System And Method For Management Of Network-Based Services

• US 20130166703A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hammer, Michael P., Dalela, Ashish, Morrow, Monique J., Tomsu, Peter C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,450,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5045 Making service definitions prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes an interface configured to receive a first request sent from a first customer for a first service provided by a first service provider, the first request being of a first type. The system also includes at least one processor configured to determine a first set of configuration parameters from a first policy associated with the first service provider in response to receiving the first request. The at least one processor also causes a node associated with the first service provider to provide the first service in response to receiving the first request using the first set of configuration parameters.

Claims

1. A method executed by at least one processor comprising:

receiving a first request sent from a first customer for a first service provided by a first service provider, the first request being of a first type;

determining a first set of configuration parameters from a first policy associated with the first service provider in response to receiving the first request; and

causing a node associated with the first service provider to provide the first service in response to receiving the first request using the first set of configuration parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request sent from the first customer for a second service by a second service provider, the second request being of the first type;

determining a second set of configuration parameters from a second policy associated with the second service provider in response to receiving the second request; and

causing a node associated with the second service provider to provide the second service in response to receiving the second request using the second set of configuration parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a multicast advertisement, the advertisement being of the first type;

receiving a unicast service registration being of the first type sent by the first service provider in response to receiving the advertisement;

receiving a multicast discovery request being of the first type from a second service provider; and

sending a unicast advertisement being of the first type to the second service provider in response to receiving the multicast discovery request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request comprises a dotted decimal name associated with the first service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying that the first request complies with a set of rules associated with the first type; and

validating the first request by comparing the first request to information about the first service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request comprises:

a first portion, the first portion comprising information independent of how the first service is implemented; and

a second portion, the second portion comprising information dependent on how the first service is implemented.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first portion is in a plain text format; and

the second portion is in an extensible markup language (XML) format.

11. The medium of claim 1, wherein the first request comprises a dotted decimal name associated with the first service.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to:

receive a first request sent from a first customer for a first service provided by a first service provider, the first request being of a first type;

determine a first set of configuration parameters from a first policy associated with the first service provider in response to receiving the first request; and

cause a node associated with the first service provider to provide the first service in response to receiving the first request using the first set of configuration parameters.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

receive a second request sent from the first customer for a second service by a second service provider, the second request being of the first type;

determine a second set of configuration parameters from a second policy associated with the second service provider in response to receiving the second request; and

cause a node associated with the second service provider to provide the second service in response to receiving the second request using the second set of configuration parameters.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

send a multicast advertisement, the advertisement being of the first type;

receive a unicast service registration being of the first type sent by the first service provider in response to receiving the advertisement;

receive a multicast discovery request being of the first type from a second service provider; and

send a unicast advertisement being of the first type to the second service provider in response to receiving the multicast discovery request.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

verify that the first request complies with a set of rules associated with the first type; and

validate the first request by comparing the first request to information about the first service.

13. The medium of claim 8, wherein the first request comprises:

a first portion, the first portion comprising information independent of how the first service is implemented; and

a second portion, the second portion comprising information dependent on how the first service is implemented.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein:

the first portion is in a plain text format; and

the second portion is in an extensible markup language (XML) format.

15. A system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a first request sent from a first customer for a first service provided by a first service provider, the first request being of a first type; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine a first set of configuration parameters from a first policy associated with the first service provider in response to receiving the first request; and

cause a node associated with the first service provider to provide the first service in response to receiving the first request using the first set of configuration parameters.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the interface is further configured to receive a second request sent from the first customer for a second service by a second service provider, the second request being of the first type; and

the at least one processor is further configured to;

determine a second set of configuration parameters from a second policy associated with the second service provider in response to receiving the second request; and

cause a node associated with the second service provider to provide the second service in response to receiving the second request using the second set of configuration parameters.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the interface is further configured to:

send a multicast advertisement, the advertisement being of the first type;

receive a unicast service registration being of the first type sent by the first service provider in response to receiving the advertisement;

receive a multicast discovery request being of the first type from a second service provider; and

send a unicast advertisement being of the first type to the second service provider in response to receiving the multicast discovery request.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first request comprises a dotted decimal name associated with the first service.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

verify that the first request complies with a set of rules associated with the first type; and

validate the first request by comparing the first request to information about the first service.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first request comprises:

a first portion, the first portion comprising information independent of how the first service is implemented; and

a second portion, the second portion comprising information dependent on how the first service is implemented.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the first portion is in a plain text format; and

the second portion is in an extensible markup language (XML) format.