Network-as-a-service architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9870580-B2
Application number	US-201414271672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2014
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A system may receive order information that may include information identifying a network service, associated with a service provider network, and a service location associated with the network service. The system may determine context information based on the order information that may include information associated with providing the network service to the service location via the service provider network. The system may generate a service order based on the context information. The system may create a virtual network function (VNF) based on the service request. The VNF may be created such that the VNF operates on a computing device associated with the system, and may be configured to provide the network service. The system may insert the VNF into the service provider network to cause the network service to be provided to the service location. The VNF may interact with a physical device of the service provider network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
one or more devices to:
receive customer service order information,
the customer service order information including information that identifies a network service and information that identifies a service location associated with the network service, and

the network service being associated with a service provider network; determine context information based on the customer service order information,
the context information including information associated with providing the network service to the service location via the service provider network;

determine provisioning details associated with the context information;
generate a service request based on the context information and the provisioning details,
the context information including information associated with creating a virtual network function (VNF) to provide the network service to the service location via the service provider network;

create the VNF based on the service request,
the VNF being created such that the VNF operates on a computing device associated with the system, and
the VNF to provide the network service;

insert the VNF into the service provider network,
the VNF being inserted to cause the network service to be provided to the service location via the service provider network, and
the VNF interacting with a physical device of the service provider network;

instruct the physical device to send traffic to the VNF;
configure the VNF to:
provide the network service to the traffic received from the physical device, and
send serviced traffic back to the physical device;

instruct the physical device to send the serviced traffic to the service location;
determine performance information associated with the VNF in real-time or on a periodic basis;
determine local analytics information based on the performance information associated with the VNF;
predict a future traffic pattern associated with the VNF based on the local analytics information; and
reconfigure the VNF based on the predicted future traffic pattern in real-time or on a periodic basis.

2. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices, when receiving the customer service order information, are to:
determine that the network service is available at the service location; and
provide a notification that the network service is available at the service location,
the notification being provided to notify a customer, associated with the customer service order information, that the network service is available at the service location.

3. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices are further to:
send a request associated with determining the context information; and
determine the context information based on a response to the request.

4. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices, when inserting the VNF into the service provider network, are to:
provide a billing notification, associated with the network service, based on inserting the VNF into the service provider network,
the billing notification being provided to notify a billing device, associated with the service provider network, to initiate billing for the network service.

5. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices are further to:
determine that the customer service order information is complete customer service order information; and
where the one or more devices, when determining the context information, are to:
determine the context information after determining that the customer service order information is complete customer service order information.

6. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices are further to:
perform global service assurance based on the local analytics information.

7. The system of claim 6 , where the one or more devices, when performing the global service assurance, are to:
perform the global service assurance in real time.

8. The system of claim 1 , where the one or more devices are further to:
perform local service assurance based on the performance information.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive order information associated with a network service,
the order information including information that identifies the network service,
the order information including information that identifies a service location associated with the network service, and
the network service being associated with a service provider network;

determine context information associated with the order information,
the context information including information to configure a virtual network function (VNF) such that the network service is provided to the service location via the service provider network;

determine provisioning details associated with the context information
generate a service request based on the context information and the provisioning details,
the context information including information associated with creating the VNF to provide the network service to the service location via the service provider network;

create the VNF based on the service request,
the VNF being created such that the VNF runs on a computing device, and
the VNF to provide the network service;

insert the VNF into the service provider network,
the VNF being inserted into the service provider network to allow the network service to be provided to the service location via the service provider network, and
the VNF interacting with a physical device of the service provider network instruct the physical device to send traffic to the VNF;

configure the VNF to:
provide the network service to the traffic received from the physical device, and
send serviced traffic back to the physical device;

instruct the physical device to send the serviced traffic to the service location;
determine performance information associated with the VNF in real-time or on a periodic basis;
determine that the performance information associated with the VNF does not satisfy a requirement;
determine local analytics information based on the performance information associated with the VNF;
predict a future traffic pattern associated with the VNF based on the local analytics information; and
reconfigure the VNF based on the predicted future traffic pattern in real-time or on a periodic basis.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to receive the order information, cause the one or more processors to:
determine that the network service is available at the service location; and
provide a notification that the network service is available at the service location,
the notification being provided to notify a customer, associated with the order information, that the network service is available at the service location.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to insert the VNF into the service provider network, cause the one or more processors to:
provide a billing notification, associated with the network service, based on inserting the VNF into the service provider network,
the billing notification being provided to notify a billing device, associated with the service provider network, to initiate billing for the network service.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Rao Ravindra
• Chaudhary Ashay
• Sharma Sandeep

Classifications

• H04L41/5054

  Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components · CPC title

• G06Q30/016

  After-sales · CPC title

• G06Q30/04

  Billing or invoicing · CPC title

• G06Q30/0281 Primary

  Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting · CPC title

• H04L41/5061

  characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management · CPC title