Abstract: A FaaS system comprises a plurality of execution nodes. A software package is received in the system, the software package comprising a function that is to be executed in the FaaS system. Data location information related to data that the function is going to access during execution is obtained. Based on the data location information, a determination is then made of an execution node in which the function is to be executed. The function is loaded into the determined execution node and executing in the determined execution node.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method of operation of a service requestor to request a service from a chain controller in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises sending, to the chain controller, a service description or a request to update a service description. The service description comprises one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions. Each service template definition of the respective service template definitions being data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service. Each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition. The method further comprises receiving a reply from the chain controller.

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing a distributed blockchain transaction processing element in a data center are described. A call to a function is received. The call for the function is dispatched to a first runtime environment of a first server. Code is fetched from the blockchain database. The code is executed in the first runtime environment resulting in a blockchain transaction. A copy of the blockchain transaction is written in a storage medium that is locally accessible by the first server. The blockchain transaction is added to a first block. A consensus mechanism is used to determine whether the first block is to be added to the blockchain database; and responsive to determining that the first block is to be added to the blockchain database, the first block is caused to be stored in a persistent storage as part of the blockchain database.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a message processing node in a message processing system. Upon receipt of a message for a transaction referring to an object for which a record is stored in a database (300), a request is sent to the database to lock the record for the object (302). Where the record is unlocked, a message is received from the database indicating that the request to lock the record is successful (304) and the received message for the transaction is processed (306). Where the record has been locked previously by another message processing node, a message is received from the database indicating that the request to lock the record is unsuccessful and identifying the message processing node to which the record is locked (308) and the received message for the transaction referring to the object is forwarded to the identified message processing node (310).

Abstract: Embodiments of a method of operation of a service requestor to request a service from a chain controller in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises sending, to the chain controller, a service description or a request to update a service description. The service description comprises one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions. Each service template definition of the respective service template definitions being data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service. Each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition. The method further comprises receiving a reply from the chain controller.

Abstract: There is provided a method for handling execution of a function in a function-as-a- service (FaaS) system. According to the method, in response (200) to a trigger on a first node of the FaaS system for execution of a function, execution of the function is initiated (206) on the first node of the FaaS system if data to be accessed for the execution is stored on the first node of the FaaS system and/or execution of the function is initiated (210) on a second node of the FaaS system if the data to be accessed for the execution is stored on the second node of the FaaS system.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method of operation of a service requestor to request a service from a chain controller in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises sending, to the chain controller, a service description or a request to update a service description. The service description comprises one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions. Each service template definition of the respective service template definitions being data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service. Each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition. The method further comprises receiving a reply from the chain controller.

Abstract: At an Edge Node, a method of handling data packets in order to mark the packets with respective packet values indicative of a level of importance. The method comprises implementing a variable rate token bucket to determine an estimated arrival rate of a flow of packets. The method comprises receiving a data packet, updating the estimated arrival rate to an updated arrival rate based on a token level of the token bucket and generating a random or pseudo-random number within a range with a limit determined by the updated arrival rate. The method further comprises identifying an operator policy which determines a level of service associated with the flow of packets, and a Throughput Value Function (TVF) associated with said policy, and then applying the TVF to the random number to calculate a packet value. The packet value is included in a header of the packet.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to forwarding of network traffic. In one of its aspects, the technology presented herein concerns a method for forwarding network traffic from multiple sources to multiple destinations on maximally disjoint paths by maximally redundant trees, MRTs. The method is implemented in a network element implementing multipoint-to-multipoint functionalities in a path computation element, PCE, of a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of network elements. According to the method, an almost directed acyclic graph, ADAG, is computed for the network. Next hops along MRTs are computed by using the ADAG. One or more valid path pair(s) of the computed MRTs that is/are disjoint is/are determined and then, the network traffic is forwarded by using the valid path pair(s) of the MRT(s).

Abstract: A method of processing service requests in a service-based network architecture comprising a plurality of service instances includes receiving, at a service, a service request from a sender, the service request including a user identification, ID, associated with the request and a transaction ID associated with the request, obtaining a user context associated with the user ID from a user context database, the user context including a user context version and a transaction ongoing flag, determining based on the transaction ongoing flag whether a transaction involving the user ID is currently ongoing, in response to determining that a transaction involving the user ID is not currently ongoing, processing the service request to obtain an updated key value, and transmitting a store request to the user context database to store the updated key value, and an updated user context version in the user context database.

Abstract: A method, in a first node, for handling one or more jobs, wherein said first node receives a job over an incoming link, which job comprises a job value, wherein said method comprises the steps of determining, by said first node, a deviation of a queuing delay of the first communication node from a target queuing delay value, and using, by said first node, said deviation as an error value to determine a dropping probability which is used to determine a threshold value, wherein said threshold value corresponds to or is associated with a congestion level of a queue of the job, comparing, by said first node, the job value with the threshold value and establishing that said job value is below said threshold value, dropping, by said first node, said job based on said comparison.

Abstract: A FaaS system (100) comprises a plurality of execution nodes (110). A software package (190) is received in the system (100), the software package (190) comprising a function (101) that is to be executed in the FaaS system (100). Data location information related to data that the function (101) is going to access during execution is obtained. Based on the data location information, a determination is then made of an execution node (111) in which the function (101) is to be executed. The function (101) is loaded into the determined execution node (111) and executing in the determined execution node (111).

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing a distributed blockchain transaction processing element in a data center are described. A call to a function is received. The call for the function is dispatched to a first runtime environment of a first server. Code is fetched from the blockchain database. The code is executed in the first runtime environment resulting in a blockchain transaction. A copy of the blockchain transaction is written in a storage medium that is locally accessible by the first server. The blockchain transaction is added to a first block. A consensus mechanism is used to determine whether the first block is to be added to the blockchain database; and responsive to determining that the first block is to be added to the blockchain database, the first block is caused to be stored in a persistent storage as part of the blockchain database.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method of operation of a service requestor to request a service from a chain controller in a cellular communications network in which a user plane function is decomposed into a plurality of micro user plane functions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises sending, to the chain controller, a service description or a request to update a service description. The service description comprises one or more service template instances having respective service template definitions. Each service template definition of the respective service template definitions being data that defines a set of micro user plane functions that realize a service or a part of a service. Each service template instance of the one or more service template instances comprises data that defines a reference to the respective service template definition. The method further comprises receiving a reply from the chain controller.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to forwarding of network traffic. In one of its aspects, the technology presented herein concerns a method for forwarding network traffic from multiple sources to multiple destinations on maximally disjoint paths by maximally redundant trees, MRTs. The method is implemented in a network element implementing multipoint-to-multipoint functionalities in a path computation element, PCE, of a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of network elements. According to the method, an almost directed acyclic graph, ADAG, is computed for the network. Next hops along MRTs are computed by using the ADAG. One or more valid path pair(s) of the computed MRTs that is/are disjoint is/are determined and then, the network traffic is forwarded by using the valid path pair(s) of the MRT(s).

Abstract: At an Edge Node, a method of handling data packets in order to mark the packets with respective packet values indicative of a level of importance. The method comprises implementing a variable rate token bucket to determine an estimated arrival rate of a flow of packets. The method comprises receiving a data packet, updating the estimated arrival rate to an updated arrival rate based on a token level of the token bucket and generating a random or pseudo-random number within a range with a limit determined by the updated arrival rate. The method further comprises identifying an operator policy which determines a level of service associated with the flow of packets, and a Throughput Value Function (TVF) associated with said policy, and then applying the TVF to the random number to calculate a packet value. The packet value is included in a header of the packet.

Abstract: A method, in a first node, for handling one or more jobs, wherein said first node receives a job over an incoming link, which job comprises a job value, wherein said method comprises the steps of determining, by said first node, a deviation of a queuing delay of the first communication node from a target queuing delay value, and using, by said first node, said deviation as an error value to determine a dropping probability which is used to determine a threshold value, wherein said threshold value corresponds to or is associated with a congestion level of a queue of the job, comparing, by said first node, the job value with the threshold value and establishing that said job value is below said threshold value, dropping, by said first node, said job based on said comparison.

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a message processing node in a message processing system. Upon receipt of a message for a transaction referring to an object for which a record is stored in a database (300), a request is sent to the database to lock the record for the object (302). Where the record is unlocked, a message is received from the database indicating that the request to lock the record is successful (304) and the received message for the transaction is processed (306). Where the record has been locked previously by another message processing node, a message is received from the database indicating that the request to lock the record is unsuccessful and identifying the message processing node to which the record is locked (308) and the received message for the transaction referring to the object is forwarded to the identified message processing node (310).

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a control plane node (303) for handling a UE (101) which roams into a visited network (100a). At least the network in which the control plane node (303) is comprised is a MSC network. The control plane node (303) transmits a create chain request message to a service chain controller (305). The create chain request message is a request to create a chain of UPF nodes (308) that user plane packets to or from the UE (101) should traverse. The control plane node (303) receives a create chain response message from the service chain controller (305). The create chain response message indicates that the requested chain has been created.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enabling relocation of a function for processing data packets of a flow associated with a device. The method is performed in an arrangement of a communication system, which is allocated as a proxy for control messages exchanged between an instance of the function for processing the data packets of the flow and a control instance controlling how the function processes the data packets of the flow. The method comprises obtaining (920) information indicating that the function for processing the data packets is relocated from a first instance to a second instance. The method further comprises forwarding (930) control messages received from the control instance to the second instance of the function for processing the data packets and vice versa, in response to the obtained information.