Controlling of communication network comprising virtualized network functions

• US 10,432,458 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Nicholas R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Chong G
• Application Number:
  US15/907,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/442 Shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A method and apparatus are configured to receive and process an attach request from a communication element of a communication network. A response to the attached request is prepared, and transmission of the response is caused. The preparing of the response includes first identification data identifying the virtualized network function and second identification data identifying an intermediate network element or network function being related to the virtualized network function.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor;

wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive and process an attach request from a communication element of a communication network for attaching to a virtualized network function providing services related to the communication network,

prepare a response to the attach request, and

cause transmission of the response to the requesting communication element,

wherein the preparing of the response comprises

including first identification data identifying the virtualized network function and second identification data identifying an intermediate network element or network control plane function being related to the virtualized network function and to which control plane messages related to the virtualized network function are to be directed, and

wherein the response redirects any control plane messages directed to the virtualized network function to first be sent to the intermediate network element or network control plane function to check whether the virtualized network function is in an instantiated or de-instantiated state, and to prepare a response to the control plane message based on the state of the virtualized network function.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second identification data are included in identification data assigned to a communication element of the communication network, wherein the second identification data resolve to the intermediate network element or network function.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus is implemented by a virtualized network function being related to a communication network control function of the communication network.

4. A method, comprising:

receiving and processing an attach request from a communication element of a communication network for attaching to a virtualized network function providing services related to the communication network;

preparing a response to the attach request; and

causing transmission of the response to the requesting communication element,

wherein the preparing of the response comprises

including first identification data identifying the virtualized network function and second identification data identifying an intermediate network element or network control plane function being related to the virtualized network function and to which control plane messages related to the virtualized network function are to be directed, and

wherein the response redirects any control plane messages directed to the virtualized network function to first be sent to the intermediate network element or network control plane function to check whether the virtualized network function is in an instantiated or de-instantiated state, and to prepare a response to the control plane message based on the state of the virtualized network function.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the first and second identification data are included in identification data assigned to a communication element of the communication network, wherein the second identification data resolve to the intermediate network element or network function.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein

the method is executed by a virtualized network function being related to a communication network control function of the communication network.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing device, control the processing device to perform:

receiving and processing an attach request from a communication element of a communication network for attaching to a virtualized network function providing services related to the communication network,

preparing a response to the attach request, and

causing transmission of the response to the requesting communication element,

wherein the preparing of the response comprises

including first identification data identifying the virtualized network function and second identification data identifying an intermediate network element or network control plane function being related to the virtualized network function and to which control plane messages related to the virtualized network function are to be directed, and

wherein the response redirects any control plane messages directed to the virtualized network function to first be sent to the intermediate network element or network control plane function to check whether the virtualized network function is in an instantiated or de-instantiated state, and to prepare a response the control plane message based on the state of the virtualized network function.