Cloud based access solution for enterprise deployment

1. An access point (AP), comprising:

a memory storing instructions for execution by a processor: and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to provide:

a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE) connected to the AP over a wireless communication interface, the one or more base-station functions configured to receive information from the UE;

a set of one or more core-network functions configured to receive the information from the set of one or more base-station functions; and

a distributed portion of a core-network service configured to:

receive the information from the one or more core-network functions,

communicate the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform, wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service,

and

receive a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.

2. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the distributed and cloud portions are used to provide network services for both an enterprise network and a carrier network.

3. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is further configured to send the response to the one or more core-network functions, and the one or more core-network functions are further configured to cause a network device to be configured based on the response.

4. The AP of claim 3 , wherein the one or more core-network functions are configured to cause the network device to be configured based on the response using a software defined networking (SDN) controller.

5. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the core-network service is an authentication service, and the response is an authentication result.

6. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is configured to generate the response based on the result of a plurality of authentication processes, wherein the plurality of authentication processes include an enterprise authentication process.

7. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more base-station functions are one or more eNodeB functions.

8. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more core-network functions are one or more EPC functions.

9. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is stateless.

10. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the network device is one of switch, router, and DHCP server.

11. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is further configured to send the response to the set of one or more core-network functions, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions is configured to send the response to the set of one or more base-station functions, and wherein the set of one or more base-station functions is configured to send the response to the UE.

12. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the one or more base-station functions comprises one or more eNodeB functions, and the one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions.

13. The AP of claim 12 , wherein the one or more eNodeB functions are configured to communicate with the one or more EPC functions without using standardized communication interfaces.

14. The AP of claim 12 , wherein the one or more EPC functions further comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and an Optimized Packet Function (OPF).

15. The AP of claim 1 , wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is configured to provide an application programming interface (API) accessible by at least one of eNodeB functions or EPC functions.

16. The AP of claim 15 , wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is configured to utilize at least one eNodeB function or EPC function using the API provided by the distributed portion of the core-network service.

17. A method performed by an access point (AP), the AP executing a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE), a set of one or more core-network functions, and a distributed portion of a core-network service, the method comprising:

receiving, by the set of one or more base-station functions, information from the UE;

receiving, by the set of one or more core-network functions, the information from the set of one or more base-station functions;

receiving, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, the information from the one or more core-network functions;

communicating the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform,

wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service; and

receiving a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the distributed and cloud portions are used to provide network services for both an enterprise network and a carrier network.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising sending, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, response to the one or more core-network functions and causing, by the one or more core-network functions, a network device to be configured based on the response.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the causing includes causing, by an SDN controller, the network device to be configured based on the response.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the core-network service is an authentication service, and the response is an authentication result.

22. The method of claim 17 , further comprising causing the cloud portion of the core-network service to generate the authentication response based on the result of a plurality of authentication processes, wherein the plurality of authentication processes include an enterprise authentication process.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the set of one or more base-station functions are one or more eNodeB functions.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the set of one or more core-network functions are one or more EPC functions.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is stateless.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the network device is one of switch, router, and DHCP server.

27. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

sending, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, the response to the set of one or more core-network functions;

sending, by the set of one or more core-network functions, the response to the set of one or more base-station functions, and

sending, by the set of one or more base-station functions, the response to the UE.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more base-station functions comprises one or more eNodeB functions, and the one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the one or more eNodeB functions are configured to communicate with the one or more EPC functions without using standardized communication interfaces.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the one or more EPC functions further comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and an Optimized Packet Function (OPF).

31. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, an application programming interface (API) accessible by at least one of eNodeB functions or EPC functions.

32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising:

utilizing, by the cloud portion of the core-network service, at least one eNodeB function or EPC function using the API provided by the distributed portion of the core-network service.

33. An access point (AP), comprising:

a memory storing instructions for execution by a processor; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to provide:

a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE) connected to the AP over a wireless communication interface, the one or more base-station functions configured to receive information from the UE;

a set of one or more core-network functions configured to receive the information from the set of one or more base-station functions; and a

distributed portion of a core-network service configured to:

receive the information from the one or more core-network functions, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions,

communicate the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform, wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service,

and

receive a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.