Network function virtualization: Difference between revisions

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'''Network functions virtualization''' (also '''network function virtualization''' or '''NFV''')<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.etsi.org/technologies-clusters/technologies/nfv |title = ETSI - Standards for NFV - Network Functions Virtualisation &#124; NFV Solutions}}</ref> is a [[network architecture]] concept that usesleverages the technologies of IT [[virtualization]] technologies to virtualize entire classes of [[network node]] functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create and deliver communication services.

NFV relies upon, but differs from, traditional server-[[virtualization]] techniques such as those used in enterprise IT. A virtualized network function, or VNF, mayis consistimplemented ofwithin one or more [[virtual machines]] or [[OS-level virtualization|containers]] running different software and processes, on top of standardcommercial off the shelf (COTS) high-volume servers, switches and storage devices, or even [[cloud computing]] infrastructure, instead of having custom hardware appliances for each network function thereby avoiding vendor lock-in.

For example, a virtual [[session border controller]] could be deployed to protect a network without the typical cost and complexity of obtaining and installing physical network protection units. Other examples of NFV include virtualized [[Network Load Balancing|load balancers]], [[Firewall (computing)|firewalls]], [[Intrusion detection system|intrusion detection devices]] and [[WAN optimization|WAN accelerators]] to name a few.<ref>{{cite web|title=Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV); Use NFV is present and SDN is future|url=http://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_gs/NFV/001_099/001/01.01.01_60/gs_NFV001v010101p.pdf|access-date=6 June 2014}}</ref>

The decoupling of the network function software from the customized hardware platform realizes a flexible network architecture that enables agile network management, fast new service roll outs with significant reduction in CAPEX and OPEX.

==Background==

Product development within the telecommunication industry has traditionally followed rigorous standards for stability, protocol adherence and quality, reflected by the use of the term [[carrier grade]] to designate equipment demonstrating this high reliability and performance factor.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.wired.com/insights/2013/03/how-low-cost-telecom-killed-five-9s-in-cloud-computing/ |title=How Low-Cost Telecom Killed Five 9s in Cloud Computing |journal=Wired |date= 2013-03-13|access-date=2016-06-27|last1=Stephenson |first1=Rick}}</ref> While this model worked well in the past, it inevitably led to long product cycles, a slow pace of development and reliance on proprietary or specific hardware, e.g., bespoke [[application-specific integrated circuit]]s (ASICs). The This development model resulted in significant delays when rolling out new services, posed complex interoperability challenges and significant increase in CAPEX/OPEX when scaling network systems & infrastructure and enhancing network service capabilities to meet increasing network load and performance demands. Moreover, the rise of significant competition in communication servicesservice offerings from fast-movingagile organizations operating at large scale on the public Internet (such as [[Google Talk]], [[Skype]], [[Netflix]]) has spurred service providers to look for innovative ways to disrupt the status quo and increase revenue streams.

==History==

In October 2012, a group of telecom operators published a [[white paper]]<ref name="white">{{cite web |title=Network Functions Virtualization— Introductory White Paper |publisher= ETSI |date= 22 October 2012 |url= https://docbox.etsi.org/isg/nfv/open/Publications_pdf/White%20Papers/NFV_White_Paper1_2012.pdf |access-date= 20 June 2013 }}</ref> at a conference in [[Darmstadt, Germany]], on [[software-defined networking]] (SDN) and [[OpenFlow]]. The Call for Action concluding the White Paper led to the creation of the Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Industry Specification Group (ISG) <ref>{{cite web |title = Network Functions Virtualisation |work= ETSI Standards for NFV |url= https://www.etsi.org/technologies/nfv |access-date= 30 June 2020 }}</ref> within the [[European Telecommunications Standards Institute]] (ETSI). The ISG was made up of representatives from the telecommunication industry from Europe and beyond.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Tier 1 Carriers Tackle Telco SDN |date= 22 October 2012 |first1=Ray|last1=Le Maistre |work=Light Reading |url= http://www.lightreading.com/software-defined-networking/tier-1-carriers-tackle-telco-sdn/240135217 |access-date=20 June 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Latest Agenda at SDN & OpenFlow World Congress |publisher= Layer123.com |url-status=dead |url= http://www.layer123.com/sdn-agenda/ |archive-date= October 14, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121014053339/http://www.layer123.com/sdn-agenda/ |access-date= 20 June 2013}}</ref> SinceETSI theISG publicationNFV ofaddresses themany white paperaspects, theincluding groupfunctional hasarchitecture, producedinformation overmodel, 100data publications.<ref>{{citemodel, webprotocols, |title=StandardsAPIs, fortesting, NFV:reliability, Networksecurity, Functionsfuture Virtualisationevolutions, |publisher=etc. NFV Solutions |url=https://www.etsi.org/technologies/nfv

The |website=ETSI |language=en-gb}}</ref>ISG NFV Inhas 2016,announced onethe highRelease performance open source version5 of NFVits isspecifications released.since openNetVMMay is2021 aaiming highto performanceproduce NFVnew platform based on DPDKspecifications and Dockerextending containers.<refthe name="OpenNetVM">{{citealready journal|url=http://faculty.cs.gwu.edu/timwood/papers/16-HotMiddlebox-onvm.pdfpublished |title=OpenNetVM:specifications Abased Platformon fornew Highfeatures Performanceand Network Service Chains|doi=10.1145/2940147enhancements.2940155|s2cid=13706879|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Since the publication of the white paper, the group has produced over 100 publications<ref>{{cite web |title=Standards for NFV: Network Functions Virtualisation |publisher= NFV Solutions |url=https://www.etsi.org/technologies/nfv |website=ETSI |language=en-gb}}</ref>, which have gained wider acceptance in the industry and are being implemented in prominent open source projects like OpenStack, ONAP, Open Source MANO (OSM) to name a few. Due to active cross-liaison activities, the ETSI NFV specifications are also being referenced in other SDOs like 3GPP, IETF, ETSI MEC etc.

==Framework==

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==Performance study==

Recent performance study on NFV focused on the throughput, latency and jitter of virtualized network functions (VNFs), as well as NFV scalability in terms of the number of VNFs a single physical server can support.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7781548|title=Toward High-Performance and Scalable Network Functions Virtualization|year=2016|doi=10.1109/MIC.2016.111|last1=Wang|first1=Chengwei|last2=Spatscheck|first2=Oliver|last3=Gopalakrishnan|first3=Vijay|last4=Xu|first4=Yang|last5=Applegate|first5=David|journal=IEEE Internet Computing|volume=20|issue=6|pages=10–20|s2cid=15518060}}</ref>

Open source NFV platforms are available, one representative is openNetVM.<ref name="OpenNetVM">{{cite journal|title=OpenNetVM: A Platform for High Performance Network Service Chains|url=http://faculty.cs.gwu.edu/timwood/papers/16-HotMiddlebox-onvm.pdf|doi=10.1145/2940147.2940155|doi-access=free|s2cid=13706879}}</ref> openNetVM is a high performance NFV platform based on DPDK and Docker containers. openNetVM provides a flexible framework for deploying network functions and interconnecting them to build service chains. openNetVM is an open source version of the NetVM platform described in NSDI 2014 and HotMiddlebox 2016 papers, released under the BSD license. The source code can be found at github:openNetVM<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/sdnfv/openNetVM|title=GitHub- OpenNetVM}}</ref>

==Cloud-Native Network Functions==