Overlay network billing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10924291-B2
Application number	US-201916730960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

Operations include determining billing for data being transmitted out of an Autonomous System (AS). An internal node in the AS determines billing for a packet transmitted out of the AS based at least on an egress path of the packet. The packet is received at the internal node in the AS The internal node selects an egress path of the packet based on one or more characteristics of the packet. The egress path is mapped directly or indirectly to a billing counter. The billing counter is incremented based on (a) the transmission of the packet on the overlay network to the egress gateway and (b) transmission of the packet out of the AS on the selected egress path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes performance of operations comprising:
receiving, by an internal node in an Autonomous System (AS), a packet destined for an Internet address external to the AS;
based on the Internet address: determining, by the internal node, an egress path to transmit the packet toward the Internet address;
mapping the egress path to a billing counter of a plurality of billing counters;
incrementing the billing counter in relation to transmission of the packet on the egress path; and
transmitting the packet, by the internal node, toward an egress gateway of the AS on the egress path.

2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein mapping the egress path to the billing counter comprises:
mapping the egress path to a billing classification tag; and
mapping the billing classification tag to the billing counter.

3. The medium of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
prior to receiving the packet:
storing information mapping a plurality of billing classification tags to a plurality of billing counters.

4. The medium of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
prior to receiving the packet:
storing information mapping each billing classification tag, of a plurality of billing classification tags, to at least one egress path.

5. The medium of claim 2 , wherein the billing classification tag corresponds to a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) community tag.

6. The medium of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving, from a logical peer outside of the AS, routing information comprising the egress path.

7. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the packet is received by the internal node on a particular overlay network of a plurality of overlay networks, and wherein the mapping operation comprises mapping the egress path and the particular overlay network to the billing counter.

8. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the particular overlay network and the billing counter correspond to a same tenant in a multi-tenant environment.

9. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by a second node in the AS, a second packet destined for a second Internet address external to the AS;
based on the second Internet address: determining, by the AS, a second egress path to transmit the second packet toward the second Internet address;
mapping the second egress path to a billing classification tag;
determining whether an existing billing counter corresponds to the billing classification tag;
responsive to determining that no existing billing counter corresponds to the billing classification tag, generating a new billing counter corresponding to the billing classification tag;
incrementing the new billing counter in relation to the transmission of the second packet on the second egress path; and
transmitting the second packet on the second egress path.

10. The medium of claim 1 , wherein mapping the egress path to the billing counter comprises:
determining an encryption type associated with the egress path and mapping the encryption type to the billing counter.

11. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
for each particular billing counter of a set of billing counters (a) associated with a same tenant in the plurality of tenants and (b) maintained by a plurality of nodes in the AS:
computing a subtotal corresponding to the particular billing counter based on a counter value associated with the billing counter, and a rate associated with the billing counter; and
adding the subtotals for the set of billing counters to determine a total charge for the tenant.

12. The medium of claim 11 , wherein computing and adding the subtotals is performed by a tabulation component in the AS.

13. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the internal node is a redirector in the AS.

14. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the egress path identifies at least one of: a customer router, an Internet backbone router, and a network service provider router.

15. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the egress path comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection.

16. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the billing counter is incremented based on a quality of service associated with the egress path.

17. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the billing counter is incremented based on a number of bytes comprised in the packet.

18. The medium of claim 1 ,
wherein mapping the egress path to the billing counter comprises:
receiving, by an egress gateway in the AS from a logical peer outside of the AS, routing information comprising the egress path,
mapping the egress path to a first billing classification tag,
determining an encryption type associated with the egress path, and
mapping the first billing classification tag and the encryption type to the billing counter;

wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by a second node in the AS, a second packet destined for a second Internet address external to the AS;
based on the second Internet address: determining, by the AS, a second egress path to transmit the second packet toward the second Internet address;
mapping the second egress path to a billing classification tag;
determining whether an existing billing counter corresponds to the billing classification tag;
responsive to determining that no existing billing counter corresponds to the billing classification tag, generating a new billing counter corresponding to the billing classification tag;
incrementing the new billing counter in relation to the transmission of the second packet on the second egress path; and
transmitting the second packet on the second egress path;

wherein for each particular billing counter of a set of billing counters (a) associated with a same tenant in the plurality of tenants and (b) maintained by a plurality of nodes in the AS, the operations further comprise:
computing, by a tabulation component in the AS, a subtotal corresponding to the particular billing counter based on a counter value associated with the billing counter, and a rate associated with the billing counter;
adding, by the tabulation component in the AS, the subtotals for the set of billing counters to determine a total charge for the tenant;

wherein the first billing classification tag corresponds to a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) community tag;
wherein the internal node is a redirector in the AS;
wherein the egress path identifies at least one of: a customer router, an Internet backbone router, a network service provider router, and a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection; and
wherein the billing counter is incremented based at least one of: on a quality of service associated with the egress path and a number of bytes comprised in the packet.

19. A method comprising:
receiving, by an internal node in an Autonomous System (AS), a packet destined for an Internet address external to the AS;
based on the Internet address: determining, by the internal node, an egress path to transmit the packet toward the Internet address;
mapping the egress path to a billing counter of a plurality of billing counters;
incrementing the billing counter in relation to transmission of the packet on the egress path; and
transmitting the packet, by the internal node, toward an egress gateway of the AS on the egress path;
wherein the method is performed by at least one device including a hardware processor.

20. A system comprisin

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Hill Peter John
• McArthur David Allen
• Mantri Sushant Ajit
• Chudasma Amitkumar
• Banatt Michael Thomas
• Worley Dale Raymond

Classifications

• H04L45/64

  using an overlay routing layer · CPC title

• H04W4/24

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04L12/1403 Primary

  Architecture for metering, charging or billing · CPC title

• H04L45/74

  Address processing for routing · CPC title

• H04M15/00

  Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} · CPC title