Context-aware dynamic policy selection for messaging behavior

• US 9,450,895 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Strassner, John Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/303,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

Messaging policies can be dynamically updated based on operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAMP) data generated by data plane entities of a messaging network. For example existing messaging policies may be dynamically modified based on OAMP data generated by message brokers and/or network elements (e.g., queues). As another example, new messaging policies may be dynamically created based on the OAMP data. As another example, an updated set of messaging policies may be selected from a pool of policies based on the OAMP data. Dynamically updating messaging policies can be achieved using information model processing frameworks, such as the next generation directory enabled networks (DEN-ng) model. Various events may trigger the creation of new messaging policies and metrics, such as adding new data plane entities and/or network elements to the network, receiving new messaging instructions, etc.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically adjusting messaging behavior, the method comprising:

instructing a messaging broker in a communications network to provide messaging services to users in accordance with an initial set of policies during a first period;

obtaining operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAMP) data from a messaging system being managed, and distributing the OAMP data to entities in a management system using the messaging services provided during the first period;

obtaining an updated set of policies in accordance with the OAMP data collected, the updated set of policies reflecting the nature of the OAMP data collected; and

instructing the messaging broker to provide messaging services between the management system and the messaging system in accordance with the updated set of policies during a second period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial set of policies are selected from a pool of policies stored in a policy rule repository of the communications network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the updated set of policies that reflect the nature of the OAMP data comprises:

retrieving the OAMP data;

examining the OAMP data to detect statistics and trends; and

selecting the updated set of policies from a pool of policies in accordance with the detected statistics and trends.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the updated set of policies comprises selecting the updated policies on a context-aware basis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the updated set of policies in accordance with the OAMP data comprises:

selecting a set of pre-defined policies from a pool of policies; and

modifying the set of pre-defined policies in accordance with the OAMP data to obtain the updated set of policies.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the updated set of policies in accordance with the OAMP data comprises:

creating at least one new policy in accordance with the OAMP data, wherein the at least one new policy is included in the updated set of policies.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message broker remains in continuous runtime operation from the beginning of the first period to the end of the second period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated set of policies include at least one policy that is excluded from the initial set of policies, or vice versa.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing a critical situation based on OAMP data generated by the messaging system during the second period; and

instructing the messaging broker to provide messaging services in accordance with a supplemental set of policies prior to expiration of the second period, thereby remedying the critical situation prior to expiration of the second period.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the OAMP data includes OAMP data generated by the messaging system and OAMP data generated by the messaging broker, and wherein both the OAMP data generated by the messaging system and the OAMP data generated by the messaging broker are communicated to the management system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the OAMP data describes an operation of the messaging system and is generated by at least one messaging queue storing incoming messages of the messaging broker, outgoing messages of the messaging broker, or both.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the OAMP data describes an operation of the messaging system and is generated by at least one messaging broker.

13. A device configured to provide message-oriented middleware functionality in a communications network, the device comprising:

a rule repository configured to store a pool of messaging policies;

a messaging broker configured to process transmitted messages into received messages in accordance with an initial set of messaging policies during a first period, the transmitted messages being communicated from sending devices, the received messages configured to be communicated to recipient devices;

a plurality of messaging queues configured to store the received messages prior to the received messages being communicated to the recipient devices; and

a context-aware policy manager configured to dynamically update the set of messaging policies in accordance with operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAMP) data generated by the messaging broker, the messaging queues, or both during the first period.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the messaging broker is configured to process transmitted messages into received messages in accordance with the updated set of messaging policies during a second period that follows the first period, and wherein the communications network is configured to remain in continuous runtime operation from the beginning of the first period to the end of the second period.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the updated set of policies include at least one policy that is excluded from the initial set of policies.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the initial set of policies include at least one policy that is excluded from the updated set of policies.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the OAMP data includes OAMP data is generated by a messaging system being managed during the first period.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the OAMP data includes OAMP data generated by messaging queues storing, during the first period, incoming messages of the messaging broker, outgoing messages of the messaging broker, or both.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to;

instruct a messaging broker in a communications network to provide messaging services to users in accordance with an initial set of policies during a first period;

obtain operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAMP) data resulting from the messaging services provided during the first period;

obtain an updated set of policies in accordance with the OAMP data collected, the updated set of policies reflecting the nature of the OAMP data collected; and

instruct the messaging broker to provide messaging services to the users in accordance with the updated set of policies during a second period.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the initial set of policies are selected from a pool of policies stored in a rule repository of the communications network.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the instructions to obtain the updated set of policies in accordance with the OAMP data includes instructions to:

create at least one new policy in accordance with the OAMP data, wherein the at least one new policy is included in the updated set of policies.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the updated set of policies include at least one policy that is excluded from the initial set of policies, or vice versa.