Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Ciena Corporation

Affirmed Networks, Inc.

Mark Libby

Ronald Mark Parker

Michael Anthony Brown

Bahareh Sadeghi

Anupama Raghavan

Rahul Bose

Haibo Qian

Girish Nair

Anand Muthurajan

Narsi Veldanda

Krishna Gundamaraju

Dhananjaya Reddy Eadala

Himanshu Shah

Srinivas Kappla

Deepak Garg

Neeraj Surana

Akash Baid

James L Logan

Fouad Hallal

Nan Luo

Kunal Anand Ekawde

Rajesh Palakkal

David Parks

Vinay M Cherian

Bashir Ashrafi

Leland Douglas Benson

Abhay Balappanavar

Rama Krishna Prasad Mangalaparthi

Siddharth Bhojnagarwala

Vinay Cherian

James J Logan

Described are examples for providing intent based network configuration with intent expectations including prioritized goals. A system for network configuration includes a network management function configured to receive an intent including requirements, goals, and constraints for a network and generate an intent expectation including a set of prioritized goals based on the intent. An infrastructure service management (ISM) system is configured to: receive the intent expectation from the network management function; select at least one of the prioritized goals as an active target; configure computing resources to satisfy at least the active target; and report the active target and a configuration status to the network management function. The ISM may monitor a status of the computing resources and select a higher priority goal that can be satisfied or select a lower priority goal in the case of resource or performance degradation.

Range-variable intent definition and operation

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media for managing and maintaining deployments of configurations on network functions in a telecommunications network. In particular, examples herein relate to implementations of a configuration management system and reconciliation agents that cooperatively perform multi-tiered reconciliation of configuration states for deployments of network functions. The systems described herein can perform multiple levels of reconciliation checks on a plurality of network functions to ensure that configurations of the network functions are effectively maintained and consistent with a desired state (e.g., a goal state) of the deployment(s) of network functions.

Multi-tiered reconciliation of network functions

Described are examples for providing intent based network configuration with a two-tiered reconciliation model for adapting a global intent to a plurality of local intent declarations for respective regions. A system for network configuration may include a global reconciliation engine configured to: receive a global intent including requirements, goals, and constraints for a network; generate a plurality of local intent declarations from the global intent, each respective local intent declaration being for a respective region that hosts network functions; and reconcile a plurality of the local configurations with the global intent. The system may include a plurality of local reconciliation engines configured to reconcile a local configuration of the network functions hosted in the respective region with the respective local intent declaration.

Global intent-based configuration to local intent targets

Described are examples for providing intent based network slice management using a management data analytics function (MDAF) to predict deficiencies. A network management system receives an intent for a network slice constituent. The network management system configures computing resources for the network slice constituent to satisfy the intent based on expected performance of the computing resources. The network management system receives feedback with respect to actual performance of the network slice constituent. The network management system determines, based on analysis of the feedback by a management data analytics function (MDAF), a predicted deficiency of the network slice constituent not being able to satisfy the intent. The network management system modifies the configuration of the computing resources based on the feedback and the predicted deficiency to satisfy the intent.

Intent-driven network analytics for predictive network slice management

Techniques are disclosed for providing method for providing an event timer for event synchronization across Kubernetes clusters. The event timer is configured to provide event synchronization on behalf of microservice instances in the cloud computing environment. In response to a request for an event timer for a timed event, it is determined whether the requested event timer has been started for a second microservice instance. If the requested event timer has been started, a state of the requested event timer is sent to the first microservice instance If the requested event timer has not been started, the requested event timer is instantiated, and a state of the instantiated event timer is stored in a database. The instantiated event timer is independent of the first and second microservice instances. In response to an expiration of the event timer, a single callback for processing of the event is generated.

Event synchronization in a clustered environment using a distributed timer

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media for receiving and processing a request to deploy network functions across one or more deployment areas of a telecommunications network. Systems described herein process a request by applying a hierarchical configuration model including a hierarchy of configuration management instructions that can be applied to a request that complies with a format of the hierarchical configuration model. Features described herein facilitate deployment of unique configuration instructions across multiple network functions and across multiple deployment areas based on a single request and without further user interaction with respect to each of multiple network functions.

Deploying and configuring network functions based on a hierarchical configuration model

Techniques for distributed charging in digital telecommunications networks are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method that includes provisioning a data path that carries a plurality of network flows, receiving a shared usage quota associated with the plurality of network flows, and allocating the shared usage quota among the plurality of network flows. For each network flow among the plurality of network flows, the method includes providing the data path with data indicative of an amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow, configuring the data path to collect metering data associated with the network flow, and configuring the data path to enforce the shared usage quota based on the metering data associated with the network flow and the amount of the shared usage quota allocated to the network flow.

Systems and methods for distributed charging in digital telecommunications networks

A computing network comprising a computing service provider and an edge computing network is managed. A trusted device establishes a root of trust at the edge computing network via a trusted component on the trusted device. In response to receiving a first indication of a disconnection or degradation of communications between the computing service provider and the edge computing network, the edge computing network initiates an autonomous mode at the edge computing network. While the edge computing network is operating in the autonomous mode, the trusted device detects new devices that are attempting to access computing resources in the edge computing network. The trusted device stores data pertaining to new devices that were not authorized to access the computing resources in the edge computing network.

Establishment of trust for disconnected edge-based deployments

Described are examples for providing end-to-end intent definition of network functions for network slice management. Intents are defined for each level of network constituent including slices, slice subnets, and management functions. A system of intent based network slice management includes a network slice management function (NSMF) configured to receive a service profile from a communication service management function (CSMF) and derive an intent for each desired network slice subnet for a network slice subnet management function (NSSMF). The NSSMF is configured to derive requirements for a plurality of network functions (NFs) and provide an intent defining the requirements of a respective NF to a network function management function (NFMF). The NFMF is configured to receive the intent for the respective NF via an intent-based interface for management of NFs and derive a network resource model (NRM) for the respective NF based on the intent.

End-to-end intent definition of network functions for network slice management

A method of data communication includes receiving, by a first wireless access gateway (WAG), at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted from user equipment (UE) and receiving, by a second WAG, at least a second data packet transmitted from the UE. In response to receiving the second data packet, the second WAG determines an identity of the first WAG, and in response to determining the identity of the first WAG, the method includes establishing a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG. After establishing the tunnel connection, the method includes receiving by the second WAG at least a third data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted from the UE, and the second WAG transmits to the first WAG, via the tunnel connection, the third data packet.

Seamless handoff between wireless access gateways

Computing resources are managed in a computing network comprising a computing service provider and an edge computing network. The edge computing network receives an indication of a disconnection of communications between the computing service provider and the edge computing network. In response to the indication, the edge computing network initiates an autonomous mode at the edge computing network. The edge computing network is configured to continue providing computing and network services at the edge computing network while the edge computing network is operating in the autonomous mode.

Autonomous operation of edge-based deployments

Techniques are disclosed for performing operations in a distributed computing environment comprising a plurality of computing devices implementing a Kubernetes environment. An indication is received of one or more custom resources of the Kubernetes environment. The custom resources are grouped into a commit set. The commit set is defined as an atomic unit which either succeeds or fails atomically. It is determined that at least one of the custom resources has failed to complete. In response to the determination, the custom resources of the commit set are reverted to a previous consistent state.

Commit sets in a Kubernetes environment

A network function is implemented using cloud native architecture. The network function utilizes one or more loosely coupled and independently deployable microservice instances to perform services. To retain state between independent transactions, a microservice instance takes a soft lock on state data in an external database. The soft lock makes the state data unavailable except to the microservice instance. After the microservice instance completes the transaction, the microservice instance clears the lock so that the state data is available for use by other microservices.

Systems and methods for implementing soft locking in a stateless microservice environment

A method for improving availability of a type of network element in a mobile network includes receiving a first message from a source network element at a first network element instance that belongs to a network element anycast set. The first message is addressed to an anycast address that is assigned to the network element anycast set. The first network element instance processes the first message and accesses an anycast set data store in relation to processing the first message. The method also includes receiving a second message from the source network element at a second network element instance that also belongs to the network element anycast set. The second message is also addressed to the anycast address and can be received when the first network element instance is unavailable. The second network element instance processes the second message and accesses the anycast set data store in relation thereto.

Growing community of inventors

Groton, MA, United States of America

Mark Libby