Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for virtualized network function (VNF) component (VNFC) level performance management are provided. One method includes collecting virtualized resources measurements, identifying virtualized network function components that the virtualized resources measurements belong to, and associating the collected virtualized resources measurements with an application function (MF).

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for virtualized network function (VNF) component (VNFC) level performance management are provided. One method includes collecting virtualized resources measurements, identifying virtualized network function components that the virtualized resources measurements belong to, and associating the collected virtualized resources measurements with an application function (MF).

Abstract: A method and apparatus may include transmitting a scaling request. The scaling request comprises a request for virtualized network function expansion or virtualized network function contraction. The scaling request is transmitted to a second network node. A first domain is directed to application level details. A second domain is directed to virtualization level details. The scaling request comprises: (1) a relative target capacity that is generic to both the first domain and the second domain, (2) an absolute target capacity that is specific to the first domain, or (3) a relative target capacity that is specific to virtualized network function level targets. The method may also include receiving a notification that a virtualization network function has been updated based on the transmitted scaling request.

Abstract: There are provided measures for inactivity timer evaluation. Such measures exemplarily comprise monitoring a communication related state, determining, upon a first state change indicative of a start of a communication, a duration amount of a period between said first state change and a preceding second state change indicative of an end of a preceding communication, and adjusting a control value based on a distribution of a plurality of determined duration amounts.

Abstract: A method of energy saving is applied to a mobile communications network comprising at least two radio access technology systems (102; 104) having a plurality of base stations (108-118). The method comprises the steps of: assigning (136a; 136b) respective priorities to the radio access technology systems; and an energy saving server (136a; 136b) instructing, on the basis of the priorities, a selected radio access technology system to reduce the operational state cells in a group of cells. This reduction occurs if the selected radio access technology system and/or another radio access technology system is able to maintain service to served mobile terminals.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from methods, apparatuses, and systems for data collection. For example, wireless communication systems of the third generation partnership project (3GPP) may benefit from data collection in network management layer coverage and capacity optimization. For example, a method may include sending performance measurement job activation indicating that minimization of drive test data is to be collected (in an alternative, the job can be configured to indicate that non-MDT data is to be collected). The method may also include receiving performance measurements in response to the job activation.

Abstract: There are provided measures for inactivity timer evaluation. Such measures exemplarily comprise monitoring a communication related state, determining, upon a first state change indicative of a start of a communication, a duration amount of a period between said first state change and a preceding second state change indicative of an end of a preceding communication, and adjusting a control value based on a distribution of a plurality of determined duration amounts.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for coordinated scheduling of network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) maintenance are provided. One method includes receiving, by a network function virtualization entity, a request for scheduled maintenance of a network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI). The method may also include determining whether one or more resources required for the maintenance of the NFVI are reserved, and sending an approval or rejection of the request for maintenance based on the determination of whether the resources are reserved.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for packet delay measurement are provided. One method may include sending, by a network node, a grant in uplink to a user equipment that previously indicated a need for data transmission for quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) services. The method may then include storing a time of the uplink grant to the user equipment, and measuring a time point when a last part of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) serving data unit (SDU) related to QCI services has been confirmed by sending an acknowledgement to the user equipment.

Abstract: A method including receiving a message at a first cell including at least one of: state information for the first cell; and state information for any neighbouring cells of the first cell; and determining a neighbouring relationship between the first cell and any neighbouring cells.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may include transmitting a scaling request. The scaling request comprises a request for virtualized network function expansion or virtualized network function contraction. The scaling request is transmitted to a second network node. A first domain is directed to application level details. A second domain is directed to virtualization level details. The scaling request comprises: (1) a relative target capacity that is generic to both the first domain and the second domain, (2) an absolute target capacity that is specific to the first domain, or (3) a relative target capacity that is specific to virtualized network function level targets. The method may also include receiving a notification that a virtualization network function has been updated based on the transmitted scaling request.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for measuring throughput as a measure of performance and/or quality of service are provided. One method comprises, over an observation period for at least one of an uplink direction and a downlink direction, measuring an amount of padding bits in each protocol data unit (PDU) that is successfully transmitted in the said direction and that carries data relevant to a given throughput measure. The method may also comprise transforming the measured amounts of padding bits to the time domain and summing the transformed amounts of padding in the time domain. The method may also comprise utilizing the summed amount of padding in the time domain to account for small data transmissions in a calculation for the given throughput measure.

Abstract: There are provided measures for evaluation of throughput of carrier aggregated user equipments. Such measures exemplarily include determining, per communication endpoint implementing carrier aggregation aggregating one primary connection and at least one secondary connection, a transmission volume with at least one activated secondary connection, determining, per communication endpoint implementing carrier aggregation aggregating one primary connection and at least one secondary connection, a time with transmission data in a transmission buffer and at least one activated secondary connection, and obtaining, per communication endpoint, a transmission throughput with at least one activated secondary connection, based on said transmission volume and said time.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products are disclosed for enhancing mobility robustness optimization in self optimizing networks. Neighbor relation information indicating relations between a handover source cell and candidate handover target cell(s), each including a first counter indicating events of an unsuccessful handover of a user equipment from the handover source cell to one candidate handover target cell, and a second counter indicating events of connection re-establishment attempt of the user equipment to the candidate handover target cell after an unsuccessful handover to another cell. A first candidate handover target cell to which handover of the user equipment was unsuccessful and a second candidate handover target cell to which the user equipment has re-established a connection, out of the candidate handover target cells, are determined.

Abstract: When the operator of a mobile communication system applies one of: “dynamic Tracking Area List” or “smart paging” for more efficient paging, the “real” size of the Tracking Area, i. e., the number of cells over which a S1AP-paging is broadcasted on average, becomes difficult to calculate in real time; A method of determining tracking area size information is therefore proposed comprising: obtaining the average number of paging records per cell, and dividing it by average number of RRC-Connection-Setup, for terminated calls, per cell; the result is proportional to the real TA size; the obtained value is proposed as a new KPI, Key Performance Indicator.

Abstract: Correlation of information related to network operations may be useful in many communication systems. For example, certain wireless communication networks may benefit from alarm correlation in network function virtualization environments. A method can include correlating alarms within a lower layer of a network function virtualization environment. The method can also include forwarding at least one of the correlated alarms to an entity managing an upper layer of the network function virtualization environment for further correlation with upper layer alarms.

Abstract: When the operator of a mobile communication system applies one of: “dynamic Tracking Area List” or “smart paging” for more efficient paging, the “real” size of the Tracking Area, i. e., the number of cells over which a S1AP-paging is broadcasted on average, becomes difficult to calculate in real time; A method of determining tracking area size information is therefore proposed comprising: obtaining the average number of paging records per cell, and dividing it by average number of RRC-Connection-Setup, for terminated calls, per cell; the result is proportional to the real TA size; the obtained value is proposed as a new KPI, Key Performance Indicator.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for packet delay measurement are provided. One method may include sending, by a network node, a grant in uplink to a user equipment that previously indicated a need for data transmission for quality of service (QoS) class identifier (QCI) services. The method may then include storing a time of the uplink grant to the user equipment, and measuring a time point when a last part of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) serving data unit (SDU) related to QCI services has been confirmed by sending an acknowledgement to the user equipment.

Abstract: A method including receiving a message at a first cell including at least one of: state information for the first cell; and state information for any neighbouring cells of the first cell; and determining a neighbouring relationship between the first cell and any neighbouring cells.

Abstract: A method including obtaining information including at least one indicator at a first cell; and using said information to determine the available capability of said first cell for load balancing between said first cell and at least one second cell in a self-organising network.