Traffic overload protection of virtual network functions

At least one non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

• determine a first traffic overload protection policy for a first service provided by a first virtual network function;
• determine a second traffic overload protection policy for a second service provided by a second virtual network function, wherein:
• a first traffic overload protection agent of a plurality of traffic overload protection agents is to apply the first traffic overload protection policy to the first virtual network function,
• a second traffic overload protection agent of the plurality of traffic overload protection agents is to apply the second traffic overload protection policy to the second virtual network function,
• the first traffic overload protection policy and the second traffic overload protection policy are different,
• in response to traffic overloading the first virtual network function and the first traffic overload protection policy being a first policy and based on a traffic rate to the first virtual network function:
• notify a virtual network function manager to instantiate another virtual network function and route packets intended for the first virtual network function to the another virtual network function,
• in response to traffic overloading the second virtual network function and the second traffic overload protection policy being a second policy, drop packets targeted to the second virtual network function, and
• in response to traffic overloading the first virtual network function and the first traffic overload protection policy being a third policy and based on a traffic rate to the first virtual network function:
• notify the virtual network function manager to instantiate another virtual network function,
• drop one or more packets targeted to the first virtual network function while the another virtual network function is being instantiated, and
• route one or more packets targeted to the first virtual network function instead to the another virtual network function when instantiated.

A computing system comprising:

• a plurality of traffic overload protection agents, wherein at least one traffic overload protection agent is to provide traffic control for a virtual network function among a plurality of virtual network functions and at least one virtual network function performs a service;
• and
• a virtual network function manager, coupled to the plurality of traffic overload protection agents, to determine a first traffic overload protection policy for a first service provided by a first virtual network function and determine a second traffic overload protection policy for a second service provided by a second virtual network function, wherein:
• a first traffic overload protection agent of the plurality of traffic overload protection agents is to apply the first traffic overload protection policy for the first virtual network function,
• a second traffic overload protection agent of the plurality of traffic overload protection agents is to apply the second traffic overload protection policy for the second virtual network function,
• the first traffic overload protection policy and the second traffic overload protection policy are different,
• in response to traffic overloading the first virtual network function and the first traffic overload protection policy being a first policy and based on a traffic rate to the first virtual network function:
• the first traffic overload protection agent is to notify the virtual network function manager to instantiate another virtual network function and route packets targeted to the first virtual network function to the another virtual network function,
• in response to traffic overloading the second virtual network function and the second traffic overload protection policy being a second policy, the second traffic overload protection agent is to drop packets targeted to the second virtual network function, and
• in response to traffic overloading the first virtual network function and the first traffic overload protection policy being a third policy and based on a traffic rate to the first virtual network function:
• the first traffic overload protection agent is to notify the virtual network function manager to instantiate another virtual network function, drop one or more packets targeted to the first virtual network function while the another virtual network function is being instantiated, and route one or more packets targeted to the first virtual network function instead to the another virtual network function when instantiated.