NFV&SDN

Technologies
 Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV)

A joint operator push to the IT and Telecom industry,

to provide a new network production environment,
based on modern virtualization technology,
to lower cost, raise efficiency and to increase agility.

We believe Network Functions Virtualisation is applicable to any data plane packet processing
and control plane function in fixed and mobile network infrastructures (WP)
 Problem Statement

• Complex carrier networks

– with a large variety of proprietary nodes and hardware appliances.
• Launching new services is difficult and takes too long
– Space and power to accommodate
– requires just another variety of box, which needs to be integrated.
• Operation is expensive
– Rapidly reach end of life Traditional Network model
– due to existing procure-design,-
integrate-deploy cycle.

 Network functionalities are based on specific HW&SW

 One physical node per role
 Sisyphus on Different Hills
Telco Cycle Service Providers Cycle
Idea !! Idea !!
AVAILABLE AVAILABLE

Telco Operators Deploy Develop Deploy Publish

Demand Service Providers

2-6 Months

Equipment Sell
Vendors
Drive

Standardise
Implement
SDOs Critical mass of
supporters
2-6 Years

2-6 years 2-6 months

 Scale and Virtualization in the Timeline
Early twentieth century Mid-twentieth century
• Manual • Electromechanic
Switching al Switching
• Very intensive • Less intensive in
in human human resources
resources • Era dominated by
• Era dominated complex hardware
by hardware Virtualization technologies enables
overcoming physical constraints and
generating multiplexing gains…
• Digital Switching • Internet
Nã o é po ssível exibir esta im a gem n o momento.

• Much less intensive connectivity opens

in human resources the door to the
• Era dominated by development of
complex and specific Nã o é po ssível exibir esta im a gem n o momento.
OTT services
hardware. Software • (without operator)
appears and is important Software becomes a
• Services defined by differentiation asset
Second half of thetelco
twentieth century Early twenty-first century
Trends Challenges
• High performance industry •Huge capital investment to deal with
standard servers shipped in very current trends
high volume
•Network operators face an increasing
• Convergence of computing,
storage and networks disparity between costs and
• New virtualization technologies revenues
that abstract underlying hardware • Complexity: large and increasing
yielding elasticity, scalability and variety of proprietary hardware
automation appliances in operator’s network
• Software-defined networking •Reduced hardware lifecycles
• Cloud services •Lack of flexibility and agility: cannot
• Mobility, explosion of devices and move network resources where &
traffic when needed
• Launching new services is difficult and
takes too long. Often requires yet
another proprietary box which needs to
be integrated
 Observation

• Commercial-off-the-shelf IT-platforms
– allow to host a large variety of applications.
• New virtualization technology allows to abstract HW,
– enables elasticity, scalability and automation.
• Network Technology suppliers already use such vTech,
– but in a proprietary way. Virtualised Network Model
SW-defined
functionalities

Common &
shared HW
architecture

 Net functionalities are SW-based over well-known HW

 Multiple roles over same HW
 The NFV Concept
A means to make the network more flexible and
simple by minimising dependence on HW
constraints
Traditional Network Model: Virtualised Network Model:
APPLIANCE APPROACH VIRTUAL APPLIANCE APPROACH
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DPI CG-NAT GGSN/ VIRTUAL

BRAS SGSN APPLIANCES
DPI
Firewall PE Router
BRAS
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GGSN/SGSN
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ORCHESTRATION, AUTOMATION
& REMOTE INSTALL
PE Router STANDARD
Session Border
Firewall CG-NAT Controller HIGH VOLUME
SERVERS
 Network Functions are based on specific  Network Functions are SW-based over well-
HW&SW known HW
 One physical node per role  Multiple roles over same HW
 Target
Independent Software
Vendors
Classical Network Appliance
Approach

Message CDN Session Border WAN

Orchestrate
Router Controller
d, automatic
Acceleration & remote
install.

DPI Tester/
QoE S tandard High Volume
Firewall Grade NAT
Carrier Servers
monitor S
tandard High Volume
Storage
SGSN/GGSN PE Router BRAS
Network
Nodes Standard High
Radio Access Volume Ethernet
•
Switches
Fragmented
non-
commodity Network
hardware. Virtualisation
 NFV :: Network Functions Virtualization
• Network Functions Virtualization is about implementing network
functions in software - that today run on proprietary hardware -
leveraging (high volume) standard servers and IT virtualization
• Supports multi-versioning and multi-tenancy of network functions, which
allows use of a single physical platform for different applications, users
and tenants
• Enables new ways to implement resilience, service assurance, test and
diagnostics and security surveillance
• Provides opportunities for pure software players
• Facilitates innovation towards new network functions and services that
are only practical in a pure software network environment
• Applicable to any data plane packet processing and control plane
functions, in fixed or mobile networks
• NFV will only scale if management and configuration of functions can be
automated
• NFV aims to ultimately transform the way network operators architect and
operate their networks, but change can be incremental
 Benefits & Promises of NFV (1/2)
• Reduced equipment costs (CAPEX)
– through consolidating equipment and economies of scale of IT industry.
• Increased speed of time to market
– by minimising the typical network operator cycle of innovation.
• Availability of network appliance multi-version and multi-
tenancy,
– allows a single platform for different applications, users and tenants.
• Enables a variety of eco-systems and encourages openness.
• Encouraging innovation to bring new services and generate new
revenue streams.
 Benefits & Promises of NFV (2/2)
• Flexibility to easily, rapidly, dynamically provision and
instantiate new services in various locations
• Improved operational efficiency
• by taking advantage of the higher uniformity of the physical network
platform and its homogeneity to other support platforms.
• Software-oriented innovation to rapidly prototype and test
new services and generate new revenue streams
• More service differentiation & customization
• Reduced (OPEX) operational costs: reduced power, reduced
space, improved network monitoring
• IT-oriented skillset and talent
 Some Use Case Examples Driving NFV
• Switching elements: BNG, CG-NAT, routers.
• Mobile network nodes: HLR/HSS, MME, SGSN, GGSN/PDN-GW.
• Home networks: Functions contained in home routers and set top boxes to
create virtualised home environments.
• Tunnelling gateway elements: IPSec/SSL VPN gateways.
• Traffic analysis: DPI, QoE measurement.
• Service Assurance: SLA monitoring, Test and Diagnostics.
• NGN signalling: SBCs, IMS.
• Converged and network-wide functions: AAA servers, policy control and
charging platforms.
• Application-level optimisation: CDNs, Cache Servers, Load Balancers,
Application Accelerators.
• Security functions: Firewalls, virus scanners, intrusion detection systems,
spam protection.
 So, why we need/want NFV(/SDN)?
1.Virtualization: Use network resource without worrying about where it
is physically located, how much it is, how it is organized, etc.
2. Orchestration: Manage thousands of devices
3. Programmable: Should be able to change behavior on the fly.
4. Dynamic Scaling: Should be able to change size, quantity, as a F(load)
5. Automation: Let machines / software do humans’ work
6. Visibility: Monitor resources, connectivity
7. Performance: Optimize network device utilization
8. Multi-tenancy: Slice the network for different customers (as-a-Service)
9. Service Integration: Let network management play nice with OSS/BSS
10. Openness: Full choice of modular plug-ins
 SDN+NFV
IT & Networking Growing Together
 Software Defined Networking

SDN

Network equipment as Open interfaces (OpenFlow) for

Black boxes instructing the boxes what to do

FEATURE FEATURE

OPERATING SYSTEM

SPECIALIZED PACKET
FEATURE FEATURE FORWARDING HARDWARE FEATURE FEATURE

OPERATING SYSTEM OPERATING SYSTEM

SPECIALIZED PACKET SPECIALIZED PACKET

SDN
FORWARDING HARDWARE FEATURE FEATURE FORWARDING HARDWARE

OPERATING SYSTEM

SPECIALIZED PACKET
FORWARDING HARDWARE

Boxes with autonomous

behaviour Decisions are taken out of the box

SDN
FEATURE FEATURE

OPERATIN G SYSTEM

SPECIALIZED PACKET
FEATURE FEATURE FORWARDING HARDWARE FEATURE FEATURE
OPERATING SYSTEM OPERATING SYSTEM

SPECIALIZED PACKET SPECIALIZED PACKET

FORWARDING HARDWARE FEATURE FEATURE FORWARDING HARDWARE

OPERATIN G SYSTEM

Simpler OSS to manage the SDN

SPECIALIZED PACKET
FORWARDING HARDWARE

Adapting OSS to manage black boxes controller

 SDN and NFV
• SDN and NFV do NOT depend on each other
Scope of NFV and OpenFlow/SDN

Source:
NEC
 NFV vs SDN
• NFV: re-definition of network equipment architecture
• NFV was born to meet Service Provider (SP) needs:
– Lower CAPEX by reducing/eliminating proprietary hardware
– Consolidate multiple network functions onto industry standard
platforms
• SDN: re-definition of network architecture
• SDN comes from the IT world:
– Separate the data and control layers,
while centralizing the control
– Deliver the ability to program network behavior using
well- defined interfaces
High-level Architecture
 NFV Concepts
• Network Function (NF): Functional building block with a well defined
interfaces and well defined functional behavior
• Virtualized Network Function (VNF): Software implementation of NF that
can be deployed in a virtualized infrastructure
• VNF Set: Connectivity between VNFs is not specified,
e.g., residential gateways
• VNF Forwarding Graph: Service chain when network connectivity order is
important, e.g., firewall, NAT, load balancer
• NFV Infrastructure (NFVI): Hardware and software required to deploy,
mange and execute VNFs including computation, networking, and storage.
• NFV Orchestrator: Automates the deployment, operation, management,
coordination of VNFs and NFVI.
 NFV Concepts
• NFVI Point of Presence (PoP): Location of NFVI
• NFVI-PoP Network: Internal network
• Transport Network: Network connecting a PoP to other PoPs or external
networks
• VNF Manager: VNF lifecycle management e.g., instantiation, update, scaling,
query, monitoring, fault diagnosis, healing, termination
• Virtualized Infrastructure Manager: Management of computing, storage,
network, software resources
• Network Service: A composition of network functions and defined by its
functional and behavioral specification
• NFV Service: A network services using NFs with at least one VNF.
 NFV Concepts
Network Service (NS):
• Described by the NS descriptor, orchestrated by NFVO
• May cover 1 or more VNF Graphs, VNFs and PNFs
VNF Forwarding Graph (VNFFG):
• Described by the VNFFG descriptor, orchestrated by NFVO
• May cover VNFFGs, VNFs and NFs
VNF:
• Described by the VNF descriptor, instantiated by NetworkService

the VNF Manager

• Covers VNF components each mapped to a VM 1

and described as a Virtual Deployment Unit

1..n

VN VNF Forwarding
F Graph
1..n 0..n
 NFV Concepts (cont.)
• User Service: Services offered to end users/customers/subscribers.
• Deployment Behavior: NFVI resources that a VNF requires, e.g., Number of
VMs, memory, disk, images, bandwidth, latency
• Operational Behavior: VNF instance topology and lifecycle operations, e.g.,
start, stop, pause, migration, …
• VNF Descriptor: Deployment behavior + Operational behavior
The NFV Architecture Framework
 Reference Point:
Points for inter-module specification
• (Os-Ma) Operation Support System (OSS)/Business Support Systems (BSS) –
NFV Management and Orchestration
• (Se-Ma) Service, VNF and Infrastructure Description – NFV Management and
Orchestration: VNF Deployment template, VNF Forwarding Graph, service-
related information, NFV infrastructure information
• (Or-Vnfm) Orchestrator – VNF Manager
• (Vi-Vnfm) Virtualized Infrastructure Manager – VNF Manager
• (Ve-Vnfm) VNF/ Element Management System (EMS) – VNF Manager
• (Or-Vi) Orchestrator – Virtualized Infrastructure Manager
• (Nf-Vi) NFVI-Virtualized Infrastructure Manager
• (VI-Ha) Virtualization Layer-Hardware Resources
• (Vn-Nf) VNF – NFVI
Cloud vs. NFV
Cloud vs. NFV
 Management and Orchestration
• The key: Elasticity!
– Pieces at all infrastructure layer
– Need to go beyond to just fit them together
– Multi-technology support, and open interfaces

Source: Raj Jain

 SDN & NFV
• SDN poses to NFV:
– Central point of contact / Orchestrate VNFs (NSC)
Networking with SDN & NFV
Proper Balance Between SDN and NFV
 NFV ISG Use Cases
• First use case proposal: 2010
• Main idea: contribute to thrive NFV
– Real Scenarios
• Fast service innovation based on software and
operational end-to-end NFs
– Operational eficiency
– Energy consumption reduce (workloads
migration)
– Open and standard interfaces
– Flexibility between VNF and hardware;
– Eficient revenues return
 Mobile Core Network and IMS
• Mobile networks are populated with a large
variety of proprietary hardware appliances

• Flexible allocation of Network Functions on such

hardware resource pool could highly improve
network usage efficiency

• Accommodate increased demand for particular

services (e.g. voice) without fully relying on the
call restriction control mechanisms in a large-
scale natural disaster scenario such as the Great
East Japan Earthquake
 v-EPC and use cases for v-IMS
• Examples of Network
Functions include MME,
S/P-GW, etc
• This use case aims at
applying virtualization to
the EPC, the IMS, and
these other Network
Functions mentioned
v-EPC above

Partial NFV Deployment

VNF relocation
 Virtualization of Mobile Base Station
• Mobile network traffic is significantly increasing by the
demand generated by application of mobile devices, while
the ARPU (revenue) is difficult to increase

• LTE is also considered as radio access part of EPS (Evolved

Packet System) which is required to fulfill the requirements
of high spectral efficiency, high peak data rates, short
round trip time and frequency flexibility in radio access
network (RAN)

• Virtualization of mobile base station leverages IT

virtualization technology to realize at least a part of RAN
nodes onto standard IT servers, storages and switches
 Virtualization of Mobile Base Station

Functional blocks in C-RAN

LTE RAN architecture evolution by centralized BBU pool

(Telecom Baseband Unit)
 Simplifying Operation and
Service Deployment
FROM…
Home environment Network environment
STB
CPE

IPv4 NAT TR-069 UPnP

FW

DHCP Access Point Switch

Modem

Operation and service

… TO deployment are greatly Network environment
simplified

Home environment
STB
CPE FW
UPnP
IPv4/IPv6
Access Point Switch Módem TR-069
IPv6 only needed in DHCP NAT
network environment
Simplification removes all
incompatibilities with IPv6
Virtual Residential Gateway
Access Networks Virtualization
Target Network functions
for virtualization may
include control functions
from:

OLT
DSLAM
ONU
ONT
MDU
DPU

Access Network Functions Virtualization will be

initially applied to hybrid fiber-DSL nodes such as FTTcab and FTTdp
 PoC#34 - SDN Enabled Virtual EPC
Gateway

Source: ETSI Ongoing PoC (draft)

Middlebox World
Linux Containers

Docker LXC
NFV Showcase
 Conclusions
1. NFV aims to reduce OpEx by automation and scalability
provided by implementing network functions as virtual
appliances
2. NFV allows all benefits of virtualization and cloud
computing including orchestration, scaling, automation,
hardware independence, pay-per-use, fault-tolerance, …
3. NFV and SDN are independent and complementary. You can do
either or both.
4. NFV requires standardization of reference points and interfaces
to be able to mix and match VNFs from different sources
5. NFV can be done now. Several of virtual functions have
already been demonstrated by carriers.
 References / Acknowledgements
• ETSI NFV ISG, http://portal.etsi.org/portal/server.pt/community/NFV/367
• Diego R. Lopez, Telefónica I+D, NFV ISG Technical Manager, Network Functions Virtualization -
Beyond Carrier-grade Clouds
• Raj Jain, Introduction to Network Function Virtualization (NFV),
http://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse570-13/m_17nfv.htm
• M. Cohn, “NFV Insider’s Perspective, Part 2: There’s a Network in NFV –The Business Case for SDN,”
Sep 2013, http://www.sdncentral.com/education/nfv-insiders-perspective-part-2-theres-network-nfv-
business-case-sdn/2013/09/
• M. Cohn, “NFV Group Flocks to Proof-of-Concept Demos,” Aug 2013,
http://www.sdncentral.com/technology/nfv-group-flocks-to-proof-ofconcept-models/2013/08/
• W. Xu, et al., “Data Models for NFV,” IETF Draft, Sep 2013, http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-xjz-nfv-
model-datamodel-00
• CloudNFV, http://www.cloudnfv.com/page1.html
• Project Clearwater, http://www.projectclearwater.org/
• B. Briscoe, et al., “NFV,” IETF, March 2012, http://www.ietf.org/proceedings/86/slides/slides-86-sdnrg-
1.pdf
• Intel, “Open simplified Networking Based on SDN and NFV,” 2013, 7 pp.,
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/whitepapers/sdn-part-1-
secured.pdf
• J. DiGiglio, and D. Ricci, “High Performance, Open Standard Virtualization with NFV and SDN,”
http://www.windriver.com/whitepapers/ovp/ovp_whitepaper.pdf