METHOD AND SYSTEM OF FORMING A MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK

• US 20130182606A1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Houston System, Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System), Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: So, Ning, Fumagalli, Andrea, Chen, Yuhua
• Granted Patent: US 9,705,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• 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: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

An approach is provided for creating a mobile virtual network. A virtual network is created to include a plurality of mobile virtual routers. A determination is made whether the virtual network has sufficient resources to satisfy a dynamic virtual network requirement. The size of the virtual network is adjusted based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a virtual network to include a plurality of mobile virtual routers;

determining whether the virtual network has sufficient resources to satisfy a dynamic virtual network requirement; and

adjusting size of the virtual network based on the determination.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the mobile virtual routers includes a control plane instance, a forwarding plane instance, and a management plane instance;

each of the instances being moveable among a plurality of physical routers.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a virtual network creation request, at a dynamic virtual network gateway.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining physical and/or logical homing connectivity of user devices with the dynamic network gateway.

5. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining a current network condition profile of the virtual network; and

negotiating modification of the request.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the presence of a network event requiring network resources, wherein the virtual network is created as a customized network in response to the detected event.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network event involves a plurality of user devices situated correspondingly at a plurality of geographic locations.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the network event requires substantial bandwidth, strict network performance, high level of security, or a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

create a virtual network to include a plurality of mobile virtual routers,

determine whether the virtual network has sufficient resources to satisfy a dynamic virtual network requirement, and

adjust size of the virtual network based on the determination.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the mobile virtual routers includes a control plane instance, a forwarding plane instance, and a management plane instance;

each of the instances being moveable among a plurality of physical routers.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive a virtual network creation request, at a dynamic virtual network gateway.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine physical and/or logical homing connectivity of user devices with the dynamic network gateway.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a current network condition profile of the virtual network; and

negotiating modification of the request.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

detect presence of a network event requiring network resources, wherein the virtual network is created as a customized network in response to the detected event.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the network event involves a plurality of user devices situated correspondingly at a plurality of geographic locations.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the network event requires substantial bandwidth, strict network performance, high level of security, or a combination thereof.

17. A system comprising:

a plurality of mobile virtual routers, overlaid onto a plurality of physical routers, forming a virtual network, wherein each of the mobile virtual routers includes a control plane instance, a forwarding plane instance, and a management plane instance;

each of the instances being moveable among the plurality of physical routers; and

a dynamic virtual network gateway configured to communicate with one or more of the mobile virtual routers, to determine whether the virtual network has sufficient resources to satisfy a dynamic virtual network requirement, and to adjust size of the virtual network based on the determination.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the dynamic virtual network gateway is configured to receive a virtual network creation request.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein a determination is made of physical and/or logical homing connectivity of user devices with the dynamic network gateway.

20. A system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a database configured to store a current network condition profile of the virtual network.