Scaling network functions

1. A method of determining trigger conditions for scaling a network function of a virtual computing environment, the method comprising:

receiving metrics data associated with usage of an instance of a scalable unit of the network function, the metrics indicative of usage characteristics associated with the instance;

identifying a primary set of the metrics as a primary indicator of occurrence of a load state of the instance;

determining, based on the received metrics data, usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

deriving, from the received metrics data:

a secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set, as a secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs; and

measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the secondary set of the metrics at the group of the usage points;

determining at least one criterion for predicting future values of the secondary set of metrics, based on a current value of the secondary set of the metrics and historical data relating to a pattern of usage of the scalable unit of the network function; and

storing a secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit based on the predicted values of the secondary set and the measured data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deriving, from the received metrics data, a group of headroom-adjusted usage points by adding a headroom to the group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

wherein the measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the secondary set of metrics are at the group of headroom-adjusted usage points.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of the usage points comprises a plurality of usage points, and wherein storing the secondary trigger condition comprises processing the measured data at the plurality of usage points to generate a threshold for use in the secondary trigger condition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary set comprises a plurality of metrics, and wherein storing the secondary trigger condition comprises processing the measured data at the group of the usage points to generate a plurality of thresholds, for each of the plurality of metrics respectively, for use in the secondary trigger condition.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

deriving, from the received metrics data:

a first secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set, as a first secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a first group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

first measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the first secondary set of the metrics at the first group of the usage points;

a second secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set and the first secondary set, as a second secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a second group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs; and

second measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the second secondary set of metrics at the second group of the usage points; and

storing a first secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the first secondary set and the first measured data, and a second secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the second secondary set and the second measured data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the first secondary set comprises a first metric and the second secondary set comprises the first metric,

the storing the first secondary trigger condition comprises processing the first measured data for the first metric at the first group of the usage points to generate a first threshold for use in the first secondary trigger condition; and

the storing the second secondary trigger condition comprises processing the second measured data for the first metric at the second group of the usage points to generate a second threshold for use in the second secondary trigger condition, and

the first and second thresholds are different in the first and second trigger conditions respectively.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a traffic profile associated with the instance, the traffic profile comprising data indicative of one or more types of network traffic being directed to the instance; and

storing the secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the determined traffic profile.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving further metrics data corresponding to the metrics associated with usage of the instance; and

adjusting the secondary trigger condition based on the received further metrics data.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving further metrics data corresponding to the metrics associated with usage of the instance; and

storing a further secondary trigger condition based on the received further metrics data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scalable unit of the network function comprises one or more of a virtual network function; a microservice; a cloud based network function; a software based network function; or a network function as a service.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving metrics data associated with usage of an instance of a scalable unit of a network function, the metrics indicative of usage characteristics associated with the instance;

identifying a primary set of the metrics as a primary indicator of occurrence of a load state of the instance;

determining, based on the received metrics data, usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

deriving, from the received metrics data:

a secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set, as a secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs; and

measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the secondary set of the metrics at the group of the usage points;

determining at least one criterion for predicting future values of the secondary set of metrics, based on a current value of the secondary set of the metrics and historical data relating to a pattern of usage of the scalable unit of the network function; and

storing a secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit based on the predicted values of the secondary set and the measured data.

12. A system configured to determine trigger conditions for scaling a network function of a virtual computing environment, the system comprising a processor and computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving metrics data associated with usage of an instance of a scalable unit of the network function, the metrics indicative of usage characteristics associated with the instance;

identifying a primary set of the metrics as a primary indicator of occurrence of a load state of the instance;

determining, based on the received metrics data, usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

deriving, from the received metrics data:

a secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set, as a secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs; and

measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the secondary set of the metrics at the group of the usage points;

determining at least one criterion for predicting future values of the secondary set of metrics, based on a current value of the secondary set of the metrics and historical data relating to a pattern of usage of the scalable unit of the network function; and

storing a secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit based on the predicted values of the secondary set and the measured data.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

deriving, from the received metrics data, a group of headroom-adjusted usage points by adding a headroom to the group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

wherein the measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the secondary set of metrics are at the group of headroom-adjusted usage points.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the group of the usage points comprises a plurality of usage points, and wherein storing the secondary trigger condition comprises processing the measured data at the plurality of usage points to generate a threshold for use in the secondary trigger condition.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the secondary set comprises a plurality of metrics, and wherein storing the secondary trigger condition comprises processing the measured data at the group of the usage points to generate a plurality of thresholds, for each of the plurality of metrics respectively, for use in the secondary trigger condition.

16. The system of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

deriving, from the received metrics data:

a first secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set, as a first secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a first group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs;

first measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the first secondary set of the metrics at the first group of the usage points;

a second secondary set of the metrics, different from the primary set and the first secondary set, as a second secondary indicator of occurrence of the load state of the instance at a second group of the usage points where the primary indicator indicates that the load state occurs; and

second measured data corresponding to values of the metrics in the second secondary set of metrics at the second group of the usage points; and

storing a first secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the first secondary set and the first measured data, and a second secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the second secondary set and the second measured data.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first secondary set comprises a first metric and the second secondary set comprises the first metric,

the storing the first secondary trigger condition comprises processing the first measured data for the first metric at the first group of the usage points to generate a first threshold for use in the first secondary trigger condition; and

the storing the second secondary trigger condition comprises processing the second measured data for the first metric at the second group of the usage points to generate a second threshold for use in the second secondary trigger condition, and

the first and second thresholds are different in the first and second trigger conditions respectively.

18. The system of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

determining a traffic profile associated with the instance, the traffic profile comprising data indicative of one or more types of network traffic being directed to the instance; and

storing the secondary trigger condition for scaling the scalable unit of the network function based on the determined traffic profile.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving further metrics data corresponding to the metrics associated with usage of the instance; and

adjusting the secondary trigger condition based on the received further metrics data.

20. The system of claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving further metrics data corresponding to the metrics associated with usage of the instance; and

storing a further secondary trigger condition based on the received further metrics data.