Creating and using service control functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10892948-B2
Application number	US-201916504592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for creating and using service control functions. The service control functions can detect a message via an adapter function. The message can relate to a service controlled by the service control functions. Service policies can be accessed. The service policies can include message handling policies and can be accessed to determine if a policy relating to the message exists. If a determination is made that the policy exists, the message and the policy can be analyzed to determine an action to take with respect to the message, and the action can be initiated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a control system that comprises a processor and a memory, a message that relates to a performance issue associated with a service that is controlled by a service control function that is a component of a service control that is stored in the memory, wherein the message is received from a network scope controller or an infrastructure scope controller;
determining, by the processor and based on analyzing message handling policies, if there exists a message handling policy that relates to the message;
if a determination is made that there exists the message handling policy that relates to the message, routing, by the processor, the message in accordance with the message handing policy that relates to the message; and
if a determination is made that there does not exist the message handling policy that relates to the message, executing, by the processor, a default action specified by a default message handling policy to route the message.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
translating the message from a first format that is associated with the network scope controller or the infrastructure scope controller to a second format that is associated with the service control.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor communicates with infrastructure using an application programming interface exposed by the service control, and wherein the service is installed on the infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the service comprises a virtual service function, a virtual service function management function, and a network element management function.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is received via an adapter function, wherein the service control comprises a higher level service control function, the service control function, and a lower level service control function, and wherein the service control function comprises the adapter function, a message handler, and a service inventory.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing, by the processor, service policies that define handling of the message;
determining, by the processor, an action to take with respect to the message based on contents of the message and based on the service policies; and
initiating, by the processor, the action based on the determining.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service is installed on infrastructure, and wherein the service comprises a virtual service function, a virtual service function management function, and a network element management function.

8. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving a message that relates to a performance issue associated with a service that is controlled by a service control function that is a component of a service control that is stored in the memory, wherein the message is received from a network scope controller or an infrastructure scope controller,
determining, based on analyzing message handling policies, if there exists a message handling policy that relates to the message,
if a determination is made that there exists the message handling policy that relates to the message, routing the message in accordance with the message handing policy that relates to the message, and
if a determination is made that there does not exist the message handling policy that relates to the message, executing a default action specified by a default message handling policy to route the message.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
translating the message from a first format that is associated with the network scope controller or the infrastructure scope controller to a second format that is associated with the service control.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
communicating with infrastructure using an application programming interface exposed by the service control, wherein the service is installed on the infrastructure.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the service is installed on infrastructure, and wherein the service comprises a virtual service function, a virtual service function management function, and a network element management function.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the message is received via an adapter function, wherein the service control comprises a higher level service control function, the service control function, and a lower level service control function, and wherein the service control function comprises the adapter function, a message handler, and a service inventory.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
accessing service policies that define handling of the message;
determining an action to take with respect to the message based on contents of the message and based on the service policies; and
initiating the action based on the determining.

14. A computer storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a message that relates to a performance issue associated with a service that is controlled by a service control function that is a component of a service control, wherein the message is received from a network scope controller or an infrastructure scope controller;
determining, based on analyzing message handling policies, if there exists a message handling policy that relates to the message;
if a determination is made that there exists the message handling policy that relates to the message, routing the message in accordance with the message handing policy that relates to the message; and
if a determination is made that there does not exist the message handling policy that relates to the message, executing a default action specified by a default message handling policy to route the message.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
translating the message from a first format that is associated with the network scope controller or the infrastructure scope controller to a second format that is associated with the service control.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
communicating with infrastructure using an application programming interface exposed by the service control, wherein the service is installed on the infrastructure.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the service comprises a virtual service function, a virtual service function management function, and a network element management function.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the service is installed on infrastructure, and wherein the service comprises a virtual service function, a virtual service function management function, and a network element management function.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the message i

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Chastain Walter Cooper
• Klein Reuben
• Bragg Dean
• Oetting John
• Cariello Frank
• Smith Jr Paul Edward

Classifications

• H04L41/0893 Primary

  Assignment of logical groups to network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/0895

  Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements · CPC title

• H04L45/42

  Centralised routing · CPC title

• H04L45/302

  Route determination based on requested QoS · CPC title

• G06F9/45533

  Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors · CPC title