Abstract: A set of test methods for performing a live test of service in a production environment, where the service is provided by a set of configured instances in the production environment and each configured instance is composed of a set of components. The methods including a method that includes instantiating components under test from the set of components to setup paths that are to be taken by test traffic, instantiating test configuration components for the service, executing a test case on a created path, generating a snapshot of a first serving component from the set of components, replacing a tested component under test with a second serving component cloned from the snapshot, relocating the service to the second serving component, replacing the serving component of the snapshot with a new component under test to create a new path to be tested, and determining whether all paths have been tested.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, system, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable media for propagating placement constraints and isolation requirements, from user intents and operator policies to constituents of user requested network slices (NwSs) and communication services (CSs). The method comprises decomposing the user intents and the operator policies into functionalities corresponding to the constituents of the requested NwSs and CSs, and storing the functionalities in a solution map (SM) model. The method comprises propagating the placement constraints to the functionalities in the SM model. The method comprises propagating the isolation requirements to the functionalities in the SM model. The method comprises deploying constituent virtual network functions (VNFs) and physical network functions (PNFs) of the NwSs and CSs, according to the corresponding functionalities of the SM model.

Abstract: There is provided a method of test plan generation for live testing and corresponding system and non-transitory computer readable media. The method comprises generating test configurations under which a plurality of test suite items (TSIs) are to be run, merging call paths, in a plurality of groups, according to intersections of call paths on which each of the plurality of TSIs are to be applied and environment coverage associated with the TSIs. The method comprises selecting a test method for each configured instance in each call path associated with one group of call paths. The method comprises creating an initial UML Testing Profile (UTP) model by mapping the TSIs to UTP test cases, thereby generating test runs, and deleting any duplicate test runs. The method comprises ordering test runs and selecting a test runtime framework for each TSI for which the test plan is generated.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, system and computer readable media for validating that a configuration of a cloud system meets requirements, using a reduced test suite selected from a test suite. The method includes classifying the requirements and service instances realizing the requirements composing the cloud system. The method includes applying test suite reduction rules to the test suite, using the classified requirements and service instances, to obtain the reduced test suite. The method includes applying the reduced test suite to the cloud system configured with the configuration, thereby validating that the configuration of the cloud system meets the requirements.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, system, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable media for propagating placement constraints and isolation requirements, from user intents and operator policies to constituents of user requested network slices (NwSs) and communication services (CSs). The method comprises decomposing the user intents and the operator policies into functionalities corresponding to the constituents of the requested NwSs and CSs. and storing the functionalities in a solution map (SM) model. The method comprises propagating the placement constraints to the functionalities in the SM model. The method comprises propagating the isolation requirements to the functionalities in the SM model. The method comprises deploying constituent virtual network functions (VNFs) and physical network functions (PNFs) of the NwSs and CSs, according to the corresponding functionalities of the SM model.

Abstract: There is provided a method of runtime adaptation of a network service (NS), a corresponding network node and non-transitory computer readable media. The method comprises detecting a deviation from an availability constraint imposed on resources for the NS. The method comprises executing a runtime adjustment model to determine new values for adjustable configuration parameters of the NS. The method comprises reconfiguring the adjustable configuration parameters of the NS according to the new values.

Abstract: There is provided a method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable media for designing and deploying a network service (NS) meeting availability requirements. The method comprises computing availabilities and failure rates of virtual network functions (VNFs) instances available for deploying the NS. The method comprises designing the NS by defining VNFs instances constituents placement and redundancy, using the computed availabilities and failure rates of the VNFs instances. The method comprises deploying the NS.

Abstract: A method of providing at least one Network Service (NS) to a Network Slice (NwS) during a design phase of the NwS based on a NwS Forwarding Graph (NwS FG) which comprises Network Functions (NFs) at a functional level, Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and/or Physical Network Functions (PNFs) at a resource level, and embedding information for embedding the VNFs and/or PNFs (VNFs/PNFs) across more than one domain. The method determines, based on the NwS FG, Network Slice Subnets (NwSSs) for the NwS, wherein NFs comprising the NwS FG are grouped into respective groups to be managed by a respective NwSS manager. The method further maps the NwSSs to NSs based on Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) assigned to a domain, wherein at least some of the VNFs/PNFs managed by respective NFVOs are mapped to sites across the multiple domains determined by the embedding information.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable media for mapping, for a network service (NS), requirements to configuration parameters and redundancy. The method includes marking Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) of a plurality of VNFs at each of a plurality of scaling levels and setting a recovery method for each VNF for each of a plurality of hosting types. The method includes finding configuration parameters, including values and options, for each marked and unmarked VNFs of each of a plurality of Network Forwarding Path (NFP) to satisfy the requirements, where each NFP corresponds to a functionality of the NS. The method includes finding a required number of standbys for each unmarked VNF of a Network Service Deployment Flavor (NsDF) of each of the plurality of hosting type. The method includes finding the hosting type having a minimum computing cost for all VNFs of the NsDF.

Abstract: There is provided a method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable media for designing and deploying a network service (NS) meeting availability requirements. The method comprises computing availabilities and failure rates of virtual network functions (VNFs) instances available for deploying the NS. The method comprises designing the NS by defining VNFs instances constituents placement and redundancy, using the computed availabilities and failure rates of the VNFs instances. The method comprises deploying the NS.

Abstract: Resources in an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) system are upgraded in an iterative process. In response to an upgrade request indicating requested changes to a current configuration of the system, one or more graph representations of the current configuration and the requested changes are created. The graph representations include a control graph which has vertices representing resource groups, and edges representing dependences among the resource groups. A batch of resource groups is identified to be upgraded in a current iteration based on the dependencies and Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements including availability and elasticity of the system. Upgrade operations are executed on the identified batch using selected upgrade methods which handle potential incompatibilties during transition of system configurations. The graph representations are updated to include any new requested changes and recovery operations in response to feedback of failed upgrade operations.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, apparatus and computer readable media for combining user and operator intents in network slice design and deployment. The method comprises receiving user intents for requested functionalities. The method comprises generating a solution map in which a network slice design is created for each requested functionality, each network slice design being associated with a plurality of operator policies that satisfy the user intents. The method comprises comparing the operator policies associated with the network slice designs for the requested functionalities and combining the network slice designs with matching operator policies into one or more merged network slice design if the user and operator intents are satisfied and if no isolation requirement is violated. The method comprises deploying, in a network of the operator, one or more merged network slice based on the one or more merged network slice design.

Abstract: A set of test methods for performing a live test of service in a production environment, where the service is provided by a set of configured instances in the production environment and each configured instance is composed of a set of components. The methods including a method that includes instantiating components under test from the set of components to setup paths that are to be taken by test traffic, instantiating test configuration components for the service, executing a test case on a created path, generating a snapshot of a first serving component from the set of components, replacing a tested component under test with a second serving component cloned from the snapshot, relocating the service to the second serving component, replacing the serving component of the snapshot with a new component under test to create a new path to be tested, and determining whether all paths have been tested.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable media for mapping, for a network service (NS), requirements to configuration parameters and redundancy. The method includes marking Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) of a plurality of VNFs at each of a plurality of scaling levels and setting a recovery method for each VNF for each of a plurality of hosting types. The method includes finding configuration parameters, including values and options, for each marked and unmarked VNFs of each of a plurality of Network Forwarding Path (NFP) to satisfy the requirements, where each NFP corresponds to a functionality of the NS. The method includes finding a required number of standbys for each unmarked VNF of a Network Service Deployment Flavor (NsDF) of each of the plurality of hosting type. The method includes finding the hosting type having a minimum computing cost for all VNFs of the NsDF.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable media, methods, system and network function virtualization orchestrator can be used to instantiate a network service operating as at least a portion of a network slice. A network service descriptor describing the network service comprises at least one service deployment flavor; zero or more sharing allowed attribute defining if the network service or constituent instances of the network service is allowed to be shared with another network service instance, or with its constituent instances; and zero or more external placement rule attribute defining if the network service or constituent instances of the network service, is affine or anti-affine with current and future other network service or constituent instances of the current and future other network service.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and a state controller running in a Kubernetes system. The state controller being operative to assign labels to pods, the labels indicating services to which the pods are assigned and high-availability states of the pods; detect a failed pod having a label indicating a high-availability state of not ready; and reassign the label indicating the high-availability state of the failed pod to a healthy pod, thereby changing endpoints of services provided and service flows from the failed pod to the healthy pod.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable media, methods, system and network function virtualization orchestrator can be used to instantiate a network service operating as at least a portion of a network slice. A network service descriptor describing the network service comprises at least one service deployment flavor; zero or more sharing allowed attribute defining if the network service or constituent instances of the network service is allowed to be shared with another network service instance, or with its constituent instances; and zero or more external placement rule attribute defining if the network service or constituent instances of the network service, is affine or anti-affine with current and future other network service or constituent instances of the current and future other network service.

Abstract: A method and network node are provided for dimensioning a network service (NS). The method comprises calculating, based on given capacity requirements of the NS, a required number of virtual network functions component (VNFC) instances of each of a plurality of virtual network function (VNF) in the NS; selecting a VNF deployment flavor (VnfDf) for each of the plurality of VNFs in the NS, based on the calculated required number of VNFC instances; generating a network service deployment flavor (NsDf) including the selected VnfDfs; and onboarding a network service descriptor (NSD), which includes the NsDf, for use for instantiating the dimensioned NS.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, system and computer readable media for validating that a configuration of a cloud system meets requirements, using a reduced test suite selected from a test suite. The method includes classifying the requirements and service instances realizing the requirements composing the cloud system. The method includes applying test suite reduction rules to the test suite, using the classified requirements and service instances, to obtain the reduced test suite. The method includes applying the reduced test suite to the cloud system configured with the configuration, thereby validating that the configuration of the cloud system meets the requirements.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method, system and computer readable media for redesigning and redeploying a network service (NS) upon determining that a running instance of the NS fails to meet at least one NS requirement. The method comprises detecting a change in at least one input model of a NS design; executing a traceability analysis for the change in the at least one input model of the NS design; and upon determining, based on the traceability analysis, that the NS fails to meet the at least one NS requirement, redesigning and redeploying the NS.