Abstract: A data system controls a virtual Probe (vProbe) in a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI). A probe controller transfers header separation instructions for a multiple protocols to the vProbe. The vProbe receives data packets and identifies the protocols in the data packets. The vProbe retrieves header data from individual data packets based on the header separation instructions for the individual protocols in the individual data packets. The vProbe transfers the retrieved header data based on the header separation instructions.

Abstract: In a wireless communication network, Network Function (NF) circuitry determines an initial NF status and indicates the initial NF status to Network Exposure Function (NEF) circuitry. The NEF circuitry processes the initial NF status, and in response, determines an initial NF privilege based on the initial NF status and indicates the initial NF privilege to the NF circuitry. The NF circuitry delivers a wireless data service to a wireless User Equipment (UE) based on the initial NF privilege. The NF determines a current NF status and indicate the current NF status to the NEF circuitry. The NEF circuitry processes the current NF status, and in response, determines a current NF privilege based on the current NF status and indicates the current NF privilege to the NF circuitry. The NF circuitry delivers the wireless data service to the UE based the current NF privilege.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for obtaining radio network characteristics associated with network traffic, determining a type of network traffic and/or network session, allocating resources towards a network traffic session based on the type thereof (or type of network traffic), and performing additional network optimization operations based thereon, including but not limited to metering, billing, and service adjustments such as reallocation of resources. Consequently, resource usage patterns of different data types can be made predictable to a network operator, enabling optimal allocation of network resources, adjustments of latency, and thus providing an optimal user experience.

Abstract: A wireless network comprises a Network Function (NF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and Application Function (AF). The NF selects a status key. The NF hashes the status key and transfers the status hash. The NEF stores the status hash. The AF hashes an AF ID and transfers the AF ID hash. The NEF decodes the AF ID hash to authenticate and identify privileges for the AF. The NEF hashes the privileges and transfers the privilege hash to the AF. The AF decodes the privilege hash and identifies a status privilege. The AF hashes its ID and a status request and transfers the ID hash and status request hash to the NEF. The NEF decodes the NF status request hash to identify the status request and transfer the status hash to the AF. The AF decodes the NF status hash to identify the current NF status.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Central Processing Unit (CPU) comprises a network core and a system core. The network core receives and validating hardware trust certificates from external circuitry that obtains the hardware trust certificates using a read-only hardware trust identifier that is physically-embedded in the external circuitry. The system core executing an NFV Virtual Network Function Component (VNFC) and generating VNFC data for the external circuitry. The system core calls an Application Programming Interface (API) for a hardware trusted communication with the external circuitry and transfers the VNFC data to the network core. In response to the API call, the network core transfers the VNFC data to the external circuitry when the network core successfully validates the hardware trust certificates from the external circuitry. The network core blocks the user data when the network core did not successfully validate the hardware trust certificates from the external circuitry.

Abstract: A cloud computing system. The system comprises a network, a data store communicatively coupled to the network, a plurality of compute nodes, at least some of the compute nodes comprising a cloud computing framework agent coupled to an agent gate keeper, where the cloud computing framework agent communicates with the network via the agent gate keeper, an image management component coupled to an image management gate keeper, where the image management component manages images that execute in the compute instances on the compute nodes and communicates with the network via the image management gate keeper, and a security engine coupled to the network that receives a request to initiate an image on a compute instance, analyzes the image to determine an authentication metric, and when the authentication metric matches a validated authentication value, sends the image to the image management component for loading and instantiating in the compute instance.

Abstract: A Software-Defined Network (SDN) controller receives controller Application Programming Interface (API) calls from an SDN application and transfers SDN data machine API calls. SDN data machines receive the SDN data machine API calls and process user data responsive to the SDN data machine API calls. The SDN controller transfers SDN controller Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that indicate an amount of the SDN application API calls for the SDN data machine API calls. The SDN data machines transfers SDN data machine KPIs that indicate an amount of the processed user data for the SDN data machine API calls. An SDN server receives the SDN data machine KPIs and the SDN controller KPIs. The SDN server determines an SDN Quality-of-Service (QoS) score for a data communication service based on the amount of the SDN application API calls relative to the corresponding amount of the processed user data.

Abstract: A data communication system controls Software Defined Network (SDN) Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) executes the SDN VNFs and responsively transfers SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) computer. The MANO computer processes the SDN KPIs from the NFVI to determine an NFVI task to perform for the SDN VNFs. The NFVI task comprises at least one of: SDN VNF relocation, SDN VNF off-boarding, SDN VNF darkening, SDN VNF lightening, and SDN VNF on-boarding. The MANO computer transfers NFVI control data indicating the NFVI task to the NFVI. The NFVI performs the NFVI task for the SDN VNFs responsive to the NFV control data.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) maintains hardware-trusted communications. In the NFVI, a hardware-trust controller executes at a Ring 0 security level. A target Virtual Switch (vSW) executes under control of the hardware-trust controller. The hardware-trust controller transfers hardware-trust data to the target vSW that indicates hardware-trusted vSWs. The target vSW receives a Virtual Data Unit (VDU) from a source vSW. The target vSW transfers the VDU when the source vSW is one of the hardware-trusted vSWs. The target vSW blocks the VDU when the source vSW is not one of the hardware-trusted vSWs.

Abstract: In a Software Defined Network (SDN), a source SDN switch in a source geographic area generates switch performance data. The source SDN switch detects when its switch performance reaches a switch performance threshold based on its switch performance data, and in response, the source SDN switch transfers source switch information. An SDN controller receives the source switch information and selects a target SDN switch in a target geographic area based on the switch performance threshold and the source geographic area. The SDN controller transfers the source switch information to the target SDN switch in the target geographic area. The target SDN switch generates switch performance data and detects when SDN performance reaches a network performance threshold based on its switch performance data and the source switch information. The target SDN transfers SDN performance information to the SDN controller.

Abstract: A data system controls a virtual Probe (vProbe) in a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI). A probe controller transfers header separation instructions for a multiple protocols to the vProbe. The vProbe receives data packets and identifies the protocols in the data packets. The vProbe retrieves header data from individual data packets based on the header separation instructions for the individual protocols in the individual data packets. The vProbe transfers the retrieved header data based on the header separation instructions.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) system implements hardware trusted Management and Orchestration (MANO). A Hardware (HW) trust server issues a HW trust challenge to a first MANO system. The first MANO system hashes its physically-embedded read-only hardware trust key to generate a HW trust result and transfers the HW trust result to the HW trust server. The HW trust server validates the hardware trust result and transfers a HW trust certificate to the first MANO system. The first MANO system transfers the HW trust certificate and NFV MANO data to a second MANO system. The second MANO system validates the HW trust certificate. The second MANO system exchanges NFVI control data with NFVI circuitry responsive to the NFV MANO data when the HW trust certificate is valid. The second MANO system isolates the NFV MANO data when the HW trust certificate is not valid.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) system controls multi-protocol virtual Probes (vProbes). A vProbe controller transfers protocol data and correlated header separation instructions to a vProbe in an NFV Infrastructure (NFVI). The vProbe receives the header separation instructions and the correlated protocol data. The vProbe receives data packets from an NFV switching system and identifies protocol data for the data packets. The vProbe uses the protocol data to determine the correlated header separation instructions. The vProbe retrieves header data from the data packets based on the header separation instructions and transfers the retrieved header data based on the header separation instructions.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Software Defined Network (SDN) controls NFV resources consumed by Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). An NFV Infrastructure (NFVI) executes SDN application VNFs, SDN controller VNFs, and SDN data-machine VNFs. The NFVI responsively transfers SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A VNF control system processes the KPIs to generate and transfer NFV control data to lighten one of the SDN VNFs. The NFVI lightens the one SDN VNF responsive to the NFV control data by increasing access to NFVI hardware for the one SDN VNF.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) data communication system implements hardware trusted Management and Orchestration (MANO). A Hardware (HW) trust server issues a HW trust challenge to a MANO system. The MANO system hashes its physically-embedded hardware trust key to generate a HW trust result and transfers the HW trust result to the HW trust server. The HW trust server validates the hardware trust result and transfers a HW trust certificate to the MANO system. The MANO system transfers the HW trust certificate and NFV MANO data to an NFV Infrastructure (NFVI). The NFVI validates the HW trust certificate. The NFVI exchanges user data responsive to the NFV MANO data when the HW trust certificate is valid. The NFVI isolates the NFV MANO data when the HW trust certificate is not valid.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Central Processing Unit (CPU) comprises a network core and a system core. The network core receives and validating hardware trust certificates from external circuitry that obtains the hardware trust certificates using a read-only hardware trust identifier that is physically-embedded in the external circuitry. The system core executing an NFV Virtual Network Function Component (VNFC) and generating VNFC data for the external circuitry. The system core calls an Application Programming Interface (API) for a hardware trusted communication with the external circuitry and transfers the VNFC data to the network core. In response to the API call, the network core transfers the VNFC data to the external circuitry when the network core successfully validates the hardware trust certificates from the external circuitry. The network core blocks the user data when the network core did not successfully validate the hardware trust certificates from the external circuitry.

Abstract: In a Software Defined Network (SDN), a source SDN switch in a source geographic area generates switch performance data. The source SDN switch detects when its switch performance reaches a switch performance threshold based on its switch performance data, and in response, the source SDN switch transfers source switch information. An SDN controller receives the source switch information and selects a target SDN switch in a target geographic area based on the switch performance threshold and the source geographic area. The SDN controller transfers the source switch information to the target SDN switch in the target geographic area. The target SDN switch generates switch performance data and detects when SDN performance reaches a network performance threshold based on its switch performance data and the source switch information. The target SDN transfers SDN performance information to the SDN controller.

Abstract: A Software-Defined Network (SDN) distributes Proxy Correlation Index (PCI) control in an SDN data-plane. An SDN controller transfers SDN signaling that indicates a data-plane PCI configuration. An SDN data machine processes the SDN signaling and configures a PCI generator and a flow controller to implement the data-plane PCI configuration. The SDN data-plane machine processes user data flows per a Flow Description Table (FDT) and generates Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the user data flows. The PCI generator generates PCIs based on the KPIs and the data-plane PCI configuration. The flow controller updates the FDT based on the PCIs and the data-plane PCI configuration. The SDN data-plane machine processes the user data flows per the updated FDT.

Abstract: A data communication system controls Software Defined Network (SDN) Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). A Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) executes the SDN VNFs and responsively transfers SDN Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) computer. The MANO computer processes the SDN KPIs from the NFVI to determine an NFVI task to perform for the SDN VNFs. The NFVI task comprises at least one of: SDN VNF relocation, SDN VNF off-boarding, SDN VNF darkening, SDN VNF lightening, and SDN VNF on-boarding. The MANO computer transfers NFVI control data indicating the NFVI task to the NFVI. The NFVI performs the NFVI task for the SDN VNFs responsive to the NFV control data.

Abstract: A data communication system delivers voice-conferencing and video-conferencing to User Equipment (UE). A wireless communication network establishes a signaling bearer between the UE and an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The IMS initiates a video-conference bearer for the UE over the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network exchanges video data over the video-conference bearer using Carrier Aggregation (CA). In response to a UE handover to a target wireless access node, the wireless communication network signals the IMS to convert the video-conference bearer into a voice-conference bearer based on Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology at the target wireless access node. The IMS initiates a voice-conference bearer for the UE over the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network exchanges voice data over the voice-conference bearer.