Universal peer-to-peer signaling network virtualization and orchestration

• US 10,129,867 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• 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: Shaw, Venson, Kodaypak, Rajendra Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory B
• Application Number:
  US15/143,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20170318570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5005 to service a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource

Abstract

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to universal peer-to-peer signaling network virtualization and orchestration. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a universal DIAMETER orchestrator can determine DIAMETER peer nodes to be utilized to handle DIAMETER signaling traffic for a service. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator can allocate transport resources over which a transport connection between the DIAMETER peer nodes can be established. In some embodiments, the universal DIAMETER orchestrator can allocate the transport resources on-demand. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator can allocate DIAMETER resources to provision DIAMETER signaling interfaces to handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes. In some embodiments, the universal DIAMETER orchestrator can allocate the DIAMETER resources in accordance with a rule to override a traditional DIAMETER routing agent.

Claims

1. A universal DIAMETER orchestrator comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the universal DIAMETER orchestrator to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a user equipment device, a service request specifying a service to be provided to the user equipment device,

analyzing the service request to identify the service to be provided to the user equipment device,

determining DIAMETER peer nodes to be utilized to handle DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service provided to the user equipment device, wherein the DIAMETER peer nodes include at least two DIAMETER nodes within an evolved packet core network that share a direct transport connection between a source domain and a destination domain of the evolved packet core network,

selecting the DIAMETER peer nodes that will handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service over DIAMETER signaling interfaces,

allocating, within the evolved packet core network, transport resources over which the direct transport connection between the DIAMETER peer nodes can be established, and

allocating, within the evolved packet core network, DIAMETER resources to provision the DIAMETER signaling interfaces that handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes.

2. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes corresponds with the source domain of the evolved packet core network and at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes corresponds with the destination domain of the evolved packet core network.

3. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 2, wherein the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes is routed through a DIAMETER agent of the DIAMETER resources within the evolved packet core network.

4. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise determining a DIAMETER application to be utilized to meet a DIAMETER signaling requirement of the service.

5. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise:

creating a structured representation of DIAMETER application data associated with the DIAMETER application; and

reporting the structured representation.

6. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise analyzing a structured DIAMETER protocol stack at a DIAMETER application layer upon which the DIAMETER application operates, a transport layer, and an IP layer to ensure that the transport resources are allocated to meet the DIAMETER signaling requirement for the service.

7. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise mapping the DIAMETER resources available in a network designed to provide the service.

8. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 1, wherein allocating the transport resources comprises allocating the transport resources on-demand.

9. The universal DIAMETER orchestrator of claim 1, wherein allocating the DIAMETER resources comprises allocating the DIAMETER resources in accordance with a rule to override a traditional DIAMETER routing agent.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions of a universal DIAMETER orchestrator stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the universal DIAMETER orchestrator to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment device, a service request specifying a service to be provided to the user equipment device;

analyzing the service request to identify the service to be provided to the user equipment device;

determining DIAMETER peer nodes to be utilized to handle DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service provided to the user equipment device, wherein the DIAMETER peer nodes include at least two DIAMETER nodes within an evolved packet core network that share a direct transport connection between a source domain and a destination domain of the evolved packet core network;

selecting the DIAMETER peer nodes that will handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service over DIAMETER signaling interfaces;

allocating, within the evolved packet core network, transport resources over which the direct transport connection between the DIAMETER peer nodes can be established; and

allocating, within the evolved packet core network, DIAMETER resources to provision the DIAMETER signaling interfaces that handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes corresponds with the source domain of the evolved packet core network and at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes corresponds with the destination domain of the evolved packet core network.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes is routed through a DIAMETER agent of the DIAMETER resources within the evolved packet core network.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise determining a DIAMETER application to be utilized to meet a DIAMETER signaling requirement of the service.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

creating a structured representation of DIAMETER application data associated with the DIAMETER application; and

reporting the structured representation.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise mapping the DIAMETER resources available in a network designed to provide the service.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, by a universal DIAMETER orchestrator from a user equipment device, a service request specifying a service to be provided to the user equipment device;

analyzing, by the universal DIAMETER orchestrator, the service request to identify the service to be provided to the user equipment device;

determining, by the universal DIAMETER orchestrator, DIAMETER peer nodes to be utilized to handle DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service provided to the user equipment device, wherein the DIAMETER peer nodes include at least two DIAMETER nodes within an evolved packet core network that share a direct transport connection between a source domain and a destination domain of the evolved packet core network;

selecting, by the universal DIAMETER orchestrator, the DIAMETER peer nodes that will handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic for the service over DIAMETER signaling interfaces;

allocating, by the universal DIAMETER orchestrator within the evolved packet core network, transport resources over which the direct transport connection between the DIAMETER peer nodes can be established; and

allocating, by the universal DIAMETER orchestrator within the evolved packet core network, DIAMETER resources to provision the DIAMETER signaling interfaces that handle the DIAMETER signaling traffic between the DIAMETER peer nodes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes correspond with the source domain of the evolved packet core network and at least one of the at least two DIAMETER nodes correspond with the destination domain of the evolved packet core network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a DIAMETER application to be utilized to meet a DIAMETER signaling requirement of the service.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising mapping the DIAMETER resources available in a network designed to provide the service.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein allocating the DIAMETER resources comprises allocating the DIAMETER resources in accordance with a rule to override a traditional DIAMETER routing agent.