Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.

Thomas Kee

Karthik Sundaresan

James Kim

Systems and methods presented herein provide for a software defined network (SDN) controller that virtualizes network elements to provide content delivery and data services through the virtualized network elements. In one embodiment, the SDN controller is operable in a cloud computing environment to balance data traffic through the virtualized network elements. For example, the SDN controller may abstract Layer 2 Control Protocol (L2CP) frame processing of the network elements into the cloud computing environment to relieve the network elements from the burdens of Ethernet frame processing. In this regard, the SDN controller comprises a L2CP decision module that determines how L2CP should be processed for the network elements.

Software defined networking

Systems and methods presented herein provide for a software defined network (SDN) controller in a cable television system that virtualizes network elements in the cable television system to provide content delivery and data services through the virtualized network elements. In one embodiment, the SDN controller is operable in a cloud computing environment to balance data traffic through the virtualized network elements. For example, the SDN controller may abstract Layer 2 Control Protocol (L2CP) frame processing of the network elements into the cloud computing environment to relieve the network elements from the burdens of Ethernet frame processing. In this regard, the SDN controller comprises a L2CP decision module that determines how L2CP should be processed for the network elements in the cable television system.

Software defined networking methods

Systems and methods presented herein provide for a software defined network (SDN) controller in a cable television system that virtualizes network elements in the cable television system to provide content delivery and data services through the virtualized network elements. In one embodiment, the SDN controller is operable in a cloud computing environment to balance data traffic through the virtualized network elements. For example, the SDN controller may process a request for content from a user equipment (UE), determine a bandwidth capability of the UE, determine that bandwidth of the requested content exceeds the bandwidth capability of the UE, analyze the bandwidth capacity of the network elements, generate a virtual channel through the network elements based on the bandwidth capacity of the network elements, and to deliver the content to the UE through the virtualized channel.

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Louisville, CO, United States of America

Thomas Kee