Abstract: A system and method for deploying a virtual network function (VNF) are disclosed. Deploying a VNF includes receiving a request to instantiate a VNF in a network virtualization infrastructure, obtaining input from a user providing parameters needed for performing the instantiation of the VNF, determining a type of deployment for the VNF, and adding parameters inferred from the type of deployment to the user data to complete the parameters needed for deployment of the VNF, wherein the added parameters are inferred based on stored data regarding previous instantiations of the VNF. Determining the type of deployment for the VNF includes determining a number of instances of the VNFs to be deployed and a number of virtual infrastructure managers that will be instructed to deploy resources needed by the VNF.

Abstract: A system and method for orchestrating distributed operations to be executed in a distributed computing system with multiple virtual infrastructures uses a distributed operation descriptor to find any Cloud-Native Network Function (CNF) entry in the distributed operation descriptor. For each found CNF entry, a CNF descriptor is retrieved from a CNF catalog and parsed to find an overridable property for a CNF described in the CNF descriptor for which a property override is defined. Then, a target virtual infrastructure is selected from the multiple virtual infrastructures to perform a lifecycle management operation of the CNF. Instructions are then transmitted to a local operator in the target virtual infrastructure with the property override so that information regarding the CNF is transmitted to a local orchestrator of the target virtual infrastructure to perform the lifecycle management operation of the CNF at the target virtual infrastructure using the property override.

Abstract: A system and method for orchestrating distributed operations to be executed in a distributed computing system with multiple virtual infrastructures uses a distributed operation descriptor to find any Cloud-Native Network Function (CNF) entry in the distributed operation descriptor. For each found CNF entry, a CNF descriptor is retrieved from a CNF catalog and parsed to find an overridable property for a CNF described in the CNF descriptor for which a property override is defined. Then, a target virtual infrastructure is selected from the multiple virtual infrastructures to perform a lifecycle management operation of the CNF. Instructions are then transmitted to a local operator in the target virtual infrastructure with the property override so that information regarding the CNF is transmitted to a local orchestrator of the target virtual infrastructure to perform the lifecycle management operation of the CNF at the target virtual infrastructure using the property override.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a failure analysis on a computing system uses a Bayesian network that is generated from a correlation directed acyclic graph (CDAG) of nodes that represent entities in the computing system with edge weights for edges between the nodes. The CDAG is generated using log entries of the computing system with reference to a dictionary file, which specifies entity types, dependency types of the entity types, expressions that return values representing prior probabilities of failure for the dependency types, and the edge weights for the dependency types. The Bayesian network generated from the CDAG includes conditional probabilities for edges of the Bayesian network based on the edge weights of the CDAG. The Bayesian network is used to compute posterior probabilities of possible causes of a new failure event in the computing system and output at least one probable cause with an associated posterior probability for the new failure event.

Abstract: A method of executing interfaces of a network service and virtual network functions of the network service, includes the steps of: retrieving a descriptor of a network service; determining from the descriptor of the network service, virtual network functions associated with the network service including first and second virtual network functions, and that the second virtual network function references an output of an interface of the network service; during execution of the interface of the network service, storing the output thereof that is referenced by the second virtual network function; and retrieving the output of the interface of the network service that has been stored as an input to an interface of the second virtual network function.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for identifying stale configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component uses a configuration export file of the SDN component to generate configuration dependency strands for configurations of the SDN component. The configuration dependency strands can then be classified as being stale based on at least one of path length, reference count and a custom attribute to elements in a network infrastructure for the configuration dependency strands.

Abstract: A system and method for orchestrating distributed operations to be executed in a distributed computing system with multiple virtual infrastructures uses a distributed operation descriptor to find any Cloud-Native Network Function (CNF) entry in the distributed operation descriptor. For each found CNF entry, a CNF descriptor is retrieved from a CNF catalog and parsed to find an overridable property for a CNF described in the CNF descriptor for which a property override is defined. Then, a target virtual infrastructure is selected from the multiple virtual infrastructures to perform a lifecycle management operation of the CNF. Instructions are then transmitted to a local operator in the target virtual infrastructure with the property override so that information regarding the CNF is transmitted to a local orchestrator of the target virtual infrastructure to perform the lifecycle management operation of the CNF at the target virtual infrastructure using the property override.

Abstract: A system and method for deploying a virtual network function (VNF) are disclosed. Deploying a VNF includes receiving a request to instantiate a VNF in a network virtualization infrastructure, obtaining input from a user providing parameters needed for performing the instantiation of the VNF, determining a type of deployment for the VNF, and adding parameters inferred from the type of deployment to the user data to complete the parameters needed for deployment of the VNF, wherein the added parameters are inferred based on stored data regarding previous instantiations of the VNF.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for generating a correlation directed acyclic graph (CDAG) of configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component for migration from a source computing environment to a destination computing environment uses a configuration export file of the SDN component to draw the CDAG. Correlation keys defined in the configuration export file are used to draw graph nodes. Contents associated with the correlation keys and template entries are used to draw edges between at least some of the graph nodes. The CDAG with the graph nodes and the edges is then displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for backing up virtual machines are disclosed. To better use the backup resources, an optimal set of virtual machines needing backup during a time window is generated. The optimal set depends on a total time for backing up each virtual machine needing backup and a cost metric that indicates a cost of not backing up the virtual machine during the time window. The optimal set also meets various system constraints that reflect the backup resource limitations. Performing backups according to the optimal set limits the number of missed backups and the number of service level agreement violations, thereby improving the backup performance without costly additions to its infrastructure.

Abstract: A system and method for migrating configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component from a source computing environment to a destination computing environment uses a configuration export file that includes a metadata section and a templates section. The metadata section includes correlation keys for dependencies found in fetched configurations of the SDN component that correspond to dependency keywords in a configurable dictionary. The templates section includes reframed configurations of the dependencies with at least one reference to the correlation keys in the metadata section. At least some correlation-key references within reframed configurations in the templates section of the configuration export file are substituted with correlation-key replacements for the destination computing environment, which are then applied to a target SDN component in the destination computing environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for generating a correlation directed acyclic graph (CDAG) of configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component for migration from a source computing environment to a destination computing environment uses a configuration export file of the SDN component to draw the CDAG. Correlation keys defined in the configuration export file are used to draw graph nodes. Contents associated with the correlation keys and template entries are used to draw edges between at least some of the graph nodes. The CDAG with the graph nodes and the edges is then displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for migrating configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component from a source computing environment to a destination computing environment uses a configuration export file that includes a metadata section and a templates section. The metadata section includes correlation keys for dependencies found in fetched configurations of the SDN component that correspond to dependency keywords in a configurable dictionary. The templates section includes reframed configurations of the dependencies with at least one reference to the correlation keys in the metadata section. At least some correlation-key references within reframed configurations in the templates section of the configuration export file are substituted with correlation-key replacements for the destination computing environment, which are then applied to a target SDN component in the destination computing environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for identifying stale configurations of a software-defined network (SDN) component uses a configuration export file of the SDN component to generate configuration dependency strands for configurations of the SDN component. The configuration dependency strands can then be classified as being stale based on at least one of path length, reference count and a custom attribute to elements in a network infrastructure for the configuration dependency strands.

Abstract: System and method for managing public internet protocol (IP) addresses for a group of virtual data centers utilize a virtual overlay network to route communications between the virtual data centers and a public network through a virtual edge router of one of the virtual data centers using a public IP address assigned to that virtual edge router.

Abstract: A network management server allocates network addresses to a network gateway connected to a public network after receiving an allocation request that specifies a number of network addresses to allocate to the network gateway. The network management server determines a first and second subnets of the public network having, respectively, first and second pools of available network addresses capable of being allocated to devices on the public network, and allocates one or more available network addresses from the first and second pools to the network gateway.

Abstract: Multiple tenants within a hybrid cloud computing system may need IP addresses to communicate over a computer network external to the hybrid cloud system (such as the Internet). IP addresses are a scarce resource, and each address can only be assigned to a single tenant. With multiple tenants competing for IP addresses, many request collisions may occur if tenants request IP addresses in a naïve manner, such as by requesting the next available IP address numerically. When a collision occurs, a tenant must request a different IP address. Instead, tenants request random IP addresses within a particular subnet in a random manner, thereby reducing the number of collisions that occur and improving the latency associated with requesting an IP address.

Abstract: System and method for managing public internet protocol (IP) addresses for a group of virtual data centers utilize a virtual overlay network to route communications between the virtual data centers and a public network through a virtual edge router of one of the virtual data centers using a public IP address assigned to that virtual edge router.

Abstract: A system and method for backing up virtual machines are disclosed. To better use the backup resources, an optimal set of virtual machines needing backup during a time window is generated. The optimal set depends on a total time for backing up each virtual machine needing backup and a cost metric that indicates a cost of not backing up the virtual machine during the time window. The optimal set also meets various system constraints that reflect the backup resource limitations. Performing backups according to the optimal set limits the number of missed backups and the number of service level agreement violations, thereby improving the backup performance without costly additions to its infrastructure.

Abstract: Multiple tenants within a hybrid cloud computing system may need IP addresses to communicate over a computer network external to the hybrid cloud system (such as the Internet). IP addresses are a scarce resource, and each address can only be assigned to a single tenant. With multiple tenants competing for IP addresses, many request collisions may occur if tenants request IP addresses in a naive manner, such as by requesting the next available IP address numerically. When a collision occurs, a tenant must request a different IP address. Instead, tenants request random IP addresses within a particular subnet in a random manner, thereby reducing the number of collisions that occur and improving the latency associated with requesting an IP address.