US 12,750,278 B2Granted

Tenant-driven dynamic resource allocation for virtual network functions

AssigneeEquinix, Inc.

InventorsMuhammad Durrani, Jayanthi Jayaraman, Syed Hashim Iqbal, Janardhana Achladi, Rizwan Jamal, John Hanahan

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Abstract

Techniques for tenant-driven dynamic resource allocation in network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI). In one example, an orchestration system is operated by a data center provider for a data center and that orchestration system comprises processing circuitry coupled to a memory; logic stored in the memory and configured for execution by the processing circuitry, wherein the logic is operative to: compute an aggregate bandwidth for a plurality of flows associated with a tenant of the data center provider and processed by a virtual network function, assigned to the tenant, executing on a server of the data center; and modify, based on the aggregate bandwidth, an allocation of compute resources of the server executing the virtual network function.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A computing system comprising:

processing circuitry having access to a storage device, the processing circuitry configured to:
determine a first packet flow and a second packet flow are associated with a particular tenant,
wherein the first packet flow and the second packet flow are processed by a virtual network function (VNF) executing on a server,
wherein the VNF is assigned to the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is allocated a bandwidth for the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is configured to execute using an allocation of at least one of a number of processing cores of the server or an amount of memory of the server;
compute, based on packet flow statistics for the first packet flow and the second packet flow, an aggregate bandwidth of a plurality of packet flows processed by the VNF and associated with the particular tenant;
compare the bandwidth for the particular tenant to the aggregate bandwidth to determine an unused number of processing cores or an unused amount of memory;
and
modify, based on the unused number of processing cores or the unused amount of memory, the allocation of the at least one of the number of processing cores of the server or the amount of memory of the server to reduce the allocated number of processing cores or the amount of memory.

7 more elements

A method comprising:

determining, by a computing system, a first packet flow and a second packet flow are associated with a particular tenant,
wherein the first packet flow and the second packet flow are processed by a virtual network function (VNF) executing on a server,
wherein the VNF is assigned to the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is allocated a bandwidth for the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is configured to execute using an allocation of at least one of a number of processing cores of the server or an amount of memory of the server;
computing, by the computing system, based on packet flow statistics for the first packet flow and the second packet flow, an aggregate bandwidth of a plurality of packet flows processed by the VNF and associated with the particular tenant;
comparing, by the computing system, bandwidth for the particular tenant to the aggregate bandwidth to determine an unused number of processing cores or an unused amount of memory;
and
modifying, by the computing system, based on the unused number of processing cores or the unused amount of memory, the allocation of the at least one of the number of processing cores of the server or the amount of memory of the server to reduce the allocated number of processing cores or the amount of memory.

6 more elements

Non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions for configuring processing circuitry to:

determine a first packet flow and a second packet flow are associated with a particular tenant,
wherein the first packet flow and the second packet flow are processed by a virtual network function (VNF) executing on a server,
wherein the VNF is assigned to the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is allocated a bandwidth for the particular tenant,
wherein the VNF is configured to execute using an allocation of at least one of a number of processing cores of the server or an amount of memory of the server;
compute, based on packet flow statistics for the first packet flow and the second packet flow, an aggregate bandwidth of a plurality of packet flows processed by the VNF and associated with the particular tenant;
compare the bandwidth for the particular tenant to the aggregate bandwidth to determine an unused number of processing cores or an unused amount of memory;
and
modify, based on the unused number of processing cores or the unused amount of memory, the allocation of the at least one of the number of processing cores of the server or the amount of memory of the server to reduce the allocated number of processing cores or the amount of memory.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/186,682Filed 20 Mar 2023 · continuation
Priority: 29 May 2020
Published: US 2023/0231817 A120 Jul 2023
Granted: 29 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H04L 41/0896
Configuration management of networks or network elements: bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities
H04L 41/0816
Characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
H04L 41/0895
Configuration management of networks or network elements: configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or…
H04L 41/40
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: using virtualisation of…

Family

Application16/888,280Parent of this continuation · filed 29 May 2020
US 2023/0231817 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jul 2023
US 11,611,517 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2021/0377185 A1Published application
US 12,750,278 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.