DATACENTER, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20180020377A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: NAKANO, Shintaro, HASEGAWA, Hideo, ISHII, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 10,849,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• 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 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A datacenter, a communication apparatus, a communication method, and a communication control method in a communication system are provided that can enhance the versatility of a datacenter and a virtual network constructed therein. A communication system includes: a communication facility owned by at least one network operator; and a datacenter connected to the communication facility over a network, wherein the datacenter includes: a first virtual network that implements mobile communication functions by using the communication facility; a second virtual network that provides a cloud service; and a communication means, wherein the communication means includes: a reception means for receiving traffic from the communication facility; and a distributing means for distributing the received traffic to either the first virtual network or the second virtual network.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a communication facility owned by at least one network operator; and

a datacenter connected to the communication facility over a network,

wherein the datacenter includes;

a first virtual network that implements mobile communication functions by using the communication facility;

a second virtual network that provides a cloud service; and

a server configured to distribute traffic from the communication facility, to the first virtual network or the second virtual network.

2-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A datacenter comprising:

a gateway configured to connect to a communication facility owned by a network operator over a network;

a first virtual network that implements mobile communication functions by using the communication facility;

a second virtual network that provides a cloud service; and

a server configured to distribute traffic from the communication facility, to the first virtual network or the second virtual network.

10. The datacenter according to claim 9, wherein the server distributes a forwarding destination of the traffic, based on identification information of a source network of the traffic.

11. The datacenter according to claim 9, wherein the gateway connects to the communication facility through a physical channel or a virtual channel over the network.

12. The datacenter according to claim 9, further comprising a terminal bearer terminator configured to terminate a bearer with a terminal connected to the communication facility.

13. The datacenter according to claim 9, further comprising a tunnel terminator configured to terminate a tunnel set up over the network with the communication facility.

16. The datacenter according to claim 9, further comprising a virtual path terminator configured to protect traffic between the first virtual network and a terminal connected to the communication facility.

17. The datacenter according to claim 16, wherein the virtual path terminator terminates a physical channel or a virtual channel set up over the network with the communication facility.

18. The datacenter according to claim 16, wherein the virtual path terminator terminates a bearer with the terminal connected to the communication facility.

19. The datacenter according to claim 16, wherein the virtual path terminator terminates a tunnel set up over the network with the communication facility.

14-15. -15. (canceled)

20. A communication apparatus owned by a network operator, comprising:

at least one base station wirelessly connected to a terminal; and

a first gateway configured to perform communication over a network with a first virtual network or a second virtual network that provides a cloud service within a datacenter owned by another network operator,

wherein mobile communication functions are implemented by the first virtual network and the at least one base station, wherein the second virtual network provides a predetermined service to the terminal connected to the communication facility.

21. The communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the at least one base station is included in a radio access network of the network operator.

22. The communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the first gateway connects to a second gateway within the datacenter through a physical channel or a virtual channel over the network.

23. The communication apparatus according to claim 22, wherein a tunnel is set up between the first gateway and the second gateway apparatus over the network.

24-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A communication control method in a datacenter, comprising:

by a gateway unit, connecting to a communication facility owned by a network operator over a network;

by a computing resource, constructing a first virtual network that implements mobile communication functions by using the communication facility and a second virtual network that provides a cloud service; and

by a server, distributing traffic from the communication facility to the first virtual network or the second virtual network.

29-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A communication control method for a communication apparatus owned by a network operator, comprising:

by at least one base station, wirelessly connecting to a terminal;

by a gateway unit, performing communication over a network with a first virtual network or a second virtual network within a datacenter owned by another network operator;

by the first virtual network and the at least one base station, implementing mobile communication functions; and

by the second virtual network, providing a predetermined service to the terminal connected to the communication facility.