Interworking of legacy appliances in virtualized networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12323301-B2
Application number	US-202318370246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2023
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A computing apparatus, including: a hardware platform; and an interworking broker function (IBF) hosted on the hardware platform, the IBF including a translation driver (TD) associated with a legacy network appliance lacking native interoperability with an orchestrator, the IBF configured to: receive from the orchestrator a network function provisioning or configuration command for the legacy network appliance; operate the TD to translate the command to a format consumable by the legacy network appliance; and forward the command to the legacy network appliance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. At least one non-transitory machine-readable memory storing instructions for being executed by at least one machine, the at least one machine to be associated with server system hardware, the server system hardware being for use in association with network functions, the network functions to be provided, at least in part, via network devices, the server system hardware to be associated with a management and orchestration (MANO) stack, the MANO stack to be associated with an Openstack-compatible virtual infrastructure manager (VIM), the instructions, when executed by the at least one machine, resulting in the server system hardware being configured to enable performance of operations comprising:
obtaining simple network management protocol (SNMP) data associated with the network devices, the SNMP data being for use by at least one virtual machine (VM) instance in generating identifying information related to the network functions and/or the network devices; and
obtaining command line interface request data associated with at least one of the network devices for use in generating the identifying information;
wherein:
the at least one VM instance is associated with the Openstack-compatible VIM and the MANO stack;
the identifying information is for being provided to the MANO stack;
the network functions are configurable to comprise at least one virtual network function of a telecommunications network function virtualization infrastructure; and
the at least one virtual network function is configurable to implement, at least in part, a session border controller.

2. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein:
the identifying information is for use by the MANO stack and/or the VIM in one or more management-related operations associated with the network devices; and
the network devices and/or the network functions are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers executed using physical computer hardware.

3. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein:
the instructions, when executed, also result in the server system hardware being configured to enable performance of dynamically creating and/or dynamically terminating at least one network function-related instance; and
the at least one network function-related instance is associated with at least one stack that is associated with the VIM.

4. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein:
the session border controller is for use in association with voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) communication.

5. A method implemented using server system hardware, the server system hardware being for use in association with network functions, the network functions to be provided, at least in part, via network devices, the server system hardware to be associated with a management and orchestration (MANO) stack, the MANO stack to be associated with an Openstack-compatible virtual infrastructure manager (VIM), the method comprising:
obtaining simple network management protocol (SNMP) data associated with the network devices, the SNMP data being for use by at least one virtual machine (VM) instance in generating identifying information related to the network functions and/or the network devices; and
obtaining command line interface request data associated with at least one of the network devices for use in generating the identifying information;
wherein:
the at least one VM instance is associated with the Openstack-compatible VIM and the MANO stack;
the identifying information is for being provided to the MANO stack;
the network functions are configurable to comprise at least one virtual network function of a telecommunications network function virtualization infrastructure; and
the at least one virtual network function is configurable to implement, at least in part, a session border controller.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the identifying information is for use by the MANO stack and/or the VIM in one or more management-related operations associated with the network devices; and
the network devices and/or the network functions are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers executed using physical computer hardware.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the method also comprises dynamically creating and/or dynamically terminating at least one network function-related instance; and
the at least one network function-related instance is associated with at least one stack that is associated with the VIM.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the session border controller is for use in association with voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) communication.

9. A server system hardware for use in association with network functions, the network functions to be provided, at least in part, via network devices, the server system hardware to be associated with a management and orchestration (MANO) stack, the MANO stack to be associated with an Openstack-compatible virtual infrastructure manager (VIM), the server system hardware comprising:
at least one server node to obtain:
simple network management protocol (SNMP) data associated with the network devices, the SNMP data being for use by at least one virtual machine (VM) instance in generating identifying information related to the network functions and/or the network devices; and
command line interface request data associated with at least one of the network devices for use in generating the identifying information;

wherein:
the at least one VM instance is associated with the Openstack-compatible VIM and the MANO stack;
the identifying information is for being provided to the MANO stack;
the network functions are configurable to comprise at least one virtual network function of a telecommunications network function virtualization infrastructure; and
the at least one virtual network function is configurable to implement, at least in part, a session border controller.

10. The server system hardware of claim 9 , wherein:
the identifying information is for use by the MANO stack and/or the VIM in one or more management-related operations associated with the network devices; and
the network devices and/or the network functions are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers executed using physical computer hardware.

11. The server system hardware of claim 9 , wherein:
the server system hardware is configured to dynamically create and/or dynamically terminate at least one network function-related instance; and
the at least one network function-related instance is associated with at least one stack that is associated with the VIM.

12. The server system hardware of claim 9 , wherein:
the session border controller is for use in association with voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) communication.

13. A multi-server system for use in providing of at least one cloud service, the multi-server system comprising:
at least one server comprising hardware to obtain:
simple network management protocol (SNMP) data associated with the network devices, the SNMP data being for use by at least one virtual machine (VM) instance in generating identifying information related to the network functions and/or the network devices; and
command line interface request data associated with at least one of the network devices for use in generating the identifying information; and

at least one other server comprising other hardware to dynamically create and/or dynamically terminate at least one network function-related instance;
wherein:
the

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Browne John J
• Verrall Timothy
• Tahhan Maryam
• Mcgrath Michael J
• Harte Sean
• Devey Kevin
• Kenny Jonathan
• Macnamara Christopher

Classifications

• H04L41/50

  Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements · CPC title

• H04L41/0886

  Fully automatic configuration · CPC title

• H04L41/0873

  Checking configuration conflicts between network elements · 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

• H04L41/0896

  Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities (flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76) · CPC title