IP Library Granted Patent US 11,729,026
Granted Patent B2
US 11,729,026 · App. 17/971,079 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Customer activation on edge computing environment

Inventors: Austin Ritchie (Broomfield, CO); Scott Hemmann (Ballwin, MO); Wen Wang (Ballwin, MO); Brett Dwyer (Clermont, FL)
Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
H04L12/4641H04L45/48H04L49/15H04L41/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,729,026
App. No.
17/971,079
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
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 (71)

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; and

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;

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

configuring a network resource, based on the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network service configuration,

wherein building the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network configuration further comprises:

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

reserving a virtual local area network (VLAN) on a first port on the first connected network resource, and

wherein configuring the network resource comprises:

applying a network port configuration to the first port on the first connected network resource; 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 prior to configuring the edge compute resource to host the service front end, allocating the compute resource for the edge compute service.

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

reserving the compute resource in a compute inventory system; and

assigning a compute resource name to the server front end.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining an IP address block for the server 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 network resource, a conflict of the IP address block being used for another edge compute service associated with another received user request.

5. The method of claim 4 , 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.

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

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

discovering a second network resource upstream from the first connected 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.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the first connected 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.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein configuring the network path further comprises building a VXLAN between the first connected network resource and the second network resource.

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

10. 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;

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

configure a network resource, based on the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network service configuration,

wherein in building the network port configuration, the network path configuration, or the network configuration, the system is operative to:

determine a first network resource connected to the compute resource; and

reserve a virtual local area network (VLAN) on a first port on the first connected network resource, and

wherein in configuring the network resource, the system is operative to:

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

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

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein prior to configuring the edge compute resource to host the service front end, the system is operative to:

reserve the compute resource in a compute inventory system; and

assign a compute resource name to the server front end.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system is further operative to:

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

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

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the system is further operative to:

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

discover a second network resource upstream from the first connected 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.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first connected 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.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein in configuring the network path, the system is further operative to build a VXLAN between the first resource and the second network resource.

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 Oct 23, 2022
From: RITCHIE, AUSTIN; HEMMANN, SCOTT; WANG, WEN; DWYER, BRETT
To: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061505/0367 →