Software Demarcation in Edge Computing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hardware-based demarcation in telecommunication networks is inflexible in edge computing environments, where software overlays and tools reside, limiting the ability to optimize the edge based on software rather than physical infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
Establishing a software demarcation point where a telecommunication network service provider can instantiate and manage service provider applications on customer premises-based devices, using tunnels and secure encapsulations to run server processes remotely and independently of hardware upgrades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hardware-based demarcation is used in telecommunication networks, then physical connection stability is ensured, but flexibility and adaptability in edge computing environments are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional hardware-based demarcation point with a software-based demarcation point. The service provider application instantiated on customer premises equipment uses software overlays and virtualization techniques to create a logical demarcation point, eliminating the need for physical demarcation hardware and enabling flexible software-based network management and service deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a service provider application as an intermediary layer between the customer premises equipment and the service provider network. This application layer acts as a software-based demarcation point that mediates network services, allowing flexible service deployment and management without direct hardware dependencies.
2Productivity
If service provider applications are instantiated on customer premises-based devices, then service optimization closer to customer data is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service provider application is designed to be self-managing on customer premises equipment, using containerization and virtualization technologies to automatically deploy, configure, and manage services locally. This self-service capability enables services to run independently on customer devices without requiring complex centralized management infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The service provider application is designed as a universal platform that can deploy multiple different services on various customer premises equipment types. The standardized application interface and containerization approach allow the same service framework to operate across different hardware platforms, reducing overall system complexity despite the distributed deployment model.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, computer-readable media, and devices for instantiating a service provider application on a customer premises-based device are disclosed. For example, a processing system of a telecommunication service provider network having at least one processor may establish a first tunnel between the processing system and a virtual machine monitor of a customer premises-based device and send a first instruction to the virtual machine monitor via the first tunnel to instantiate a first service provider application on the customer premises-based device. The processing system may further establish a second tunnel between the processing system and the first service provider application and send a second instruction to the first service provider application via the second tunnel to configure the first service provider application to operate in a service function chain.