Systems and methods for performing traffic engineering through network slices

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing traffic engineering in a communications network using a plurality of network slices are disclosed. The network slices are configured to manage a service including transmission of data along one or more flows along nodes of the communications network using a portion of physical link resources of the communications network. The method includes allocating the portion of physical link resources of the communications network associated with a first network slice of the plurality of network slices in accordance with instructions received from a traffic engineering entity associated with the first network slice.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for resource allocation in a network slice for allocating functions in the network slice to a flow within the slice, the method comprising:
 receiving network topology information defining the topological location of functions in the network slices, point of presence information defining a physical topology of points of presence associated with the functions, and forwarding graph information associated with the functions;   receiving flow information associated the flow including an identification of a source and a destination within the network slice associated with the flow and quality of service requirements associated with the flow; and   transmitting allocation instructions to functions in the network slice to direct the flow through selected functions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the selected functions in accordance with the received network topology information and point of presence information in accordance with the received flow information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a selected function is selected from a plurality of functions in accordance with a physical location of the point of presence associated with the function and the received flow information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the network topology information, the point of presence information and the forwarding graph information are received from a topology management entity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the flow information is received from a traffic engineering entity. 
     
     
         6 . A resource allocation apparatus comprising a processor, an input interface, an output interface, and a memory having recorded thereon statements and instructions for execution by the processor, the resource allocation apparatus configured to:
 receive, using the input interface, network topology information defining the topological location of functions in one or more network slices, point of presence information defining a physical topology of points of presence associated with the functions, and forwarding graph information associated with the functions;   receive, using the input interface, flow information associated the flow including an identification of a source and a destination within the network slice associated with the flow and quality of service requirements associated with the flow; and   transmit, using the output interface, allocation instructions to functions in the network slice to direct the flow through selected functions.   
     
     
         7 . The resource allocation apparatus of  claim 6 , further configured to select the selected functions in accordance with the received network topology information and point of presence information in accordance with the received flow information. 
     
     
         8 . The resource allocation apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a selected function is selected from a plurality of functions in accordance with a physical location of the point of presence associated with the function and the received flow information. 
     
     
         9 . The resource allocation apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the network topology information, the point of presence information and the forwarding graph information are received from a topology management entity. 
     
     
         10 . The resource allocation apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the flow information is received from a traffic engineering entity.