Systems and methods to deploy cloud-native microservices for communication services on scale

Abstract

A method for bundling network functions as a single microservice in a cloud environment. A service deployment manager may acquire subscriber location information associated with a subscriber or a subscriber profile associated with the subscriber. Moreover, the service deployment manager may utilize the subscriber location information or the subscriber profile to select a cloud location. For example, the cloud location may be based on load, geographical proximity, service profile, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for bundling network functions as a single microservice for a group of subscribers in a mobile communication system in a cloud environment, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a request to instantiate the single microservice for the group of subscribers;   responsive to receiving the request, acquiring, by the processing system, current subscriber location information associated with the group of subscribers in the mobile communication system, wherein at least some subscribers of the group of subscribers in the mobile communication system are mobile and have time-varying subscriber location information;   acquiring, by the processing system, network load information for the cloud environment;   based on the current subscriber location information and the network load information, selecting, by the processing system, a cloud location to balance geographical proximity between the current subscriber location information and the cloud location with distribution of a network load in the cloud environment; and   instantiating, by the processing system, the single microservice for the group of subscribers at the cloud location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising acquiring, by the processing system, subscriber profiles associated with subscribers of the group of subscribers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single microservice includes bundled network functions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instantiating includes bundled network functions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising deleting, by the processing system, the single microservice when the single microservice is no longer needed by the group of subscribers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the processing system, a health of the single microservice;   communicating, by the processing system, information about the health of the single microservice; and   recycling, by the processing system, the single microservice based on the health of the single microservice.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 managing, by the processing system, compatibility and interoperability of two or more network functions of the cloud environment bundled as the single microservice; and   customizing, by the processing system, the single microservice based on subscriber profiles and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 managing, by the processing system, one or more integration interfaces of the microservice that connect with an end-to-end network system; and   maintaining, by the processing system, configuration data for connection with other network functions of the cloud environment.   
     
     
         9 . A system for bundling network functions as a single microservice for a group of mobile subscribers of a communication system in a cloud environment, the system comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a request to instantiate the single microservice for the group of subscribers; 
 responsive to receiving the request, acquiring current subscriber location information associated with the group of subscribers in the mobile communication system; 
 acquiring network load information for the cloud environment; 
 based on the current subscriber location information and the network load information, selecting a cloud location to balance geographical proximity between the current subscriber location information and the cloud location with distribution of a network load in the cloud environment; and 
 instantiating the single microservice for the group of subscribers at the cloud location. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least some subscribers of the group of subscribers in the mobile communication system are mobile and have time-varying subscriber location information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise acquiring subscriber profiles associated with subscribers of the group of subscribers. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instantiating includes bundled network functions associated with the single microservice. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise registering the group of mobile subscribers for the single microservice, the single microservice including bundled network functions in the cloud environment. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the bundled network functions comprise one or more IP Multimedia Subsystem functions. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 monitoring a health of the single microservice;   communicating information about the health of the single microservice; and   recycling the single microservice based on the health of the single microservice.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 acquiring current subscriber location information associated with a group of subscribers in a mobile communication system responsive to receiving a request to instantiate a single microservice for the group of subscribers;   acquiring network load information for a cloud environment;   based on the current subscriber location information and the network load information, selecting a cloud location to balance geographical proximity between the current subscriber location information and the cloud location with distribution of a network load in the cloud environment; and   instantiating the single microservice for the group of subscribers at the cloud location.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein at least some subscribers of the group of subscribers in the mobile communication system are mobile and have time-varying subscriber location information. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise acquiring subscriber profiles associated with subscribers of the group of subscribers. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instantiating includes bundled network functions associated with the single microservice. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise customizing the single microservice based on subscriber profiles and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.