# US 12,113,850 B1 · Method for managing updates to a distributed network with no interruption to operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,850 B1 - Document ID: US12113850B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/600,742 - Filed: 2024-03-10 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-13 - Assignees: Edge Networking Systems, LLC - Applicants: Edge Networking Systems, LLC - Inventors: Pouya Taaghol; Vivek Ramanna - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113850B1 ## CPC - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - G06F 9/4406: {Loading of operating system} - G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication - G06F 21/53: by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine - G06F 21/57: Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities - H04L 9/0822: {using key encryption key} - H04L 41/042: comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network - H04L 41/0803: Configuration setting - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - 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 45/563: {Software download or update} - H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer - H04L 63/0227: {Filtering policies (mail message filtering H04L51/212)} - H04L 67/1076: {Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network} - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - H04W 28/084: among network function virtualisation [NFV] entities; among edge computing entities, e.g. multi-access edge computing - G06F 8/60: Software deployment - G06F 8/70: Software maintenance or management - G06F 2009/45575: {Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances} - G06F 2009/45587: {Isolation or security of virtual machine instances} - H04L 41/082: the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality - H04L 41/0833: for reduction of network energy consumption - H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management - H04L 41/5019: Ensuring fulfilment of SLA - H04L 41/509: {wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV} - H04L 63/0218: {Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls} - H04W 4/00: Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract The Distributed Software Defined Network (dSDN) disclosed herein is an end-to-end architecture that enables secure and flexible programmability across a network with full lifecycle management of services and infrastructure applications (fxDeviceApp). The dSDN also harmonizes application deployment across the network independent of the hardware vendor. As a result, the dSDN simplifies the network deployment lifecycle from concept to design to implementation to decommissioning. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing data packets in a network comprising: hosting a plurality of first network applications by a programmable network device; hosting a plurality of second network applications by a programmable cloud device, wherein the first network applications and the second network applications are in secure communication with each other through a virtual fabric to form distributed applications; storing the distributed applications in an application repository coupled to an application management portal for installation in the programmable network device and programmable cloud device; managing upgrades of the first and second network applications with substantially no interruption to operation of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by the application management portal coupled to the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device; verifying authenticity of the upgrades by the application management portal based on unique security keys associated with each of the plurality of first and second network applications; managing usage of the distributed applications on the programmable network device and programmable cloud device by the application management portal; and powering the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a sandboxing operating system which facilitates deployment of the plurality of first and second network applications. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending and receiving communications by access network interface units included in each of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device, and each of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device has a processor with a memory associated with the access network interface units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the programmable network device is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved NodeB (eNB) and the programmable cloud device hosts LTE core network functions in separate virtual machines, the network functions consisting of at least one of: a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Serving Gateway (S-GW), and a Packet Gateway (P-GW). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: sharing content generated by at least one of the plurality of first network applications by a distributed content service with at least one of the plurality of second network applications through the virtual fabric. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sending notice of a particular event from a distributed notification service through the virtual fabric from at least one of the first network applications to at least one of the second network applications. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring loads on the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a load controller; and effecting change in accordance with thresholds received from the application management portal by the load controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the programmable network device, at least one of the plurality of first network applications, the programmable cloud device, and at least one of the plurality of second network applications each have unique identities. ### Claim 8 A method for processing data packets comprising: hosting a plurality of first network applications by a programmable network device; hosting a plurality of second network applications by a plurality of virtual machines in a programmable cloud device, wherein the plurality of first network applications and the plurality of second network applications are in secure communications through a virtual fabric to form distributed applications; storing the distributed applications in an application repository for installation in the programmable network device and in the programmable cloud device; managing upgrades of the first and second network applications with substantially no interruption to operation of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by an application management portal coupled to the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device; verifying authenticity of the upgrades by the application management portal based on unique security keys associated with each of the plurality of first and second network applications; managing provisioning, usage and de-provisioning by the application management of the distributed applications on the programmable network device and programmable cloud device by the application management portal; and powering the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a sandboxing operating system which facilitates deployment of the plurality of first and second network applications. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: sending and receiving communications by access network interface units included in each of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device and each of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device has a processor with a memory associated with the access network interface units. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the programmable network device is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved NodeB (eNB) and the programmable cloud device hosts LTE core network functions in separate virtual machines, the network functions consisting of at least one of: a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Serving Gateway (S-GW), and a Packet Gateway (P-GW). ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: sharing content generated by at least one of the plurality of first network applications by a distributed content service with at least one of the plurality of second network applications through the virtual fabric. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising sending notice of a particular event from a distributed notification service through the virtual fabric from at least one of the first network applications to at least one of the second network applications. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring loads on the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a load controller; and effecting change in accordance with thresholds received from the application management portal by the load controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the programmable network device, at least one of the plurality of first network applications, the programmable cloud device, and at least one of the plurality of second network applications each have unique identities. ### Claim 15 A method for processing data packets in a network comprising: hosting a plurality of first network applications by a programmable network device; hosting a plurality of second network applications in a plurality of zones formed by partitions in a programmable cloud device, wherein the first network applications and the second network applications are in secure communication with each other through a virtual fabric to form distributed applications; storing the distributed applications in an application repository for installation in the programmable network device and programmable cloud device; managing upgrades of the first and second network applications with substantially no interruption to operation of the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by an application management portal coupled to the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device; verifying authenticity of the upgrades by the application management portal based on unique security keys associated with each of the plurality of first and second network applications; managing usage of the distributed applications on the programmable network device and programmable cloud device by the application management portal; and powering the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a sandboxing operating system which facilitates deployment of the plurality of first and second network applications. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the programmable network device is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved NodeB (eNB) and the programmable cloud device hosts LTE core network functions in separate virtual machines, the network functions consisting of at least one of: a Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving Gateway (S-GW), and a Packet Gateway (P-GW). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: sharing content generated by at least one of the plurality of first network applications by a distributed content service with at least one of the plurality of second network applications through the virtual fabric. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising sending notice of a particular event from a distributed notification service through the virtual fabric from at least one of the first network applications to at least one of the second network applications. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring loads on the programmable network device and the programmable cloud device by a load controller; and effecting change in accordance with thresholds received from the application management portal by the load controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the programmable network device, at least one of the plurality of first network applications, the programmable cloud device, and at least one of the plurality of second network applications each have unique identities.