Virtual zones for open systems interconnection layer 4 through layer 7 services in a cloud computing system

• US 9,473,567 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parikh, Anisa, Atluri, Neela R., Bajpay, Paritosh, Ganesan, Sekar, Goyal, Shobhna, Kumar, Shiv, Nassar, Magda K., Tripathi, Satyendra, Utano, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US14/464,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.2, 714/4.1, 714/4.11, 714/4.12, 714/4.3, 714/4.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1484 involving virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/203 using migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45591 Monitoring or debugging support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/76 using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 Signalling gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• 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]

Abstract

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to virtual zones for Open Systems Interconnection (“OSI”) communication model layers 4-7 services in a cloud computing system. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a cloud computing system can include a hardware resource and a virtual zone. The virtual zone can include a virtual network function (“VNF”) that is executable by the hardware resource. The VNF can support a service that operates within one of layers 4-7 of the OSI communication model. A computing system can detect new subscribers to the service within the virtual zone. The computing system also can determine that a capacity constraint exists within the virtual zone as a result of the new subscribers. The computing system also can home the new subscribers to the further virtual zone so that the further VNF can provide the service to the new subscribers.

Claims

1. A cloud computing system comprising:

a plurality of compute resources; and

a plurality of memory resources, wherein;

a first portion of the plurality of memory resources comprises virtual machine monitor instructions that, when executed by a first portion of the plurality of compute resources, cause the first portion of the plurality of compute resources to perform first operations comprising instantiating a plurality of virtual network functions, each of the plurality of virtual network functions comprising network function instructions,

a second portion of the plurality of memory resources comprises the network function instructions that, when executed by a second portion of the plurality of compute resources, cause the second portion of the plurality of compute resources to perform second operations comprising providing, at least in part, a telecommunication service, and

a third portion of the plurality of memory resources comprises virtual zone instructions that, when executed by a third portion of the plurality of compute resources, cause the third portion of the plurality of compute resources to perform third operations comprising logically grouping the plurality of virtual network functions into a plurality of virtual zones, each of the plurality of virtual zones providing, via a portion of the plurality of virtual network functions, at least in part, the telecommunication service within a geographical region independent of a physical location of the plurality of compute resources.

2. The cloud computing system of claim 1, wherein a fourth portion of the plurality of memory resources comprises capacity instructions that, when executed by a fourth portion of the plurality of compute resources, causes the fourth portion of the plurality of compute resources to perform fourth operations comprising:

detecting new subscribers to the telecommunication service within a first virtual zone of the plurality of virtual zones; and

determining that a capacity constraint exists within the first virtual zone as a result of the new subscribers.

3. The cloud computing system of claim 2, wherein the fourth operations further comprise:

homing the new subscribers to a second virtual zone of the plurality of virtual zones.

4. The cloud computing system of claim 3, wherein the fourth operations further comprise:

expanding capacity of the first virtual zone to support the new subscribers; and

rehoming the new subscribers to the first virtual zone after the capacity of the first virtual zone is expanded to support the new subscribers.

5. The cloud computing system of claim 2, wherein the fourth operations further comprise:

instantiating a further virtual network function after a first virtual network function of the plurality of virtual network functions fails to prevent the telecommunication service from being interrupted.

6. The cloud computing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual zones operate within a plurality of localized regions.

7. The cloud computing system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of other hardware resources.

8. The cloud computing system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of compute resources, the plurality of memory resources, and the plurality of other hardware resources are in communication with a virtualization layer, the virtualization layer comprising a virtual machine monitor that comprises the virtual machine monitor instructions that, when executed by the first portion of the plurality of compute resources instantiates and monitors the plurality of virtual network functions.

9. The cloud computing system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of virtual network functions comprise a virtual session border controller and a virtual call session control function.

10. A method comprising:

detecting, by a computing system comprising a processor, subscriber expansion in a virtual zone, the virtual zone comprising a virtual network function that is executable by a hardware resource and that supports, at least in part, a service that operates within at least one of layer 4 through layer 7 of an open systems interconnection communication model;

determining, by the computing system, that a capacity constraint exists within the virtual zone as a result of the subscriber expansion; and

homing, by the computing system, new subscribers associated with the subscriber expansion to a further virtual zone.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

expanding a capacity of the virtual zone to support the new subscribers; and

rehoming the new subscribers to the virtual zone after expanding the capacity of the virtual zone to support the new subscribers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein expanding the capacity of the virtual zone to support the new subscribers comprises instantiating a further virtual network function within the virtual zone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein expanding the capacity of the virtual zone to support the new subscribers comprises expanding the capacity of the virtual network function to support the new subscribers.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual zone is one of a plurality of virtual zones operating within a plurality of localized regions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the hardware resource comprises a compute resource, a memory resource, or another hardware resource.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the hardware resource is in communication with a virtualization layer comprising a virtual machine monitor that creates and monitors the virtual network function.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the virtual network function comprises a virtual session border controller and a virtual call session control function.

18. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of virtual zones;

detecting, by a hardware resource, a failure of a virtual network function operating within a virtual zone of the plurality of virtual zones; and

directing, via the hardware resource, traffic associated with a service provided, at least in part, by the virtual zone to a further virtual zone of the plurality of virtual zones.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual network function comprises a virtual session border controller, a virtual call session control function, a virtual border controller function, or any function that provides, at least in part, the service.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the service operates within one of layer 4 through layer 7 of an open systems interconnection communication model.