Systems and methods for performing computer network service chain analytics

1. A computer system for performing computer network service chain analytics, the system comprising:

one or more network-connected devices containing a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs) having one or more elements wherein at least some of the VNFs include one or more VNF service chains each having two or more macro and micro elements;

a data model for storing a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of VNFs; and

a service chain intelligence engine comprising a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor in communication with the one or more network-connected devices and in communication with the data model, the memory device containing a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

analyze the plurality of VNFs to automatically identify one or more service chains;

automatically determine performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains using the data model by automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of both macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains using the data model and by employing active agent test data wherein the active agent test data is a common piece of code inserted into each VNF element to perform pre-determined availability and latency tests within certain links of the one or more VNF service chains; and

automatically generate an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements of at least one of the identified one or more service chains does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein services provided in the VNF service chains comprise one or more of: Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Video-on-Demand (VOD), IP Mobility Subsystem (IMS) and Internet services to clients of a service provider network.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the data model is configured for storing service chain element health Metrics, dimensions and normal behavior metrics.

4. A computer method for performing computer network service chain analytics, the method comprising steps of:

analyzing a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs) having one or more elements to automatically identify one or more service chains wherein each of the one or more VNF service chains includes two or more VNF micro elements;

automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains using a data model for storing a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of VNFs by automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of both macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains using the data model and by employing an active agent test that is a common piece of code inserted into each VNF element to perform pre-determined availability and latency tests within certain links of the one or more VNF service chains; and

automatically generating an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements of at least one of the identified one or more service chains does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics.

5. The computer method of claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of VNFs comprise one or more VNF service chains.

6. The computer method of claim 4 , wherein services provided in the VNF service chains comprise one or more of: Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Video-on-Demand (VOD), IP Mobility Subsystem (IMS) and Internet services to clients of a service provider network.

7. The computer method of claim 4 , wherein each of the one or more VNF service chains comprises a plurality of VNF macro elements.