Virtualization platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9264403-B2
Application number	US-200813122755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2008
Priority date	Oct 9, 2008
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a visualization platform ( 9 ) arranged to provide at least one virtual operating system instance ( 9 A, . . . , 9 N) to at least one remote network ( 3 ) over a packet-based communication network ( 5 ). The visualization platform is characterized in that it comprises at least one first termination point ( 4 b ) of a virtual private network VPN tunnel ( 10 ) which enables the establishment of at least one VPN tunnel between said at least one first termination point and at least one second termination point ( 4 a ) in said at least one remote network over said packet-based communication network; and in that it is arranged to map said at least one virtual operating system instance to said at least one first termination point of said at least one VPN tunnel. The invention also relates to a method for virtualization and a computer program product.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A virtualization platform (VP) arranged to provide a plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) to a plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ) over a packet-based communication network ( 5 ), said virtualization platform (VP) comprises a plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) which enable establishment of a plurality of virtual private network [VPN] tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) between said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) and a plurality of second termination points in said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ) over said packet-based communication network ( 5 ), wherein
said virtualization platform (VP) is arranged to map ( 316 - 322 ) a plurality of virtual network interfaces (V_NICs) of said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) to said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) of said plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ), said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) being a plurality of VPN tunnel interfaces (N_NICs) of at least one physical networks interface (P_NIC), such that any data network traffic to and from said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) is forwarded through said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) and such that any data network traffic generated by operations, commands, or instructions in the plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) comprises IP addresses of the plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

2. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claim 1 , further arranged to:
establish said plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) between said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) in the virtualization platform (VP), and said plurality of second termination points in said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

3. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claim 1 , wherein said virtualization platform (VP) uses network addresses of said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ) for the mapping ( 316 - 322 ) towards said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ), if there is a one-to-one mapping ( 316 - 320 ) between said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) and said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ).

4. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claims 1 , comprising a switch (SW) arranged to:
receive network traffic for at least two virtual operating system instances (VPC C 1 -C 2 ); and
forward said network traffic to and from said first termination point ( 313 ) of the VPN tunnel (VPN C) from and to said at least two virtual operating system instances (VPC C 1 -C 2 ) when said at least two virtual operating system instances (VPC C 1 -C 2 ) are in operation.

5. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claims 1 , wherein said plurality of second termination points are located at a shared access node (R A ; R B ; R C ) in said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

6. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claims 1 , wherein said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) are arranged to be configured from said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

7. A virtualization platform (VP) according to claim 6 , wherein, if said one of said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) comprises DHCP client, said configuration is performed by a DHCP server located in one of said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

8. A method for use in a virtualization platform (VP) arranged to provided a plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) to a plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ) over a packet-based communication network ( 5 ), the virtualization platform (VP) comprising a plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) which enable establishment of a plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) between said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) and a plurality of second termination points in said plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ) over said packet-based communication network ( 5 ),
comprising:
mapping ( 316 - 322 ) a plurality of virtual network interfaces (V_NICs) of said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) to the plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) of said plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ), the plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) being a plurality of VPN tunnel interfaces (N_NICs) of at least one physical network interface (P_NIC), such that any data network traffic to and from said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) is forwarded through said plurality of first termination point ( 308 - 314 ) and such that any data network traffic generated by operations, commands, or instructions in the plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) comprises IP addresses of the plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ).

9. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
establishing said plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) between said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) in the virtualiztion platform (VP), and said plurality of second termination points in said at least on remote network (N A ; N B ; N C ).

10. A computer program product for use in a virtualization platform (VP) which comprises computer readable codes means, which when run in the virtualization platform (VP) causes said virtualization platform (VP) to perform the step of:
mapping ( 316 - 322 ) a plurality of virtual network interfaces (V_NICs) of a plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) to a plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) of a plurality of VPN tunnels (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ), the plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) being a plurality of VPN tunnel interfaces (N-NICs) of at least one physical network (P_), such that any data network traffic to and from said plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) is forwarded through said plurality of first termination points ( 308 - 314 ) and such that any data network traffic generated by operations, commands, or instructions in the plurality of virtual operating system instances (VPC A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) comprises IP addresses of a plurality of remote networks (N A ; N B ; N C ),
wherein said code means is stored on a non-transitory readable storage medium.

11. A computer program product according claim 10 , comprising computer readable code means, which when run in the virtualization platform (VP) causes the virtualization platform(VP) to further perform the step of:
establishing one VPN tunnel (VPN A 1 -A 3 ; B 1 -B 2 ; C 1 -C 2 ; . . . ; N M ) between said at least one first termination point ( 308 - 314 ) in the virtualization platform (VP), and at l

Assignees

• Flinta Christofer
• Mångs Jan-Erik
• Melander Bob
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Flinta Christofer
• Mångs Jan-Erik
• Melander Bob

Classifications

• H04L12/4633

  Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling · CPC title

• H04L61/2015

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L63/0272 Primary

  Virtual private networks · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title

• H04L61/5014

  using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP] · CPC title