System, method, and computer program for managing fault recovery in network function virtualization (NFV) based networks

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer code executable by a computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

• selecting a first network component of a network function virtualization (NFV) based network, the first network component being a first hardware unit having one or more computer processors for executing an instance of a VNF on a virtual machine of the first hardware unit;
• detecting at least one probable failure of the first network component;
• prior to a failure of the first network component, selecting a second network component to be used for replacing the instance of the VNF in the first network component when the first network component is faulty, the second network component being a second hardware unit having one or more computer processors for executing another instance of the VNF on a virtual machine of the second hardware unit;
• securing at least one resource of the selected second network component for the other instance of the VNF;
• maintaining, in the selected second network component, an updated copy of data associated with the instance of the VNF in the first network component;
• responsive to detecting that the first network component is faulty, using the secured at least one resource of the selected second network component and the updated copy of data maintained in the selected second network component to initiate in the second network component the other instance of the VNF that replaces in the NFV based network the instance of the VNF in the faulty first network component.

A system comprising:

• a memory system;
• and
• one or more processing cores coupled to the memory system and that are each configured to:
• select a first network component of a network function virtualization (NFV) based network, the first network component being a first hardware unit having one or more computer processors for executing an instance of a VNF on a virtual machine of the first hardware unit;
• detect at least one probable failure of the first network component;
• prior to a failure of the first network component, select a second network component to be used for replacing the instance of the VNF in the first network component when the first network component is faulty, the second network component being a second hardware unit having one or more computer processors for executing another instance of the VNF on a virtual machine of the second hardware unit;
• secure at least one resource of the selected second network component for the other instance of the VNF;
• maintain, in the selected second network component, an updated copy of data associated with the instance of the VNF in the first network component;
• responsive to detecting that the first network component is faulty, use the secured at least one resource of the selected second network component and the updated copy of data maintained in the selected second network component to initiate in the second network component the other instance of the VNF that replaces in the NFV based network the instance of the VNF in the faulty first network component.