Cloud computing access gateway and method for providing a user terminal access to a cloud provider

• US 9,002,932 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhi
• Primary Examiner(s): KATSIKIS, KOSTAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/564,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

A cloud computing access gateway includes a cloud management module configured to store a cloud provider and information of a cloud computing service provided by the cloud provider. A user terminal interface module is configured to provide an interface with a user terminal, receive a service request indicating a cloud computing service from the user terminal, and send a result of the cloud computing service to the user terminal. A request analysis module is configured to analyze the received service request to identify the cloud computing service. A cloud selection module is configured to select a best cloud provider based on the cloud computing service. A cloud interface module is configured to provide an interface with the cloud provider, transmit the service request to the best cloud provider, and receive the result of the cloud computing service from the best cloud provider.

Claims

1. A cloud computing access gateway, comprising:

a processor configured to,

store a plurality of cloud providers and information associated with a corresponding cloud computing service provided by each of the plurality of cloud providers;

provide an interface with a user terminal;

receive a service request indicating a cloud computing service from the user terminal;

analyze the received service request to identify the cloud computing service;

search for one or more of the plurality of cloud providers whose corresponding cloud computing service matches the cloud computing service requested by the user terminal;

determine a best one of the one or more of the plurality of cloud providers based on a configuration of the cloud computing service defined by a user of the user terminal;

provide an interface with the best cloud provider;

when the user terminal and the best cloud provider adopt different interface definitions, translate the received service request into another service request in conformity with an interface definition of the best cloud provider;

transmit the service request to the best cloud provider;

receive a result of the service request from the best cloud provider,

translate the received result into another result in conformity with an interface definition of the user terminal;

send the result to the user terminal;

monitor an availability of the best one of the cloud providers; and

select a next best cloud provider from among the one or more of the plurality of cloud providers if the best one of the cloud providers is determined to be unavailable during the monitoring.

2. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 1, wherein the information includes a unique resource identifier, an interface definition, a service type, quality of service and a cost associated with the corresponding cloud computing service provided by each of the plurality of cloud providers.

3. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to permit the user of the user terminal to define the configuration of the cloud computing service.

4. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to permit the user of the user terminal to define a shortcut key for the cloud computing service.

5. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the one or more of the plurality of cloud providers to the user terminal to allow the user of the user terminal to select the best cloud provider.

6. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to

partition the cloud computing service of the service request into a plurality of sub-services;

aggregate results of the plurality of sub-services into the result of the service request; and

determine a best cloud provider for each of the plurality of sub-services.

7. The cloud computing access gateway according to claim 1, wherein the configuration of the cloud computing service includes at least one of a desired quality of service, a desired cost and a desired security level for the cloud computing service requested in the service request.

8. A method for providing a user terminal access to a cloud provider, comprising:

receiving a service request from the user terminal, the service request indicating a cloud computing service;

analyzing the service request to identify the cloud computing service;

searching for one or more of a plurality of cloud providers whose corresponding cloud computing service matches the cloud computing service requested by the user terminal;

determining a best one of the one or more of the plurality of cloud providers based on a configuration of the cloud computing service defined by a user of the user terminal;

when the user terminal and the best cloud provider adopt different interface definitions, translating the received service request into another service request in conformity with an interface definition of the best cloud provider;

transmitting the service request to the best cloud provider;

receiving a result of the service request from the best cloud provider;

translating the received result into another result in conformity with an interface definition of the user terminal;

sending the result to the user terminal;

monitoring an availability of the best one of the cloud providers; and

selecting a next best cloud provider from among the one or more of the plurality of cloud providers if the best one of the cloud providers is determined to be unavailable during the monitoring.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, the determining includes providing the user terminal with the searched one or more of the plurality of cloud providers to allow the user of the user terminal to select the best cloud provider.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

partitioning the cloud computing service into a plurality of sub-services, upon analyzing the service request;

performing the searching and the selecting for each of the plurality of sub-services to select a respective best cloud provider for each of the plurality of sub-services; and

upon receiving results of the plurality of sub-services, aggregating the results of the plurality of sub-services into the result of the service request.