Method and system for managing utilization of slices in a virtual network function environment

• US 10,070,344 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dowlatkhah, Sangar, Shaw, Venson
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US15/658,595
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a first group of virtual network functions instantiated within a software defined network and adapted to perform a first activity that facilitates delivery of a dedicated service to wireless equipment of a first user. An occurrence of a condition is determined whereby delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment requires a second activity, wherein the first group of virtual network functions is not designated to perform the second activity. Access to a second group of virtual network functions is facilitated, responsive to the determining of the occurrence of the condition. The second group of virtual network functions when instantiated within the software defined network are adapted to perform the second activity that facilitates delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user during the occurrence of the condition. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

identifying a first group of virtual network functions of a first network slice instantiated within a software defined network and adapted to perform a first activity that facilitates delivery of a dedicated service to wireless equipment of a first user;

wherein delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user requires a second activity, and wherein the first group of virtual network functions of the first network slice is not designated to perform the second activity;

detecting an occurrence of a condition; and

facilitating, responsive to the detecting of the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, access to a second group of virtual network functions, wherein the second group of virtual network functions when instantiated within a second network slice of the software defined network are adapted to perform the second activity that facilitates delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user during the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, wherein the second network slice is further adapted to perform another activity that facilitates delivery of another dedicated service during an occurrence of another condition within another network slice.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first network slice comprises a dedicated network slice of a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G network reserved to facilitate delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user, wherein the dedicated network slice includes the first group of virtual network functions and excludes a virtual network function of the second group of virtual network functions.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first network slice comprises a reserved network slice of the 3GPP 5G network that is not reserved in association with equipment of any user.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the condition further comprises determining that excess capacity is required beyond a capacity of the first group of virtual network functions.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first group of virtual network functions is incapable of performing the second activity, and wherein the excess capacity comprises one of excess processing capacity, excess storage capacity, excess communication capacity, and any combination thereof.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the facilitating of the access to the second group of virtual network functions further comprises identifying, responsive to the detecting of the occurrence of the condition, a reserved network slice comprising the second group of virtual network functions, wherein access to the reserved network slice is not dedicated to equipment of any user.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the facilitating of the access to the second group of virtual network functions further comprises initiating, responsive to the detecting of the occurrence of the condition, a request to temporarily access the reserved network slice.

8. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processing system including a processor, a first group of virtual network functions instantiated within a first network slice of a software defined network and adapted to perform a first activity that facilitates delivery of a dedicated service to wireless equipment of a first user, wherein delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user requires a second activity, wherein the first group of virtual network functions instantiated within the first network slice is not designated to perform the second activity;

detecting, by the processing system, an occurrence of a condition; and

facilitating, by the processing system and responsive to the determining of the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, access to a second group of virtual network functions, wherein the second group of virtual network functions when instantiated within a second network slice of the software defined network are adapted to perform the second activity that facilitates delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user during the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, wherein the second network slice is further adapted to perform another activity that facilitates delivery of another dedicated service during an occurrence of another condition within another network slice.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first network slice comprises a dedicated network slice of a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G network reserved to facilitate delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user, wherein the dedicated network slice includes the first group of virtual network function and excludes a virtual network function of the second group of virtual network functions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first network slice comprises a reserved network slice of the 3GPP 5G network that is not reserved in association with equipment of any user.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the occurrence of the condition further comprises determining, by the processing system, that excess capacity is required beyond a capacity of the first group of virtual network functions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the excess capacity comprises one of excess processing capacity, excess storage capacity, excess communication capacity, and any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the facilitating of the access to the second group of virtual network functions further comprises identifying, by the processing system and responsive to the determining of the occurrence of the condition, a reserved network slice comprising the second group of virtual network functions, wherein access to the reserved network slice is not dedicated to equipment of any user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the facilitating of the access to the second group of virtual network functions further comprises initiating, by the processing system and responsive to the determining of the occurrence of the condition, a request to temporarily access the reserved network slice.

15. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining a first group of virtual network functions of a first network slice, instantiated within a software defined network and adapted to perform a first activity that facilitates delivery of a dedicated service to wireless equipment of a first user;

wherein delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user requires a second activity, wherein the first group of virtual network functions of the first network slice is not designated to perform the second activity;

determining an occurrence of a condition; and

facilitating, responsive to the determining of the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, access to a second group of virtual network functions of a second network slice, wherein the second group of virtual network functions when instantiated within the software defined network are adapted to perform the second activity that facilitates delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user during the occurrence of the condition within the first network slice, wherein the second network slice is further adapted to perform another activity that facilitates delivery of another dedicated service during an occurrence of another condition within another network slice.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first network slice comprises a dedicated network slice of a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G network reserved to facilitate delivery of the dedicated service to the wireless equipment of the first user, wherein the dedicated network slice includes the first group of virtual network function and excludes a virtual network function of the second group of virtual network functions.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first network slice comprises a reserved network slice of the 3GPP 5G network that is not reserved in association with equipment of any user.

18. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the determining of the occurrence of the condition further comprises determining, by the processing system, that excess capacity is required beyond a capacity of the first group of virtual network functions.

19. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the excess capacity comprises one of excess processing capacity, excess storage capacity, excess communication capacity, and any combination thereof.

20. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the facilitating of the access to the second group of virtual network functions further comprises identifying, by the processing system and responsive to the determining of the condition, a reserved network slice comprising the second group of virtual network functions, wherein access to the reserved network slice is not dedicated to equipment of any user.