Dynamic software architecture reconfiguration for converged cable access platform (CCAP)

One or more apparatuses for performing Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) processing, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed, cause:
• executing a software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment on one or more physical machines, wherein an execution runtime of said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment is performed by a plurality of functional blocks, using library Application Program Interfaces (APIs), wherein said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform CCAP environment exchanges data packets carrying data and voice traffic to cable subscribers,
• wherein each of said plurality of functional blocks is implemented in software and performs a specific function supporting said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment, wherein said plurality of functional blocks perform packet classification, packet scheduling, and packet replication for said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform environment on said data packets carrying said data and voice traffic exchanged with said cable subscribers;
• and
• maintaining a configuration file for said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment which instructs each of said plurality of functional blocks how to operate with respect to one or more Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) service groups (SGs) as defined by the DOCSIS telecommunications standard,
• wherein each of said plurality of functional blocks performs their specific function synchronously, asynchronously, and/or in parallel with each other based on said configuration file,
• wherein said plurality of functional blocks process downstream data packets by moving said downstream data packets through a sequence of operational stages,
• wherein each operational stage of said sequence of operational stages is implemented by one or more functional blocks of said plurality of functional blocks, and
• wherein a particular functional block identifies, from a group of functional blocks implementing a particular operational stage in said sequence, one functional block in said group of functional blocks to which a particular downstream data packet should be forwarded for processing using (a) DOCSIS SG data provided by said configuration file and (b) DOCSIS service flow data associated with said particular downstream data packet.

A method for performing Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) processing, comprising:

• executing a software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment on one or more physical machines, wherein an execution runtime of said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment is performed by a plurality of functional blocks using library Application Program Interfaces (APIs), wherein said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform CCAP environment exchanges data packets carrying data and voice traffic to cable subscribers,
• wherein each of said plurality of functional blocks is implemented in software and performs a specific function supporting said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment, wherein said plurality of functional blocks perform packet classification, packet scheduling, and packet replication for said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform environment on said data packets carrying said data and voice traffic exchanged with said cable subscribers;
• and
• maintaining a configuration file for said software-based Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) environment which instructs each of said plurality of functional blocks how to operate with respect to one or more Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) service groups (SGs) as defined by the DOCSIS telecommunications standard,
• wherein each of said plurality of functional blocks performs their specific function synchronously, asynchronously, and/or in parallel with each other based on said configuration file,
• wherein said plurality of functional blocks process downstream data packets by moving said downstream data packets through a sequence of operational stages,
• wherein each operational stage of said sequence of operational stages is implemented by one or more functional blocks of said plurality of functional blocks, and
• wherein a particular functional block identifies, from a group of functional blocks implementing a particular operational stage in said sequence, one functional block in said group of functional blocks to which a particular downstream data packet should be forwarded for processing using (a) DOCSIS SG data provided by said configuration file and (b) DOCSIS service flow data associated with said particular downstream data packet.