System and method for SDN orchestration validation
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsDylan Reid, Joseph Soryal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes an orchestrator for a software-defined network and configured to receive a request for operation of the software-defined network, a software-defined network controller in communication with the orchestrator through a northbound application programming interface, at least one network element in communication with the software defined network controller though a southbound application programming interface, and a mutable network element configured to receive the request and instantiate a virtual function within the mutable network element to test the at least one network element in accordance with the request.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a processing system including a processor;
- and
- a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
- instantiating a first network element in a communication network, the communication network comprising a plurality of operational elements;
- and
- configuring a mutable network element in the communication network to simulate a second network element in the communication network resulting in a simulated network element, wherein the mutable network element comprises a dedicated network element separate from the plurality of operational elements, wherein the mutable network element comprises a server, a router, or a combination thereof with a configurable structure, wherein the simulated network element is configured as a temporary node in the communication network,
- wherein in accordance with the configuring, the mutable network element assumes an identity of the second network element to perform a test of the first network element in the communication network prior to the first network element becoming operational in the communication network, wherein the first network element is isolated from the plurality of operational elements until a configuration of the first network element is verified.
A method comprising:
- instantiating, by a processing system including a processor, a first network element in a communication network, the communication network comprising a plurality of operational elements;
- and
- configuring, by the processing system, a mutable network element in the communication network to simulate a second network element in the communication network resulting in a simulated network element, wherein the mutable network element comprises a dedicated network element separate from the plurality of operational elements, wherein the simulated network element is configured as a temporary node in the communication network,
- wherein in accordance with the configuring, the mutable network element assumes an identity of the second network element to perform a test of the first network element in isolation from the plurality of operational elements prior to the first network element becoming operational in the communication network, wherein the mutable network element hosts a database for at least one security policy that lists at least one prohibited protocol associated with the first network element.
A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
- instantiating a first network element in a network comprising a plurality of operational elements;
- and
- configuring a mutable network element in the network to simulate a second network element in the network resulting in a simulated network element, wherein the mutable network element comprises a dedicated network element separate from the plurality of operational elements, wherein the simulated network element is configured as a temporary node in the network,
- wherein in accordance with the configuring, the mutable network element assumes an identity of the second network element to perform a test of the first network element in the network prior to the first network element becoming operational in the network, wherein the first network element is isolated from the plurality of operational elements until a configuration of the first network element is verified, wherein the mutable network element hosts a database for at least one security policy that lists at least one prohibited protocol associated with the first network element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.