System and Method for a Control Plane Reference Model Framework

• US 20140307556A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Hang
• Granted Patent: US 10,291,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for implementing control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes. A software defined topology (SDT) component is configured to determine a data plane logical topology indicating a plurality of selected nodes and a logical architecture connecting the selected nodes. The data plane logical topology enables traffic delivery for a service or virtual network for an end-customer or operator. A software defined networking (SDN) component is configured to interact with the SDT component and map the data plane logical topology to a physical network. The mapping includes allocating network nodes including the selected nodes and network resources which enable communications for the service or virtual network and meet QoS requirement. A software defined protocol (SDP) component is configured to interact with the SDN and define data plane protocol and process functionality for the network nodes.

Claims

1. A method by a network component for implementing control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes, the method comprising:

determining, using a software defined topology (SDT) component, a data plane logical topology indicating a plurality of selected nodes and a logical architecture connecting the selected nodes;

mapping, using a software defined networking (SDN) component, the data plane logical topology to a physical network, the mapping comprising allocating network nodes of a service or virtual network, wherein the allocated network nodes include the selected nodes and network resources, and wherein the network resources enable information exchange of the service or virtual network, and meet quality of service (QoS) requirement; and

defining, using a software defined protocol (SDP) component, a data plane protocol including data plane process functionality for the allocated network nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the data plane logical topology includes configuring at least one of traffic filtering, traffic aggregation, traffic convergence, and load balancing functionality for the selected nodes, wherein mapping the data plane logical topology to the physical network includes configuring data forwarding rules for the network nodes, and wherein defining the data plane protocol includes configuring a set of data process functionality, workflow for handling and processing traffic, and corresponding parameters and status information for the network nodes.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring radio operation parameters of a radio node from the network nodes.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising exchanging information between each of the SDN component, the SDT component, and the SDP component to negotiate and cooperate for configuring data plane for the network nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined and mapped to the physical network according to at least one of mobility tracking, network status, quality of experience (QoE) information, and network node capability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined and mapped to the physical network for handling traffic transmission between end-to-end customers according to at least one of service requirement, connectivity requirement, available network resource, and the QoS requirement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined and mapped to the physical network for handling machine-to-machine (M2M) communications according to at least one of traffic characteristics, end-devices distribution, connectivity requirement, available network resource, and the QoS requirement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined and mapped to the physical network for handling content dissemination into a network according to at least one of content storage based factors content popularity, and the QoS requirement, and wherein determining the data plane logical topology includes determining destinations for content cache in the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined and mapped to the physical network for handling content delivery to customers in a content delivery network (CDN) according to at least one of destination of content, requesting mobile or terminal, and the QoS requirement, and wherein determining the data plane logical topology includes determining sources for content delivery.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating network resources to meet the data plane logical topology and the QoS requirement includes allocating, for the network nodes, a path or multiple paths and corresponding bandwidth in the physical network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected node of the data plane logical topology indicates a source location and a destination location of the service or virtual network, and further indicates a logical architecture to connect the selected nodes at data plane and attributes of connections of the selected nodes, the data plane attributes including at least one of rate and delay attributes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein physical network is divided into a plurality of control domains, and wherein the SDT component, the SDN component, and the SDP component are assigned to a first domain from the plurality of control domains in the physical network.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising exchanging information with a second SDN component, a second SDT component, or a second SDP component, the second SDP component being assigned to a second domain from the plurality of control domains to cooperate for configuring data plane for the network nodes in the first domain or the second domain.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the network nodes correspond to a first layer and are abstracted into virtual nodes at a second layer, and wherein the data plane logical topology is determined, using the SDT, for the virtual nodes at the second layer.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at a control plane via a first interface, network status analysis information including network load from a network status analysis component;

receiving, at the control plane via a second interface, infrastructure abstraction information including effective spectra efficiency of mobile terminals from an infrastructure abstraction component;

receiving, at the control plane via a third interface, mobility management and tracking information including current geographic locations, locations relative to network, or predictions of locations of end-customers from a mobility management and tracking component;

receiving, at the control plane via a fourth interface, quality of experience (QoE) analysis information from a QoE analysis component; and

providing, via a fifth interface at the control plane, control functionality decisions including routing information, data process functionality, and work flow to a service or virtual network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network status analysis information is determined by the network status analysis component according to network status information including node load or packet drop rates obtained from the data plane via a first interface between the control plane and the data plane, and wherein the QoE analysis information is determined by the QoE analysis component according to rate, packet loss rate, or black screen time experience information obtained from the data plane via a second interface between the control plane and the data plane.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps for determining the data plane logical topology using the SDT, mapping the data plane logical topology to the physical network using the SDN, and defining the data plane protocol using the SDP data plane process functionality for the allocated network nodes, wherein repeating the steps adjusts dynamically to changes related to the service or virtual network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined according to a logical topology provided by a customer and enabling information exchange of the service or virtual network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the customer is an end-customer, a service operator, or a virtual network operator.

20. A network component configured for implementing software defined topology (SDT) control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes, the network component comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor, the programming including instructions to;

determine, using a software defined topology (SDT) component, a data plane logical topology indicating a plurality of selected nodes, a logical architecture connecting the selected nodes at the data plane, and attributes of connections between the selected nodes, wherein the data plane logical topology is determined according to a logical topology provided by a customer and enabling information exchange of a service or virtual network; and

send information about the data plane logical topology to a software defined networking (SDN) component configured for mapping the data plane logical topology to a physical network.

21. The network component of claim 20, wherein the network nodes include a radio node at the data plane configurable by the network component, and wherein the instructions to determine the data plane logical topology includes instructions to configure radio operation parameters for the radio node.

22. A network component configured for implementing software defined networking (SDN) control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes, the network component comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor, the programming including instructions to;

receive, from a software defined topology (SDT) component, information about a data plane logical topology determined according to a logical topology provided by a customer for enabling information exchange of a service or virtual network;

map the data plane logical topology to a physical network, the mapping comprising allocating network nodes including selected nodes and network resources, wherein the network resources enable information exchange of the service or virtual network and meet quality of service (QoS) requirement; and

send information about the mapping to a software defined protocol (SDP) component configured for defining a data plane protocol for the network nodes.

23. The network component of claim 22, wherein allocating network resources enabling information exchange of the service or virtual network and meeting QoS requirement includes allocating, for the network nodes, a path or multiple paths and corresponding bandwidth in the physical network.

24. The network component of claim 22, wherein instructions to map the data plane logical topology include instructions to configure data forwarding rules for the network nodes.

25. The network component of claim 22, wherein the network nodes include a radio node at the data plane configurable by the network component, and wherein instructions to map the data plane logical topology include instructions to configure radio operation parameters for the radio node.

26. A network component configured for implementing software defined protocol (SDP) control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes, the network component comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor, the programming including instructions to;

receive, from a software defined networking (SDN) component, information about a mapping between a data plane logical topology and a physical network, the mapping comprising allocating network nodes and network resources, wherein the network resources enable information exchange of the service or virtual network and meet quality of service (QoS) requirement; and

define a data plane protocol including data plane process functionality for the allocated network nodes in the physical network corresponding to the mapped data plane logical topology, wherein instructions to define the data plane protocol include instructions to configure radio operation parameters for a radio node from the network nodes.

27. The network component of claim 26, wherein instructions to define the data plane protocol include instructions to configure a set of data process functionality, workflow for handling and processing traffic, and corresponding parameters and status information for the network nodes.

28. A method for configuring a radio node at a data plane, the method comprising:

receiving, at the radio node, information indicating a set of data process functionality, workflow for handling and processing traffic, and corresponding parameters and status information as determined by a software defined protocol (SDP) control element, the received information enabling information exchange of a service or virtual network; and

performing, by the radio node, an operation at the data plane according to the received information.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

receiving, at the radio node, additional information to configure at least one of traffic filtering, traffic aggregation, traffic convergence, and load balancing functionality, and radio operation parameters as determined by a software defined topology (SDT) control element, wherein the additional information are received directly from the SDT control element or via the SDP control element; and

performing, by the radio node, the operation at the data plane according to the additional information.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

receiving, at the radio node, additional information to configure data forwarding rules as determined by a software defined networking (SDN) control element; and

performing, by the radio node, the operation at the data plane according to the additional information.

31. A radio node component configurable at a data plane by one or more control plane components, the radio node comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor, the programming including instructions to;

receive information indicating a set of data process functionality, workflow for handling and processing traffic, and corresponding parameters and status information as determined by a software defined protocol (SDP) control element, the received information enabling information exchange of a service or virtual network; and

perform an operation of the radio node, at the data plane, according to the received information.

32. The radio node of claim 31, wherein the programming includes further instructions to:

receive additional information to configure at least one of traffic filtering, traffic aggregation, traffic convergence, and load balancing functionality, and radio operation parameters as determined by a software defined topology (SDT) control element, wherein the instructions are received directly from the SDT control element or via the SDP control element; and

perform the operation of the radio node, at the data plane, according to the additional information.

33. The radio node of claim 31, wherein the programming includes further instructions to:

receive, at the radio node, additional information to configure data forwarding rules as determined by a software defined networking (SDN) control element; and

perform the operation of the radio node, at the data plane, according to the additional information.

34. The radio node of claim 31, wherein the programming includes further instructions to:

receive additional information to configure at least one of a wireless backhaul functionality, a radio frequency (RF) band for the wireless backhaul functionality, a narrow beam backhaul link, a RF band for the narrow beam backhaul link, a routing functionality, an access link functionality, and a sensor functionality; and

perform an operation of the radio node, at the data plane, according to the additional information.