Dynamic and customizable virtual network functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11070432-B2
Application number	US-201715655607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2017
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A network function virtualization (NFV) platform can support virtual network functions (VNFs) whose behavior can change during their lifecycles. For example, a VNF manager of the NFV platform can receive a request to update a condition of a VNF and/or an action to perform upon satisfaction of the condition. Based on the condition and action, the VNF manager can create or store a lifecycle management policy in an extensible lifecycle management model associated with the virtual network function. Based on the lifecycle management policy, the VNF manager can monitor the virtual network function to detect satisfaction of the condition and, in response to detecting satisfaction of the condition, the VNF manager can perform the action associated with the lifecycle management policy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
creating, at a virtual network function manager, a lifecycle management policy in an extensible lifecycle management data model associated with a virtual network function, the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model comprising a condition defining a lifecycle event associated with the virtual network function and an action to perform during a specific lifecycle stage upon satisfaction of the condition;
based on the lifecycle management policy, monitoring the virtual network function to detect satisfaction of the condition; and
in response to detecting satisfaction of the condition, executing, based on the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model, the action associated with the lifecycle management policy, wherein the action updates a copy of a storage volume associated with the virtual network function and uses the updated copy of the storage volume to alter the virtual network function without undeploying the virtual network function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the the action, comprises:
provisioning the copy of the storage volume;
assigning the updated copy of the storage volume to the virtual network function and unassigning the storage volume from the virtual network function.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the storage volume comprises a current database volume of the virtual network function.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition and the action are defined in a structured data format associated with the extensible lifecycle management data model, and wherein executing the action comprises executing a script or code that performs the action.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual network function is associated with a network function service chain, and wherein monitoring the virtual network function comprises monitoring events associated with the network function service chain.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the virtual network function to detect satisfaction of the condition comprises:
determining a current lifecycle stage of the virtual network function;
based on the extensible lifecycle management data model, determining an applicable condition associated with the current lifecycle stage, wherein the applicable condition is the condition defining the lifecycle event associated with the virtual network function; and
monitoring the virtual network function during the current lifecycle stage to determine satisfaction of the applicable condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the action further comprises:
determining that the virtual network function is associated with multiple virtual instances;
determining that each of the multiple virtual instances has been deployed; and
stitching the multiple virtual instances together as at least part of the action.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the action further comprises:
generating a set of keys as at least part of the action;
provisioning a respective encrypted storage volume for each key of the set of keys; and
attaching the respective encrypted storage volume to each virtual infrastructure instance of the virtual network function.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action alters a behavior of the virtual network function while the virtual network function is running.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising loading a set of custom monitors defining one or more monitoring operations associated with the virtual network function.

11. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory including instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
create, via a virtual network function manager, a lifecycle management policy in an extensible lifecycle management data model associated with a virtual network function, the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model comprising a condition defining a lifecycle event associated with the virtual network function and an action to perform during a specific lifecycle stage upon satisfaction of the condition;
based on the lifecycle management policy, monitor the virtual network function to detect satisfaction of the condition; and
in response to detecting satisfaction of the condition, execute, based on the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model, the action associated with the lifecycle management policy, wherein the action updates a copy of a storage volume associated with the virtual network function and uses the updated copy of the storage volume to alter the virtual network function without undeploying the virtual network function.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extensible lifecycle management data model defines characteristics of a lifecycle of the virtual network function, wherein the lifecycle includes at least one of an onboarding stage, a deployment stage, a monitoring stage, a scale stage, a heal stage, an update stage, and an undeployment stage, and wherein the lifecycle includes at least one custom lifecycle stage.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the action alters a behavior of the virtual network function while the virtual network function is running.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein executing the action further comprises
determining that the virtual network function is associated with multiple virtual instances;
determining that each of the multiple virtual instances has been deployed; and
stitching the multiple virtual instances together as at least part of the action.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein executing the action further comprises:
generating a set of keys as at least part of the action;
provisioning a respective encrypted storage volume for each key of the set of keys; and
attaching the respective encrypted storage volume to each virtual infrastructure instance of the virtual network function.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, upon being executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
create, via a virtual network function manager, a life cycle management policy in an extensible life cycle management data model associated with a virtual network function, the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model comprising a condition defining a lifecycle event associated with the virtual network function and an action to perform during a specific lifecycle stage upon satisfaction of the condition;
based on the life cycle management policy, monitor the virtual network function to detect satisfaction of the condition; and
in response to detecting satisfaction of the condition, execute, based on the lifecycle management policy in the extensible lifecycle management data model, the action associated with the lifecycle management policy, wherein the action updates a copy of a storage volume associated with the virtual network function and uses the updated copy of the storage volume to alter the virtual network function without undeploying the virtual network function.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein comprises:
provisioning the copy of the storage volume;
assigning the updated copy of the storage volume to the virtual network function and unassigning the storage volume from the virtual network function.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the storage volume comprises a current database volume of the virtual netw

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Yeung Michael
• Ajaltouni Elie El
• Phillips Andrew
• Andersen Peter

Classifications

• H04L41/0893 Primary

  Assignment of logical groups to network elements · CPC title

• H04L43/20

  the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV · CPC title

• H04L41/0895

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

• H04L41/40

  using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities · CPC title

• H04L43/0817 Primary

  by checking functioning · CPC title