APPARATUS, METHOD, MANUFACTURE, AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING NETWORK SERVICES FROM BUILDING BLOCKS

• US 20110211583A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Science Foundation (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Bhartia, Apurv, Jain, Sourabh, Seetharaman, Srinivasan
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating over a network is provided. The method includes obtaining building block codes, where the building blocks codes are capable of being used together to provide an end-to-end service. The building block codes are sent to each appropriate building block controller, where each building block controller is associated with a corresponding network node. Upon receiving a first packet of a connection for the first end-to-end service, a determination as to which network nodes of the plurality of network nodes should be used as network hops for the connection, and as to, for each network node that should be used as a network hop for the connection, which building block codes should be used by the building block controller corresponding to the network node. These determinations are communicated to each of the appropriate building block controllers.

Claims

1. A network device for communicating over a network including a plurality of network nodes each associated with a building block controller of a plurality of building block controllers, the network device comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate over the network; and

a processor configured to execute the following steps;

obtaining, by the transceiver, a set of one or more building block codes configured to provide a first end-to-end service;

determining a network flow upon the transceiver receiving a first packet of a connection of the first end-to-end service, the network flow determination including;

identifying a network node of the plurality of network nodes usable as a network hop for the connection; and

, identifying a building block code of the set of one of more building block codes usable by the building block controller associated with the identified network node;

communicating, by the transceiver, the network flow determination to the building block controller associated with the identified network node; and

sending, by the transceiver, the identified building block code to the building block controller associated with the identified network node.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes obtained by the processor is requested from a Huaca and received from the Huaca.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes obtained by the processor is a new virtual interface to an existing building block code.

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes is a quality of service function.

5. A method for communicating over a network including a plurality of network nodes each associated with a building block controller of a plurality of building block controllers, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of one or more building block codes configured to provide a first end-to-end service;

determining a network flow upon receiving a first packet of a connection of the first end-to-end service, the network flow determination including;

identifying a network node of the plurality of network nodes usable as a network hop for the connection; and

, identifying a building block code of the set of one of more building block codes usable by the building block controller associated with the identified network node;

communicating the network flow determination to the building block controller associated with the identified network node; and

sending the identified building block code to the building block controller associated with the identified network node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the obtaining the set of one or more building block codes includes:

obtaining at least one building block code of the set of one or more building block codes by requesting the at least one building block code from a Huaca, and receiving the requested building block code from the Huaca.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein

the obtaining a set of one or more building block codes includes:

obtaining at least one building block code of the set of one or more building block codes by creating a new virtual interface to an existing building block code.

8. An article of manufacture including a processor-readable medium having processor-executable code encoded therein, which when executed by one or more processors, enables actions for communicating over a network including a plurality of network nodes each associated with a building block controller of a plurality of building block controllers, the actions comprising:

obtaining a set of one or more building block codes configured to provide a first end-to-end service;

determining a network flow upon receiving a first packet of a connection of the first end-to-end service, the network flow determination including;

identifying a network node of the plurality of network nodes usable as a network hop for the connection; and

, identifying a building block code of the set of one of more building block codes usable by the building block controller associated with the identified network node;

communicating the network flow determination to the building block controller associated with the identified network node; and

sending the identified building block code to the building block controller associated with the identified network node.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein

the obtaining the set of one or more building block codes includes:

obtaining at least one building block code of the set of one or more building block codes by requesting the at least one building block code from a Huaca, and receiving the requested building block code from the Huaca.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein

the obtaining the set of one or more building block codes includes:

obtaining at least one building block code of the set of one or more building block codes by creating a new virtual interface to an existing building block code.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes is a quality of service function.

12. A system for communicating over a network, comprising:

a first Huaca including a directory to a plurality of building block codes and configured to provide access to each of the plurality of building block codes;

a plurality of building block controllers, wherein each of the plurality of building block controllers is associated with a corresponding network node of a plurality of network nodes on the network;

a first service controller, wherein the first service controller is configured to execute the following steps;

communicating with the first Huaca so as to obtain a set of one or more building block codes of the plurality of building block codes, wherein the set of one or more building block codes are capable configured to provide a first end-to-end service;

determining a network flow upon receiving a first packet of a connection of the first end-to-end service, the network flow determination including;

identifying a network node of the plurality of network nodes usable as a network hop for the connection; and

, identifying a building block code of the set of one of more building block codes usable by the building block controller corresponding to the identified network node;

communicating the network flow determination to the building block controller associated with the identified network node; and

sending the identified building block code to the building block controller associated with the identified network node.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

each of the building block controllers is configured to execute building block codes based on instructions of the network flow determination and route the first packet to another network node in accordance with the network flow determination.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes obtained by the first service controller is requested from a Huaca and received from the Huaca.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes obtained by the first service controller is a new virtual interface to an existing building block code.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein

at least one of the building block codes of the set of one or more building block codes is a quality of service function.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein

the first Huaca includes a registry of each of the plurality of building block codes, wherein the communicating with the first Huaca includes registering each building block code of the set of one or more building block codes, and wherein the first Huaca is configured to assign a unique identifier to each building block code of the plurality of building block codes and to list each building block code of the set of one or more building block codes in a searchable index.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second Huaca including a directory to another plurality of building block codes and configured to provide access to each building block code of the another plurality of building block codes.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second service controller that is arranged to control a second end-to-end service.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein

one of the building blocks of the set of one or more building blocks is arranged to invoke the second end-to-end service.