Centralized network control for a cloud-based services exchange

• US 10,250,699 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equinix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Equinix Incorporated
• Inventors: Rao, Ravindra J N
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/001,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 709201, 709220, 709221, 709230, 709244
• 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 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/10 characterised by the switching fabric construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• 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: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 : Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

In some examples, a method includes: providing, by a centralized network control (CNC) system, a software interface to receive service requests for configuration of services within an edge network of one or more network data centers that are controlled by the CNC system; receiving a service request to configure a service within the edge network; generating a service definition that specifies service requirements to implement the service; determining at least one network field unit that is capable of servicing the service request; and sending, to the at least one network field unit, the service definition to configure the service at the portion of the edge network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, by a centralized network control (CNC) system, a software interface to receive respective service requests for configuration of different end-to-end network services within respective portions of an edge network of a plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers that are controlled by the CNC system;

receiving, by the CNC system and via the software interface, the respective end-to-end network service requests to configure different end-to-end network services to respective cloud service provider networks within the respective portions of the edge network of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the respective portions of the edge network within the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers connect through one or more cloud-based services exchange points of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the cloud-based services exchange points are coupled to the respective cloud service provider networks;

generating, by the CNC system and based on the respective end-to-end network service requests, corresponding end-to-end network service definitions that each specifies different service requirements to implement a different end-to-end network service within a different one of the respective portions of the edge network and corresponding service level agreements for the different end-to-end network services;

determining, by the CNC system and based on the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions, corresponding network field units of a plurality of geographically dispersed network field units that are capable of servicing the respective end-to-end network service requests, wherein each of the plurality of geographically dispersed network field units controls a respective portion of the edge network, wherein the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions are usable by the corresponding network field units to configure the respective portions of the edge network to provide the different end-to-end network services;

sending, by the CNC system and to the corresponding network field units, the respective end-to-end network service definitions to configure the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network;

sending, by the CNC system and to the corresponding network field units, corresponding requests for service assurance of the different end-to-end network services specified by the respective network service definitions; and

providing, by the CNC system, service assurance for the different end-to-end network services by (1) obtaining service telemetry and analytics data for each of the different end-to-end network services from the one or more cloud-based services exchange points, (2) analyzing the service telemetry data to identify at least one anomaly for each of the different end-to-end network services, and (3) in response to identifying the at least one anomaly, executing a remedial action to ensure the different end-to-end network services adhere to the corresponding service level agreements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the at least one remedial action comprises sending one or more instructions to at least one of the corresponding network field units to reconfigure at least the respective portion of the edge network or a different portion of the edge network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the different service requirements specify at least one of a type of service, a geographic location for the service, a bandwidth for the service, an indication whether the bandwidth is burstable, an Excess Information Rate (EIR), a maximum latency for the bandwidth, a minimum availability level of the service, a cloud service provider for the service, or one or more security properties for the service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the different end-to-end network services comprises at least one of a layer-3 interconnection service, a firewall service, a data storage service, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) service, an analytics service, a network address translation service, or a deep-packet inspection service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to configuring the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network, storing, by the CNC system, billing information that indicates a fee for provisioning the different end-to-end network services to a requestor of the different end-to-end network services; and

sending, by the CNC system, an indication of the billing information to the requestor of the service.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the different service requirements of the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions do not specify particular, physical devices of the respective portions of the edge network, and

wherein the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions are usable by the corresponding network field units to configure the particular, physical devices of the respective portions of the edge network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the respective network service definitions to configure the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network, further comprises:

configuring at least one of the respective portions of the edge network to aggregate first cloud service traffic originating from a first cloud service provider and second cloud service traffic originating from a second cloud service provider; and

configuring the at least one of the respective portions of the edge network to deliver the aggregated cloud service traffic.

8. A centralized network control (CNC) system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to;

provide a software interface to receive respective service requests for configuration of different end-to-end network services to respective cloud service provider networks within respective portions of an edge network of a plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers that are controlled by the CNC system;

receive, via the software interface, the respective end-to-end network service requests to configure different end-to-end network services within the respective portions of the edge network of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the respective portions of the edge network within the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers connects through one or more cloud-based services exchange points of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the cloud-based services exchange points are coupled to the respective cloud service provider networks;

generate, based on the respective end-to-end network service requests, corresponding end-to-end network service definitions that each specifies different service requirements to implement a different end-to-end network service within a different one of the respective portions of the edge network and corresponding service level agreements for the different end-to-end network services;

determine, based on the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions, corresponding network field units of a plurality of geographically dispersed network field units that are capable of servicing the respective end-to-end network service requests, wherein each of the plurality of geographically dispersed network field units controls a respective portion of the edge network, wherein the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions are usable by the corresponding network field units to configure the respective portions of the edge network to provide the different end-to-end network services;

send, to the corresponding network field units, the respective network service definitions to configure the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network;

send, to the corresponding network field units, corresponding requests for service assurance of the end-to-end network services specified by the respective end-to- end network service definitions; and

provide service assurance for the different end-to-end network services by (1) obtaining service telemetry and analytics data for each of the different end-to-end network services from the one or more cloud-based services exchange points, (2) analyzing the service telemetry data to identify at least one anomaly for each of the different end-to-end network services, and (3) in response to identifying the at least one anomaly, executing a remedial action to ensure the different end-to-end network services adhere to the corresponding service level agreements.

9. The CNC system of claim 8, wherein executing the at least one remedial action comprises sending one or more instructions to at least one of the corresponding network field units to reconfigure at least the respective portion of the edge network or a different portion of the edge network.

10. The CNC system of claim 8, wherein each of the different service requirements specify at least one of a type of service, a geographic location for the service, a bandwidth for the service, an indication whether the bandwidth is burstable, an Excess Information Rate (EIR), a maximum latency for the bandwidth, a minimum availability level of the service, a cloud service provider for the service, or one or more security properties for the service.

11. The CNC system of claim 8, wherein each of the different end-to-end network services comprises at least one of a layer-3 interconnection service, a firewall service, a data storage service, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) service, an analytics service, a network address translation service, or a deep-packet inspection service.

12. The CNC system of claim 8, wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to:

responsive to configuring the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network, store billing information that indicates a fee for provisioning the different end-to-end network services to a requestor of the different end-to-end network services; and

send an indication of the billing information to the requestor of the service.

13. The CNC system of claim 8,

wherein the different end-to-end service requirements of the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions do not specify particular, physical devices of the respective portions of the edge network, and

wherein the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions are usable by the corresponding network field units to configure the particular, physical devices of the respective portions of the edge network.

14. The CNC system of claim 8, wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to:

configure at least one of the respective portions of the edge network to aggregate first cloud service traffic originating from a first cloud service provider and second cloud service traffic originating from a second cloud service provider; and

configure the at least one of the respective portions of the edge network to deliver the aggregated cloud service traffic.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one programmable processor of a centralized network control (CNC) system to perform operations comprising:

providing a software interface to receive respective service requests for configuration of different end-to-end network services to respective cloud service provider networks within respective portions of an edge network of a plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers that are controlled by the CNC system;

receiving, via the software interface, the respective end-to-end network service requests to configure different end-to-end network services within the respective portions of the edge network of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the respective portions of the edge network within the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers connects through one or more cloud-based services exchange points of the plurality of geographically dispersed network data centers, wherein the cloud-based services exchange points are coupled to the respective cloud service provider networks;

generating, based on the respective end-to-end network service requests, corresponding end-to-end network service definitions that each specifies different service requirements to implement a different end-to-end network service within a different one of the respective portions of the edge network and corresponding service level agreements for the different end-to- end network services;

determining, based on the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions, corresponding network field units of a plurality of geographically dispersed network field units that are capable of servicing the respective end-to-end network service requests, wherein each of the plurality of geographically dispersed network field units controls a respective portion of the edge network, wherein the corresponding end-to-end network service definitions are usable by the corresponding network field units to configure the respective portions of the edge network to provide the different end-to-end network services;

sending, to the corresponding network field units, the respective end-to-end network service definitions to configure the different end-to-end network services at the respective portions of the edge network;

sending, by the CNC system and to the corresponding network field units, corresponding requests for service assurance of the network service specified by the respective end-to-end network service definitions; and

providing service assurance for the different end-to-end network services by (1) obtaining service telemetry and analytics data for each of the different end-to-end network services from the one or more cloud-based services exchange points, (2) analyzing the service telemetry data to identify at least one anomaly for each of the different end-to-end network services, and (3) in response to identifying the at least one anomaly, executing a remedial action to ensure the different end-to-end network services adhere to the corresponding service level agreements.