Technologies for network packet processing between cloud and telecommunications networks

Abstract

Technologies for network packet processing between cloud and telecommunications networks includes a network computing device which includes two application layer packet translators (ALPTs). The first ALPT is configured to receive a network packet from a computing device in a telecommunications network, identify a virtual network function (VNF) instance, and perform an application layer encapsulation of at least a portion of data of the received network packet as a parameter of a remote procedure call (RPC) associated with the identified VNF instance. The first ALPT is additionally configured to invoke the identified VNF instance using an API call corresponding to the RPC that includes the RPC parameter and the VNF instance is configured to transmit an RPC call response to the second ALPT. The second ALPT is configured to generate a new network packet as a function of the RPC call response and transmit the new network packet to another computing device in a cloud network.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . Network apparatus to be communicatively coupled to at least one computing device, the network apparatus also to be communicatively coupled, via at least one cloud network, to at least one cloud service provider, the network apparatus comprising:
 application programming interface (API) gateway circuitry configurable to (1) map received network packet data to at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider and (2) generate request data for use in requesting providing of the at least one corresponding service, the received network packet data being received from the at least one computing device by the network apparatus, the at least one corresponding service to be provided in response, at least in part, to the request data, the providing of the at least one corresponding service to result in generation of response data to be provided to the at least one computing device via the at least one cloud network and the network apparatus; and   communication interface circuitry to:
 receive the network packet data; 
 transmit the request data to the at least one cloud service provider via the at least one cloud network; and 
 transmit the response data to the at least one computing device; 
   wherein:
 a plurality of services are comprised, at least in part, in the at least one cloud service provider; 
 the plurality of services comprise the at least one corresponding service; 
 the plurality of services are configurable to include at least one firewall service; 
 the plurality of services correspond, at least in part, to API calls for use, at least in part, in association with the API gateway circuitry; 
 the request data is for use in requesting calling of the at least one corresponding service; 
 the API gateway circuitry is configurable to:
 provide application layer-related proxy services related to the plurality of services; 
 select, based at least in part upon the network packet data, the at least one corresponding service from among the plurality of services; and 
 implement, at least in part, one or more of the plurality of services. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The network apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the plurality of services comprise virtualized services; and   the network apparatus, the API gateway circuitry, and/or the at least one cloud service provider comprise one or more distributed computing systems.   
     
     
         23 . The network apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the API gateway circuitry is configurable for use in association with one or more of the following:
 at least one firewall service; 
 at least one load-balancing service; and 
 at least one deep packet inspection service. 
   
     
     
         24 . The network apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the providing of the at least one corresponding service is associated with at least one uniform resource identifier.   
     
     
         25 . The network apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the request data is to be generated based at least in part upon policy data of the API gateway circuitry.   
     
     
         26 . The network apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the network apparatus is to forward the request data based at least in part upon forwarding data that corresponds to mapping of the received network packet data to at least one corresponding service; and   the plurality of services comprise one or more microservices.   
     
     
         27 . The network apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the at least one corresponding service is to be provided, at least in part, via at least one internet network, to the at least one computing device; and   the virtualized services are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers.   
     
     
         28 . One or more machine-readable storage media storing instructions for being executed by circuitry, the circuitry to be communicatively coupled to at least one computing device, the circuitry also to be communicatively coupled, via at least one cloud network, to at least one cloud service provider, the instructions when executed by the circuitry resulting in the circuitry being configurable to perform operations comprising:
 mapping received network packet data to at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider; and   generating request data for use in requesting providing of the at least one corresponding service, the received network packet data to be received from the at least one computing device, the at least one corresponding service to be provided in response, at least in part, to the request data, the providing of the at least one corresponding service to result in generation of response data to be provided to the at least one computing device via the at least one cloud network;   wherein:
 a plurality of services are comprised, at least in part, in the at least one cloud service provider; 
 the plurality of services comprise the at least one corresponding service; 
 the plurality of services are configurable to include at least one firewall service; 
 the plurality of services correspond, at least in part, to application programming interface (API) calls for use, at least in part, in association with the circuitry; 
 the request data is for use in requesting calling of the at least one corresponding service; and 
 the circuitry is configurable to:
 provide application layer-related proxy services related to the plurality of services; 
 select, based at least in part upon the network packet data, the at least one corresponding service from among the plurality of services; and 
 implement, at least in part, one or more of the plurality of services. 
 
   
     
     
         29 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the instructions, when executed by the circuitry, result in the circuitry being configured to comprise:
 API gateway circuitry to perform:
 the mapping of the received network packet data to the at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider; and 
 the generating of the request data for use in the requesting of the providing of the at least one corresponding service; and 
 
 communication interface circuitry to:
 receive the network packet data; 
 transmit the request data to the at least one cloud service provider via the at least one cloud network; and 
 transmit the response data to the at least one computing device. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the plurality of services comprise virtualized services; and   the circuitry and/or the at least one cloud service provider comprise one or more distributed computing systems.   
     
     
         31 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the circuitry is configurable for use in association with one or more of the following:
 at least one firewall service; 
 at least one load-balancing service; and 
 at least one deep packet inspection service. 
   
     
     
         32 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the providing of the at least one corresponding service is associated with at least one uniform resource identifier.   
     
     
         33 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the request data is to be generated based at least in part upon policy data of the circuitry.   
     
     
         34 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the request data is to be forwarded based at least in part upon forwarding data that corresponds to the mapping of the received network packet data to at least one corresponding service; and   the plurality of services comprise one or more microservices.   
     
     
         35 . The one or more machine-readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the at least one corresponding service is to be provided, at least in part, via at least one internet network, to the at least one computing device; and   the virtualized services are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers.   
     
     
         36 . A method implemented using circuitry, the circuitry to be communicatively coupled to at least one computing device, the circuitry also to be communicatively coupled, via at least one cloud network, to at least one cloud service provider, the method comprising:
 mapping, by the circuitry, received network packet data to at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider; and   generating, by the circuitry, request data for use in requesting providing of the at least one corresponding service, the received network packet data to be received from the at least one computing device, the at least one corresponding service to be provided in response, at least in part, to the request data, the providing of the at least one corresponding service to result in generation of response data to be provided to the at least one computing device via the at least one cloud network;   wherein:
 a plurality of services are comprised, at least in part, in the at least one cloud service provider; 
 the plurality of services comprise the at least one corresponding service; 
 the plurality of services are configurable to include at least one firewall service; 
 the plurality of services correspond, at least in part, to application programming interface (API) calls for use, at least in part, in association with the circuitry; 
 the request data is for use in requesting calling of the at least one corresponding service; and 
 the circuitry is configurable to:
 provide application layer-related proxy services related to the plurality of services; 
 select, based at least in part upon the network packet data, the at least one corresponding service from among the plurality of services; and 
 implement, at least in part, one or more of the plurality of services. 
 
   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the circuitry comprises:
 API gateway circuitry to perform:
 the mapping of the received network packet data to the at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider; and 
 the generating of the request data for use in the requesting of the providing of the at least one corresponding service; and 
 
 communication interface circuitry to:
 receive the network packet data; 
 transmit the request data to the at least one cloud service provider via the at least one cloud network; and 
 transmit the response data to the at least one computing device. 
 
   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the plurality of services comprise virtualized services; and   the circuitry and/or the at least one cloud service provider comprise one or more distributed computing systems.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the circuitry is configurable for use in association with one or more of the following:
 at least one firewall service; 
 at least one load-balancing service; and 
 at least one deep packet inspection service. 
   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein:
 the providing of the at least one corresponding service is associated with at least one uniform resource identifier;   the request data is to be generated based at least in part upon policy data of the circuitry;   the request data is to be forwarded based at least in part upon forwarding data that corresponds to the mapping of the received network packet data to at least one corresponding service; and   the plurality of services comprise one or more microservices.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein:
 the at least one corresponding service is to be provided, at least in part, via at least one internet network, to the at least one computing device; and   the virtualized services are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers.   
     
     
         42 . A computerized system to be communicatively coupled to at least one computing device, the computerized system comprising:
 at least one cloud service provider; and   network apparatus to be communicatively coupled, via at least one cloud network, to the at least one cloud service provider, the network apparatus also to be communicatively coupled to the at least one computing device, the network apparatus comprising:
 application programming interface (API) gateway circuitry configurable to (1) map received network packet data to at least one corresponding service of the at least one cloud service provider and (2) generate request data for use in requesting providing of the at least one corresponding service, the received network packet data being received from the at least one computing device by the network apparatus, the at least one corresponding service to be provided in response, at least in part, to the request data, the providing of the at least one corresponding service to result in generation of response data to be provided to the at least one computing device via the at least one cloud network and the network apparatus; and 
 communication interface circuitry to:
 receive the network packet data; 
 transmit the request data to the at least one cloud service provider via the at least one cloud network; and 
 transmit the response data to the at least one computing device; 
 
   wherein:
 a plurality of services are comprised, at least in part, in the at least one cloud service provider; 
 the plurality of services comprise the at least one corresponding service; 
 the plurality of services are configurable to include at least one firewall service; 
 the plurality of services correspond, at least in part, to API calls for use, at least in part, in association with the API gateway circuitry; 
 the request data is for use in requesting calling of the at least one corresponding service; 
 the API gateway circuitry is configurable to:
 provide application layer-related proxy services related to the plurality of services; 
 select, based at least in part upon the network packet data, the at least one corresponding service from among the plurality of services; and 
 implement, at least in part, one or more of the plurality of services. 
 
   
     
     
         43 . The computerized system of  claim 42 , wherein:
 the plurality of services comprise virtualized services;   the network apparatus, the API gateway circuitry, and/or the at least one cloud service provider comprise one or more distributed computing systems; and   the API gateway circuitry is configurable for use in association with one or more of the following:
 at least one firewall service; 
 at least one load-balancing service; and 
 at least one deep packet inspection service. 
   
     
     
         44 . The computerized system of  claim 43 , wherein:
 the providing of the at least one corresponding service is associated with at least one uniform resource identifier;   the request data is to be generated based at least in part upon policy data of the API gateway circuitry;   the network apparatus is to forward the request data based at least in part upon forwarding data that corresponds to mapping of the received network packet data to at least one corresponding service; and   the plurality of services comprise one or more microservices.   
     
     
         45 . The computerized system of  claim 43 , wherein:
 the at least one corresponding service is to be provided, at least in part, via at least one internet network, to the at least one computing device; and   the virtualized services are to be implemented via one or more virtual machines and/or one or more containers.