Network-as-a-service (NAAS) platform for automated provisioning of customized network with robotic arms and low latency for multi-clouds and multi-data centers and a method relating thereto

Abstract

The NaaS platform (100) comprises Network Controller (102), Network Services Monitoring module (103) and Network Orchestration Module (101) The Network Controller (102) comprises modules for configuration management, performance management, network security management and trouble shooting and includes plurality of open API adaptors (107, 108, 109, 110, 111) which are selectively called as per the networking requirements. The 'Network Service Monitoring' module (103) monitors and optimises the performance of network and one or more adaptors (114, 118, 116) are selected, depending upon the network requirement. The network orchestration module (101) validates the network requirements entered by an enterprise through the self-service web portal of NaaS platform (100) and calls the Open API adaptor modules to provision the network configuration. Robotic arms (206) equipped with Optical connectors capable of automated insertion and removal of fibre connectors between the ports of two differently configured network devices manufactured by different manufacturers together with a high-precision computer vision software for port recognition and alignment; and application programmable interface integrated with optical wave adaptor (107) enable automated domain patching between two domains. The network traverses through fibre cables on the overground power transmission lines (301) and over the underground utility gas pipelines (302) to achieve low latency.

Description

[0001] NETWORK-as-a-SERVICE (NaaS) PLATFORM FOR AUTOMATED PROVISIONING OF CUSTOMIZED NETWORK WITH ROBOTIC ARMS AND LOW LATENCY FOR MULTI-CLOUDS AND MULTIDATA CENTERS AND A METHOD RELATING THERETO

[0002] Field of Invention

[0003] This invention relates to Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform for automated provisioning of customized network with robotic arms and low latency for multi-clouds and multi-data centres and a method relating thereto, wherein multi-clouds include one or more public clouds, private clouds, hybrid clouds or any combination thereof, and wherein multi-data centres include multi-internet exchanges. NaaS platform, referred to herein at some places as 'Polarin', integrates advanced technologies like fiber optics and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) which is an advanced optical communication technology that enables the transmission of multiple data signals simultaneously over a single optical fiber and forms the backbone of high-speed data transmission networks. Further, NaaS platform of the present invention has low latency i.e. it is considerably faster in data transfer from one node to another, which is achieved by networking through fiber cables provided on the overground power transmission lines and over the underground utility gas pipelines, and which enables to achieve a latency within the range of 15 to 25 milliseconds for a linear distance of 1500KM to 2500Km between two data centres and latency of less than 1 milli second between two cloud service providers within same metro city. NaaS platform of the present invention also integrates robotic arms for automated cross-domain patching, eliminating manual intervention and overcoming interoperability challenges posed by differently configured network devices produced by different manufacturers.

[0004] Background of Invention

[0005] A NaaS platform is a cloud-based network providing platform that provides enterprises with on-demand provisioning of networkingresources thereby enabling them to take the network resources on rent instead of their owning and managing it. In modern digital enterprise environment, the network plays an important role to enable enterprises to run their application workloads for providing an efficient service to their customers. Traditionally, an enterprise network was configured for on-premises applications and workloads. However, with the rise of cloud computing, the network had to adapt to address the unique requirements of cloud-based applications and workloads. In today's data-driven world, the enterprises are relying heavily on cloud-based services to expand their global presence. However, network infrastructure and connectivity issues can be a significant bottleneck in the journey to the cloud.

[0006] The networking with private cloud, public cloud and hybrid architectures is critical to enable enterprises to take full advantage of cloud computing. It is necessary to provide enterprises with networks having cloud connectivity solutions that offer scalability, higher availability, higher reliability, higher bandwidth and low latency. Network plays a pivotal role in cloud-based architectures, as it enables seamless connectivity and smooth flow of data between various cloud resources.

[0007] The performance of cloud-based applications is heavily dependent on the underlying network. A slow and unreliable network can adversely impact the end-user experience of an enterprise's applications and services. Further, the network provides the security measures necessary to protect cloud-based applications and data. Network security ensures that only authorized users can access cloud solutions and that data is secure while in transit. The network also enables enterprises to optimize their cloud investments. Further, byutilizing a network with high bandwidth and low latency, an enterprise can improve the speed and efficiency of data transmission, leading to cost savings and improved productivity.

[0008] Modern cloud connectivity solutions are enabling organizations to modernize their network infrastructure with right connectivity choices suited for their enterprise. It is now easier for enterprises to scale up or scale down as per their network requirements and to realize round the clock performance and reliability with the right connectivity models. The modern solution models provide the enterprises with the flexibility to connect their data centres to multiple cloud service providers in a cost-efficient manner. The private and dedicated connections from cloud service providers offer enhanced security and better performance for critical applications. Traditional network infrastructures are not configured to handle the massive data loads generated by cloud workloads. The enterprises, therefore, need to adopt a modern network architecture that can support the dynamic nature of cloud computing technology.

[0009] Network as a Service (Naas) platform provides enterprises with on-demand provisioning of networking resources. It enables connectivity across data centres and across multi-cloud environments. This makes it possible for enterprises to manage their network infrastructure without having to purchase any physical hardware. As a result, there is a reduction in operational complexity and costs to enterprises. The network provided under Network as a Service (NaaS) platform of the present invention, is scalable, has higher availability, high reliability, transparency, higher bandwidth and low latency.

[0010] US patent no. US10348825 discloses a network platform-as-a-service for creating and inserting virtual network functions into aservice provider network. A customer, associated with a service provider network, wishes for a network service to be provided to a service location associated with the customer. For implementation, the cloud resource 260 may be configured to implement a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform model. For example, cloud resource 260 may include software associated with creating a Virtual Network Function (VNF), inserting the VNF into service provider network 270, determining performance information associated with the VNF, performing local analytics associated with performance information, modifying the VNF to assure provisioning of a network service associated with the VNF, and / or performing another function. The flow chart at Fig.4 is an example process 400 for receiving a service request, associated with providing a network service to a service location using a virtual network function, creating the virtual network function, and inserting the virtual network function into a service provider network such that the network service is provided to the service location.

[0011] A limitation of the above invention is that it is incapable of networking multi-cloud and multi data centers.

[0012] Another limitation of the above invention is that it cannot enable an enterprise to demonstrate transparency to a customer.

[0013] Further limitation of the above invention is that it is unable to provide scalability on demand.

[0014] Still further limitation of the above invention is that it is unable to provide aforesaid layer 1 connectivity on demand.US 8763084 discloses Networking as a Service (NaaS) that allows delivery of network equipment to customers as a self-managed service, instead of an equipment purchase that requires significant software integration and operational labor or software. A NaaS provider may build and control the hardware, software, configuration options, and management infrastructure to ensure compatibility, reliability, and configuration. An implementation of NaaS for a branch-office type solution comprises human facilities 110 connected to a data center 120 via any wide-area networking technology. The human facilities comprise networking devices 112 which allow end users 111 to access the network. The human facilities 110 may be telecommuters, a temporary business location, or a branch office. The data center 120 comprises devices 122 and servers 124. The data center 120 and human facilities 110 are connected via the Internet to a virtualized software as a service (SaaS) management center 130. The virtualized SaaS management center 130 comprises servers 134. The virtualized SaaS management center 130 may be integrated with business applications 140 for automated management of network devices.

[0015] A limitation of the above patent is that it does not enable dynamic, on-demand network provisioning. In contrast, the present invention enables enterprises to directly access the self-service portal of the NaaS platform and seek automated network provisioning as per their requirements, without any manual intervention and seek configuration of end-to-end connectivity between different data centers, powered by the network infrastructure built using Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 network devices, optical fiber cables and robotic arms.Another limitation of the above cited patent is that it does not address any use cases involving connectivity to cloud service providers. In contrast, the present invention provides Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity to major cloud service providers through a unified NaaS platform.

[0016] US 9672502 discloses Network-as-a-Service product director wherein a service provider, associated with a service provider network, may implement a network-as-a-Service (NaaS) service model that allows the service provider to provide agile, on-demand, and / or flexible network services (e.g., virtual network services) to a service location associated with a customer. The product director includes multiple software modules, including a business logic module, a financial logic module, and a telemetry and analytics module. The business logic module may generate a service request based on context information and the provisioning details. The business logic module may identify a cloud resource 1, that is to host the VNF and may provide the service request to cloud resource 1. The cloud resource 1 may create VNF. Where there are multiple service requests, Product director may create multiple VNFs on various cloud resources (e.g., cloud resource 1 through cloud resource X) managed by the product director. Each cloud resource may provide the telemetry and analytics module of the product director, the performance information and / or the analytics information based on which the group of VNFs may be modified (e.g., updated, reconfigured, relocated, recreated, adjusted, etc.).

[0017] A limitation of the above-cited patent is that it relates to creating virtual network functions, cloud infrastructure, and cloud computingenvironments. However, it does not address enterprise connectivity across different cloud platforms. In contrast, the present invention enables enterprises to establish seamless Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity between enterprise's on-premises data centers and multiple cloud service providers, enabling them to access and interconnect their cloud applications across heterogeneous environments.

[0018] Another limitation of the above-cited patent is that it primarily represents an SD-WAN-based solution focused on overlay network management. In contrast, our NaaS invention provides a self-service platform that enables enterprises to configure and manage dedicated connectivity between two or more data centers. This connectivity is powered by the underlying physical network infrastructure of the NaaS platform of the present invention which has been built using Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 network devices, optical fiber cables and robotic arms ensuring high performance with low latency.

[0019] Objects of the Present Invention

[0020] An object of the present invention is to provide a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform for automated provisioning of customized network with robotic arms and low latency for multi-clouds and multidata centers and a method relating thereto, wherein multi-clouds include one or more of private clouds, public clouds, hybrid clouds or any combination thereof and multi-data centres include multiinternet exchanges

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide network provisioning platform which integrates advanced technologies likefiber optics and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) which is an advanced optical communication technology that enables the transmission of multiple data signals simultaneously over a single optical fiber and enables high-speed data transmission networks.

[0022] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a NaaS platform which enables seamless secure connectivity across data centres, multi-clouds environment and utilizing Software as a Service (SaaS).

[0023] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a NaaS platform which is scalable, has higher availability, higher reliability higher bandwidth and low latency which is achieved by providing fibre cable on the overground power transmission lines and over the underground utility gas pipelines or partly on the overground power transmission lines and partly over the underground utility gas pipelines.

[0024] Further, object of the present invention is to provide NaaS platform which enables seamless connectivity between two data centres by adaptively configured robotic arms enabling automated cross-domain patching, automated configurations and network orchestration across different devices without manual intervention.

[0025] Still further object of the present invention is to provide a NaaS platform which provides network performance visibility to the enterprises on a real-time basis, in a transparent manner thereby enabling enterprises to optimize their cloud investments and improve their productivity.Yet further object of the present invention is to provide a NaaS platform which enables enterprises to directly access the NaaS Platform, through its web portal and seek automated provisioning of the network resources, as per their requirements, without any manual interventions.

[0026] Further objects and technical features of the present invention would be apparent from the ensuing description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Summary of Invention

[0028] This invention relates to Network as a Service (NaaS) Platform for automated provisioning of customized network with robotic arms and low latency for multi-clouds and multi-data centers and a method relating thereto, wherein multi-clouds include one or more public clouds, private clouds, hybrid clouds or any combination thereof, and wherein multi-data centres includes multi-internet exchanges. NaaS platform of this invention, herein referred to at some places as 'Polarin', enables secure connectivity, higher availability and higher reliability. NaaS platform integrates advance technologies like fibre optics and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) for highspeed data transmission. For achieving low latency, fibre cables are provided on the overground power transmission lines and over underground utility gas pipelines and partly on the overground power transmission lines and partly over the underground utility gas pipelines which enables achieve a latency within the range of 15 to 25 milliseconds for a linear distance of 1500KM to 2500Km between two data centres and latency of less than 1 milli second between two cloud service providers within same metro city.A major challenge in automating the provisioning and configuring of plurality of network resources is the interoperability of differently configured Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) devices produced by different manufacturers. DWDM devices are integrated with and are managed by Network Management System to operate and monitor high-capacity optical network. Each manufacturer provides differently configured Network Management System (NMS) to manage its own manufactured DWDM devices. The limitation of such proprietary Network Management Systems is that they are not configured for integration with similar devices manufactured by other manufacturers. This lack of standardization in DWDM devices and network management devices creates barriers to seamless network orchestration and makes on-demand provisioning of network resources a complex task. Each network domain has its physical termination port, which needs to be manually connected with the termination port of the next device. Such manual connecting of the physical termination ports of two network domains, referred to as 'patching', is a major bottleneck for automated provisioning of network resources, on-demand to enterprises.

[0029] The patching of network domains is necessary to ensure service continuity to the endpoint. Further, the manual nature of crossdomain patching is time-consuming, complex, susceptible to human errors and creates a roadblock to achieving seamless automatic provisioning. This invention overcomes the problem of manual patching by integrating robotic arms for automated cross-domain patching and automated configuration on different devices. These robotic arms can be deployed in data centres to handle the physical connections required between devices in different network domains. By automating the patching process, the present invention eliminatesthe need for manual intervention, drastically reducing provisioning time and enabling true on-demand automated network-provisioning.

[0030] The NaaS platform of the present invention enables real-time network performance visibility through integrated monitoring modules that aggregate performance data from internal and external sources which enables to show to enterprises, in a transparent manner, the performance of networking resources to enable them to optimize their investment and improve their productivity.

[0031] Further, Polarin, the NaaS platform of the present invention, enables enterprises to directly access the NaaS platform for seeking automated provisioning of network resources by inputting their network requirements through the self-service web portal of the NaaS platform. The NaaS platform validates network configuration required by the enterprise, makes provisioning of required devices, and confirms successful network-provisioning— all without manual intervention.

[0032] Brief Description of Figures

[0033] The invention is illustrated with the accompanying drawings which are intended to illustrate an embodiment in which the present invention can be practiced. It is to be noted that these drawings are not intended to be taken restrictively to imply any limitation on the scope of the present invention.

[0034] In the accompanying drawings:

[0035] Fig.l shows the architecture of the Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform of the present invention.Fig.2: shows data centre to data centre connectivity by integrating robotic arms.

[0036] Fig.3: shows layout of fibre cable on the overground power transmission lines and on the underground utility gas pipelines and partly over the overground power transmission line and partly over the underground utility gas pipelines with inline amplifier at the transition point.

[0037] Fig.4: Shows networking with multiple cloud service providers for connectivity with multiple clouds which may include public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud.

[0038] Fig.5A: shows creation of one or many virtual routers (VR) on network devices through NaaS platform.

[0039] Fig.5B: Shows networking with multiple cloud service providers through single virtual router created through NaaS platform by configuration shown in Fig. 5A.

[0040] Fig.5C: shows networking with multiple cloud service providers through multiple Layer-3 Virtual Routers and mesh network wherein Virtual routers are created through NaaS platform by configuration shown in Fig. 5A.

[0041] Fig.6: shows network configuration for traffic visibility for demonstrating network performance to an enterprise.

[0042] Fig.7: shows the method of seeking automated provisioning ofNetwork by an enterprise through Web Portal of NaaS platform.

[0043] Description of invention w.r.t. Drawings

[0044] In modern digital enterprise environment, the network plays an important role to enable enterprises to run their application workloads and thereby enhance their service efficiency. Hence the role of an efficient, reliable network with high bandwidth and low latency becomes ultra important. The information technology has moved from on-premises model to Infrastructure as a Service (laaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (Saas). There is a need to create a framework platform for enterprises to access network resources. The technology of present invention provides a platform approach whereby an enterprise can seek automated provisioning of network as per their requirements wherein the network is secure, reliable and has low latency and obviates the need of any manual intervention for network provisioning.

[0045] Explanation of Terms used in Description

[0046] The ensuing description refers to certain terms which are described as under to facilitate comprehension of the invention:

[0047] The layers 1, layer 2, layer 3, layer 4, layer 5, layer-6 and layer 7 refer to the layers as per the 7- layers model of OSI (Open Systems Interconnection).

[0048] Services

[0049] Layer-1: It is referred to as 'physical layer' and the lowest layer in the OSI model. It provides physical connection between the devices and enables physical transmission of data across physical hardwareand devices such as Fiber or ethernet cables from one node to the next node.

[0050] Layer-2: It is referred to as 'Data Link Layer' and provides point-to-point connectivity between the devices on the same network and also enables error detection and correction. At this layer, the 'Source' and 'Destination' MAC addresses are added wherein MAC means 'Media Access Control Address' which is also referred to as 'Hardware ID'.

[0051] Layer-3: It is referred to as 'Network Layer' and offers routed IP connectivity that allows traffic to traverse from one host to others located on different networks. The Routers which operate on this layer transmit the data by the fastest path to multiple interconnected networks.

[0052] Layer-4: It is referred to as 'Transport Layer' and enables end-to-end delivery of complete messages to other devices on a network.

[0053] Layer-5: It is referred to as 'Session Layer' which manages establishment of connections between two devices, maintaining of connections and termination of connections between two devices.

[0054] Layer-6: It is referred to as 'Presentation Layer' which formats data in a way the receiving application can understand it. It also handles encryption, decryption, compression and decompression of messages.

[0055] Layer-7: It is referred to as 'Application Layer' and provides interface for an enterprise to access the network for provisioning of networking resources, example: web browser.Laver devices

[0056] Laver-1 devices include DWDM devices-ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer), Fiber cables, network adapters, and physical network interface, wherein DWDM in telecommunication means 'Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing'.

[0057] Laver-2 devices include switches, bridges and network interface cards. The Network Interface Card is a hardware component allowing a computer or other networking devices to connect to a network. It works as an interface between two network devices enabling communication and data transfer. A bridge is a device used to connect two or more network segments to form a larger network.

[0058] Laver-3 devices include router and layer-3 switches wherein a router establishes a simple connection between the networks and provides the data flow between the network and wherein a switch connects multiple devices like computers, etc. within a network.

[0059] Clouds

[0060] Public Cloud:

[0061] Public cloud is a type of cloud computing service where computing resources, such as servers, storage, and networking, are owned and operated by a third-party cloud service provider (CSP) and made available to multiple enterprises / users over the internet on-demand, on pay-as-per-usage basis. Major public cloud providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

[0062] Private CloudA private cloud is a dedicated cloud computing environment used exclusively by a single organization, providing enhanced control, security, and customization for its data and applications. A private cloud is an internal on-premises data center and is also called the internal or corporate cloud.

[0063] Hybrid Cloud

[0064] A hybrid cloud is an IT infrastructure that seamlessly integrates a private cloud with one or more public clouds, integrating them so that they function as a single, unified environment.

[0065] Other Terms

[0066] Bandwidth

[0067] In networking, bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be transferred across a network connection or communication link in each time. It's measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (kbps), megabits per second (Mbps), or gigabits per second (Gbps). Higher bandwidth means more data can be transferred simultaneously, leading to faster data transfers and better network performance for tasks like streaming or downloading.

[0068] Latency

[0069] In networking, latency is the time delay that occurs between a user's action or a data packet being sent and the response or data reaching its destination. It measures how quickly data travels across a network. The low latency indicates faster transfer of data or faster response times, and high latency causes a noticeable "lag". Latency is measured in milliseconds and can be affected by the distance that data travels from one node to another node, network congestion and the number of network components through which the data passes.Adaptor

[0070] It is a software layer used to translate high level configuration commands into vendor specific device configuration command for configuring network devices.

[0071] Optical Wave Adaptor

[0072] The optical wave Adaptor is a software module configured to translate high-level configuration commands, received from network controller, API layer, into vendor-specific DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) based device instructions for configuring Optical transport network devices and instruction to the robotic arm to execute physical patching.

[0073] IP Network Adaptor

[0074] The IP Network Adaptor is a software module configured to translate high-level configuration commands, received from network controller, API layer, into vendor-specific device instructions for configuring IP network devices, including physical routers, virtual routers.

[0075] Public Cloud Adaptor

[0076] The Public Cloud Adaptor is a software module configured to translate high-level configuration commands received from network orchestrator, into public cloud specific API calls for configuring Interconnection devices of cloud service provider and configuring the network inside enterprise cloud configuration.

[0077] SDWAN Adaptor

[0078] The SDWAN adaptor is a software module configured to translateorchestrator command into vendor Specific SDWAN Device controller APIs.

[0079] NNI Adaptor (Network to Network Interface adapter

[0080] The NNI Adaptor is a software module configured to translate high-level configuration commands received from network orchestrator to other network provider Interconnection devices for network-to-network integration.

[0081] Open API Adaptors

[0082] In networking, an "Open API adapter" refers to a component or service that facilitates the integration and interaction with APIs, wherein API (Application Programming Interface) in networking serves as a set of rules and protocols that enable different software applications to communicate and interact with each other over a network.

[0083] Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

[0084] BGP is Border Gateway Protocol that allows the internet to exchange routing information between networks that help network devices to determine the best path for data packets.

[0085] Robotic Arms

[0086] The robotic arm refers to combination of hardware and software wherein hardware includes optical connectors capable of automated insertion and removal of fiber connectors between the ports of two differently configured network devices manufactured by different manufacturers and further includes software of high-precision computer vision for port recognition and alignment.Description of Invention

[0087] Referring to Fig. 1, the NaaS platform (100) of the present invention broadly comprises Network Controller (102), Network Services Monitoring module (103) and Network Orchestration Module (101). The Network Controller (102) is for controlling network resources and comprises of modules for configuration management, performance management, network security management and trouble shooting. The network controller (102) includes open API adaptors (106A) for network-to-network integration. Depending upon functional requirements as described in the description that follows, the open API adaptors (106A) are selected from optical wave adaptors (107), IP network adaptors (108), public cloud adaptors (109), SDWAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) adaptor (110) and NNI (Network-to-Network Interface) adaptors (111). The public cloud adaptors (109), SDWAN adaptors (110), and Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) adaptors (111) are connected to cloud service providers (122) by data transfer connector (113). One or more of the above-mentioned adaptors are called as per the network requirements of an enterprise. The aforesaid adaptors configure the network as per the command line / interface built into designated Adaptors with the help of metadata which identifies the network technology and manufacturer.

[0088] The optical Wave Adaptors (107), which are also referred to as DWDM Layer-1 adapters, are based on the technology of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM). The optical wave adaptors (107) facilitate configuration of networking across different devices. The optical wave adaptors (107) may be called to configure the port and service parameters for a data centre (DC) to data centre layer-1 connection. The optical wave adapters (107) are connectedto the layer 1 devices (125) through data transfer connector (126). The IP network adaptors (108) are connected to the layer-2 and layer-3 devices (123) by data transfer connector (112).

[0089] The IP network adaptor (108) along with public cloud adaptor (109) is used to establish and configure a Virtual Router (VR) (401) (Fig.5A) for network provisioning between two clouds, data centre (DC) to data centre (DC) and DC to cloud service provider at layer 2. The said virtual router is a software-based router that performs the same function as a hardware router.

[0090] Public cloud adaptors (109) comprise modules and open API for configuring the networking to cloud network device. Public Cloud adaptors (109) are integration components that facilitate seamless communication and data exchange between the Public Cloud and NaaS platform of the present invention.

[0091] The Software Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) adaptors (110) is a module that facilitates communication and integration between the SDWAN and other network elements or applications. The SDWAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) adaptor module (110) is used to connect remotely located branch office of an enterprise to Data Centre (DC) and cloud workload through a combination of adaptors (108, 109).

[0092] Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) adaptors (111) provide module and API for configuring interconnection with other cloud service provider 's network. The Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) adaptors (111) provide modules and open API for configuring interconnection with other cloud service providers' network. The NNIadapters (111) may connect two different autonomous networks that may be owned by two different cloud service providers or may connect a private network to a cloud service providers network. The Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) adaptors (111) enable provisioning of network resources based on networking requirements expressed by an enterprise through self-service NaaS web portal (100) (also shown in Fig.7) and thus enable to offer to the enterprises a large networked-data centre for hosting their application workloads.

[0093] The 'Network Service Monitoring' module (103) includes Open API adaptors (106B) for network-to-network integration. The network services monitoring module (103) is for monitoring and optimising the performance of network and preventing downtime. The Layer-1 resources monitoring (114) is for continuous tracking and analysis of communication links, network performance and monitoring other data streams using DWDM technologies. This involves monitoring of factors like latency, service health, availability and other metrics to ensure optimal performance and identify potential issues.

[0094] The Layerl resources monitoring module (114) is connected to Network Management System (NMS) (121) by data transfer connector (117) to collect and analyse the data. The Network Management System (NMS) (121) enables the network administrators to monitor, manage and control the various components of telecommunication network. It continuously collects data from network devices like routers, switches and other network devices to track performance metrics like bandwidth usage, latency and error rates. It also provides a centralized platform for overseeing network devices, traffic and performance of network enablingproactive faults detection, troubleshooting and optimization of network and service parameters.

[0095] The layer-2 & Layer-3 devices monitoring module (118) involves tracking the availability and performance of IP-based services, ensuring that they are functioning with required efficiency. The layer-2 & Layer-3 devices monitoring module (118) is connected to 'External Partner Performance logs' (120) by data transfer connector (119). The External Partner Performance Logs (120) contain bandwidth usage, latency and error rates from other service provider networks. These logs are correlated with other NMS logs to provide end-to-end service performance. The logs also enable user enterprises to understand the bottlenecks adversely affecting the performance of the application system and thus enables the network administrator to fine-tune the system to enhance the speed and responsiveness. The logs also provide information to trace the root cause and thereby enable to accelerate troubleshooting and preventing downtime.

[0096] External network service monitoring module (116) collects the logs and performance parameters from multiple external network performance logs (120) via data transfer connector (119), where in data transfer connector refers to various data communication protocols like Kafka, rest APIs, Netconf etc.

[0097] Continuing with reference to figure.1, Network Orchestration Module (101) enables automated provisioning of network resources to an enterprise. The enterprise can directly log into self-service web portal (100) (see Fig.7) and input their network resources requirements. The network orchestration modules (101) validate (703) the networkresources requirement parameters expressed by the enterprise as to whether NaaS platform can provision the required network resources. The NaaS Platform (100) calls the Open API adaptor modules (106A) to provision the networking resources required by the enterprise. The confirmation of implementation (710) is sent to the enterprise through NaaS web-service portal (100).

[0098] Referring to Fig.2, the NaaS platform of the present invention enables provisioning of networking across data centre (DC)-to-data centre (DC). Robotic arm (206) automates patching tasks between two differently configured network devices manufactured by different manufacturers. Traditionally, patching between networks requires manual intervention by field engineers in data centres causing delays and vulnerability to errors. The robotic arm (206) automates patching which is controlled through the optical wave adaptor (107) for executing cross-domain patching. Robotic arms are equipped with Optical connectors capable of automated insertion and removal of fibre connectors between the ports of two differently configured network devices manufactured by different manufacturers. The robotic arms (206) are also provided with high-precision computer vision software for port recognition and alignment and application programmable interface integrated with optical wave adaptor (107) for automated domain patching.

[0099] Continuing with reference to Fig, 2, the Network orchestration module (101) operating through Network Controller (102) and Open API adaptors (106A), enables the optical wave adaptors (107) to operate through Network Management System (106A) connected to Data Center -1 (204) and Network Management System (106B) connected to data center-2 (205) wherein the data centres (204,205) are networked through robotic arm (206). The network configuration on devices is provisioned at data centres (204,205)

[0100] The key challenges in networking data centre to data centre connectivity through network management systems (121A, 121B) are limited programmability, interoperability of differently configured network management systems from different manufacturers and manual processes associated therewith. These challenges are overcome by the use of robotic arms (206) which automatically performs the cross-domain patching between two network devices as described above. The robotic arms (206) are deployed at one of the data centres (204, 205) and can dynamically patch termination ports between network management systems (121A, 121B), enabling seamless network provisioning without manual intervention. This configuration significantly reduces network provisioning time and operational complexity, enabling provisioning of network with bandwidth requirements as expressed by an enterprise, in an efficient manner.

[0101] The combination of an intelligent network orchestration module (101) and the patching technology based on robotic arms (206), enables to provide a scalable, cost-effective, and fully automated framework for providing high-performance networks. It enables enterprises to offer service to their customers with enhanced efficiency. Further, to achieve low latency, fibre cables (301,302) as described in the succeeding paragraphs with reference to Fig.3, are provided so that the data traverses through shortest possible path.

[0102] Referring to Fig.3, for achieving low latency of network i.e. to minimize the delay in data transfer from one node to another nodeof a network, the network of the present invention has been developed in such a way the data traverses the shortest path from one node to another node of the network. For this purpose, the network has been configured so that it traverses through the fiber cable (301) on the overground power transmission lines or through the fiber cable (302) provided over the underground utility gas pipelines. At some places, where necessary, the network partly traverses through the fiber cable (303) provided on the overground power transmission line and partly through the fiber cable (304) provided on the underground utility gas pipelines. In such cases, an inline amplifier (305) is provided at the point of transition from the fiber cable provided on the overground power transmission line to the fiber cable provided on the underground utility gas pipelines wherein the Inline Amplifier (ILA) (305) amplifies the signal. The aforesaid fiber cable network illustrated by Fig.3, enables to achieve low latency for data transfer between two nodes. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, a low latency of 21.06 milliseconds from node 1 to node 2 is achieved across a distance of 2088Km, through fiber cable (301) provided on an overground transmission line. A low latency of 14.72 milliseconds is achieved across a distance of 1454Km between node 3 and node 4, over the fiber cable (302) provided above the underground utility gas pipe lines, and latency of 16.31 milliseconds is achieved across distance of 1621 Km, for fiber cable (303) provided partly over the power transmission lines and partly through the fiber cable (304) provided on the underground utility gas pipelines with ILA(305) provided at the transition point of fiber cable from overground power transmission lines to underground utility gas pipelines. Thus, a latency within the range of 15 to 25 milliseconds is achieved for a linear distance of 1500KM to 2500Km between two data centresFurther, a latency of less than 1 mill! second is achieved between two cloud service providers within same metro city.

[0103] Fig. 4 illustrates how the NaaS platform of the present invention enables multi-cloud networking. For such networking configuration, Network orchestration module (101) operates through Network Controller (102) and Open API adaptors (106A) are connected to IP Network Adaptor (108) and public cloud adaptor (109). The public cloud adaptor is connected to multiple Cloud Service providers (CSP) (122, 122) via connectors (113A, 113B) and wherein CSP (122, 122) can be public or private or hybrid cloud service provider or can be a provider for a combination of public, private and hybrid clouds. The IP network adaptor (108) connects to layer-2 and layer-3 devices (123, 123) via connector (112A, 112C) and to the layer-3 Virtual Routers (401A, 401B) (see Fig.5A) via connector (112B, 112D). respectively. The Public Cloud adaptor (109) is a centralized adaptor that manages and automates the deployment and operation of applications across multiple public clouds and private clouds. The IP network adaptor (108) configures virtual routers (401A, 410B) to connect virtual router with multiple CSPs (122, 122). This setup ensures secure and efficient data transfer while supporting multiple public and private cloud networking.

[0104] Referring to figure.5A, which illustrates architecture for creating one or more Virtual Router(s) through Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform-web portal (100). An Enterprise requests for creation of one or more virtual router(s) through NaaS platform-web portal (100), which interfaces with a Network Orchestrator (101). The Network Orchestrator (101) communicates with a Network Controller (102) for configuring virtual router into network device. The NetworkController (102) further interact with Open API Adaptors (106A) to ensure interoperability with multiple vendor devices. The Open API Adaptors (106A) communicates with an IP Network Adaptor (108) that converts API-level requests into device-specific instructions, and the IP Network Adaptor (108) provisioning one or more Virtual Routers (401A, 401B, 401C, . 401n).

[0105] Referring to Fig.5B, a single Virtual Router (401A) consists of multiple BGP session (530, 540, 550) on the Layer 3 network, wherein BGP is Border Gateway Protocol that allows the internet to exchange routing information between networks that help network devices to determine the best path for data packets. Each BGP session (530, 540, 550) is created as necessary for optimal routing and scaling. When a cloud service provider (122A,122B,122C) is added to the routing table, a BGP session (530, 540, 550) is created immediately adjacent to that cloud service provider. From there, a layer-3 virtual connection is provided between the Virtual Router and the cloud service provider's egress port, over which a BGP session is established, wherein egress port refers to network interface on a device through which data exits from one network to another network.

[0106] Continuing with reference to Fig. 5A, Cloud Service Provider(122A) is interconnected with the virtual router (401A) through BGP sessions. Thus, CSP (122A) serves as one of the external networks that can be accessed and integrated through the virtual router (401A). CSP (122B) is similarly connected to the virtual router (401A) through BGP sessions. The virtual router (401A) manages communication of CSP (122A) with CSP (122B) via BGP, ensuring reliable and optimized routing of traffic. Third cloud service provider(122C), like CSP (122A) and CSP (122B), is also connected via BGP for routing and efficient data exchange. The Virtual Router (401A) is a software-based router that acts as the central component of the architecture. It handles all BGP sessions with CSP (122A), CSP (122B), and CSP (122C) to provide dynamic routing, redundancy, and traffic optimization. The virtual router (401A) obviates the need for a separate physical routing device by an enterprise, thereby reducing cost to an enterprise and giving option to scaleup bandwidth on-demand through NaaS platform.

[0107] Referring to Fig.5C, NaaS platform is used to create four virtual routers (401A, 401B, 401C, 401D) which enable networking that integrates multiple cloud service providers (CSPs) (122A, 122B, 122C, 122D) and mesh network (609) for enhanced reliability. The said mesh network (609) refers to a network topology where multiple virtual routers (401A, 401B, 401C, 401D) connect to each other in a way that allows the multiple pathways for data to travel. This configuration provides a scalable and reliable method to interconnect geographically distributed cloud environments via layer-3 virtual routers. The configuration ensures seamless communication, optimized data routing, and enhanced fault tolerance between multiple CSP (122A, 122B, 122C,122D) across geography. Any number of cloud service providers can be connected to the configured network for an enterprise. Fig. 5B illustrate the four distinct cloud service providers (CSPs) (401A, 401B, 401C, and 401D) operating in different geographical regions. For example, CSP (401A) may be located in the USA-east-1 region; CSP (401B) may be Located in the USA-central -1 region; CSP (401C) may Located in the Asia pacificsouth-1 region; and CSP (401D) is located in the India Central. These CSPs serve as endpoints for data exchange. Virtual routers (401A,401B, 401C, 401D) are strategically deployed at four geographical locations. These virtual routers (401A, 401B, 401C, 401D) form the mesh network configuration, enabling efficient routing of data traffic and path control for low latency connectivity utilising the mesh network (609). Full-mesh network (609) ensures that all routers communicate directly, reducing latency and providing redundancy in case of router or failure of any connectivity.

[0108] The key advantages of the above-mentioned networking are:

[0109] -High Availability: Full-mesh topology ensures multiple paths for redundancy.

[0110] -Scalability: The architecture can easily accommodate additional CSPs or regions by adding new virtual routers and connections.

[0111] -Optimized Performance: The use of Layer 3 routing minimizes latency and improves bandwidth utilization.

[0112] -CSP Neutrality: The architecture works across multiple cloud service providers (CSP), enabling seamless integration.

[0113] Fig.6 shows configuration for traffic visibility for showing network performance. The layer-2 & Layer-3 devices monitoring module (118), aggregates traffic data from multiple network management systems (NMS) (121) manufactured by different manufacturers to receive network performance parameters via data transfer connector (117). Layer-1 devices monitoring module (114) collects the logs and performance parameters from multiple NMS (121) via data transfer connectors (117A, 117B). The network service monitoring (103) module receives performance parameters from Open API adaptors(106B), collects the performance parameters from Layer-1devices monitoring module (114) via connector (117A), layer-2 and layer-3 devices monitoring modules (118) via connector 117B and External network service monitoring module (116) via connector (119). The performance parameters are displayed on web interface of an enterprise for traffic visibility and network performance analysis. By integrating diverse monitoring sources, NaaS platform enables real-time traffic visualisation, anomaly detection and efficient troubleshooting by an enterprise.

[0114] Method of Seeking Automated Provisioning of Customized Network by an Enterprise through web portal of NaaS platform

[0115] Fig.7 shows the automated method of accessing NaaS platform by an enterprise for seeking network provisioning as per their requirements. The Web Portal of NaaS platform (100) serves as the interface for enterprise to input the network configuration required. The process begins when an enterprise fills out a prescribed form (700) specifying the required network configuration including bandwidth, locations, connection type. These inputs by the enterprise initiate the configuration validation. The network orchestrator (101) validates configuration (703) and registers the required network configuration (704). The validated network configuration (705) is returned to NaaS platform- web portal (100) for enterprise to confirm requested network provisioning configuration (701). After the enterprise confirms the network provisioning (701), the network orchestrator (101) initiates the setting of network configuration (708) and the devices (706). After devices are configured (707), the network orchestrator (101) confirms the implementation of network configuration (709) and communicates to the enterprise throughNaaS platform-web portal (100) confirming implementation of successful (710) network configuration.

[0116] While the present invention has been described with respect to an embodiment in which it can be practiced, it is to be understood that the adaptations, modifications and equivalent variant embodiments, are intended to be within the scope of the present invention which is set forth under the claims that follow.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Platform (100) for automated provisioning of customized network with robotic arms (206) and low latency for multi-clouds and multi-data centers wherein multi-clouds include one or more public clouds, private clouds, hybrid clouds or any combination thereof, and wherein multi-data centres includes multi-internet exchanges, NaaS platform comprising:a network controller (102) configured for controlling network resources and comprising modules for configuration management, performance management, network security management and trouble shooting and provided with API adaptors (106A) which includes:Optical wave adaptors (107) connected to the layer 1 devices (125) through data transfer connector (126);IP Network adaptors (108) connected to layer 2 & layer 3 devices through data transfer connector (112); andPublic cloud adaptors (109), Software Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) adaptors (110) and Network-to-Network (NNI) adaptors (111) connected to cloud service providers (CSP) (122) by data transfer connector (113);a network service monitoring module (103) with Open API adaptors (106B), which include:layer 1 devices monitoring module (117) and Layer 2 & layer -3 devices monitoring (118) connected to Network Management System (NMS) (121) by data connector (114); andlayer 2 & layer 3 device monitoring (118) and External network performance monitoring module (116) connected to external network performance logs (120) by data transfer connector (119); anda network orchestrator (101) configured to validate the network requirements expressed by the enterprise through self-service web portal of said NaaS platform and for automated provisioning of network resources by setting up configuration on devices (707) in the network; andwherein the network provided by said NaaS platform traverses through the fibre cable which is selectively provided on the overground power transmission lines (301) and over the underground utility gas pipelines (302), and partially on overground power transmission lines (303) and partially over the underground utility gas pipeline (304) with inline amplifier (305) provided at the transition point for amplifying the signal; andwherein said NaaS platform integrates advanced optical communication technologies of fibre optics and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) for high-speed data transmission networks; andwherein the interoperability of network management systems (121A, 121B), which integrate Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) devices having different configurations which are manufactured by different manufacturers, is enabled by the adaptively configured robotic arms (206) without any manual intervention; andwherein said robotic arms are equipped with Optical connectors capable of automated insertion and removal of fibre connectors between the ports of two differently configured network devices manufactured by different manufacturers and is provided with high-precision computer vision software for port recognition and alignment and application programmable interface integrated with optical wave adaptor (107) for automated domain patching.

2. The Network as a Service platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the latency of network provisioned by said NaaS platform is within the range of 15 to 25 milliseconds for a linear distance of 1500KM to 2500Km between two data centres and latency is less than 1 milli second between cloud service provider (CSP1) to cloud service provider (CSP2) within same metro city.

3. The Network as a Service platform as claimed in claim 1 which enables seamless network provisioning of layer-1 network devices, without any manual intervention, across data centre (DC) (204) to data centre (DC) (205) by configuring layer-1 devices (125) using optical wave adaptor(107) connected by data connector(126) and said robotic arms deployed at one of the two data centres (204,205).

4. The Network as a Service platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said network controller in coordination with IP Network Adaptor (108) enables creation of one or more Virtual Router(s) (401A, 401B, 401C ... 400n) on request by an enterprise through the web portal of said NaaS platform to provide network connectivity to the enterprise without hardware of routers.

5. The Network as a Service (NaaS) Platform as claimed in claiml wherein a single Virtual Router (401A) as claimed in claim 4 consists of multiple Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) sessions (530, 540, 550) wherein BGP session (530) is connected to Cloud Service Provider(122A), BGP session (540) is connected to cloud service provided (122B) through BGP session 540 and BGP session 550 is connected with cloud service provider 122C.

6. The NaaS platform as claimed in claim 4, wherein NaaS platform enables to create four virtual routers (401A, 401B, 401C, 401D) which enable networking that integrates multiple cloud service providers (CSPs) (122A, 122B, 122C, 122D) and mesh network (609) wherein said mesh network enables said plurality of virtual routers (401A, 401B, 401C, 401D) to connect to each other in multiple pathways for data to travel thereby enabling interconnection between multiple cloud service providers(CSPs) (401A, 401B, 401C, and 401D) operating in different geographical regions with high reliability.

7. The NaaS platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein External network service monitoring module (116) collects the performance parameters from multiple external network performance logs (120) via data transfer connector (119), wherein said External Partner Performance Logs contain information on parameters such as bandwidth usage, latency and error rates from other service provider networks which enable the network administrator to fine-tune the system to enhance the speed and responsiveness.

8. The NaaS platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein layer-1 devices monitoring module (114) and Layer -2 & layer 3 devices monitoringmodule (118) collect performance parameter data from different Network Management Systems (121) via data transfer connector(117) and external network performance logs (116) collects network latency, data transfer rate, data packet lost during data transfer and availability of networks information via data transfer connector (119) which are displayed on real time basis in a transparent manner thereby enabling enterprises to optimize their cloud investments and improve their productivity.

9. A method of seeking automated provisioning of customized network by an enterprise through web-portal of NaaS platform (100) as claimed in claim 1, method comprising:an enterprise accessing Web Portal of NaaS platform (100) and specifying the network configuration requirements including bandwidth, locations and connection type by filling online the prescribed form (700); andnetwork orchestrator (101) validating the network configuration (703) required by the enterprise, confirming validated configuration (705), setting up network devices (706) and making automated provisioning of the network configuration required by the enterprise; andsaid network orchestrator communicating to the enterprise regarding the successful network provisioning (710).

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