Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) leverages virtualization technology to decouple software from hardware and deploy conventional CT services on cloud-based platforms, enabling automatic VNF deployment, elastic scaling, and intelligent O&M.
With virtualization technology, lower-layer hardware resources are abstracted, and their differences in forms are hidden from upper-layer applications.
Another concept which usually goes along with virtualization is cloudification. Different from virtualization, the essence of cloudification lies in utilizing a cloud computing-based platform (the cloud OS in the telecom field, such as OpenStack) to centrally manage the pooled virtual resources and automate the management of VM life cycles, from VM deployment to scaling and termination.
A virtualized network may not be cloudified, but a network is usually cloudified based on virtualized infrastructure.
NFV has advantages over the conventional telecom network in software-based, open, and maintenance capabilities.
- Standard hardware: Standard x86 or Arm servers, and generic storage and switching devices are used.
- Hardware and software decoupling: With modularized structures, software is independent of dedicated hardware.
- Openness: A generic hardware platform and standard interfaces facilitate multi-party cooperation, building an open ecosystem.
- Network scalability: Generic hardware and resource virtualization technologies are used to dynamically adjust software and hardware resources based on service requirements.
- Automated maintenance: Hardware resources are virtualized and pooled, and managed by a centralized O&M system, facilitating automatic, intelligent O&M.
- Network and service association: Services drive the NFV network. It can be flexibly orchestrated and deployed based on service requirements.
- Reduced construction costs: NFV uses standard x86 or Arm servers, generic storage and network devices, making device procurement more competitive and price more transparent. In addition, resource virtualization improves resource utilization. Therefore, the device procurement costs are reduced.
- Reduced O&M costs: Cloud computing technologies are used for NFV deployment and O&M to enhance automation and intelligence. In addition, the use of generic hardware decreases the workload of O&M personnel, reducing O&M costs.
- Open eco-system: The conventional telecom network is identified as a siloed system using dedicated software and hardware. However, the interfaces between different layers and modules of the NFV architecture are open and standard. And with generic hardware and simplified software, the NFV architecture is more friendly to third-party developers. This enables carriers to work with more third-party partners to build an open ecosystem and unlock new services.
- OSS/BSS: The OSS and BSS are network management systems offered by service providers. They are not defined in the standard NFV architecture, but MANO and VNFs must provide interfaces to connect to them.
- VNF: The virtualized network functions (VNFs) are hosted on VMs and provide services on software.
- NFVI: NFV infrastructure (NFVI) includes the hardware and software required for providing a running environment for VNFs.
- Hardware layer: The hardware layer includes hardware devices that provide computing, network, and storage resources.
- Virtualization layer: The virtualization layer abstracts hardware resources into virtual resources, including virtual compute, storage, and network resources. The virtualization is implemented by the hypervisor.
- MANO: The management and orchestration (MANO) system is composed of the VIM, VNFM, and NFVO, which centrally manages and schedules NFVI resources and VNFs.
- VIM: The virtualized infrastructure manager (VIM) is an NFVI management module that discovers resources, manages and allocates virtual resources, and handles faults.
- VNFM: The VNF manager (VNFM) is a VNF management module that manages VNF life cycles, including instantiation, configuration, and termination.
- NFVO: The NFV orchestrator (NFVO) orchestrates, schedules, and manages all the software resources and network services on an NFV network.
Virtualization technology is used to virtualize computing, storage, and network resources.
