Telco networks are undergoing a transformation driven by factors like increased capacity demands, network and data center convergence, and the need for programmable networks. This is leading telcos to adopt network functions virtualization (NFV), which uses virtualization techniques to virtualize entire classes of network functions into software that can run on commercial off-the-shelf servers rather than proprietary hardware. NFV aims to provide benefits like elastic scaling, faster deployment cycles, network slicing, and lower total cost of ownership. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute established an industry specification group in 2012 with over 50 members to develop NFV standards. NFV allows operators to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and provide opportunities for energy savings, openness and innovation.
2. What’s the Problem !
Forces at Play and Consequences
Force Consequence
Massive Capacity Expansion Higher Speed Packets & optical transport and
Backhaul for small cells
Commodities of Access Wireless is the new “Wireline”
Network & Data Center Merging Move to Software defined & ‘Virtualized’ networks
Network Becoming
Programmable Platform
Any web service/enterprise ‘cloud’ app can fully
leverage the network
Transformation at web speed New delivery paradigm and product on the go
EvolutionRevolution
4. What’s the Problem !
Box scaling and Web scaling are worlds and decades apart
Processors stopped getting
faster a decades ago. But …
more transistors per chip =
more processor cores
Need to create SW that
leverages this parallel scaling
5. Probes
Virtualization Benefit Analysis
Virtualization
Value Factor
Qualitative
Benefit
Quantitative
Benefit
Dynamic
ControlGainFactors
Elastic Scaling
Greater ability to react to
changing demand
n/a
Faster Deployment
Cycles
Shorter time to market
for new app/sw release
n/a
Domain Specific
Network Slicing/
Control
Better network re-use
and OAM/fault isolation
n/a
CostGain
Factors
Lower Capex + Opex
(TCO)
n/a
Depends on
Application
Core
Router
Edge
Router
Ethernet
Switches
Packet
Gateway
Media
Servers
Media
Gateways
Control Plane
Function
CPE
Apps
Orchestrator
Function
EMS
Analytics
Service
Creation
Function
Less Cost Gain More
LowDynamicControlGainHigh