System, method, and computer program for managing hierarchy and optimization in a network function virtualization (NFV) based communication network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430262-B1
Application number	US-201414572719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for managing hierarchy and optimization in network function virtualization based networks. In use, a first hardware unit of a plurality of hardware units associated with a network function virtualization (NFV) based communication network is identified, the first hardware unit being identified based on a first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit. Further, a first virtual network function (VNF) instance associated with the first hardware unit is identified, the first VNF instance being associated with usage of at least one service. Additionally, at least one traffic route associated with the first VNF instance is identified, the at least one traffic route being associated with usage of the at least one service. Furthermore, a second hardware unit for handling at least a portion of a workload associated with the at least one service is identified, the second hardware unit being identified based on a second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit, and the second hardware unit being capable of utilizing the at least one traffic route. Still yet, a second VNF instance is initiated in the second hardware unit. Moreover, at least part of the at least one service is migrated from the first VNF instance to the second VNF instance without disrupting the service.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
identifying a first hardware unit of a plurality of hardware units associated with a network function virtualization (NFV) based communication network, the first hardware unit being identified based on a first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit;
identifying a first plurality of virtual network function (VNF) instances associated with the first hardware unit, the first plurality of VNF instances being associated with usage of at least one service;
identifying at least one traffic route associated with the first plurality of VNF instances, the at least one traffic route being associated with usage of the at least one service;
identifying a second hardware unit for handling at least a portion of a workload associated with the at least one service, the second hardware unit being identified based on a second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit, and the second hardware unit being capable of utilizing the at least one traffic route, wherein the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit is at least one of:
a hardware unit with a lowest load among a plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route,
a hardware unit with a fastest rate of decreasing load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route,
a hardware unit with a highest anticipated rate of decreasing load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route, and
a hardware unit with a longest anticipated time to reach a threshold load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route; initiating a second VNF instance in the second hardware unit; and

migrating the at least one service from the first plurality of VNF instances to the second VNF instance without disrupting the service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest load of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has a load lower than the first hardware unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest load growth of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has a load decreasing with time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest anticipated load growth of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has an anticipated decrease in a load over time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit is below a low load threshold, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit is below the low load threshold and is anticipated to be below the low load threshold longer than any other of the plurality of hardware units.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising turning off the first hardware unit, in response to migrating the at least one service from the first plurality of VNF instances to the second VNF instance.

7. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
computer code for identifying a first hardware unit of a plurality of hardware units associated with a network function virtualization (NFV) based communication network, the first hardware unit being identified based on a first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit;
computer code for identifying a first plurality of virtual network function (VNF) instances associated with the first hardware unit, the first plurality of VNF instances being associated with usage of at least one service;
computer code for identifying at least one traffic route associated with the first plurality of VNF instances, the at least one traffic route being associated with usage of the at least one service;
computer code for identifying a second hardware unit for handling at least a portion of a workload associated with the at least one service, the second hardware unit being identified based on a second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit, and the second hardware unit being capable of utilizing the at least one traffic route, wherein the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit is at least one of:
a hardware unit with a lowest load among a plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route,
a hardware unit with a fastest rate of decreasing load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route,
a hardware unit with a highest anticipated rate of decreasing load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route, and
a hardware unit with a longest anticipated time to reach a threshold load of the plurality of hardware units associated with the at least one traffic route;

computer code for initiating a second VNF instance in the second hardware unit; and
computer code for migrating the at least one service from the first plurality of VNF instances to the second VNF instance without disrupting the service.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest load of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has a load lower than the first hardware unit.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest load growth of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has a load decreasing with time.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit has a highest anticipated load growth of the plurality of hardware units, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit has an anticipated decrease in a load over time.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit indicates the first hardware unit is below a low load threshold, and the second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit indicates the second hardware unit is below the low load threshold and is anticipated to be below the low load threshold longer than any other of the plurality of hardware units.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , further comprising computer code for turning off the first hardware unit, in response to migrating the at least one service from the first plurality of VNF i

Assignees

• Amdocs Software Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Felstaine Eyal
• Hermoni Ofer
• Sandlerman Nimrod

Classifications

• H04L41/122

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

• H04L47/70

  Admission control; Resource allocation · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• G06F9/45533 Primary

  Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors · CPC title

• H04L67/131

  Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality · CPC title