Systems and methods for performing computer network service chain analytics

Abstract

A system for performing computer network service chain analytics includes network-connected devices containing a plurality of virtual network functions having elements and a data model for storing a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of virtual network functions and a service chain intelligence engine in communication with the one or more network-connected devices and the data model. The memory device contains a set of instructions that causes a processor to analyze the plurality of virtual network functions to automatically identify one or more service chains, to automatically determine, using the data model, performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains and to automatically generate an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements of at least one of the identified one or more service chains does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A computer system for performing computer network service chain analytics, the system comprising:
 one or more network-connected devices containing a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs) having one or more elements wherein at least some of the VNFs include one or more VNF service chains each having two or more macro and micro elements; 
 a data model for storing configured to store a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of VNFs; and 
 a service chain intelligence engine comprising a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor in communication with the one or more network-connected devices and in communication with the data model, the memory device containing a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 analyze the plurality of VNFs to automatically identify one or more service chains; 
 automatically determine performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains using the data model by automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of both macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains using the data model and by employing active agent test data wherein the active agent test data is a common piece of code inserted into each VNF element to perform pre-determined availability and latency tests within certain links of the one or more VNF service chains; and 
 automatically generate an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements of at least one of the identified one or more service chains does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of VNFs further include services provided in the VNF service chains comprise one or more of: Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Video-on-Demand (VOD), IP Mobility Subsystem (IMS) and Internet services to clients of a service provider network. 
     
     
       3. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the data model is configured for storing to store service chain element health Metrics metrics, dimensions and normal behavior metrics. 
     
     
       4. A computer method for performing computer network service chain analytics, the method comprisingsteps of:
 analyzing a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs) having one or more elements to automatically identify one or more VNF service chains wherein each of the one or more VNF service chains includes two or more VNF micro elements; 
 automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains using a data model for storing a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of VNFs by automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of both macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains using the data model and by employing an active agent test that is a common piece of code inserted into each VNF element to perform pre-determined availability and latency tests within certain links of the one or more VNF service chains; and 
 automatically generating an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements of at least one of the identified one or more service chains does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer method of  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of VNFs comprise one or more a plurality of VNF service chains. 
     
     
       6. The computer method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the VNFs further includes services provided in the VNF service chains comprise one or more of: Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Video-on-Demand (VOD), IP Mobility Subsystem (IMS) and Internet services to clients of a service provider network. 
     
     
       7. The computer method of claim  4   6 , wherein each of the one or more VNF service chains comprises a plurality of VNF macro elements. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the services comprise one or more of:
 Voice-over-IP (VoIP);   Video-on-Demand (VOD);   IP Mobility Subsystem (IMS); and   Internet services.   
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the performance behavior characteristics correspond to macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising identifying an unhealthy service chain. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising identifying a root cause of the unhealthy service chain. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a process comprising:
 analyzing a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs) having one or more elements to automatically identify one or more VNF service chains wherein each of the one or more VNF service chains includes two or more VNF micro elements;   automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of each element for each of the identified service chains using a data model for storing a plurality of metrics related to the plurality of VNFs by automatically determining performance behavior characteristics of both macro and micro elements in the one or more VNF service chains using the data model and by employing an active agent test that is a common piece of code inserted into each VNF element to perform pre-determined availability and latency tests within certain links of the one or more VNF service chains; and   automatically generating an alarm, in response to determining that the performance behavior characteristics of one or more elements does not meet a predefined set of the performance behavior characteristics.   
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the VNFs include a plurality of the VNF service chains, each having two or more macro and micro elements. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the performance behavior characteristics correspond to macro and micro elements in one or more of the VNF service chains. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to identify an unhealthy service chain. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to identify a root cause of the unhealthy service chain. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the VNFs further include services provided in VNF service chains to clients of a service provider network.