An algorithm for load balancing in network management applications managing Virtualised Network Functions

Abstract

In network management applications, load balancing has typically been achieved by manually configuring the application in-situ or using configuration information generated using offline tools. As networks increase in scale and heterogeneity, management applications are being designed to take advantage of scalable computer hardware and often have multiple instances, each of which bears a portion of the management load of the network elements or functions being managed. The communication between management applications and the network elements they are managing is often stateful, posing a challenge for load balancing because connections must be managed if responsibility for managing some network elements change from one instance to another during load balancing. In this paper, we describe an algorithm that enables load balancing of telecommunication management applications for an arbitrary number of VNFs (Virtual Network Functions). The algorithm, triggered by NFV (Network Function Virtualisaton) orchestration, is horizontally scalable and there is no single point of failure once two or more management application instances are running.