Abstract: A method supports service level agreement monitoring in a software defined network. The software defined network has forwarding elements and a software defined network controller for controlling the forwarding elements. Data flows are transmitted between a first end-path forwarding element, of the forwarding elements, and a second end-path forwarding element, of the forwarding elements, via at least one intermediate forwarding element, of the forwarding elements. The software defined network controller configures the intermediate forwarding element such that a probe triggering packet is generated based on local information of the intermediate forwarding element. The software defined network controller configures at least one of the first end-path forwarding element or the second end-path forwarding element such that an end-to-end probing is triggered based on receiving the probe triggering packet. The end-to-end probing is performed in order to detect a service level agreement violation.

Abstract: A method for flow rule installation in a flow-based programmable network device, includes obtaining packet flow information that includes information about times and intervals of packet flow transmissions from data transmitting devices, programming, by a controller entity, forwarding rules into a flow table based on the packet flow information, and triggering activation of a forwarding rule programmed for a particular packet flow just-in-time before actual transmission of the particular packet flow. The flow-based programmable network device comprises input/output ports, a flow table including forwarding rules that map packet flows from data transmitting devices in the network, received on an input port, to an output port based on a packet flow matching a rule in the forwarding rules, and a state table including state entries that specify states of the packet flows.

Abstract: A method for flow rule installation in a flow-based programmable network device, includes obtaining packet flow information that includes information about times and intervals of packet flow transmissions from data transmitting devices, programming, by a controller entity, forwarding rules into a flow table based on the packet flow information, and triggering activation of a forwarding rule programmed for a particular packet flow just-in-time before actual transmission of the particular packet flow. The flow-based programmable network device comprises input/output ports, a flow table including forwarding rules that map packet flows from data transmitting devices in the network, received on an input port, to an output port based on a packet flow matching a rule in the forwarding rules, and a state table including state entries that specify states of the packet flows.

Abstract: A method for operating a network includes combining modules, which are lower-level service functions of the network, to compose a service, which is a higher-level service function of the network. At least two modules of the modules interact according to a policy for providing and/or monitoring and/or optimizing the service. The modules have an awareness, that includes a location-awareness and/or a proximity-awareness, with respect to at least one other module for deciding and/or varying: the amount and/or kind of interaction between the modules and/or the at least one other module; and/or a location of at least one of the at least one other module and/or the modules, at runtime depending on the awareness of a location and/or a proximity and on the policy.

Abstract: A method of forwarding packet flows in a network includes originating the packet flows from a plurality of end hosts in the network; and transmitting the packet flows from a respective end host of the plurality of end hosts to a sink node via a predefined routing path that includes one or more SDN switches that are under control of an SDN controller. The one or more SDN switches include an edge switch having at least one port connected to the end host. Forwarding of a packet flow from the respective end host by the edge switch is enabled by a dedicated door-opener packet that, when being processed at the one or more SDN switches, effectuates activation or installation of a forwarding rule within the one or more SDN switches for forwarding the packet flow to a next switch along the predefined routing path.

Abstract: A method supports service level agreement monitoring in a software defined network. The software defined network has forwarding elements and a software defined network controller for controlling the forwarding elements. Data flows are transmitted between a first end-path forwarding element, of the forwarding elements, and a second end-path forwarding element, of the forwarding elements, via at least one intermediate forwarding element, of the forwarding elements. The software defined network controller configures the intermediate forwarding element such that a probe triggering packet is generated based on local information of the intermediate forwarding element. The software defined network controller configures at least one of the first end-path forwarding element or the second end-path forwarding element such that an end-to-end probing is triggered based on receiving the probe triggering packet. The end-to-end probing is performed in order to detect a service level agreement violation.

Abstract: A method for performing bulk rerouting in a transport network includes pre-computing routing paths for traffic between multiple source-destination pairs for different time slots and pre-computing an order in which changes of the routing paths are carried out across different time slots, pre-provisioning the routing paths and the order to the respective forwarding network nodes, and generating free network resources according to predefined rules that take into consideration traffic preemption and exploiting the free network resources to bootstrap and/or to facilitate a rerouting sequencing of routing path switching and/or swapping in bulk rerouting across different time slots.

Abstract: A method of forwarding packet flows in a network includes originating the packet flows from a plurality of end hosts in the network; and transmitting the packet flows from a respective end host of the plurality of end hosts to a sink node via a predefined routing path that includes one or more SDN switches that are under control of an SDN controller. The one or more SDN switches include an edge switch having at least one port connected to the end host. Forwarding of a packet flow from the respective end host by the edge switch is enabled by a dedicated door-opener packet that, when being processed at the one or more SDN switches, effectuates activation or installation of a forwarding rule within the one or more SDN switches for forwarding the packet flow to a next switch along the predefined routing path.

Abstract: A method for performing load balancing among a plurality of multipath-capable servers being provided behind a load balancer and being configured to process requests from multipath-capable clients includes contacting, by a first multipath-capable client, the load balancer for establishing an initial subflow. The method further includes selecting, by the load balancer from the plurality of multipath-capable servers, a selected server by applying a load balancing algorithm, and forwarding, by the load balancer, packets of the initial subflow to the selected server and not accepting any further subflows from the client. The method further includes announcing, by the selected server, at least one public interface to the client via the initial subflow for establishing any subsequent subflows directly between the client and the selected server.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations; a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information. The backhaul resource controller is connected via a first interface to a local cluster of base stations, wherein the local cluster of base stations includes at least a subset of the base stations.

Abstract: A method for operating a network includes combining modules, which are lower-level service functions of the network, to compose a service, which is a higher-level service function of the network. At least two modules of the modules interact according to a policy for providing and/or monitoring and/or optimizing the service. The modules have an awareness, that includes a location-awareness and/or a proximity-awareness, with respect to at least one other module for deciding and/or varying: the amount and/or kind of interaction between the modules and/or the at least one other module; and/or a location of at least one of the at least one other module and/or the modules, at runtime depending on the awareness of a location and/or a proximity and on the policy.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations; a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information. The backhaul resource controller is connected via a first interface to a local cluster of base stations, wherein the local cluster of base stations includes at least a subset of the base stations.

Abstract: A method for performing hulk rerouting in a transport network includes pre-computing routing paths for traffic between multiple source-destination pairs for different time slots and pre-computing an order in which changes of the routing paths are carried out across different time slots, pre-provisioning the routing paths and the order to the respective forwarding network nodes, and generating free network resources according to predefined rides that take into consideration traffic preemption and exploiting the free network resources to bootstrap and/or to facilitate a rerouting sequencing of routing path switching and/or swapping in bulk rerouting across different time slots.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations, a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations, a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations, a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information.

Abstract: A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations, a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information.