Pre-configured VNF Pools for Rapid Service Chain Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing network service deployment methods are inefficient, requiring significant time to instantiate virtual network functions (VNFs) and service chains, leading to prolonged wait times for end users when new services are requested, which negatively impacts user experience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of pre-configured pools of service nodes and service chains, where an orchestration engine initializes and assigns VNFs and service chains before receiving a request, allowing for rapid selection and deployment of necessary resources via a Software-defined Networking (SDN) controller to provide network services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If service nodes and service chains are instantiated on-demand when a service request is received, then resource utilization is optimized, but the service initialization time becomes excessively long (ten minutes to multiple hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring pools of service nodes with virtual network functions before service requests arrive. The orchestration engine pre-creates and initializes VMs executing VNFs on service nodes, and pre-establishes service chains, so that when a service request is received, the system can quickly allocate and activate pre-prepared resources rather than instantiating everything from scratch, reducing user wait time from ten minutes to multiple hours to a much shorter duration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by creating a flexible pool architecture where service nodes can dynamically transition between idle and active states. The orchestration engine maintains pools of service nodes with pre-initialized VNFs that can be rapidly allocated to service chains based on demand. The SDN controller dynamically updates forwarding information to activate service chains, enabling the system to adapt quickly to varying service requests while maintaining resource efficiency through the pool concept
2Adaptability or versatility
If specialized physical or virtual appliances are deployed to provide network services, then service functionality is enhanced, but system complexity and deployment time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a multi-functional service node architecture where generic service nodes can execute different virtual network functions based on pool assignments. Instead of deploying specialized hardware appliances for each service type, the system uses universal service nodes that can be configured to provide firewall, load balancing, NAT, or other network services through virtualized VNFs, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining service versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements copying by using virtual machine copies to represent different service instances. Rather than deploying physical copies of specialized appliances, the system creates virtual copies of service node templates with pre-configured VNFs. These VM copies can be rapidly instantiated and assigned to different service chains, providing service functionality through software-based virtualization rather than hardware duplication
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for reducing the time required to instantiate network services in a service provider network to service requests by subscriber devices. In one example, an orchestration engine pre-creates pools of different virtual network functions (VNFs). Upon receiving a request to service network traffic from a subscriber device, the orchestration engine dynamically creates a service chain using the appropriate VNFs from the pools of different VNFs. In another example, the orchestration engine pre-creates pools of common service chains. Upon receiving a request to service network traffic from a subscriber device, the orchestration engine selects the appropriate service chain from the pools of service chains. After configuring the service chain, the orchestration engine issues instructions to a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller causing the SDN controller to update forwarding information in the service provider network to enable the service chain to service the subscriber traffic.