Scalable Global Private Network Management via Automated Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Companies face challenges in efficiently and cost-effectively expanding their branch office networks using traditional leased line wide area networks (WANs) and lower-cost broadband Internet, as these methods require significant time and resources for provisioning and management, especially when scaling across multiple locations.
Innovation Solution
A scalable global private network management system utilizing service/cloud provider networks, which includes a network management service (NMS) that configures, visualizes, and manages networks across different geographic locations, using graphical user interfaces, APIs, and CLI to interact with the network, generate network graphs, and perform reachability monitoring and event-driven configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional leased line WANs are used to connect branch offices, then network reliability is improved, but device complexity and provisioning time increase significantly when scaling to multiple locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual network functions and software-defined networking to create virtual copies of network infrastructure, allowing rapid replication of network configurations across multiple locations without physical hardware provisioning. This enables reliable network connections to be established quickly through software-based copying rather than manual hardware deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network management system as an intermediary that automates the provisioning and configuration of network connections. This mediator handles the complexity of setting up reliable leased line connections, shielding users from the underlying complexity while maintaining high reliability standards.
2Device complexity
If custom broadband Internet solutions are developed to reduce costs, then device complexity decreases, but implementation time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal network management platform that can handle multiple connection types (leased lines, broadband, wireless) through a single system. This multi-functional approach allows the same software infrastructure to manage diverse connection methods, reducing implementation time while maintaining standardized management procedures across different technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic parameter changes in network configurations through software, allowing rapid adaptation of network settings without physical hardware changes. This flexibility reduces implementation time by allowing network parameters to be adjusted programmatically rather than requiring manual hardware reconfiguration.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual network provisioning is used to ensure precise configuration, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases when scaling networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the network management system automatically configures and provisions network connections based on predefined policies and parameters. This self-configuration capability maintains precise configuration standards while eliminating manual intervention, enabling rapid network scaling without sacrificing configuration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates automated feedback mechanisms that verify network configuration accuracy during the provisioning process. The system continuously monitors and validates configurations, providing real-time feedback to ensure precision requirements are met while maintaining high-speed automated deployment capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques for configuring and managing scalable global private networks associated with a service provider. Different input mechanisms, such as an API, a UI, or a CLI may be utilized to configure, and manage a global private network that spans across the cloud in different geographic locations and connects to different stand-alone networks. The user may proactively use the input mechanisms to configure and query different network resources to reactively configure settings for reacting to one or more events. The input mechanisms may also be utilized to define the network resources to be modeled within the global private network as well as connections within the global network. A user may configure events/metrics to be monitored, tasks/workflows to be performed, and the like. In some configurations, a network management service (NMS) may perform health monitoring and reachability monitoring to identify possible issues in the global network.