Patent Application
20210297874
The present disclosure relates generally to a new framework for discovering collectable data and/or analytics data in a network. In particular, the disclosure presents a device for discovering such data in the network. In addition, the disclosure presents devices for providing such data, i.e. sources of such data, and devices for seeking and consuming such data in the network, respectively.
5G systems (5GS) defined by 3GPP from Rel. 15 in TS23.501 support Network Function (NF) discovery based on a Network Repository Function (NRF). Details of registration and discovery functionalities are described in the specifications 3GPP TS23.502 and TS29.510. There are two main types of information in 5GS that can be discovered at the NRF: NF instances and their associated services. Any subsequent requests/subscriptions to the services of the NFs will have to include the specific required information from the NF. For instance, if a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) needs to register to collect data from NFs, it must indicate in the registration the ID of the data the NWDAF intends to collect. Likewise, if NFs, AFs, and Operations, Administration and Management (OAM) need to subscribe to analytics (analytics data) from the NWDAF, they need to send the subscription request including the ID of the analytics data. There are, however, three main problems with the current stage of the 3GPP specifications.
First, it is reasonable to expect that deployments of 5G networks will operate with standardized and non-standardized collectable data and analytics data types. Therefore, discovery of non-standardized collectable data and analytics data types should be considered in the design of the 5GS. Moreover, even standardized data must be discovered, because an NF instance might not offer all standardized data (or analytics), and this is the same logic from the definition of NF Services in NRF, i.e., one NF instance might not offer all standardized services for that type of NF. Thus, a design considering that not always all services and data will be available at a NF instance has the main advantage of offering more flexibility in the deployment of 5GS such that it can address different deployment scenarios and use-cases.
Second, without an automated mechanism for discovering data to be collected, as well as analytics data to be consumed, operators need to manually change the NFs/AFs software/scripts to be able to subscribe to the NWDAF analytics and vice-versa for NWDAF to collect data.
Third, in the case when an administrator of the NFs, AFs, and Analytics Function inside the 5GS are not the same one of the OAM, the OAM is aware of the initial configuration of such NFs, but the OAM can only become aware of changes in the NFs (e.g., new types of analytics or data to be collected), if the administrator of such NFs personally/manually informs to the OAM administrator of such changes.
Below, some conventional implementations are described.
Management (UDM) and Unified Data Repository (UDR), and unstructured data (non-standardized) in Unstructured Data Storage Function (UDSF), but no definition of storage supporting data collection or analytics discovery.
In view of the above-mentioned problems and disadvantages, the present disclosure aims to improve the conventional implementations regarding discovery and collecting data and, respectively, discovery and consuming analytics data in a network. An objective is thereby to solve the above-mentioned problems, namely by defining a dynamic and automated discovery of analytics data and/or collectable data.
In particular, the following problems should be tackled:
One or more of the above-mentioned objectives is achieved by embodiments according to the disclosure as provided in the enclosed independent claims. Advantageous implementations of the present invention are further defined in the dependent claims.
A first aspect of the disclosure provides a device for discovering data in a network, the device being configured to receive collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information from a first device, receive a query for collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information from a second device, and provide the collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information to the second device in response to its query.
The device of the first aspect may be implemented as NRF. The first device may be a device providing collectable data and/or analytics data in the network, e.g. may be implemented as AF and/or NF providing collectable data, or may be implemented as NWDAF providing analytics data. The second device may be a device seeking data in the network, i.e. collectable data and/or analytics data. For instance, the second device may be implemented as OAM seeking analytics data, or may be implemented as NWDAF seeking collectable data. The second device can also be the first device. The collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information may be included in an extended NF Profile (also referred to as “advertisement” herein) as currently defined in TS23.502 and TS29.510. Collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information are defined further below.
With the device of the first aspect, a Discovery Function for collectable data and/or analytics data may be provided in the network. By means of the collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information, the available categories of such data are exposed. In this way, both standard and non-standard collectable data and/or analytics data can be identified, such that it can be requested for collection or consumption. A dynamic and automated discovery of analytics data and/or collectable data is thereby defined, improving on the conventional implementations.
In an implementation form of the first aspect, the device is further configured to provide a notification about a change in the status and/or availability of the collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information to the second device.
Thus, the second device is kept up-to-date about the available data.
A second aspect of the disclosure provides a device for providing collectable data in a network, the device being configured to generate collectable data information related to the collectable data, and send the collectable data information to a device for discovering data in the network.
The device for discovering data in the network can be the device of the first aspect, and may also be the first device and/or the second device.
By providing the collectable data information to the discovery device (Discovery Function), the available collectable data can be exposed in the network.
In an implementation form of the second aspect, the device is further configured to receive a request for collectable data based on the collectable data information, wherein the receiving is from a second device, and provide collection point information related to the collectable data to the second device in response to its request.
The second device is a device seeking data, particularly collectable data, in the network. For instance, it may be an NWDAF. The collectable data information makes it easy for the second device to find the device of the second aspect as a recipient of its request. The collection point information indicates from where the second device can obtain the collectable data.
In a further implementation form of the second aspect, the device is configured to configure a target device that is to receive data from the device.
The target device may be an External Collection Point (ECP) and/or a relay. The configuration can comprise authorization or retrieval interpretation information. The second device can then communicate with the target device, and can request and obtain the collectable data from there.
In a further implementation form of the second aspect, the device is configured to receive a request for collectable data based on the collectable data information, wherein the receiving is from a second device, and provide retrieval interpretation information related to the collectable data to the second device in response to its request, and/or provide retrieval interpretation information for the configuration of a target device
The target device may be a device for providing the collectable data, when the collection point information indicates an indirect collection point. The retrieval interpretation information allows reading and processing also non-standard collectable data.
A third aspect of the disclosure provides a device for providing analytics data in a network, the device being configured to generate analytics metadata information related to an analytics data, and send the analytics metadata information to a device for discovering data in the network.
The device of the third aspect for providing analytics data may be an NWDAF, and may be the device of the second aspect.
By providing the analytics metadata information to the discovery device (Discovery Function), the available analytics data can be exposed in the network.
A fourth aspect of the disclosure provides a device for seeking collectable data in a network, particularly the device of the third aspect, the device being configured to obtain, in particular query and receive, collectable data information from a device for discovering data in the network, obtain, in particular by sending a request for, collectable data according to the collectable data information from a first device, receive collection point information and/or retrieval interpretation information related to the collectable data from the first device in response to the request, and obtain the collectable data from a collection point according to the collection point information and/or based on the retrieval interpretation information.
The first device may be a device providing collectable data, e.g. an NF and/or AF. The collectable data can be obtained from a device providing collectable data and/or from the received collectable information from the device for discovering data.
The device of the fourth aspect can easily and efficiently obtain the collectable data, even if it is non-standardized.
In an implementation form of the fourth aspect, the device is further configured to obtain the collectable data from the first device, if the collection point according to the collection point information is a direct collection point, and/or obtain the collectable data from another device, if the collection point according to the collection point information is an indirect collection point.
In a further implementation form of the fourth aspect, the device is further configured to obtain the collectable data from the first device, to which the request was sent, if the collection point according to the collection point information is a direct collection point, and/or obtain the collectable data from another device, particularly by sending a further request to the another device, which the request was not sent to.
The collectable data may particularly be obtained from another device, if the collection point according to the collection point information is an indirect collection point. The other device may be the external collection point.
A fifth aspect of the disclosure provides a device for seeking analytics data in a network, particularly the device of the second aspect, the device being configured to obtain, in particular query and receive, analytics metadata information from a device for discovering data in the network, obtain, in particular based on a request and/or subscription, analytics data from a second device according to the analytics metadata information.
The device of the fifth aspect may be an OAM. The device of the fifth aspect can easily and efficiently obtain the analytics data, which is available in the network.
A sixth aspect of the disclosure provides a method for discovering data in a network, the method comprising obtaining collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information from a first device, obtaining a query for collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information from a second device, and providing the collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information obtained from the first device to the second device in response to its query.
The method of the sixth aspect achieves the same advantages and effects as the device of the first aspect, and can be extended with corresponding implementation forms.
A seventh aspect of the disclosure provides a method for providing collectable data in a network, the method comprising generating collectable data information related to the collectable data, and sending the collectable data information to a device for discovering data in the network.
The method of the seventh aspect achieves the same advantages and effects as the device of the second aspect, and can be extended with corresponding implementation forms.
An eight aspect of the disclosure provides a method for providing analytics data in a network, the method comprising generating analytics metadata information related to the analytics data, and sending the analytics metadata information to a device for discovering data in the network.
The method of the eighth aspect achieves the same advantages and effects as the device of the third aspect, and can be extended with corresponding implementation forms.
A ninth aspect of the disclosure provides a method for seeking collectable data in a network, the method comprising obtaining, in particular querying and receiving, collectable data information from a device for discovering data in the network, obtaining, in particular by sending a request for, collectable data according to the collectable data information from a first device, obtaining collection point information and/or retrieval interpretation information related to the collectable data, wherein the obtaining is from the first device in response to the request, and obtaining the collectable data from a collection point according to the collection point information and/or based on the retrieval interpretation information.
The method of the ninth aspect achieves the same advantages and effects as the device of the fourth aspect, and can be extended with corresponding implementation forms.
A tenth aspect of the disclosure provides a method for seeking analytics data in a network, the method comprising obtaining, in particular querying and receiving, analytics metadata information from a device for discovering data in the network, obtaining, in particular by sending a request for, analytics data according to the analytics metadata information from a device providing analytics data in the network.
The method of the tenth aspect achieves the same advantages and effects as the device of the fifth aspect, and can be extended with corresponding implementation forms.
In an implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the collectable data information indicates related collectable data and how this related collectable data can be obtained.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the collectable data information includes at least one of an identification of related collectable data, a type of the related collectable data, a service of the device providing the related collectable data, in particular which is to be used to obtain the collectable data, collection point information, retrieval interpretation information.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the analytics metadata information indicates related analytics data.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the analytics metadata information includes at least one of: an identification of related analytics data, a category of the analytics data, and/or a type of the analytics data, a target object, e.g. per network slice or per application, a target value, e.g. key performance indicators associated with the identification of the related analytics data, a target parameter, e.g. a granularity of, collection interval for, and/or algorithm applicable for, the related analytics data.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the collection point information indicates from where related collectable data can be obtained.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the collection point information includes at least one of: a type of a related collection point, in particular a type of a direct or an indirect collection point, an identification of the related collection point.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the retrieval interpretation information indicates how related collectable data can be read and/or processed.
In a further implementation form of any of the first to tenth aspects, the retrieval interpretation information includes at least one of: an identification of interpreter applicable to related collectable data, an interpreter type, an interpreter reference.
It has to be noted that the devices, elements, units and means described in the present application could be implemented in software or hardware elements or any kind of combination thereof. All steps which are performed by the various entities described in the present application as well as the functionalities described to be performed by the various entities are intended to mean that the respective entity is adapted to or configured to perform the respective steps and functionalities. Even if, in the following description of specific embodiments, a specific functionality or step to be performed by external entities is not reflected in the description of a specific detailed element of that entity which performs that specific step or functionality, it should be clear for a skilled person that these methods and functionalities can be implemented in respective software or hardware elements, or any kind of combination thereof.
The above described aspects and implementation forms of the present disclosure will be explained in the following description of specific embodiments in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:
In particular, device 100 is configured to discover data in the network. Device 102 is configured to provide collectable data in the network. Device 103 is configured to provide analytics data in the network. Device 105 is configured to seek data in the network. Device 106 is configured to seek particularly collectable data in the network. Device 109 is configured to seek particularly analytics metadata information. Accordingly, device 106 and 109 may be the same as device 105. Further, device 106 and device 103 may be implemented as a single device, as well as device 109 and device 102.
Device 100 is particularly configured to receive collectable data information 101a and/or analytics metadata information 101b from device 102 and/or 103. Further, device 100 is configured to receive a query 104 for collectable data information and/or analytics metadata information, for instance, from device 105. It may, however, also receive such a query 104 from device 102 and/or device 103. Device 100 is then configured to provide the collectable data information 101a and/or analytics metadata information 101b received from the device 102 to the second device 105 (and/or device 102 and/or device 103) in response to its query 104. Device 100 may be a Discovery Function and/or a NRF. Device 105 may be an OAM.
Device 100 may further provide a notification 110 about a change in the status and/or availability of the collectable data information 101a and/or analytics metadata 101b information to the device 105 (and/or device 102 and/or device 103).
Device 102 is particularly configured to generate the collectable data information 101a related to the collectable data, and send the collectable data information 101a to the device 100. The device(s) 102 may be NFs 102a, and/or AFs 102a, and/or a data storage.
Device 102 may further receive a request 107 for collectable data based on the collectable data information, wherein the receiving may be from device 106, as exemplarily shown in
Device 103 is configured to generate the analytics metadata information 101b related to the analytics data, and send the analytics metadata information 101b to the device 100. The device 103 may be an Analytics Function and/or a NWDAF.
Device 106 is configured to obtain, for example to query and receive, the collectable data information 101a from the device 100, and then obtain, for example by sending a request 107 for, collectable data according to the collectable data information 101 from device 102. Further, the device 106 is configured to receive collection point information 108a and/or retrieval interpretation information 108b related to the collectable data from device 102 in response to the request 107, and to obtain the collectable data from a collection point according to the collection point information 108a and/or based on the retrieval interpretation information 108b. The device 106 may be an Analytics Function and/or NWDAF or another 5GS entity.
Device 109 is configured to obtain, for example to query 123 and receive 124, the analytics metadata information 101b from device 100, and to obtain, in particular based on a request 125 and/or on a subscription, analytics data from the device 103 according to the analytics metadata information 101b obtained from device 100.
With reference to the network and devices 100, 102, 103, 105, 106, 109 shown in
The device 100 may be a Discovery Function (e.g., implemented in NRF) of a 5GS supporting the discovery of the collectable data from sources of collectable data, e.g. the devices 102 providing collectable date in the network, e.g., 5GS entities, such as NFs/AFs 102, (NF 102a/AF 102b) and for supporting the discovery of analytics data from an Analytics Function, e.g. the device 103 for providing analytics data.
The device 100 for discovering data in the network may particularly be adapted to:
The collectable data may generally be any information that is exposed by a producer, and can retrieved by a consumer. The collectable data information 101a may specifically be composed of at least one of: identification of the collectable data; the type of collectable data (structured/standardized, or unstructured data/non-standardized); a service from the device 102 providing the collectable data, which is to be used by the consumer to request/subscribe to the collectable data; collection point information; and/or retrieval interpretation information.
The analytics metadata information 101b may be composed of at least one of: an analytics data ID, an analytics data category ID, an analytics data type ID; a reporting/target object (e.g., “per network slice, per application, per TA”); target values (e.g., all KPIs associated with the analytics ID); target parameters (e.g., “analytics generation granularity”, “interval of data collection for analytics generation”, “algorithms applicable for analytics ID”).
The device 103 for providing analytics data (Analytics Function) may be configured to:
The collection point information 108a contains at least the following fields: a type of collection point (i.e., direct or indirect), an identification of a collection point (e.g., IP address of the collection point or IF of NF, and/or service to be invoke for retrieving the collectable data at such address), i.e., where the collectable data should be retrieved.
The retrieval interpretation information 108b can be the schema and/or parser and/or script to be used to process (e.g., calculating average value from a set of samples) and/or read (e.g., by using the schema to read the structure of the data) the collectable data.
The retrieval point is an entity where the collectable data is stored, and it can be a direct retrieval point, which means the device providing the collectable data is the same entity that stores the collectable data. Alternatively, it can be an indirect collection point, where the entity storing the collectable data, i.e. the External Collection Point (ECP), is not the same entity that generates/produce/provides the collectable data.
The device 102 for providing collectable data (source of collectable data) may configure the ECP (also referred to as “target device” to be configured) with the authorization of which entities, such as device 103, can retrieve the stored collectable data at the ECP. The configuration of the authorization can be a default configuration at the ECP, or it can be executed before the source of collectable data sends the response associated with the request/subscription for the collectable data stored at the ECP.
The device 103, after querying the device 100 and subscribing/requesting to collect data from the device 102 should have the following information: collectable data information 101a, collection point information 108a, and retrieval interpretation information 108b.
2: These steps are related to the discovery of information by querying (i.e., sending a search request) the information stored at the Discovery Function 100.
2a, b: NF 102a and/or AFs 102b and/or OAM (here device 105) send a query to the Discovery Function 100 searching for analytics metadata information 101b associated with the Analytics Function 103.
2c: Analytics Function 103 queries the Discovery Function 100 searching for collectable data.
3: NF 102a and/or AF 102b and/or OAM 105 subscribe to receive from the Discovery Function 100 notifications about changes in the status of the collectable data information 101a as well as the analytics metadata information 101b. Eventually, changes either in collectable data information 101a or analytics metadata information 101b are updated at the Discovery Function 100, and the entities that subscribed to such changes will receive the notification message and might use such notification to adjust their operation.
3a: NF 102a and/or AFs 102b and/or OAM 105 subscribe to receive notifications about changes related to the analytics metadata information 101b advertised/registered by Analytics Function 103 at the Discovery Function 100.
3b: Analytics Function 103 subscribes to receive notifications about changes related to the collectable data information 101a advertised/registered by NFs/AFs 102 at the Discovery Function 100.
3c: If changes in collectable data information 101a and/or analytics metadata information 101b occur, they are propagated to the Discovery Function 100, which will notify the entities that subscribed to receive the notification of changes related to such information and they might adapt their operations accordingly.
4: NF 102a and/or AF 102b and/or OAM 105, based on the discovered analytics metadata information 101b, subscribe to the Analytics Function 103 to receive analytics data.
5: These steps describe the process to enable the Analytics Function 103 to retrieve the collectable data associated with the collectable data information 101a queried at the Discovery Function 100.
5a: The Analytics Functions 103 send a request to the NF 102a and/or AF 102b with the registration to retrieve one or more collectable data exposed by such NF 102a and/or AF 102b.
5b: NF 102a and/or AF 102b decide to accept or not the request from the Analytics Function 103, in case of acceptance, NF 102a and/or AF 102b define the collection point for the requested collectable data. If the collection point information 108a is included in the collectable data information 101a used in the NF 102a and/or AF 102b registration, the NF and/or AF 102 must be consistent and decide for the same collection point information 108a advertised.
5c: If the collection point type for the collectable data is indirect, NF 102a and/or AF 102b send to the ECP 200 the configuration to allow the Analytics Function 103 to retrieve data from the ECP 200. This configuration includes the authorization and, if necessary, the retrieval interpretation information 108b, e.g., the schema and/or parser and/or script to be used by the ECP 200 for preparing the data to be collected.
5d: NF 102a and/or AF 102b send the subscription response to the Analytics Function 103, in case of acceptance of the subscription, the NF 102a and/or AF 102b includes in the response the collection point information 108a and/or the retrieval interpretation information 108b for each requested collectable data, if collection point information 108a and/or retrieval interpretation information 108b were not defined previously in Step 1.
6: These steps are related to the actual data collection performed by the Analytics Function 103. Analytics Function 103 should have the collectable data information 101a, the collection point information 108a, and the retrieval interpretation information 108b, in order to efficiently retrieve the collectable data.
6a: Using the collection point information 108a, the Analytics Function 103 performs the direct data collection at NF 102a and/or AF 102b; and/or
6b: Using the collection point information 108a, the Analytics Function 103 performs the indirect data collection at the ECP 200 (which is an entity that is not the same source of collectable data).
6c: The ECP 200 checks if the consumer, i.e., the Analytics Function 103, is authorized to retrieve the collectable data, and if necessary the ECP 200 applies the retrieval interpretation information 108b for processing the collectable data to be sent to the Analytics Function 103. If the request received by the ECP 200 implies multiple occurrence of notifications of the collectable data, the ECP 200 is configured, if necessary, to apply for each notification the retrieval interpretation information 108b before sending the notification.
6d: The Analytics Function 103 receives the collectable data from the collection point (NF, and/or AF 102) indicated in the collection point information 108a, and uses the retrieval interpretation information 108b to process and/or read the received collectable data.
7: The Analytics Function 103 uses the collectable data for the generation of analytics data.
Accordingly, the following enhancements and functions are proposed with respect to
The main advantages, to which the above enhancements and functions lead, are:
Below, some general concepts of applying embodiment of the disclosure to 3GPP 5GS based on the Rel. 15 and definitions of the Study Item for Rel. 16 on Enablers for Network Automation for 5G are now described:
The following detailed description of embodiments according to the disclosure is based on the above-mentioned preferred implementation of the device 100 in the NRF, i.e. the NRF 100 based alternative.
The collection point information 108a may be implemented as:
The retrieval point information 108b may be implemented as:
The collectable data information 101a and/or the analytics metadata information 101b may be included in an advertisement and may be implemented by:
The query 104 for the collectable data information 101a and/or analytics metadata information 101b may be implemented by:
Some general definitions in this context for discovery of collectable data and analytics data considering the NRF-based implementation are:
Notably, in case that the AF 102 is not allowed by operator to directly access the NFs 102, the interaction may happen via NEF 300.
Notably, in case that AF 102b is not allowed by operator to directly access the NFs 102a, the interaction will happen via NEF 300.
Notably, steps 5-8 can happen at any time that a change in the collectable data information 101b happens.
The present disclosure has been described in conjunction with various embodiments as examples as well as implementations. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the independent claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or another unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation.
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/077849, filed on Oct. 12, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2018/077849 | Oct 2018 | US |
| Child | 17227025 | US |
