# US 2017/0288906 A1 · Virtualized connectivity in a cloud services environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288906 A1 - Document ID: US20170288906A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/629,436 - Filed: 2017-06-21 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-03 - Assignees: Level 3 Communications, LLC - Applicants: Level 3 Communications, LLC - Inventors: Salvador Paredes; Nasser Nabih El-Aawar; Gary Randall Ratterree; Todd James Williamson; Ted Wagner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288906A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 63/0272: {Virtual private networks} - H04L 61/2514: between local and global IP addresses - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A system and method of providing virtualized connectivity in a cloud services environment. A service provider network defines at least a first virtual private network and a second virtual private network for a respective first customer network and a second customer network. The service provider network includes at least one physical connection with a cloud services provider network where the at least one physical connection includes a first private virtual connection between the first virtual private network and the cloud services provider and a second private virtual connection between the second virtual private network and the cloud services provider. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for providing virtualized cloud services across a service provider network, the computer-implemented method comprising: providing virtual private network (VPN) access across the service provider network for each of a plurality of customers of the service provider network; providing private access across the service provider network between at least one of the plurality of customers and at least one of a plurality of cloud service providers associated with the service provider network, the private access being over a shared physical connection between the service provider network and the at least one of the plurality of cloud providers; implementing Virtual Forwarding and Routing (VRF) to enable a secure multi-tenancy environment in the service provider network among the plurality of customers and the plurality of cloud service providers; and implementing Network Address Translation (NAT) to enable scaling of private access between the plurality of customers and the plurality of cloud service providers across the service provider network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising: exporting a plurality of route targets from a cloud provider network configured to provide one or more services of the cloud provider to a first VRF of at least one first router of the service provider network; exporting a plurality of route targets from a customer network of at least one of the plurality of customers to a second VRF of at least one second router of the service provider network; importing the plurality of route targets from the first VRF at the second VRF; and importing the plurality of route targets from the second VRF at the first VRF. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the at least one second router comprises a plurality of provider edge routers for a corresponding plurality of customer offices of the customer network, each of the plurality of routers including a VRF with the cloud provider network route targets such that the offices have secure private access to at least one service of the cloud provider. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing an edge router in the service provider network to implement NAT between at least one of the plurality of customers and at least one of the plurality of cloud service providers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 further comprising: establishing a border gateway protocol (BGP) session between the edge router in the service provider network and a second router of the service provider network, the second router having a physical connection with the cloud provider network; and providing private shared access between each customer network and the cloud provider network using the BGP session and physical connection with the cloud provider network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer implemented method of claim 5 further comprising: establishing a plurality of virtual domains unique to each customer accessing the cloud provider network, the virtual domains at the edge router implementing the NAT of the hub of the cloud provider network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: tagging a first unique identification to data packets being routed from a cloud provider network to a particular customer through a particular VPN of the service provider network; tagging a second unique identification to data packets being routed from the particular customer through the particular VPN of the service provider network to the cloud provider network; whereby the data packets being routed from the cloud provider network to the particular customer network, and the data packets being routed form the particular customer network and the cloud provider network are private between the particular customer network and the particular cloud provider network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising implementing class of service routing among packets distributed across the VPN between a particular cloud provider and a particular customer.