Techniques for customer self-provisioning of edge nodes for a virtual private network
First Claim
1. A method for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:
- receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
based on the customer input data, determining configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network; and
causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for configuring a particular network interface on a particular node at an edge of a provider network to support a particular virtual private network include receiving customer input data. The provider network is a packet-switched network and the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. The customer input data indicates a topology for customer equipment devices outside the provider network on the particular virtual private network, and may include properties for corresponding interfaces that connect the customer equipment devices to the edge nodes. Based on the customer input data, configuration data is determined for configuring the particular interface at the particular node. The particular node is caused to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention. Among other effects, these techniques support zero-touch provisioning of virtual private networks.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
based on the customer input data, determining configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network; and
causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider, configuring a first attachment circuit on a particular edge node of a plurality of attachment circuits for connection to customer equipment outside the provider network on a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
receiving configuration data based on the customer input data; and
configuring a second attachment circuit on the particular edge node to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:
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means for receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
means for determining, based on the customer input data, configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network; and
means for causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.
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30. An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:
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means for receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider, means for configuring a first attachment circuit on a particular edge node of a plurality of attachment circuits for connection to customer equipment outside the provider network on a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
means for receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
means for forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
means for receiving configuration data based on the customer input data; and
means for configuring a second attachment circuit on the particular edge node to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.
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31. An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to a provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
one or more processors;
a computer-readable medium; and
one or more sequences of instructions stored in the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of;
receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
based on the customer input data, determining configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network; and
causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:
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a provider network interface that is coupled to a provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
a customer network interface for coupling to customer premises equipment outside the provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
one or more processors;
a computer-readable medium; and
one or more sequences of instructions stored in the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of;
receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider, configuring a first attachment circuit on the customer network interface to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
receiving configuration data based on the customer input data; and
configuring a second attachment circuit for coupling to customer premises equipment to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data, wherein;
the provider network is a packet-switched network; and
the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification