NFV

What Is NFV?

Network functions virtualization (NFV) represents a conceptual shift in network architecture. Unlike traditional network devices such as routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers, which rely on dedicated hardware and software systems, NFV leverages x86-based servers. These servers deliver network functionality once the necessary operating systems and software are installed. NFV adopts the architecture of x86-based servers, separating network functions from hardware and deploying them as standalone software instances on versatile hardware platforms.

NFV Architecture

The NFV architecture, pioneered by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), establishes guidelines for NFV deployment. Unlike traditional devices where software and hardware are tightly integrated, NFV strives to deploy diverse network functions on generic hardware using standardized software. To achieve this, NFV advocates for standardization. The NFV architecture encompasses:

• Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI): Comparable to a mobile operating system, NFVI furnishes the foundational elements to support software and container management platforms necessary for executing network applications on hardware.

• Virtual Network Function (VNF): Analogous to mobile applications, VNFs are software applications that provide network functionalities such as routing services and IP configurations. Utilizing the standardized NFVI architecture, VNFs can operate independently of hardware.

• Management and Orchestration (MANO): MANO establishes the framework for administering NFVI and VNFs, streamlining service orchestration, and device management for operations and maintenance personnel.

  

OSS/BSS

The operations support system (OSS) and business support system (BSS) of service providers execute management functions, and are not integrated into the NFV infrastructure. MANO and network elements (NEs) establish interfaces for communicating with the OSS/BSS.

VNF

VNFs encompass virtual machines (VMs), along with service NEs and network function software deployed on VMs.

NFVI

NFVI comprises the essential hardware and software components forming the environment for VNF deployment. It consists of:

• Hardware layer: This layer houses the physical hardware, including devices providing computing, network, and storage resources.

• Virtualization layer: Here, hardware resources undergo virtualization to create virtual computing, storage, and network resources. It constitutes a primary functional module defined within NFV.

MANO

MANO oversees the unified management and orchestration of NFVI and VNFs, comprising three functional blocks:

• Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM): It discovers resources, manages and allocates virtual resources, and addresses faults.

• NF Manager (VNFM): It handles the lifecycle management of VNFs, covering instantiation, configuration, and termination.

• NFV orchestrator (NFVO): It orchestrates and manages all software resources and network services within NFV networks.

Advantages of NFV over Traditional Physical Network Devices

The ensuing diagram juxtaposes NFV with traditional physical devices, offering insights into NFV characteristics.

Benefits of NFV

NFV is applicable across diverse network solutions, encompassing SD-WAN, network slicing, and mobile edge computing. By dissociating software functions from hardware, NFV introduces several advantages through the enhancement of this standardized architecture:

Enhanced Service Flexibility:

NFV enables the flexible deployment of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) across various servers or migration as needed with changing demands. This expedites the provisioning of network functions and applications. For instance, when testing a new network function, simply spinning up a new VM suffices. Likewise, decommissioning the VM upon function completion offers a convenient testing approach.

Cost Savings:

With NFV, multiple virtualized network functions can coexist on a single hardware server, reducing the need for physical hardware. This facilitates resource consolidation, thereby trimming costs associated with the space and power required for hardware re. However, the initial investment during the transition from traditional physical devices to NFV is considerable, and the short-term return on investment (ROI) may not significantly surpass that of traditional devices.

Enhanced Resource Utilization Efficiency:

NFV obviates the necessity for hardware alterations when network requirements evolve. The underlying network architecture can swiftly adapt using software updates, circumventing redundancy and migration issues associated with physical devices.

Vendor Independence:

By hosting VNFs on general-purpose hardware, NFV disentangles network functions from proprietary hardware and mitigates vendor lock-ins arising from specific functions, thereby reducing network device maintenance costs.