:
one or more processors arranged to:
obtain, from a network manager (NM) through an interface (Itf-N), a NM creation request to create a measurement job to collect NF performance management (PM) data related to a virtual resource (VR);
in response to the NM creation request, generate a VNF creation request to a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) through a Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM create a PM job to collect the PM data from at least one VNF, wherein the VNF request comprises resources to he measured, types of measurements to be taken, recording periods and collection times;
after transmission of the VNF creation request, determine that the PM job has been created from a VNF creation response from the VNFM to the VNF request, the VNF response comprising an identifier of the PM job; and
in response to reception of the VNF creation response, generate for transmission to the NM an NM creation response to indicate a result of the measurement job creation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
obtain, from the NM through the Itf-N, a NM deletion request to stop the measurement job;
in response to the NM deletion request, generate a VNF deletion request to the VNFM through the Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM stop the PM job, the VNF deletion comprising the identifier;
after transmission of the VNF deletion request, determine that the PM job has been deletion from a VNF deletion response from the VNFM to the VNF request; and
in response to reception of the VNF deletion response, generate for transmission to the NM an NM deletion response to indicate a result of the measurement job deletion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
determine that NF PM data for a particular VNF is available at the EM; and
in response to a determination that the NF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the EM, generate for transmission to the NM an NM notification to indicate that the NF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the EM.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
determine that VNF PM data for a particular VNF is available at the VNFM; and
in response to a determination that the VNF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the VNFM, generate for transmission to the NM an NM notification to indicate that the VNF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the VNFM, the NM notification comprising an identification of the particular VNF.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to request, based on at least one of NF PM data or VR PM data of the PM data, adjustment to a VR for the VNF.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
analyze the at least one of the NF PM data or the VR PM data, and
generate an adjustment request to the VNFM to adjust the VR in response to a determination that the VR is loaded and impacts the VNF performance.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
analyze the at least one of the NF PM data or the VR PM data, and
generate an adjustment request to a Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) to adjust the VR in response to a determination that the VR is loaded and impacts the VNF performance.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
determine that the VR is overloaded and the overload of the VR is a cause of inadequate performance, and
in response to the determination, request an increase of the VR for the VNF from the VNFM.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the PM data comprises at least one of NF PM data or VR PM data, and the one or more processors are further arranged to:
determine that the VR is overloaded and the overload of the VR is a cause of inadequate performance, and
in response to the determination, generate an increase request to the NM to request an increase of the VR for the VNF the increase request comprising the at least one of NF PM data or VR PM data.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the PM data comprises at least one of NE PM data or VR PM data,
the PM job comprises a plurality of information elements to schedule VR data collection and the plurality of information elements comprise:
the resource type that indicates a resource where the VR PM data is to be collected,
the collection period that indicates when the VR PM data is to be generated, and
the reporting period that indicates when the VR PM is to be reported.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
generate a VNF creation request if the measurement job cannot be supported by the existing PM jobs of the VNFM.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an element manager (EM), the one or more processors to configure the EM to:
receive, from a network manager (NM) through an interface (Itf-N), a NM creation request to create a measurement job to collect Network Function (NF) performance management (PM) data related to a virtual resource (VR);
in response to the NM creation request, send a Virtual Network Function (VNF) creation request to a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) through a Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM create a PM job to collect the PM data from at least one VNF, wherein the VNF request comprises resources to be measured, types of measurements to be taken, recording periods and collection times;
after transmission of the VNF creation request, determine that the PM job has been created from a VNF creation response from the VNFM to the VNF request, the VNF response comprising an identifier of the PM job; and
in response to reception of the VNF creation response, send to the NM an NM creation response to indicate a result of the measurement job creation.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to:
receive, from the NM through the Itf-N, a NM deletion request to stop the measurement job;
in response to the NM deletion request, send a VNF deletion request to the VNFM through the Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM stop the PM job, the VNF deletion comprising the identifier;
after transmission of the VNF deletion request, determine that the PM job has been deletion from a VNF deletion response from the VNFM to the VNF request; and
in response to reception of the VNF deletion response, send to the NM an NM deletion response to indicate a result of the measurement job deletion.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to:
determine that NF PM data for a particular VNF is available at the EM; and
in response to a determination that the NF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the EM, send to the NM an NM notification to indicate that the NF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the EM.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to:
determine that VNF PM data for a particular VNF is available at the VNFM; and
in response to a determination that the VNF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the VNFM, send to the NM an NM notification to indicate that the VNF PM data for the particular VNF is available at the VNFM, the NM notification comprising an identification of the particular VNF.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to request, based on at least one of NF PM data or VR PM data of the PM data, adjustment to a VR for the VNF.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to:
analyze the at least one of the NF PM data or the VR PM data, and
generate an adjustment request to the VNFM to adjust the VR in response to a determination that the VR is loaded and impacts the VNF performance.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors, when the instructions are executed, further configure the EM to:
analyze the at least one of the NF PM data or the VR PM data, and
generate an adjustment request to a Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) to adjust the VR in response to a determination that the VR is loaded and impacts the VNF performance.
19. A method for operating an element manager (EM), comprising:
at the EM:
receiving, from a network manager (NM) through an interface (Itf-N), a NM creation request to create a measurement job to collect Network Function (NF) performance management (PM) data related to a virtual resource (VR);
in response to the NM creation request, sending a Virtual Network Function (VNF) creation request to a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) through a Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM create a PM job to collect the PM data from at least one VNF, wherein the VNF request comprises resources to be measured, types of measurements to be taken, recording periods and collection times;
after transmission of the VNF creation request, determine that the PM job has been created from a VNF creation response from the VNFM to the VNF request, the VNF response comprising an identifier of the PM job; and
in response to reception of the VNF creation response, send to the NM an NM creation response to indicate a result of the measurement job creation.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising;
receiving, from the NM through the Itf-N, a NM deletion request to stop the measurement job;
in response to the NM deletion request, sending a VNF deletion request to the VNFM through the Ve-Vnfm-em reference point to request that the VNFM stop the PM job, the VNF deletion comprising the identifier;
after transmission of the VNF deletion request, determining that the PM job has been deletion from a VNF deletion response from the VNFM to the VNF request; and
in response to reception of the VNF deletion response, sending to the NM an NM deletion response to indicate a result of the measurement job deletion.