Method and apparatus for provisioning a virtual machine (VM) from a network service provider

• US 9,509,626 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Adolph, Stephen Kieran, Gazier, Michael Alain, Duncan, Ian Hamish, Frodsham, James Andrew, Fluet, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US14/056,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus facilitates an enterprise to lease virtual appliances from network services provider. The method operates by deploying a converged networking and computing device at a service location, downloading a virtual machine to the converged networking and computing device, activating the virtual machine by a service in the wide area network, and connecting the virtual machine to a provisioned network path over the wide area network. Different virtual machines can be deployed to different locations. The same virtual machine can be deployed to different locations. Moreover, more than one virtual machine may be deployed to more than one service location.

Claims

1. A method for deployment by a wide area service provider of one or more virtual machines via a wide area network, comprising:

deploying a converged networking and computing device at a service location with a provisioned network path in the wide area network;

downloading a virtual machine to the converged networking and computing device over a temporary network path reconfigured from the provisioned network path over the wide area network, wherein the temporary network path has a different end point than the provisioned network path;

activating the virtual machine by a service in the wide area network; and

connecting the virtual machine to the provisioned network path over the wide area network and removing the temporary network path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring network bandwidth to provide a virtual machine distribution connection for distribution of a virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising reconfiguring network bandwidth to remove the virtual machine distribution connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine distribution connection is a high speed connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the virtual machine includes booting and configuring the virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine is obtained from a network-connected storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-connected storage device is located remote from the service location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-connected storage device is located in the wide area network.

9. A method for deployment of one or more virtual machines using a wide area network, comprising:

obtaining a converged networking and computing device at a service location with a provisioned network path in the wide area network;

obtaining a virtual machine at the converged networking and computing device over a temporary network path reconfigured from the provisioned network path over the wide area network, wherein the temporary network path has a different end point than the provisioned network path;

activating the virtual machine; and

obtaining a connection to the virtual machine at the service location using the provisioned network path over the wide area network and removing the temporary network path.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring network bandwidth to facilitate a virtual machine distribution connection for distribution of the virtual machine.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reconfiguring network bandwidth to facilitate removal of the virtual machine distribution connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual machine distribution connection is a high speed connection.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein activating the virtual machine includes facilitating of booting and configuring the virtual machine.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual machine is obtained from a network-connected storage device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the network-connected storage device is located remote from the service location.

16. A method for deployment of one or more virtual machines via a wide area network, comprising:

facilitating deployment of a converged networking and computing device at a service location with a provisioned network path in the wide area network;

facilitating downloading of a virtual machine to the converged networking and computing device over a temporary network path reconfigured from the provisioned network path over the wide area network, wherein the temporary network path has a different end point than the provisioned network path;

facilitating activation of the virtual machine by a service in the wide area network; and

facilitating connection of the virtual machine at the service location to the provisioned network path over the wide area network and removing the temporary network path.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising facilitating configuring network bandwidth to provide a virtual machine distribution connection for distribution of a virtual machine.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising facilitating reconfiguring network bandwidth to remove the virtual machine distribution connection.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein facilitating activating the virtual machine includes facilitating booting and configuring the virtual machine.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the virtual machine is obtained from a network-connected storage device.