NFV-Network Functions Virtualization

The billions of new devices connected via IoT are

changing the way networks are built and operated.
In addition to carrier-grade reliability, the network
must have:
• The ability to securely connect and manage millions
of heterogeneous IoT elements
• Real-time awareness with low latency
• Scalability with the ability to dynamically shift
workloads
• Programmability for vertical customization
 NFV-Network Functions
Virtualization
Network functions virtualization (NFV) (also known
as virtual network function (VNF)) offers a new way to
design, deploy and manage networking services.
NFV decouples the network functions, such
as network address translation (NAT), firewalling,
intrusion detection, domain name service (DNS), and
caching, to name a few, from proprietary hardware
appliances so they can run in software.
• It’s designed to consolidate and deliver the
networking components needed to support a fully
virtualized infrastructure – including virtual servers,
storage, and even other networks.
• It utilizes standard IT virtualization technologies that
run on high-volume service, switch and storage
hardware to virtualized network functions. It is
applicable to any data plane processing or control
plane function in both wired and
wireless network infrastructures.
How a Managed Router Service Can be Deployed with NFV
 The Benefits of Network Functions Virtualization

• NFV virtualizes network services via software to enable operators to:

• Reduce CapEx: reducing the need to purchase purpose-built hardware and
supporting pay-as-you-grow models to eliminate wasteful over-provisioning.
• Reduce OpEX: reducing space, power and cooling requirements of equipment
and simplifying the roll out and management of network services.
• Accelerate Time-to-Market: reducing the time to deploy new networking
services to support changing business requirements, seize new market
opportunities and improve return on investment of new services. Also lowers
the risks associated with rolling out new services, allowing providers to easily
trial and evolve services to determine what best meets the needs of
customers.
• Deliver Agility and Flexibility: quickly scale up or down services to address
changing demands; support innovation by enabling services to be delivered via
software on any industry-standard server hardware.
•
 Why We need NFV? Why We need NFV?
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 behaviour on the fly.
4. Dynamic Scaling: Should be able to change size, quantity
5. Automation
6. Visibility: Monitor resources, connectivity
7. Performance: Optimize network device utilization
8. Multi-tenancy
9. Service Integration
10. Openness: Full choice of Modular plug-ins. Network Functions
Virtualization (NFV) abstracts network functions, allowing them to be
installed, controlled, and manipulated by software running on
standardized compute nodes. NFV incorporates cloud and virtualization
technologies to drive rapid development of new network services with
elastic scale and automation.
NFV Network Functions Virtualization basics

• NFV, network functions virtualisation is a concept that virtualises major

elements of a network. In this way, rather than having a dedicated item of
hardware to provide a given function, software running on a computer /
server is used.
• In this way entire classes of network node functions can be set up as building
blocks that can be connected to create overall telecommunications networks.
• NFV utilises traditional server virtualisation, but extends the concept
significantly. In this way one or more virtual machines running different
software and providing different processes, on top of industry standard high
volume servers, are able to provide the functions of switches and storage, or
even cloud computing infrastructure, instead of having custom hardware
appliances for each network function.
• Examples of the virtualised functions that can be provided include: virtualized
load balancers, firewalls, intrusion detection devices, WAN accelerators,
routers, access control and billing.
 NFV framework
• As with any system, a network using NFV techniques can be broken down into a
number of elements. Those for Network Functions Virtualization are:
• Virtualized network functions, VNF: The virtualised network functions comprise
the software used to create the various network functions in their virtualised
format. These are then deployed onto the hardware, i.e. the Network Function
Virtualization Infrastructure.
• Network function virtualization infrastructure, NFVI: The NFVI consists of all the
hardware and software components which are contained within the environment
in which VNFs are deployed.
One of the advantages of NFV is that the NFV-Infrastructure, NFVI can be
located across several physical locations, allowing operators to typically place their
centres at the most convenient locations. The network providing connectivity
between these locations is part of the NFV-Infrastructure.
• Network functions virtualization management and orchestration architectural
framework, NFV-MANO Architectural Framework: NFV- MANO consists of the
various functional blocks in whatever form that enables the exchange information,
manipulation and storage needed manage and run the NFVI and VNFs, the
network to operate correctly and provide significant improvements in efficiency
and performance over other forms of network.
• The NFVI and the NFV-MANO areas of the network
are built within the overall NFV platform.
• This platform implements carrier-grade features used
to manage and monitor the various components,
recover from failures and provide effective security.
• These functions are all needed to run a public carrier
network.
 Difference between NFV & SDN
• Network functions virtualisation and software defined networking are very closely
linked, but they are not the same. Often the terms are incorrectly used synonymously.
The main points of each are summarised below so that both SDN and NFV can be
evaluated with their similarities and differences.
• Software Defined Networking, SDN: SDN deals with the replacement of standardised
networking protocols with centralised control. As a result, SDN promises to reduce the
complexity of distributed networking control protocols with the simplicity of
programming an overall controller. As such this significantly improves the flexibility as
only a single instance needs updating to reflect a change.

Thus SDN separates the network control and forwarding planes and provides a
central view for more efficient implementation and running of the network services.
• Network Functions Virtualisation, NFV: NFV replaces the proprietary network
elements of NEs with software that runs on standard servers. In other words NFV
focuses on optimising the network services themselves.

This technique decouples the network functions from proprietary hardware,

placing them on more generic servers or computers so these functions can run in
software to provide more flexibility for operation, changes and updates.
 NFV Concepts
• Network Function (NF): Functional building block with a well
defined interfaces and well defined functional behaviour.
• 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 Framework Requirements
1. General: Partial or full Virtualization, Predictable performance
2. Portability: Decoupled from underlying infrastructure
3. Performance: as described and facilities to monitor
4. Elasticity: Scalable to meet SLAs. Movable to other servers.
5. Resiliency: Be able to recreate after failure. Specified packet loss rate, calls
drops, time to recover, etc.
6. Security: Role-based authorization, authentication
7. Service Continuity: Seamless or non-seamless continuity after failures or
migration
8. Service Assurance: Time stamp and forward copies of packets for Fault
detection
9. Energy Efficiency Requirements: Should be possible to put a subset of VNF in a
power conserving sleep state
10. Transition: Coexistence with Legacy and Interoperability among multi-vendor
implementations
11. Service Models: Operators may use NFV infrastructure operated by other
operators