Network function virtualization (NFV) hardware trust in data communication systems
A wireless User Equipment (UE) comprises a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) that has hardware-trusted circuitry to support a hardware-trusted wireless communication service. A Network Function Virtualization Management and Orchestration (NFV MANO) orchestrator executes in the hardware-trusted circuitry and exchanges hardware trust data with a wireless communication network to maintain hardware-trust. The NFV MANO orchestrator also exchanges network operations data for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless network over an Os-Nfvo link. Responsive to the exchange of the network operations data, the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanges network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over an Nf-Vi link to execute an NFV Virtual Network Function (VNF) to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service. Responsive to the exchange of the network service data, the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI executes the NFV VNF to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
1. A method of operating wireless User Equipment (UE) that comprises a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) that has hardware-trusted circuitry to support a hardware-trusted wireless communication service, the method comprising:
a Network Function Virtualization Management and Orchestration (NFV MANO) orchestrator executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI and responsively exchanging hardware trust data with a wireless communication network to maintain hardware-trust between the wireless UE and the wireless communication network;
the NFV MANO orchestrator executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI and responsively exchanging network operations data for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless network over an Os-Nfvo link;
responsive to the exchange of the network operations data, the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over an Nf-Vi link to execute an NFV Virtual Network Function (VNF) to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service; and
responsive to the exchange of the network service data, the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI executing the NFV VNF to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI has a physically-embedded secret key; and
the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the hardware trust data with the wireless communication network comprises the NFV MANO orchestrator encoding some of the hardware trust data with the physically-embedded secret key.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the hardware trust data with the wireless communication network comprises exchanging the hardware trust data over the Os-Nfvo link.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI and wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry over the Nf-Vi link comprises:
the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the network service data with the VIM over an Or-Vi link; and
the VIM exchanging the network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry over the Nf-Vi link.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in NFVI;
the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging a portion of the hardware trust data with the VIM over an Or-Vi link; and
the VIM exchanging the portion of the hardware-trust data with the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over the Nf-Vi link.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI;
responsive to the exchange of the network service data, the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging service function data with the VNFM over an Or-Vnfm link to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service; and
the VNFM exchanging the service function data with the NFV VNF executing in the hardware trusted circuitry in the NFVI over a Ve-Vnfm link to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI;
the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging a portion of the hardware trust data with the VNFM over an Or-Vnfm link; and
the VNFM exchanging the portion of the hardware-trust data with the VNF executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over a Ve-Vnfm link.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the network operations data for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless communication network comprises the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging a VNF Forwarding Graph (VNFFG) for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging the network operations data for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service comprises the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging an Access Point Name (APN) for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the NFV VNF supports at least one of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).
11. A wireless User Equipment (UE) to support a hardware-trusted wireless communication service, the wireless UE comprising:
a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) having hardware-trusted circuitry configured to execute a Network Function Virtualization Management and Orchestration (NFV MANO) orchestrator;
responsive to the execution in the hardware-trusted circuitry, the NFV MANO orchestrator configured to exchange hardware trust data with a wireless communication network to maintain hardware-trust between the wireless UE and the wireless communication network;
responsive to the execution in the hardware-trusted circuitry, the NFV MANO orchestrator configured to exchange network operations data for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless network over an Os-Nfvo link;
responsive to the exchange of the network operations data, the NFV MANO orchestrator configured to exchange network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over an Nf-Vi link to execute an NFV Virtual Network Function (VNF) to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service; and
responsive to the exchange of the network service data, the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI configured to execute the NFV VNF to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
12. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein:
the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI in the wireless UE has a physically-embedded secret key; and
the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to encode some of the hardware trust data with the physically-embedded secret key.
13. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange the hardware trust data with the wireless communication network over the Os-Nfvo link.
14. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein:
the hardware trusted circuitry in the NFVI is configured to execute a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM);
the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange the network service data with the VIM over an Or-Vi link; and
the VIM is configured to exchange the network service data with the hardware-trusted circuitry over the Nf-Vi link.
15. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein:
the hardware trusted circuitry in the NFVI is configured to execute a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM);
the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange a portion of the hardware trust data with the VIM over an Or-Vi link; and
the VIM is configured to exchange the portion of the hardware-trust data with the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over the Nf-Vi link.
16. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein:
the hardware trusted circuitry in the NFVI is configured to execute a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM);
responsive to the exchange of the network service data, the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange service function data with the VNFM over an Or-Vnfm link to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service; and
the VNFM is configured to exchange the service function data with the NFV VNF executing in the hardware trusted circuitry in the NFVI over a Ve-Vnfm link to support the hardware-trusted wireless communication service.
17. The wireless UE of claim 11 further comprising:
a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI;
the NFV MANO orchestrator exchanging a portion of the hardware trust data with the VNFM over an Or-Vnfm link; and
the VNFM exchanging the portion of the hardware-trust data with the VNF executing in the hardware-trusted circuitry in the NFVI over a Ve-Vnfm link.
18. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange a VNF Forwarding Graph (VNFFG) for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless communication network.
19. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein the NFV MANO orchestrator is configured to exchange an Access Point Name (APN) for the hardware-trusted wireless communication service with the wireless communication network.
20. The wireless UE of claim 11 wherein the NFV VNF is configured to support at least one of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).