IP Commissioning Server for Dynamic Network Provisioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cloud computing environments, existing IP address management methods, such as DHCP and IPv6 autoconfiguration, are inadequate for dynamic virtual machine lifecycles and multi-tenant scenarios, leading to inefficiencies in IP address allocation, scalability, and decommissioning, especially with overlapping private networks.

Innovation Solution

The Dynamic Network Provisioning Process (DNPP) manages and automates the assignment and release of network blocks and their contents through a centralized server, integrating with SDN controllers to provide dynamic IP commissioning and decommissioning, ensuring seamless interoperability between traditional and elastic networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If DHCP is used for IP address allocation in cloud environments, then automatic IP assignment is achieved, but IP lease times cannot align with dynamic virtual machine lifecycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic IP assignmentVSAvoidalignment with VM lifecycle

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an IP commissioning/decommissioning server as an intermediary component that sits between the DHCP server and the virtual machine lifecycle management system. This intermediary receives notifications about VM lifecycle events (creation, migration, deletion) and automatically triggers corresponding IP address actions (assignment, renewal, release). The mediator translates virtualized environment events into DHCP-compatible operations, enabling seamless integration without modifying the core DHCP protocol.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If manual IP and name assignment is used in traditional orchestrated environments, then stability is maintained, but scalability is severely limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration stabilityVSAvoidenvironment scalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring IP address pools, naming conventions, and allocation policies before virtual machines are deployed. The IP commissioning server maintains ready-to-assign IP resources and automated workflows that can be immediately activated upon VM creation events. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual configuration during deployment, enabling rapid scaling while maintaining consistent, pre-planned configuration standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If DHCP operates on L2 with broadcast messages, then local network compatibility is achieved, but cloud-based multi-tenant environments with overlapping networks cannot be supported

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal network compatibilityVSAvoidnetwork overlap conflicts

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the IP address management function into two independent layers: (1) The IP commissioning/decommissioning server handles high-level IP resource allocation, tracking, and lifecycle management across multiple logical networks; (2) The DHCP server continues to handle low-level local network communication and broadcast operations. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently in its optimal domain, with the commissioning server maintaining separate IP pools for different tenants even when they use overlapping address spaces, thereby preventing conflicts while preserving local network compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Stability of the object's composition

If IP addresses are statically assigned to virtual machines, then network stability is improved, but automatic reclamation upon decommissioning becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork configuration stabilityVSAvoidIP address reclamation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the IP commissioning server continuously monitors virtual machine lifecycle status through integration with the virtualization management platform. When a VM is decommissioned, migrated, or otherwise removed from service, the system automatically generates feedback events that trigger corresponding IP address release actions. The commissioning server maintains real-time tracking of which IP addresses are actively in use versus available for reassignment, enabling automatic reclamation without disrupting active connections or requiring manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3860050B1Commissioning/decommissioning networks in software-defined computing environments

Publication Date: 2023.05.03 NIXU SOFWARE OY

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AI summary

According to an aspect, there is provided a server computer (DNPS) for commissioning/decommissioning networks to be activated/deactivated by a software-defined networking, SDN, controller (SDNC) constituting a client-server architecture with the server computer (DNPS). The server computer (DNPS) further comprises comprising a database (DB) comprising data, a remote user interface (Ul) for remote management of a SDN controller (SDNC) so as to provide access to data managed by the SDN controller (SDNC), a client connector (CLC) for communicating with an application programming interface (SDN-API) of the SDN controller (SDNC) and a network management engine (NME) for dynamically assigning and releasing networks to be activated/deactivated by the SDN controller (SNDC). The network management engine (NME) is connected to the database (DB), the remote user interface (Ul) and the client connector (CLC).