Method and apparatus for providing a test network as an IP accessible cloud service

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor to execute a set of machine-readable instructions;
• a memory device to store sets of instructions for execution on said at least one processor;
• and
• a port to receive instructions from a user and transmit results to said user,
• wherein a set of instructions stored on said memory device comprises instructions:
• to permit said user to select an Internet Protocol (IP) specification;
• to permit said user to select network components from a library of standard network components and to define interconnections and settings of said selected network components, to thereby define a desired virtual network in the selected IP specification;
• to automatically instantiate said desired virtual network as an image being executed by one or more virtual machines in a cloud environment;
• and
• to permit said user to exercise and experiment with said instantiated desired virtual network image.

A method of providing a cloud service, said method comprising:

• receiving a user request via a network input port on a computer to set up a virtual network image to be executed on one or more virtual machines;
• invoking an API (application programming interface) that provides a user interface for said user request, said API providing a set of network components selectable by said user for said virtual network image;
• receiving input from said user that defines a desired virtual network image, including user-selected network components of a user-selected Internet Protocol (IP) specification and associated interconnections and settings;
• instantiating the defined virtual network image on one or more virtual machines;
• transmitting to said user an indication that said instantiation of said defined virtual network image is complete;
• and
• permitting said user to exercise and experiment with said instantiated virtual network image.

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method of providing a cloud service, said method comprising:

• receiving a request from a user via a network input port on a computer to set up a virtual network image to be executed on one or more virtual machines;
• invoking an API (application programming interface) that provides a user interface for said request from a user, said API providing a set of network components selectable by said user for said virtual network image;
• receiving an input description from said user that defines a desired virtual network image in a user-selected Internet Protocol (IP) specification, including user-selected network components and associated interconnections and settings;
• and
• automatically instantiating the defined virtual network image on one or more virtual machines.