SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMICALLY CONNECTING NETWORK ELEMENTS TO ENABLE A SERVICE

• US 20170257439A1
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jin-Gen, Nythus, Michael, Tystad, Craig, Adkins, III, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 11,431,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone
• 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 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• 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 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for managing network connections. A computing device accesses a request to provision a network connection associated with a first device. The request includes a plurality of connection parameters defining desired specifications for a network connection from the first device to a second device. The connection parameters are validated against information from a database and other predetermined rules. A network connection path is generated to connect the first device with the second device. The network connection path is generated by selecting network elements for the network connection that satisfy the connection parameters. Configuration information for the network elements of the network connection path is aggregated for a configuration system. The configuration information is used to provision the network connection.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically establishing a telecommunications service, comprising:

utilizing a processor in communication with a tangible storage medium storing instructions that are executed by the processor to perform operations comprising;

accessing a request to provision a network path between a first device and a second device, the request including a plurality of connection parameters defining the network path; and

generating the network path, the network path comprising network resources that logically interconnect the first device with the second device, comprising;

accessing data identifying a network resource from a database connectable to the first device,

assigning the network resource to the network path and satisfying the plurality of connection parameters, and

accessing configuration attributes associated with the first device, the second device, and the network resource from the database to generate a configuration file for configuring the first device, the second device, and the network resource as defined by the plurality of connection parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the network resource by accessing information about possible network resources available to the first device from the database;

wherein the first device comprises a first network interface device (NID) associated with a first multiplexed user network interface (UNI);

wherein the network resource comprises a network device along the network path that logically interconnects the first device with the second device; and

wherein the network path defines an Ethernet virtual connection.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

querying the database to identify an interface associated with the network resource that is available for connection to the first multiplexed UNI and satisfies the plurality of connection parameters; and

generating a logical instance on the interface associated with the network resource to logically connect the first device with the network resource for the network path,

wherein the database comprises network topology information including information about network resources encompassing the network path and interface availability associated with the network resources.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accessing a request to view a plurality of interfaces available for connection with the first multiplexed UNI; and

providing a list of interfaces in response to the request, the list of interfaces including a second interface associated with the second device,

wherein the request to provision the network path between the first device and the second device includes a selection to connect the first multiplexed UNI associated with the first device with the second interface associated with the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating the plurality of connection parameters, comprising;

accessing information about rules limiting connections for the first device;

determining whether the plurality of connection parameters satisfies the rules limiting connections for the first device; and

accessing an inventory database to determine whether sufficient network elements of a telecommunications network are available to generate the network path as defined by the plurality of connection parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

populating the configuration file with the configuration attributes as XML data such that the configuration attributes can be transferred to a configuration system operable for applying the configuration attributes to the first device, the second device, and the network resource,

wherein a portion of the configuration attributes are uniquely associated with the first device and are utilized to communicate with the first device to configure the first device for the network path.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating a connection identifier associated with the network path and the configuration file,

wherein the plurality of connection parameters includes an account identifier, a desired quality of service identifier, a bandwidth identifier, a first endpoint identifier associated with the first device, a second endpoint identifier associated with the second device, a request identifier defining the request, and at least one customer VLAN identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a delete request to tear down the network path, the delete request referencing the connection identifier; and

issuing a call to a configuration system to release the network resource used to generate the network path, the call referencing the connection identifier and the configuration file.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising modeling the configuration attributes within the configuration file using a Yet Another Next Generation (YANG) model.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the network path with at least one provider edge (PE) device, a metro ring device, or a telecommunication core network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the first device is associated with a first virtual gateway and a first virtual private cloud;

wherein the second device is associated with a second virtual gateway and a second virtual private cloud; and

wherein the network path logically connects the first virtual private cloud with the second virtual private cloud.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the network path by:

issuing a first call to the database to identify a plurality of first network resources that are available and satisfy the plurality of connection parameters for the network path;

logically interconnecting the plurality of first network resources to the first device to form a first portion of the network path;

issuing a second call to the database to identify a plurality of second network resources that are available and satisfy the plurality of connection parameters for the network path;

logically interconnecting the plurality of second network resources to the second device to form a second portion of the network path; and

logically interconnecting the first portion of the network path with the second portion of the network path.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is associated with a cloud service provider such that the network path extends cloud service access to the first device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the network path using a plurality of network devices of a type and role that have been predetermined to be able to satisfy the plurality of connection parameters.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an Ethernet frame at the first device, the Ethernet frame comprising a customer VLAN identifier associated with a customer VLAN, the customer VLAN identifier further associated with a VLAN parameter defined within the plurality of connection parameters;

applying a service VLAN identifier to the Ethernet frame, the service VLAN identifier utilized by the network resource to route the Ethernet frame between the first device and the second device using the network path;

routing the Ethernet frame to the second device using the network path; and

removing the service VLAN identifier at the second device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the network path such that first network traffic is routed according to a first bandwidth;

generating a second path to logically connect the first device with the second device, the second path routing second network traffic according to a second bandwidth; and

tagging a first plurality of Ethernet frames associated with the first network traffic with a first VLAN identifier and tagging a second plurality of Ethernet frames associated with the second network traffic with a second VLAN identifier at the first device to distinguish the first network traffic from the second network traffic.

17. An apparatus for a telecommunications service, comprising:

a computing device; and

a network device,

wherein the network device accesses an Ethernet virtual Connection (EVC) generated by the computing device, and

wherein the EVC is generating using a plurality of connection parameters and by referencing a database storing information about a plurality of network resources, and wherein the computing device is operable to generate a configuration file comprising configuration attributes associated with the network device and devices of the EVC, with data of the configuration file utilized for activating and configuring the devices of the EVC.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

wherein the computing device generates the EVC while satisfying the plurality of connection parameters;

wherein the EVC comprises at least one network resource of the plurality of network resources selected by the computing device to logically connect the network device with another device; and

wherein the database contains information about availability and technical specifications of the plurality of network resources.

19. A system for providing a telecommunications service, comprising:

a network interface device; and

a computing device, operable for;

receiving a request to provision a network path associated with the network interface device, the request comprising a plurality of connection parameters,

selecting a network resource to assign to the network path using the plurality of connection parameters, the network resource being connectable to the network interface device,

accessing configuration attributes for the network interface device and the network resource from a database, and

generating a configuration file using data associated with the configuration attributes.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a cloud interface device, the cloud interface device remote from the network interface device, wherein the network path interconnects the network interface device with the cloud interface device.