Formal model checking based approaches to optimized realizations of network functions in multi-cloud environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10904099-B2
Application number	US-201816124866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving logical model input that specifies a logical topology model of networking elements and/or computing elements for deployment at least partially in a private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially in a public cloud computing infrastructure; receiving resource input specifying an inventory of computing elements that are available at least partially in the private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially in the public cloud computing infrastructure; automatically generating an intermediate topology comprising a set of deployment instructions that are capable of execution at least partially in the private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially in the public cloud computing infrastructure to cause physical realization of a network deployment corresponding to the logical topology model; determining whether the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model; in response to determining that the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model, transmitting the deployment instructions at least partially to the private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially to the public cloud computing infrastructure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, logical model input that specifies a logical topology model of computing elements for deployment at least partially in a private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially in a public cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving, by the computing device, first resource input data specifying a first inventory of computing elements that are available in the private cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving second resource input data specifying a second inventory of computing elements that are available in the public cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving constraint input data that specifies a constraint on deployment of a computing element of the computing elements, the constraint comprising an indication that the computing element is at least one of restricted from being deployed, or is to be deployed, on one of the public cloud computing infrastructure or the private cloud computing infrastructure;
generating, by the computing device and based at least in part on the logical topology model, the first resource input data, the second resource input data, and the constraint input data, an intermediate topology comprising:
a first set of deployment instructions configured for execution in the private cloud computing infrastructure causing physical deployment of a first portion of a network deployment corresponding to the logical topology model; and
a second set of deployment instructions configured for execution in the public cloud computing infrastructure causing physical deployment of a second portion of the network deployment corresponding to the logical topology model;

determining, by the computing device, that the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model; and
in response to determining that the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model:
transmitting, by the computing device, the first set of deployment instructions to the private cloud computing infrastructure; and
transmitting, by the computing device, the second set of deployment instructions to the public cloud computing infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
optimizing the intermediate topology based upon the constraint input data, including automatically remapping the intermediate topology to an optimized network topology by placing, in the private cloud computing infrastructure, the computing element of the public cloud computing infrastructure that the intermediate topology had placed in the public cloud computing infrastructure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the constraint input data specifies at least one attribute of the private cloud computing infrastructure and at least one attribute of the public cloud computing infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, in response to determining that the intermediate topology is not functionally equivalent to the logical topology model:
receiving one or more of updated logical model input, updated resource input and updated constraint input data;
based on the one or more of updated logical model input, updated resource input and updated constraint input data, automatically generating an updated intermediate topology;
verifying whether the updated intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model; and
optimizing the intermediate topology based upon the constraint input data, including automatically remapping the intermediate topology to an optimized network topology by placing, in the private cloud computing infrastructure, the computing element of the public cloud computing infrastructure that the intermediate topology had placed in the public cloud computing infrastructure.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising repeating the steps of claim 4 two or more times until the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically generating the intermediate topology using at least two different public cloud adaptors that are programmed to generate the intermediate topology with at least two sets of instructions that correspond to at least two different technologies of two different cloud service providers that provide parts of the public cloud computing infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the deployment instructions by at least one of uploading configuration files, transmitting instructions to instantiate virtual machines, or other electronic means of instructing a private cloud network or public cloud network to configure executable processes, virtual machines or physical machines to operate according to an optimized network topology.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising asynchronously detecting a change in any of network resources, constraints or the logical model input and in response, re-performing the generating and determining steps for the intermediate topology in an updated manner based on the change.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on the logical topology model, the first resource input data, and the second resource input data:
the private cloud computing infrastructure has availability for the first portion of the network deployment; and
the public cloud computing infrastructure has availability for the second portion of the network deployment.

10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed using one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
receiving logical model input that specifies a logical topology model of computing elements for deployment at least partially in a private cloud computing infrastructure and at least partially in a public cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving first resource input specifying a first inventory of computing elements that are available in the private cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving second resource input specifying a second inventory of computing elements that are available in the public cloud computing infrastructure;
receiving constraint input data that specifies a constraint on deployment of a computing element of the computing elements, the constraint comprising an indication that the computing element is at least one of restricted from being deployed, or is to be deployed, on one of the public cloud computing infrastructure or the private cloud computing infrastructure;
generating, based at least in part on the first resource input, the second resource input, and the constraint input data, an intermediate topology comprising:
a first set of deployment instructions configured for execution in the private cloud computing infrastructure causing deployment of a first portion of a network deployment corresponding to the logical topology model; and
a second set of deployment instructions configured for execution in the public cloud computing infrastructure causing deployment of a second portion of the network deployment corresponding to the logical topology model;

determining that the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model; and
in response to determining that the intermediate topology is functionally equivalent to the logical topology model:
transmitting the first set of deployment instructions to the private cloud computing infrastructure; and
transmitting the second set of deployment instructions to the public cloud computing infrastructure.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 10 , further comprising sequences of instruct

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kandaswamy Sridar
• Melander Bob

Classifications

• H04L41/12 Primary

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L41/145 Primary

  involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network · CPC title

• G06F30/3323

  using formal methods, e.g. equivalence checking or property checking · CPC title

• H04L41/0823

  characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability (for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02) · CPC title