DESCRIPTION
Technical Field
[001] This disclosure relates generally to legacy network transformation,
and more particularly to a method and a system for transforming a legacy wide area
network (WAN) to a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN).
10 Background
[002] With the emergence of next-generation network technologies like SDWAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) and NFV (Network Functions
Virtualization), enterprise network solutions are undergoing radical transformation.
Communication Service Providers (CSPs) and System Integrators (SIs) are at the
15 forefront of digital transformation initiatives for their enterprise customers,
transitioning them from legacy networks to advanced SD-WAN and NFV technologies.
[003] During the planning and design phase of this transformation, CSPs and
SIs encounter significant challenges related to inadequate planning of assets, such as
SD-WAN hardware and Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), as well as connectivity
20 and underlay circuits during the creation of the bill of material (BoM). This planning
phase is typically customer interview-based and involves manual data collection from
various enterprise sites across different geographic locations. As a result, the process
becomes error-prone, time-consuming, and cumbersome.
[004] The traditional “plan & design cycles” in this transformation process
25 impact the overall network transformation timelines and may lead to issues during the
provisioning and activation phase. Such delays may result in revenue leakage and an
increase in capital and operational expenditures (CAPEX/OPEX) for CSPs.
[005] There is, therefore, a need in the present state of art, for techniques to
address the challenges faced by CSPs and SIs during the planning and design phase of
30 enterprise network transformations. The proposed techniques significantly reduces
planning cycles, minimizes manual errors, and optimizes the overall network
transformation process, resulting in improved customer experience and reduced capital
and operational costs for CSPs and Sis.
SUMMARY
35 [006] In one embodiment, a method for legacy WAN transformation is
disclosed. In one example, the method may include receiving data corresponding to a
legacy WAN from one or more data sources. Further, the method may include
analyzing the data to identify one or more transformation requirements for the legacy
WAN, based on one of a statistical technique, or a machine learning technique. Further,
40 the method may include determining one or more configuration parameters
5 corresponding to the legacy WAN based on a set of pre-defined business policy rules
and the one or more transformation requirements. The one or more configuration
parameters may be determined to transform the legacy WAN to a software-defined
wide area network (SD-WAN). Further, the method may include generating a highlevel design for the SD-WAN based on the one or more transformation requirements
10 and the one or more configuration parameters. Further, the method may include
generating a low-level design including configuration guidelines templates for the SDWAN based on the high-level design. Each configuration guidelines template may be
generated corresponding to a site of the legacy WAN, and each configuration
guidelines template may facilitate the transformation of legacy WAN to the SD-WAN.
15 [007] In one embodiment, a system for legacy WAN transformation is
disclosed. In one example, the system may include a processor and a computer-readable
medium communicatively coupled to the processor. The computer-readable medium
may store processor-executable instructions, which, on execution, may cause the
processor to receive data corresponding to a legacy WAN from one or more data
20 sources. Further, Further, the processor-executable instructions, on execution, may
further cause the processor to analyze the data to identify one or more transformation
requirements for the legacy WAN, based on one of a statistical technique, or a machine
learning technique. Further, Further, the processor-executable instructions, on
execution, may further cause the processor to determine one or more configuration
25 parameters corresponding to the legacy WAN based on a set of pre-defined business
policy rules and the one or more transformation requirements. The one or more
configuration parameters may be determined to transform the legacy WAN to a
software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN). Further, the processor-executable
instructions, on execution, may further cause the processor to generate a high-level
30 design for the SD-WAN based on the one or more transformation requirements and the
one or more configuration parameters. Further, the processor-executable instructions,
on execution, may further cause the processor to generate a low-level design including
configuration guidelines templates for the SD-WAN based on the high-level design.
Each configuration guidelines template may be generated corresponding to a site of the
35 legacy WAN, and each configuration guidelines template may facilitate the
transformation of legacy WAN to the SD-WAN.
[008] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and
the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not
restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
40 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute
a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the
description, explain the disclosed principles.
4
5 [010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment for legacy WAN
transformation, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a process for legacy WAN
transformation, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
10 disclosure;
[012] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for legacy WAN
transformation, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[013] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for activating SD15 WAN, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[014] FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates transformation of a legacy WAN
to a SD-WAN, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[015] Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the
20 accompanying drawings. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers are used
throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. While examples and features
of disclosed principles are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other
implementations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the
disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the following detailed description be
25 considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the
following claims.
[016] FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates an environment 100 for legacy
WAN transformation, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure.
30 [017] The environment 100 may include one or more data sources (for
example, one or more legacy network devices 101), and a computing device 102. The
one or more legacy network devices 101 represent existing traditional WAN
infrastructure that may include legacy WAN devices, element management systems
(EMS) or network management systems (NMS), operations support systems (OSS) or
35 business support systems (BSS), and customer interviews. The communication
network 103 may be configured to facilitate communication between the legacy
network device 101 and the computing device 102. It may act as a medium through
which data may be exchanged between the legacy network devices 101 and the
computing device 102 for legacy WAN transformation.
40 [018] In some embodiments, the communication network 103 may be a
private internal network within an organization, where the legacy network devices 101
and the computing device 102 are physically located. Alternatively, the communication
network 103 may be a secure connection established over the internet, allowing the
legacy network devices 101, which may be located at a remote branch office, to
45 communicate with the computing device 102, which may be located at a central data
5 center of the organization. Examples of the communication network 103 may include,
but are not limited to, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network, a light fidelity (Li-Fi)
network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area
network (MAN), a satellite network, the Internet, a fiber optic network, a coaxial cable
network, an infrared (IR) network, a radio frequency (RF) network, and a combination
10 thereof.
[019] As will be described in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 2 – 6,
in order to transform the legacy WAN, initially the computing device 102 may receive
data corresponding to a legacy WAN from one or more data sources (such as the one
or more legacy network devices 101). The data corresponding to the legacy WAN may
15 include crucial information about the existing network, such as network device
configurations, historic network performance data, historic event data, network devices
logs, LAN and WAN topology, underlay connectivity circuits assets, application types,
underlay circuit and virtual local area networks (VLANs) usage historic data, and type
of platform for network device deployment.
20 [020] Once the computing device 102 receives the data, the computing
device 102 may perform analysis on this data using statistical techniques or machine
learning techniques. The analysis may be performed to identify one or more
transformation requirements for the legacy WAN.
[021] In a more elaborative way, the transformation requirements may refer
25 to a specific needs and preferences of a user or enterprise undergoing the legacy WAN
transformation. These requirements may include a wide range of factors, such as, but
not limited to, security features, bandwidth requirements, geographical considerations,
usage patterns of the internet and internal applications, and Quality of Service (QoS)
prioritization. These requirements are identified through data analysis using statistical
30 techniques or machine learning techniques and play a crucial role in shaping the design
and configuration of a new network (for example, Software-Defined Wide Area
Network (SD-WAN)).
[022] The statistical techniques may use mathematical formulas and
methods to analyze data, identify trends, and make predictions. The statistical
35 techniques may include, but may not be limited to, descriptive statistics, inferential
statistics, regression analysis, correlation analysis, and time series analysis. The
machine learning techniques may use algorithms and statistical models that enable the
computing device 102 to learn from the data and make data-driven predictions or
decisions. Examples of machine learning techniques may include, but may not be
40 limited to, supervised learning techniques, unsupervised learning techniques, and
reinforcement learning techniques.
[023] Based on a set of pre-defined business policy rules and the identified
transformation requirements, the computing device 102 may further determine one or
more configuration parameters needed for the transformation of legacy WAN to the
45 SD-WAN. The one or more configuration parameters may include a protocol overhead,
a bandwidth estimation algorithm, a WAN connectivity type, device specifications,
sites classifications, and license tiers for each site within the legacy WAN.
5 [024] With the one or more transformation requirements and configuration
parameters in hand, the computing device 102 may generate a high-level design for the
SD-WAN. The high-level design may include enterprise network topology, SD-WAN
control-plane component design and architecture, WAN routing for underlay circuits,
site categorization based on business criticality, redundancy considerations, Quality of
10 Service (QoS) subscription, security requirements, value-added services, bandwidth
calendaring, and application profiles.
[025] Subsequently, the computing device 102 may generate a low-level
design including configuration guideline templates for the SD-WAN. Each
configuration guidelines template may correspond to a site within the legacy WAN,
15 facilitating the transformation of each site to the SD-WAN. These guideline templates
may include physical and logical networking resources, WAN routing configurations,
traffic policies and prioritization rules, encryption settings, authentication and
authorization mechanisms, integration with cloud-based services, high availability and
resiliency mechanisms, and configuration guidelines for existing network services and
20 systems integration.
[026] In some embodiments, the computing device 102 may generate
vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration templates based on the configuration
guidelines templates associated with each site. These vendor-specific templates may
be then automatically deployed to an SD-WAN headend orchestrator, and the SD25 WAN may be activated based on the deployment.
[027] In some embodiments, the set of pre-defined business policy rules may
be dynamically updated to incorporate new configuration parameters specific to
additional SD-WAN original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) added to the SDWAN. This ensures compatibility and adherence to OEM-specific design rules, thereby
30 enabling the ANTS to accommodate future SD-WAN enhancements and
advancements.
[028] FIG. 2 is a diagram that illustrates a process for legacy WAN
transformation, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 2 is explained in conjunction with elements from FIG. 1. The
35 computing device 102 may include a processing circuitry 201 and a memory 202
communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry 201 via a communication bus 203.
The memory 202 may store processor instructions. The processor instructions, when
executed by the processing circuitry 201, may cause the processing circuitry 201 to
implement one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory 202 may
40 include a plan building module 204, a rule building module 205, a design building
module 206, a configuration managing module 207, and a database 208.
[029] The plan building module 204 is a necessary component responsible
for determining the existing legacy WAN design and architecture of the customer’s
network. It may gather various network-related information, such as customer type,
45 customer category, network functions, topology, criticality of uptime, type of services,
underlay topology, number and types of WAN links, CPE models, LAN IP addressing,
7
5 site categorization, site topology, branch role, direct internet access, direct cloud
access, traffic steering, and network configuration policies.
[030] To further elaborate, the plan building module 204 may be configured
to collect data from various data sources, such as legacy WAN devices, EMS or NMS,
OSS or BSS, and customer interviews. The collected data includes detailed information
10 about network devices configuration (such as, SD-WAN encapsulation overheads and
the presence of local breakout internet links), historic network performance data (such
as, device CPU and memory usage patterns), historic alarms or event data, network
device logs, LAN and WAN topology through auto discovery (such as, single vs. dual
CPE), underlay connectivity circuits assets (such as, multi-WAN), application types
15 (application usage pattern), underlay circuit or VLANs usage historic data (such as,
utilization bandwidth sizing), and a type of platform for network device deployment
(such as, SaaS/PaaS etc.,).
[031] After collecting this vast data, the plan building module 204 may
employ statistical analytics or machine learning techniques to perform data analysis in
20 order to identify one or more transformation requirements. In particular, the plan
building module 204 may analyze the network’s configuration, historic and current
data to determine the legacy WAN design and architecture of the customer's network.
The goal is to create replica of the legacy WAN design in line with digital twin concept.
This digital twin concept based legacy WAN design may act as a reference model to
25 plan and design a SD-WAN effectively.
[032] Based on the analysis, the plan building module 204 may recommend
one or more specific requirements to be considered for the SD-WAN design.
Additionally, the plan building module 204 may estimate future needs of customer,
ensuring that the SD-WAN design may accommodate evolving network demands.
30 These recommendations and estimation may act as valuable inputs to the design
building module 206.
[033] The rule building module 205 may be configured to hold a set of
predefined business policy rules that may govern the enterprise network
transformation. The set of predefined business policy rules cover various decision
35 parameters, such as protocol overhead, bandwidth estimation algorithms, WAN
connectivity type (e.g., local vs. central breakout, Broadband vs. Private network),
device specifications (e.g., hardware model, VNF, CNF), site classification (e.g., large,
mid, small), and license tiers for each site within the legacy WAN.
[034] The rule building module 205 plays a significant role in determining
40 the configuration parameters required to transform the legacy WAN into the SD-WAN.
Additionally, the rule building module 205 may dynamically update the set of
predefined business policy rules based on changes in business policies or offerings.
The set of predefined business policy rules may be updated by incorporating new
configuration parameters specific to additional SD-WAN original equipment
45 manufacturers (OEMs) added to the SD-WAN to ensure compatibility and adherence
to OEM-specific design rules.
8
5 [035] The design building module 206 may be responsible for creating and
validating the SD-WAN design and topology for the customer's network
transformation from legacy WAN to the SD-WAN. It may utilize the recommendations
provided by the plan building module 204 to generate a high-level design (HLD) for
the SD-WAN. The HLD includes essential aspects such as the overall enterprise
10 network topology (e.g., hub & spoke, full mesh, partial mesh), SD-WAN control-plane
component design and architecture (e.g., centralized vs. distributed), WAN routing for
underlay circuits (static, dynamic), site categorization based on business criticality
(e.g., Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze), redundancy considerations at site and solution
levels level (e.g., link level, device level, site level, cloud GW level etc.), Quality of
15 Service (QoS) subscription (e.g., 4-class model, 6-class model, etc.), security
requirements (e.g., Stateful FW, NextGen FW, SASE subscription, IDS/IPS, etc.),
other value-added services (e.g., local internet breakout, public cloud connectivity,
third party Ipsec, etc.), bandwidth calendaring based on traffic pattern analysis, and
application profiles for top bandwidth-consuming applications. It should be noted that
20 the design building module 206 may offer an interactive drag-and-drop user interface
for easy parameter customization based on the customer's specific business objectives.
[036] The configuration managing module 207 may be configured to
generate a low-level design, which includes configuration guideline templates for
various SD-WAN solution components. These configuration guideline templates are
25 vendor-agnostic and may be adapted to build vendor specific SD-WAN configuration
templates and data model so that it may be automatically pushed into a provisioning
system or an SD-WAN headend orchestrator for deployment.
[037] The configuration managing module 207 may ensure seamless
integration with the SD-WAN by providing configuration guidelines templates, for
30 example, by identifying a right physical and logical networking resources (e.g., CPE,
switches, SD-WAN controllers, etc.) which may act as a foundation for building a Bill
of Material (BOM), defining all configuration parameters for WAN routing
configurations for different scenarios (e.g., SDWAN-SDWAN branch sites
communication, SDWAN to NON-SDWAN branch sites communication, etc.), traffic
35 policies and prioritization rules, traffic classification, QoS configurations, defining
traffic encryption settings both over the WAN links and within the SD-WAN
infrastructure, defining authentication and authorization mechanisms, firewall rules,
and intrusion detection or prevention systems, defining configuration parameters for
integration with cloud-based services, WAFs, load balancers, or WAN optimization
40 tools, defining mechanisms for ensuring high availability and resiliency within the SDWAN deployment (e.g., link-level redundancy, path steering, and active-active or
active-passive configurations), and defining configuration guidelines for existing
network services, applications or systems that need to integrate with the SD-WAN for
seamless integration by configuring interfaces, protocols, and APIs to enable
45 interoperability and seamless data exchange.
[038] The database 208 is an essential component that stores the collected
data, transformation requirements, high-level designs, configuration guideline
5 templates, and other relevant information used by the various modules of the
computing device 102. It may acts as a repository for historical and real-time data and
may provide a centralized location for accessing and managing the data necessary for
an efficient and effective legacy WAN transformation process. The database 208 may
facilitate seamless communication and data sharing among the different modules,
10 ensuring an integrated approach for legacy WAN transformation.
[039] It should be noted that all such aforementioned modules 204 – 207
may be represented as a single module or a combination of different modules. Further,
as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, each of the modules 204 – 207 may
reside, in whole or in parts, on one device or multiple devices in communication with
15 each other. In some embodiments, each of the modules 204 – 207 may be implemented
as dedicated hardware circuit comprising custom application-specific integrated circuit
(ASIC) or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or
other discrete components. Each of the modules 204 – 207 may also be implemented
in a programmable hardware device such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA),
20 programmable array logic, programmable logic device, and so forth. Alternatively,
each of the modules 204 – 207 may be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors (e.g., the processing circuitry 201). An identified module
of executable code may, for instance, include one or more physical or logical blocks of
computer instructions, which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure,
25 function, or other construct. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module or
component need not be physically located together, but may include disparate
instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, include
the module and achieve the stated purpose of the module. Indeed, a module of
executable code could be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be
30 distributed over several different code segments, among different applications, and
across several memory devices.
[040] FIG. 3 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary process 300 for
facilitating legacy code transformation is depicted via a flowchart, in accordance with
an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is explained in conjunction
35 with elements from FIGS. 1 and 2. In an embodiment, the process 300 may be
implemented by the computing device 102. The process 300 may include receiving
data corresponding to a legacy WAN from one or more data sources, at step 301.
[041] The one or more data sources may include legacy WAN devices,
element management systems (EMS) or network management systems (NMS),
40 operations support systems (OSS) or business support systems (BSS), and customer
interviews. The data corresponding to the legacy WAN may include network device
configurations, historic network performance data, historic event data, network devices
logs, local area network (LAN) and WAN topology, underlay connectivity circuits
assets, application types, underlay circuit and virtual local area networks (VLANs)
45 usage historic data, and type of platform for network device deployment.
5 [042] Further, the process 300 may include analyzing the data to identify one
or more transformation requirements for the legacy WAN, based on one of a statistical
technique, or a machine learning technique, at step 302.
[043] The process 300 may further include determining one or more
configuration parameters corresponding to the legacy WAN based on a set of pre10 defined business policy rules and the one or more transformation requirements, at step
303. It should be noted that the one or more configuration parameters may be
determined to transform the legacy WAN to a software-defined wide area network (SDWAN). The one or more configuration parameters may include a protocol overhead, a
bandwidth estimation algorithm, a WAN connectivity type, device specifications, sites
15 classifications, and license tiers for each site within the legacy WAN.
[044] In some embodiments, the set of pre-defined business policy rules may
be dynamically updated based on updates in business policy. The set of pre-defined
business policy rules may be dynamically updated by incorporating new configuration
parameters specific to additional SD-WAN original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
20 added to the SD-WAN to ensure compatibility and adherence to OEM-specific design
rules.
[045] Based on the one or more transformation requirements and the one or
more configuration parameters, the process 300 may further include generating a highlevel design for the SD-WAN, at step 304. The high-level design may include
25 enterprise network topology, SD-WAN control-plane component design and
architecture, WAN routing for underlay circuits, site categorization based on business
criticality, redundancy considerations, Quality of service (QoS) subscription, security
requirements, value-added services, bandwidth calendaring, and application profiles.
[046] Based on the high-level design, the process 300 may further include
30 generating a low-level design that may include configuration guidelines templates for
the SD-WAN, at step 305. It should be noted that each configuration guidelines
template may be generated corresponding to a site of the legacy WAN. Each
configuration guidelines template may include physical and logical networking
resources, WAN routing configurations, traffic policies and prioritization rules,
35 encryption settings, authentication and authorization mechanisms, integration with
cloud-based services, high availability and resiliency mechanisms, and configuration
guidelines for existing network services and systems integration. Each configuration
guidelines template may facilitate the transformation of legacy WAN to the SD-WAN.
[047] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a variety of processes
40 may be employed for legacy WAN transformation. For example, the exemplary
computing device 102 may transform the legacy WAN to a SD-WAN by the processes
discussed herein. In particular, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the
art, control logic and/or automated routines for performing the techniques and steps
described herein may be implemented by the computing device 102 either by hardware,
45 software, or combinations of hardware and software. For example, suitable code may
be accessed and executed by the one or more processors on the computing device 102
to perform some or all of the techniques described herein. Similarly, application
5 specific integrated circuits (ASICs) configured to perform some, or all of the processes
described herein may be included in the one or more processors on the computing
device 102.
[048] FIG. 4 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary process 400 for
activating SD-WAN is depicted via a flowchart, in accordance with an exemplary
10 embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with elements
from FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. In an embodiment, the process 400 may be implemented by the
computing device 102. Once the computing device 102 generates the low-level design
for the SD-WAN, at step 305, the process 400 begins with generating a vendor-specific
SD-WAN configuration template based on the configuration guidelines template
15 associated with the site, at step 401.
[049] The vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration template ensures that the
SD-WAN deployment aligns with the requirements and configurations specific to the
selected SD-WAN equipment manufacturer or vendor. By customizing the
configuration to suit the specifications of the SD-WAN vendor, the solution ensures
20 compatibility and adherence to the vendor's design rules. This step may be essential in
guaranteeing that the SD-WAN solution operates optimally and efficiently, as per the
vendor’s recommended settings.
[050] Further, the process 400 may include automatically deploying each of
the vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration template to an SD-WAN headend
25 orchestrator, at step 402. The SD-WAN headend orchestrator may act as a central
management and control point for the SD-WAN network. Upon receiving the vendorspecific SD-WAN configuration template, the orchestrator may efficiently provision
and configure the SD-WAN device at each branch site as per the specific design
guidelines. This automated deployment modernizes the rollout process, reduces manual
30 intervention, and minimizes the risk of errors, thereby ensuring a consistent and
accurate configuration across all SD-WAN branch sites.
[051] Based on deployment, the process 400 may further include activating
the SD-WAN, at step 403. During this phase, the SD-WAN may be enabled, and all
the configurations and settings specified in the low-level design and the vendor-specific
35 template take effect.
[052] The activation process brings the SD-WAN to existence, allowing it
to handle network traffic, optimize data flow, provide enhanced security measures, and
efficiently steer traffic between different WAN links. This activation phase marks the
successful completion of the SD-WAN transformation.
40 [053] FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 that illustrates transformation of a legacy
WAN to a SD-WAN, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 5 is explained in conjunction with elements from FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The present FIG. 5 depicts a legacy WAN 501, a computing device 502 (same as the
computing device 102), and a SD-WAN platform 503. The legacy WAN 502 may
45 include Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Internet Protocol Virtual Private
Network (IPVPN) network connections that may be used to establish wide area
networks for businesses and organizations. The computing device 502 may include a
5 plan building module 204, a rule building module 205, a design building module 206,
and a configuration managing module 207.
[054] The transformation commences with the plan building module 204,
which may collect data from the legacy WAN. This data may include details of the
existing WAN design, network device configurations, historical performance data,
10 alarms, logs, LAN, and WAN topology, underlay circuits, application usage patterns,
and platform types for network device deployment.
[055] Next, the rule building module 205 comes into play. The rule building
module 205 may include a set of predefined business policy rules that govern different
configuration parameters essential for the transformation process. These predefined
15 business policy rules may include logics to define the different configuration
parameters such as protocol overhead (e.g., encapsulation, and encryption), bandwidth
estimation algorithms, WAN connectivity types (e.g., local vs. central breakout,
Broadband vs. Private network), device specifications (e.g., hardware model, VNF,
CNF), site classifications (e.g., large, mid, small), and license tiers for site
20 transformation.
[056] The rule building module 205 may dynamically update these
predefined business rules based on changes in business policies or offerings and
incorporate new configuration parameters when additional SD-WAN OEMs are added
to ensure seamless compatibility.
25 [057] The design building module 206 may then utilize outputs from the plan
building module 204 and the rule building module 205 to generate a high-level design
for the SD-WAN. This high-level design may include the overall enterprise network
topology, SD-WAN control-plane architecture, WAN routing configurations, site
categorizations based on business criticality, redundancy considerations, QoS
30 subscriptions, security requirements, value-added services, bandwidth calendaring, and
application profiles. The design building module 206 may provide an interactive user
interface for real-time updates and adjustments based on specific business objectives
and customer needs.
[058] Further, the configuration managing module 207 may take the high35 level design outputs and transforms them into detailed low-level configuration
guidelines templates. The configuration guideline templates may include identifies the
physical and logical networking resources, configures WAN routing for different
scenarios, defines traffic policies and prioritization rules, sets encryption and
authentication mechanisms, integrates with cloud-based services, and establishes high
40 availability and resiliency mechanisms. These guidelines enable seamless integration
with existing network services and systems, ensuring data exchange and
interoperability.
[059] The configuration guideline templates may be vendor-agnostic,
ensuring compatibility with various SD-WAN OEMs. In particular, the configuration
45 managing module 207 may generate a vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration
template based on the low-level configuration guidelines templates.
5 [060] With the vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration template, the
computing device 502 may effortlessly deploy the validated SD-WAN design to the
production platform (e.g., SD-WAN headend orchestrator or SD-WAN platform 503)
using North bound Access Point Interfaces (APIs). Once the validated SD-WAN
design is deployed into the SD-WAN platform 503, the SD-WAN may be activated at
10 each branch site, integrating the SD-WAN overlay with MPLS underlay, Internet, 4G,
or 5G underlay, thereby completing the transformation from legacy WAN to a modern
and optimized SD-WAN network. The WAN network is now ready to deliver seamless
and optimized communication for enterprise-customer business operations.
[061] For better understanding of legacy WAN transformation, consider an
15 exemplary scenario of an Enterprise Customer-A, who aims to undergo a
transformation of their legacy network into an SD-WAN while also establishing new
branch sites using either vendor-specific or general-purpose hardware provided by a
CSP or SI. The primary objectives for Customer-A are to ensure a smooth migration
with minimal disruption, monitor and manage CAPEX and OPEX costs efficiently, and
20 enhance the overall network performance to enable seamless business
communications.
[062] To address these challenges, the proposed technique involves a series
of well-defined steps. Initially, the first step focus is on identifying the critical data to
be collected from the existing network. This includes essential information related to
25 network utilization, configured policies, traffic patterns, bandwidth details, the number
of CPE devices, WAN and LAN interfaces per device, direct internet access
availability, application usage, and LAN side configurations from the network devices.
This data is collected and processed using the plan building module.
[063] Subsequently in second step, business rules are formulated using the
30 rule building module, taking into account the collected data and specific requirements
of the transformation. The third step involves the analysis of the data gathered during
the initial phase. Statistical methods are employed to interpret the data, and the design
building module utilizes the business rules from the rule building module to create a
high-level design for the SD-WAN transformation.
35 [064] Once the high-level design is prepared, it is presented to the CustomerA for review and approval. If the Customer-A accepts the design, the process proceeds
to fourth step. At fourth step, the configuration managing module generates the lowlevel design, including configuration guideline templates for the site that is being
migrated. In case the customer requests changes, the third step is repeated until a
40 mutually acceptable high-level design is achieved.
[065] At fifth step, vendor-specific templates tailored to each site's
requirements are created for the SD-WAN migration based on the configuration
guideline templates generated earlier. Finally, at sixth step the CSP/SI provisions and
activates the SD-WAN sites as part of the implementation process. Through this
45 systematic approach, Enterprise Customer-A achieves a successful and efficient
transformation of its legacy network to an optimized SD-WAN solution while meeting
their specific business objectives.
5 [066] As will be also appreciated, the above described techniques may take
the form of computer or controller implemented processes and apparatuses for
practicing those processes. The disclosure can also be embodied in the form of
computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as
floppy diskettes, solid state drives, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer10 readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and
executed by a computer or controller, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing
the invention. The disclosure may also be embodied in the form of computer program
code or signal, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or
executed by a computer or controller, or transmitted over some transmission medium,
15 such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic
radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a
computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When
implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code
segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
20 [067] The disclosed methods and systems may be implemented on a
conventional or a general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer (PC)
or server computer. FIG. 6 is a block diagram that illustrates a system architecture 600
of a computer system 601 for legacy WAN transformation, in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Variations of computer system 601
25 may be used for implementing computing device 102 for legacy WAN transformation.
Computer system 601 may include a central processing unit (“CPU” or “processor”)
602. Processor 602 may include at least one data processor for executing program
components for executing user-generated or system-generated requests. A user may
include a person, a person using a device such as such as those included in this
30 disclosure, or such a device itself. The processor may include specialized processing
units such as integrated system (bus) controllers, memory management control units,
floating point units, graphics processing units, digital signal processing units, etc. The
processor may include a microprocessor, such as AMD® ATHLON®, DURON® OR
OPTERON®, ARM’s application, embedded or secure processors, IBM® POWERPC®,
INTEL® CORE® processor, ITANIUM® processor, XEON® processor, CELERON® 35
processor or other line of processors, etc. The processor 602 may be implemented using
mainframe, distributed processor, multi-core, parallel, grid, or other architectures.
Some embodiments may utilize embedded technologies like application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate
40 Arrays (FPGAs), etc.
[068] Processor 602 may be disposed in communication with one or more
input/output (I/O) devices via I/O interface 603. The I/O interface 603 may employ
communication protocols/methods such as, without limitation, audio, analog, digital,
monoaural, RCA, stereo, IEEE-1394, near field communication (NFC), FireWire,
45 Camera Link®, GigE, serial bus, universal serial bus (USB), infrared, PS/2, BNC,
coaxial, component, composite, digital visual interface (DVI), high-definition
multimedia interface (HDMI), radio frequency (RF) antennas, S-Video, video graphics
5 array (VGA), IEEE 802.n /b/g/n/x, Bluetooth, cellular (e.g., code-division multiple
access (CDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA+), global system for mobile
communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), WiMAX, or the like), etc.
[069] Using the I/O interface 603, the computer system 601 may
communicate with one or more I/O devices. For example, the input device 604 may be
10 an antenna, keyboard, mouse, joystick, (infrared) remote control, camera, card reader,
fax machine, dongle, biometric reader, microphone, touch screen, touchpad, trackball,
sensor (e.g., accelerometer, light sensor, GPS, altimeter, gyroscope, proximity sensor,
or the like), stylus, scanner, storage device, transceiver, video device/source, visors,
etc. Output device 605 may be a printer, fax machine, video display (e.g., cathode ray
15 tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode (LED), plasma, or the
like), audio speaker, etc. In some embodiments, a transceiver 606 may be disposed in
connection with the processor 602. The transceiver 606 may facilitate various types of
wireless transmission or reception. For example, the transceiver 606 may include an
antenna operatively connected to a transceiver chip (e.g., TEXAS INSTRUMENTS®
WILINK WL1286®, BROADCOM® BCM4550IUB8® 20 , INFINEON
TECHNOLOGIES® X-GOLD 1436-PMB9800® transceiver, or the like), providing
IEEE 802.6a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, FM, global positioning system (GPS), 2G/3G
HSDPA/HSUPA communications, etc.
[070] In some embodiments, the processor 602 may be disposed in
communication with a communication network 607 via a network interface 608. The
network interface 608 may communicate with the communication network 607. The
network interface 608 may employ connection protocols including, without limitation,
direct connect, Ethernet (e.g., twisted pair 10/100/1000 Base T), transmission control
protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), token ring, IEEE 802.6a/b/g/n/x, etc. The
30 communication network 607 may include, without limitation, a direct interconnection,
local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless network (e.g., using
Wireless Application Protocol), the Internet, etc. Using the network interface 608 and
the communication network 607, the computer system 601 may communicate with
devices 605, 609, 610, and 611. These devices may include, without limitation,
35 personal computer(s), server(s), fax machines, printers, scanners, various mobile
devices such as cellular telephones, smartphones (e.g., APPLE® IPHONE®,
BLACKBERRY® smartphone, ANDROID® based phones, etc.), tablet computers,
eBook readers (AMAZON® KINDLE®, NOOK
® etc.), laptop computers, notebooks,
gaming consoles (MICROSOFT® XBOX®, NINTENDO® DS®, SONY®
PLAYSTATION® 40 , etc.), or the like. In some embodiments, the computer system 601
may itself embody one or more of these devices.
[071] In some embodiments, the processor 602 may be disposed in
communication with one or more memory devices 615 (e.g., RAM 613, ROM 614,
etc.) via a storage interface 612. The storage interface 612 may connect to memory
45 devices 615 including, without limitation, memory drives, removable disc drives, etc.,
employing connection protocols such as serial advanced technology attachment
(SATA), integrated drive electronics (IDE), IEEE-1394, universal serial bus (USB),
5 fiber channel, small computer systems interface (SCSI), STD Bus, RS-232, RS-422,
RS-485, I2C, SPI, Microwire, 1-Wire, IEEE 1284, Intel® QuickPathInterconnect,
InfiniBand, PCIe, etc. The memory drives may further include a drum, magnetic disc
drive, magneto-optical drive, optical drive, redundant array of independent discs
(RAID), solid-state memory devices, solid-state drives, etc.
[072] The memory devices 615 may store a collection of program or
database components, including, without limitation, an operating system 616, user
interface 617, web browser 618, mail server 619, mail client 620, user/application data
621 (e.g., any data variables or data records discussed in this disclosure), etc. The
operating system 616 may facilitate resource management and operation of the
computer system 601. Examples of operating systems include, without limitation,
APPLE® MACINTOSH® OS X, UNIX, Unix-like system distributions (e.g., Berkeley
Software Distribution (BSD), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, etc.), Linux distributions
(e.g., RED HAT®, UBUNTU®, KUBUNTU®, etc.), IBM® OS/2, MICROSOFT®
WINDOWS® (XP®, Vista®/7/8/10/6, etc.), APPLE® IOS®, GOOGLE® ANDROID®,
BLACKBERRY® 20 OS, or the like. User interface 617 may facilitate display, execution,
interaction, manipulation, or operation of program components through textual or
graphical facilities. For example, user interfaces may provide computer interaction
interface elements on a display system operatively connected to the computer system
601, such as cursors, icons, check boxes, menus, scrollers, windows, widgets, etc.
25 Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) may be employed, including, without limitation,
APPLE® MACINTOSH® operating systems' AQUA® platform, IBM® OS/2®,
MICROSOFT® WINDOWS® (e.g., AERO®, METRO®, etc.), UNIX X-WINDOWS,
web interface libraries (e.g., ACTIVEX®, JAVA®, JAVASCRIPT®, AJAX®, HTML,
ADOBE® FLASH®, etc.), or the like.
30 [073] In some embodiments, the computer system 601 may implement a web
browser 618 stored program component. The web browser 618 may be a hypertext
viewing application, such as MICROSOFT® INTERNET EXPLORER®, GOOGLE
CHROME®, MOZILLA® FIREFOX®, APPLE® SAFARI®, etc. Secure web browsing
may be provided using HTTPS (secure hypertext transport protocol), secure sockets
35 layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), etc. Web browsers may utilize facilities
such as AJAX®, DHTML, ADOBE® FLASH®, JAVASCRIPT®, JAVA®, application
programming interfaces (APIs), etc. In some embodiments, the computer system 601
may implement a mail server 619 stored program component. The mail server 619 may
be an Internet mail server such as MICROSOFT® EXCHANGE®, or the like. The mail
40 server 619 may utilize facilities such as ASP, ActiveX, ANSI C++/C#, MICROSOFT
.NET® CGI scripts, JAVA®, JAVASCRIPT®, PERL®, PHP®, PYTHON®,
WebObjects, etc. The mail server 619 may utilize communication protocols such as
internet message access protocol (IMAP), messaging application programming
interface (MAPI), MICROSOFT® EXCHANGE®, post office protocol (POP), simple
45 mail transfer protocol (SMTP), or the like. In some embodiments, the computer system
601 may implement a mail client 620 stored program component. The mail client 620
17
may be a mail viewing application, such as APPLE MAIL® 5 , MICROSOFT
ENTOURAGE®, MICROSOFT OUTLOOK®, MOZILLA THUNDERBIRD®, etc.
[074] In some embodiments, computer system 601 may store
user/application data 621, such as the data, variables, records, etc. (e.g., the set of
predictive models, the plurality of clusters, set of parameters (batch size, number of
10 epochs, learning rate, momentum, etc.), accuracy scores, competitiveness scores, ranks,
associated categories, rewards, threshold scores, threshold time, and so forth) as
described in this disclosure. Such databases may be implemented as fault-tolerant,
relational, scalable, secure databases such as ORACLE® OR SYBASE® OR
POSTGRESQL® OR any such similar data. Alternatively, such databases may be
15 implemented using standardized data structures, such as an array, hash, linked list,
struct, structured text file (e.g., XML), table, or as object-oriented databases (e.g., using
OBJECTSTORE®, POET
®, ZOPE®, etc.). Such databases may be consolidated or
distributed, sometimes among the various computer systems discussed above in this
disclosure. It is to be understood that the structure and operation of the any computer
20 or database component may be combined, consolidated, or distributed in any working
combination.
[075] Thus, the disclosed method and system try to overcome the technical
problem of legacy network transformation by offering several advantages. to
enterprises seeking to transform the legacy WAN to SD-WAN. The disclosed method
25 and system ensure a smooth and seamless migration from the legacy WAN to SDWAN, minimizing disruptions and avoiding potential downtime during the transition.
By identifying design solution gaps before deployment into production, the disclosed
method and system helps to prevent potential issues and ensures that the SD-WAN
implementation aligns with the enterprise's specific requirements. Further, the
30 disclosed method and system reduces the need for extensive human involvement in
SD-WAN site design and data collection, leading to increased efficiency and reduced
human error.
[076] By enabling “Right First Time” implementations, the disclosed
method and system enhances the customer experience index, providing a reliable and
35 optimized network performance from the outset. Further, the adoption of industrystandard protocols and data models for collecting data from various sources ensures
interoperability, scalability, and compatibility with existing network infrastructure.
The use of automated planning and configuration management modules significantly
reduces the design and provisioning or activation time, enabling rapid deployment and
40 faster time-to-value. Further, the disclosed method and system optimizes network
operations, smoothing management tasks and freeing up resources for more strategic
activities, thus improving overall operational efficiency. Moreover, by minimizing
human intervention, the disclosed method and system contributes to reduced CAPEX
and OPEX, providing cost-effective solutions for the enterprise's network
45 transformation needs.
[077] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the techniques
described in the various embodiments discussed above are not routine, or conventional,
5 or well understood in the art. The techniques discussed above address the challenges
associated with transformation of legacy WAN to SD-WAN. By employing automated
planning and design modules guided by predefined business rules, the disclosed
techniques ensure a smooth and efficient process. It generates a detailed bill of
materials, specifying the hardware models and required ports for each site, facilitating
10 a smooth migration to SD-WAN.
[078] The disclosed techniques creates both high-level and low-level
designs for each SD-WAN site, considering the specific requirements and constraints
identified during the planning phase. The high-level design encompasses essential
aspects such as network topology, control-plane architecture, WAN routing, site
15 categorization, redundancy considerations, QoS subscription, security requirements,
and value-added services, among others. On the other hand, the low-level design
incorporates vendor-agnostic configuration guideline templates, providing flexibility
and compatibility across different SD-WAN solutions. This allows the disclosed
techniquesto generate specific configurations based on the high-level design outcomes,
20 ensuring consistency and standardization across the entire network.
[079] Moreover, the automated provisioning of SD-WAN sites is seamlessly
integrated into the process. The disclosed techniquesinteract with the SD-WAN vendor
solution orchestrator, triggered by the configuration guideline templates, to efficiently
provision and activate the SD-WAN at each branch site. This integration minimizes
25 manual intervention and reduces the time and effort required for deployment.
[080] In light of the above mentioned advantages and the technical
advancements provided by the disclosed method and system, the claimed steps as
discussed above are not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the
claimed steps enable the following solutions to the existing problems in conventional
30 technologies. Further, the claimed steps clearly bring an improvement in the
functioning of the device itself as the claimed steps provide a technical solution to a
technical problem.
[081] The specification has described method and system for legacy WAN
transformation. The illustrated steps are set out to explain the exemplary embodiments
35 shown, and it should be anticipated that ongoing technological development will
change the manner in which particular functions are performed. These examples are
presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Further, the boundaries
of the functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the
convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the
40 specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Alternatives
(including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described
herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings
contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed
embodiments.
[082] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be
utilized in implementing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. A
computer-readable storage medium refers to any type of physical memory on which
5 information or data readable by a processor may be stored. Thus, a computer-readable
storage medium may store instructions for execution by one or more processors,
including instructions for causing the processor(s) to perform steps or stages consistent
with the embodiments described herein. The term “computer-readable medium” should
be understood to include tangible items and exclude carrier waves and transient signals,
10 i.e., be non-transitory. Examples include random access memory (RAM), read-only
memory (ROM), volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, hard drives, CD ROMs,
DVDs, flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.
[083] It is intended that the disclosure and examples be considered as
exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of disclosed embodiments being indicated
15 by the following claims.
I/We Claim:
1. A method for legacy wide area network (WAN) transformation, the method
comprising:
receiving (301), by a computing device (102), data corresponding to a legacy
WAN (501) from one or more data sources;
10 analyzing (302), by the computing device (102), the data to identify one or
more transformation requirements for the legacy WAN (501), based on one of a
statistical technique, or a machine learning technique;
determining (303), by the computing device (102), one or more configuration
parameters corresponding to the legacy WAN (501) based on a set of pre-defined
15 business policy rules and the one or more transformation requirements, wherein the
one or more configuration parameters are determined to transform the legacy WAN
(501) to a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN);
generating (304), by the computing device (102), a high-level design for the
SD-WAN based on the one or more transformation requirements and the one or more
20 configuration parameters; and
generating (305), by the computing device (102), a low-level design
comprising configuration guidelines templates for the SD-WAN based on the highlevel design, wherein each configuration guidelines template is generated
corresponding to a site of the legacy WAN (501), and wherein each configuration
25 guidelines template facilitates the transformation of legacy WAN (501) to the SDWAN.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating (401) a vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration template based on
30 the configuration guidelines template associated with the site;
automatically deploying (402) each of the vendor-specific SD-WAN
configuration template to an SD-WAN headend orchestrator; and
activating (403) the SD-WAN based on the deployment.
35 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to the legacy WAN (501)
comprises network device configurations, historic network performance data, historic
event data, network devices logs, local area network (LAN) and WAN topology,
underlay connectivity circuits assets, application types, underlay circuit and virtual
local area networks (VLANs) usage historic data, and type of platform for network
40 device deployment, and wherein the one or more data sources comprises legacy WAN
(501) devices, element management systems (EMS) or network management systems
(NMS), operations support systems (OSS) or business support systems (BSS), and
customer interviews.
45 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprises
a protocol overhead, a bandwidth estimation algorithm, a WAN connectivity type,
5 device specifications, sites classifications, and license tiers for each site within the
legacy WAN (501).
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the high-level design comprises enterprise network
topology, SD-WAN control-plane component design and architecture, WAN routing
10 for underlay circuits, site categorization based on business criticality, redundancy
considerations, Quality of service (QoS) subscription, security requirements, valueadded services, bandwidth calendaring, and application profiles, and wherein each
configuration guidelines template comprises physical and logical networking
resources, WAN routing configurations, traffic policies and prioritization rules,
15 encryption settings, authentication and authorization mechanisms, integration with
cloud-based services, high availability and resiliency mechanisms, and configuration
guidelines for existing network services and systems integration.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically updating the set of pre20 defined business policy rules based on updates in business policy, wherein dynamically
updating the set of pre-defined business policy rules comprises incorporating new
configuration parameters specific to additional SD-WAN original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) added to the SD-WAN to ensure compatibility and adherence
to OEM-specific design rules.
7. A system for legacy wide area network (WAN) transformation, the system
comprising:
a processing circuitry (201); and
a memory (202) communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry (201),
30 wherein the memory (202) stores processor instructions, which when executed by the
processing circuitry (201), cause the processing circuitry (201) to:
receive data corresponding to a legacy WAN (501) from one or more
data sources;
analyze the data to identify one or more transformation requirements for
the legacy WAN (501), based on one of a statistical technique, or a machine
learning technique;
determine one or more configuration parameters corresponding to the
legacy WAN (501) based on a set of pre-defined business policy rules and the
one or more transformation requirements, wherein the one or more
configuration parameters are determined to transform the legacy WAN (501)
to a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN);
generate a high-level design for the SD-WAN based on the one or more
transformation requirements and the one or more configuration parameters;
and generate a low-level design comprising configuration guidelines
templates for the SD-WAN based on the high-level design, wherein each
configuration guidelines template is generated corresponding to a site of the
5 legacy WAN (501), and wherein each configuration guidelines template
facilitates the transformation of legacy WAN (501) to the SD-WAN.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor instructions, on execution, further
cause the processing circuitry (201) to:
10 generate a vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration template based on the
configuration guidelines template associated with the site;
automatically deploy each of the vendor-specific SD-WAN configuration
template to an SD-WAN headend orchestrator; and
activate the SD-WAN based on the deployment.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the data corresponding to the legacy WAN (501)
comprises network device configurations, historic network performance data, historic
event data, network devices logs, local area network (LAN) and WAN topology,
underlay connectivity circuits assets, application types, underlay circuit and virtual
20 local area networks (VLANs) usage historic data, and type of platform for network
device deployment, and wherein the one or more data sources comprises legacy WAN
(501) devices, element management systems (EMS) or network management systems
(NMS), operations support systems (OSS) or business support systems (BSS), and
customer interviews.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the high-level design comprises enterprise network
topology, SD-WAN control-plane component design and architecture, WAN routing
for underlay circuits, site categorization based on business criticality, redundancy
considerations, Quality of service (QoS) subscription, security requirements, value30 added services, bandwidth calendaring, and application profiles, and wherein each
configuration guidelines template comprises physical and logical networking
resources, WAN routing configurations, traffic policies and prioritization rules,
encryption settings, authentication and authorization mechanisms, integration with
cloud-based services, high availability and resiliency mechanisms, and configuration
35 guidelines for existing network services and systems integration.