IP Library Granted Patent US 11,483,178
Granted Patent B2
US 11,483,178 · App. 17/564,829 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Customer activation on edge computing environment

Inventors: Austin Ritchie (Parker, CO); Scott Hemmann (Ballwin, MO); Wen Wang (Ballwin, MO); Brett Dwyer (Clermont, FL)
Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
H04L12/4641H04L45/48H04L49/15H04L41/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,483,178
App. No.
17/564,829
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for providing on-demand edge compute. The system may include an orchestrator that provides a UI and that controls an abstraction layer for implementing a workflow for providing on-demand edge compute. The abstraction layer may include a server configuration orchestration (SCO) system (e.g., a Metal-as-a-Service (MaaS) system) and API that may provide an interface between the orchestrator and the SCO. The API may enable the orchestrator to communicate with the SCO for receiving requests that enable the SCO to integrate with existing compute resources to perform various compute provisioning tasks (e.g., to build and provision a server instance). The various tasks, when executed, may provide on-demand edge compute service to users. The SCO API may further enable the ECS orchestrator to receive information from the SCO (e.g., compute resource information, status messages).

Claims (80)

1. A method for providing on-demand edge compute, comprising:

receiving a user request for an edge compute service;

translating the user request into compute provisioning tasks and network provisioning tasks;

automatically building a service front end for the edge compute service from the compute provisioning tasks;

automatically building a network port configuration, a network path configuration, or a network configuration from the network provisioning tasks, including:

determining a first network resource connected to the edge compute resource; and

reserving a VLAN on a first port on the first network resource;

allocating an edge compute resource for an edge compute service;

configuring the edge compute resource to host the service front end;

configuring the first network resource, based on the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network service configuration, including:

applying a first network port configuration to the first port on the first network resource;

determining an IP address block for the service front end from an inventory of available IP address blocks; and

reserving the IP address block to prevent, prior to a completion of the configuration of the first network resource, a conflict of the IP address block being used for another edge compute service associated with another received user request; and

when configuring the edge compute resource to host the service front end is complete, removing a build network provided for securely configuring the edge compute resource.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein allocating the edge compute resource comprises:

reserving the edge compute resource in a compute inventory system; and

assigning an edge compute resource name to the server front end.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the IP address block comprises:

receiving the inventory of available IP address blocks; and

based on an efficient utilization of the inventory of available IP address blocks, determining the IP address block for the server front end.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first network resource comprises configuring a network path, comprising:

determining a next available VLAN provisioned on a second port on the first network resource;

discovering a second network resource upstream from the first network resource;

applying the network port configuration to a first port on the second network resource;

determining a next available VLAN provisioned on a second port on the second network resource;

discovering a third network resource upstream from the second network resource;

applying the network port configuration to a first port on the third network resource; and

building a spine subinterface on a second port on the third network resource.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the first network resource is a host leaf device;

the second network resource is a spine switch device; and

the third network resource is an edge device that provides a gateway to a network via the second port.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein configuring the network path further comprises building a VXLAN between the first network resource and the second network resource.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a notification of an operational edge compute service to a user.

8. A system for providing on-demand edge compute, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive a user request for an edge compute service;

translate the user request into compute provisioning tasks and network provisioning tasks;

automatically build a service front end for the edge compute service from the compute provisioning tasks;

automatically build a network port configuration, a network path configuration, or a network configuration from the network provisioning tasks, including:

determining a first network resource connected to the edge compute resource; and

reserving a VLAN on a first port on the first network resource;

reserve an edge compute resource in a compute inventory system;

assign an edge compute resource name to the service front end;

configure the edge compute resource to host the service front end;

configure the first network resource, based on the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network service configuration, including:

applying a network port configuration to the first port on the first network resource;

determining an IP address block for the service front end from an inventory of available IP address blocks based on an efficient utilization of the inventory of available IP address blocks; and

reserving the IP address block to prevent, prior to a completion of the configuration of the first network resource, a conflict of the IP address block being used for another edge compute service associated with another received user request; and

when configuring the service front end is complete, remove a build network provided for securely configuring the edge compute resource.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further operative to:

determine a next available VLAN provisioned on a second port on the first network resource;

discover a second network resource upstream from the first network resource;

apply the network port configuration to a first port on the second network resource;

determine a next available VLAN provisioned on a second port on the second network resource;

discover a third network resource upstream from the second network resource;

apply the network port configuration to a first port on the third network resource; and

build a spine subinterface on a second port on the third network resource.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first network resource is a host leaf device;

the second network resource is a spine switch device; and

the third network resource is an edge device that provides a gateway to a network via the second port.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein in configuring the network path, the system is further operative to build a VXLAN between the first network resource and the second network resource.

12. A system for providing on-demand edge compute, wherein the system is operative to:

receive a user request for an edge compute service;

allocate a compute resource at an edge site of a communications network for the edge compute service;

assign a server name to the edge compute service;

gather network resources for a network configuration for the edge compute service;

identify network resources connected to the compute resource;

reserve a VLAN at a first network resource for the edge compute service;

deploy the edge compute service on the compute resource;

configure a port of the first network resource with edge compute service-specific values;

configure a path;

configure network service, including:

applying a network port configuration to the port on the first network resource;

determining an IP address block for the edge compute service from an inventory of available IP address blocks; and

reserving the IP address block to prevent, prior to a completion of the configuration of the first network resource, a conflict of the IP address block being used for another edge compute service associated with another received user request;

when configuring the edge compute service is complete, remove a build network provided for securely configuring the compute resource; and

upon validation of network connectivity to the compute resource, provide a success message including an IP address of the edge compute service.

Assignments (3)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0749 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; GLOBAL CROSSING TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069295/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2022
From: RITCHIE, AUSTIN; HEMMANN, SCOTT; WANG, WEN; DWYER, BRETT
To: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 058558/0372 →