Dynamic inter-cloud placement of virtual network functions for a slice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11356338-B2
Application number	US-202117226167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2021
Priority date	Jan 24, 2019
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

Examples can include an optimizer that dynamically determines where to place virtual network functions for a slice in a distributed Telco cloud network. The optimizer can determine a slice path that complies with a service level agreement and balances network load. The virtual network functions of the slice can be provisioned at clouds identified by the optimal slice path. In one example, performance metrics are normalized, and tenant-selected weights can be applied. This can allow the optimizer to prioritize particular SLA attributes in choosing an optimal slice path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for dynamic inter-cloud placement of virtual network functions (“VNFs”) in a slice path, comprising:
providing a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that displays on a user device;
receiving a slice selection on the GUI for a first slice from among a plurality of slices available on a network;
displaying, on the GUI, first and second fields for selecting service level agreement (“SLA”) attributes for the slice selection;
receiving, using the first and second fields of the GUI, selections of first and second SLA attributes;
receiving, on the GUI, a balancing selection that controls how to prioritize the first and second SLA attributes relative to one another in choosing a slice path for the first slice; and
provisioning VNFs for the first slice at clouds of a chosen slice path, wherein the chosen slice path is selected from among the candidate slice paths based on performance metrics corresponding to the prioritized first and second SLA attributes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the balancing selection is a slider between the first and second fields.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the balancing selection causes weights to display on the GUI for the selected first and second SLA attributes.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
for the candidate slice paths, weighting performance metrics corresponding to the first and second SLA attributes according to the balancing selection;
scoring the candidate slice paths based on the weighted performance metrics; and
selecting the chosen slice path by comparing scores of the scored candidate slice paths.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a GUI selection of a load function that determines how cloud load is defined, wherein the load function is utilized to determine loads for candidate slice paths, and wherein the loads and the performance metrics are used for selecting the chosen slice path.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a cloud definition that designates a geographic area required for the first slice, wherein the chosen slice path includes a cloud meeting the designated geographic area requirement.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a normalization function, wherein the normalization function is used to normalize the performance metrics for being weighted according to the balancing selection.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform stages for dynamically placing virtual network functions (“VNFs”) in a slice, the stages comprising:
providing a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that displays on a user device;
receiving a slice selection on the GUI for a first slice from among a plurality of slices available on a network;
receiving, using first and second fields of the GUI, selections of first and second service level agreement (“SLA”) attributes, wherein the SLA attributes govern which performance metrics to evaluate in deciding a slice path for the first slice;
receiving, on the GUI, a balancing selection that controls how to prioritize performance metrics corresponding to the first and second SLA attributes, relative to one another; and
provisioning VNFs for the first slice at clouds of a chosen slice path, wherein the chosen slice path is selected from among the candidate slice paths based on the performance metrics.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the balancing selection is a slider between the first and second fields.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the balancing selection causes weights to display on the GUI for the selected first and second SLA attributes.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising:
for the candidate slice paths, weighting performance metrics corresponding to the first and second SLA attributes according to the balancing selection;
scoring the candidate slice paths based on the weighted performance metrics; and
selecting the chosen slice path by comparing scores of the scored candidate slice paths.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection of a load function that determines how cloud load is defined, wherein the load function is utilized to determine loads for candidate slice paths, and wherein the selection of the chosen slice path is based on the loads and the performance metrics for the candidate slice paths.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a cloud definition that designates a geographic area required for the first slice, wherein the chosen slice path includes a cloud meeting the designated geographic area requirement.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a normalization function, wherein the normalization function is used to normalize the performance metrics for being weighted according to the balancing selection.

15. A system for dynamically placing virtual network functions (“VNFs”) in a slice, the stages comprising:
a non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions; and
at least one processor that executes the instructions to perform stages comprising:
receiving a slice selection on the GUI for a first slice from among a plurality of slices available on a network;
receiving, using first and second fields of the GUI, selections of first and second service level agreement (“SLA”) attributes, wherein the SLA attributes govern which corresponding performance metrics to evaluate in choosing a slice path for the first slice;
receiving, on the GUI, a balancing selection that controls how to prioritize performance metrics corresponding to the first and second SLA attributes, relative to one another; and
provisioning VNFs for the first slice at clouds of a chosen slice path, wherein the chosen slice path is selected from among the candidate slice paths based on the performance metrics.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the balancing selection is a slider between the first and second fields.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the balancing selection causes weights to display on the GUI for the selected first and second SLA attributes, wherein the weights are applied to the respective performance metrics as part of selecting the chosen slice path from among the candidate slice paths.

18. The system of claim 15 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection of a load function that determines how cloud load is defined, wherein the load function is utilized to determine loads for candidate slice paths, and wherein the loads and the performance metrics are both considered for the candidate slice paths in selecting the chosen slice path.

19. The system of claim 15 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a cloud definition that designates a geographic area required for the first slice, wherein the chosen slice path includes a cloud meeting the designated geographic area requirement.

20. The system of claim 15 , the stages further comprising receiving a GUI selection for a normalization function, wherein the normalization function is used to normalize the performance metrics for being weighted according to the balancing selection.

Assignees

• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Tidemann Jeremy
• Polychronopoulos Constantine
• Bordeleau Marc Andre
• Choh Edward
• Gupta Ojas
• Kidd Robert
• Kommula Raja
• Oikonomou Georgios

Classifications

• H04L41/122

  of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV] · CPC title

• H04L41/5009 Primary

  Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF] · CPC title

• H04L41/5019 Primary

  Ensuring fulfilment of SLA · CPC title

• H04L41/22

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F2009/45595

  Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances · CPC title