# US 12,009,972 B2 · Edge database management of the network data plane

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- Number: US 12,009,972 B2
- Document ID: US12009972B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/210,957
- Filed: 2023-06-16
- Published: 2023-10-12
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-19
- Assignees: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
- Applicants: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
- Inventors: Ronald A. Lewis; Stephen Opferman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009972B2

## CPC

- H04L 41/24: {using dedicated network management hardware}
- H04L 41/0803: Configuration setting
- H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
- H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
- H04L 41/40: using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
- H04L 41/5022: by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
- H04L 41/0233: Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
- H04L 41/0853: by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Novel tools and techniques for network data plane management are provided. A system includes a host machine that includes a database, processor, and non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions executable by the processor to obtain, via the database, a network configuration, spawn a container according to the network configuration, wherein the container is configured, based on the network configuration, to be coupled to a network overlay via a network interface, receive, via the network interface, incoming data associated with the container, the incoming data having attached one or more attached network data attributes, and identify, via the database, the attached one or more network data attributes attached to the incoming data as one or more network data attributes of the network data model.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a host machine configured to run a container orchestrator, the host machine comprising:
a database comprising a multi-dimensional data store configured to define a network data model, wherein the network data model is configured to support one or more network data attributes, the database further comprising a network configuration;
a processor; and
non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions executable by the processor to:
obtain, via the database, the network configuration;
spawn a container according to the network configuration, wherein the container is configured, based on the network configuration, to be coupled to a network overlay via a network interface;
receive, via the network interface, incoming data associated with the container, the incoming data having attached one or more attached network data attributes;
identify, via the database, the attached one or more network data attributes attached to the incoming data as one or more network data attributes of the network data model;
attach one or more network data attributes associated with outgoing data, wherein outgoing data is transmitted by the container and the one or more network data attributes attached to the outgoing data are based, at least in part, on the container;
prioritize forwarding of the incoming data based, at least in part, on the one or more attached network data attributes; and
transmit, via the network interface, a memory pointer associated with a memory address of the outgoing data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
transmit, via the network interface, the outgoing data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
add, via the database, an additional attribute to the one or more network data attributes of the network data model.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
remove, via the database, at least one of the one or more network data attributes from the network data model.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more network data attributes includes at least a quality of service, security, routing, switching, proof of origin, proof of delivery, and packet behavior monitoring associated with data received and transmitted by the container.

### Claim 6

An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions executable by the processor to:
obtain, via a database, a network configuration;
spawn a container according to the network configuration, wherein the container is configured, based on the network configuration, to be coupled to a network overlay via a network interface;
receive, via the network interface, incoming data associated with the container, the incoming data having attached one or more attached network data attributes;
identify, via the database, the attached one or more network data attributes attached to the incoming data as one or more network data attributes of a network data model;
attach one or more network data attributes associated with outgoing data, wherein outgoing data is transmitted by the container and the one or more network data attributes attached to the outgoing data are based, at least in part, on the container;
prioritize forwarding of the incoming data based, at least in part, on the one or more attached network data attributes; and
transmit, via the network interface, a memory pointer associated with a memory address of the outgoing data,
wherein the database comprises a multi-dimensional data store configured to define the network data model, wherein the network data model is configured to support one or more network data attributes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
transmit, via the network interface, the outgoing data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
add, via the database, an additional attribute to the one or more network data attributes of the network data model.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
remove, via the database, at least one of the one or more network data attributes from the network data model.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
defining, at an edge database, a network data model configured to support one or more network data attributes;
providing, via the edge database, a network configuration;
obtaining, via an orchestrator, the network configuration from the edge database;
spawning, via the orchestrator, a container according to the network configuration, wherein spawning the container further comprises coupling the container, based on the network configuration, to a network overlay via a network interface;
receiving, via the network interface, incoming data associated with the container, the incoming data having attached one or more attached network data attributes;
identifying, via the database, the attached one or more network data attributes attached to the incoming data as one or more network data attributes of the network data model;
attaching, via the orchestrator, one or more network data attributes associated with outgoing data, wherein outgoing data is transmitted by the container and the one or more network data attributes attached to the outgoing data are based, at least in part, on the container;
prioritizing forwarding of the incoming data based, at least in part, on the one or more attached network data attributes; and
transmitting, via the network interface, a memory pointer associated with a memory location of the outgoing data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising:
add, via the edge database, an additional attribute to the one or more network data attributes of the network data model; and
removing, via the edge database, at least one of the one or more network data attributes from the network data model.
