VIRTUALIZATION OF NETWORKING SERVICES

• US 20090185500A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aerohive Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Matthew Alan, Mower, Carl Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method of configuring a virtual network comprises: running a user-interactive business requirements wizard from a server, the wizard collecting business requirements from a user; translating the business requirements into technical requirements for a network configuration using the server; selecting a network configuration from a network configuration database using the server, the selecting utilizing the technical requirements; testing the network configuration using a processor; monitoring the testing and generating new facts regarding performance of the network configuration, using the processor; feeding back the new facts to the server for use by the server in the selecting; and repeating the selecting, testing, monitoring and generating, and feeding back, until the server determines a criterion for network stability has been reached. The method may include automatically discovering local network characteristics using a networking device, prior to the selecting, sending the characteristics to the server for use by the server in the selecting.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a virtual network comprising:

running a user-interactive business requirements wizard from a server, said wizard collecting business requirements from a user;

translating said business requirements into technical requirements for a network configuration using said server;

selecting a network configuration from a network configuration database using said server, said selecting utilizing said technical requirements;

testing said network configuration using a processor;

monitoring said testing and generating new facts regarding performance of said network configuration, using said processor;

feeding back said new facts to said server for use by said server in said selecting; and

repeating said selecting, testing, monitoring and generating, and feeding back, until said server determines a criterion for network stability has been reached.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising determining network requirements by said user, said user providing said requirements to said server for use in said selecting.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said processor is said server.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said networking device includes said processor.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising notifying a network administrator when said network configuration satisfies said criterion.

6. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

automatically discovering local network characteristics using a networking device; and

prior to said selecting, sending said characteristics to said server for use by said server in said selecting.

7. A virtualized server resource for configuring a virtual network including a server comprising computer-executable instructions for:

running a user-interactive business requirements wizard from said server, said wizard collecting business requirements from a user;

translating said business requirements into technical requirements for a network configuration using said server;

selecting a network configuration from a network configuration database using said server, said selecting utilizing said technical requirements;

testing said network configuration using said server;

monitoring said testing and generating new facts regarding performance of said network configuration, using said server;

feeding back said new facts to said server for use by said server in said selecting; and

repeating said selecting, testing, monitoring and generating, and feeding back, until said server determines a criterion for network stability has been reached.