Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV)

Introduction

Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) is a network architecture concept that proposes the deployment of network functions using software on general-purpose hardware instead of using dedicated hardware appliances. It was introduced by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in 2012 as a response to the increasing demand for more flexible and cost-efficient networking solutions. The NFV concept is based on the virtualisation technology, which is widely used in the IT industry to improve the utilisation and flexibility of computing resources.

In this article, we will discuss the technical details of NFV, including its architecture, components, and benefits.

NFV Architecture

The NFV architecture is based on the idea of decoupling network functions from dedicated hardware appliances and deploying them on virtualised servers. This allows network functions to be dynamically created, modified, and destroyed in response to changing traffic patterns and service demands. The NFV architecture consists of the following components:

1. Infrastructure Layer: The infrastructure layer consists of the hardware and software resources required to deploy and manage virtualised network functions. It includes servers, storage devices, network switches, and virtualisation software such as hypervisors and virtual switches.
2. Virtualisation Layer: The virtualisation layer provides the software abstraction layer that enables the creation, management, and migration of virtualised network functions. It includes virtualisation software such as hypervisors, virtual switches, and virtual storage.
3. Management and Orchestration Layer: The management and orchestration layer is responsible for the overall management of the NFV infrastructure. It includes the NFV Orchestrator (NFVO), which is responsible for coordinating the creation, modification, and deletion of virtualised network functions. It also includes the Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM), which is responsible for the lifecycle management of individual virtualised network functions.
4. Virtual Network Functions: The virtual network functions are the software-based implementations of network functions that are deployed on the virtualised infrastructure. They include functions such as firewalls, load balancers, routers, and switches.

Components of NFV

The following are the components of NFV:

1. Hardware: The hardware component of NFV includes the physical servers, storage devices, and network switches that are required to deploy and manage virtualised network functions.
2. Virtualisation Software: The virtualisation software is the software layer that abstracts the underlying hardware resources and provides a virtualised environment for the deployment and management of virtualised network functions. It includes hypervisors, virtual switches, and virtual storage.
3. Virtual Network Functions: The virtual network functions are the software-based implementations of network functions that are deployed on the virtualised infrastructure. They include functions such as firewalls, load balancers, routers, and switches.
4. NFV Orchestrator: The NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) is the component responsible for the overall management of the NFV infrastructure. It is responsible for coordinating the creation, modification, and deletion of virtualised network functions. It communicates with the Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM) to allocate the necessary hardware and software resources for the deployment of virtualised network functions.
5. Virtual Network Function Manager: The Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) is responsible for the lifecycle management of individual virtualised network functions. It is responsible for the instantiation, configuration, scaling, and termination of virtualised network functions.

Benefits of NFV

The following are the benefits of NFV:

1. Cost Reduction: NFV can significantly reduce the cost of deploying and managing network functions by replacing dedicated hardware appliances with software running on general-purpose hardware. This reduces the capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenditure (OpEx) associated with traditional networking solutions.
2. Service Agility: NFV can improve the agility of network services by enabling rapid deployment, modification, and scaling of virtualised network functions. This allows network operators to respond quickly to changing traffic patterns and service demands.
3. Resource Utilisation: NFV can improve the utilisation of hardware resources by allowing multiple virtualised network functions to share the same physical infrastructure. This can lead to better resource utilisation and reduced wastage of computing resources.
4. Flexibility: NFV provides a flexible networking solution that can be tailored to the specific requirements of different service providers and customers. It allows for the deployment of customised network functions and enables the creation of service chains that can be dynamically modified in response to changing service demands.
5. Scalability: NFV enables the deployment of network functions that can be scaled up or down in response to changing traffic patterns. This allows network operators to optimise the use of resources and avoid over-provisioning.
6. Vendor Independence: NFV enables service providers to choose from a wider range of vendors for the deployment of network functions. This reduces vendor lock-in and enables greater competition in the networking industry.

Technical Details of NFV

NFV is based on the virtualisation technology, which enables the abstraction of underlying hardware resources and the creation of virtualised environments for the deployment of software. The virtualisation technology is used to create a virtualised infrastructure that can be used to deploy and manage virtualised network functions.

The NFV architecture is designed to be flexible and scalable, allowing for the deployment of network functions that can be dynamically created, modified, and destroyed in response to changing traffic patterns and service demands. The architecture consists of four main components: the infrastructure layer, the virtualisation layer, the management and orchestration layer, and the virtual network functions.

The infrastructure layer consists of the physical hardware and software resources required to deploy and manage virtualised network functions. It includes servers, storage devices, network switches, and virtualisation software such as hypervisors and virtual switches.

The virtualisation layer provides the software abstraction layer that enables the creation, management, and migration of virtualised network functions. It includes virtualisation software such as hypervisors, virtual switches, and virtual storage.

The management and orchestration layer is responsible for the overall management of the NFV infrastructure. It includes the NFV Orchestrator (NFVO), which is responsible for coordinating the creation, modification, and deletion of virtualised network functions. It also includes the Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM), which is responsible for the lifecycle management of individual virtualised network functions.

The virtual network functions are the software-based implementations of network functions that are deployed on the virtualised infrastructure. They include functions such as firewalls, load balancers, routers, and switches.

The NFV architecture is designed to be vendor-agnostic, allowing service providers to choose from a wide range of vendors for the deployment of network functions. This reduces vendor lock-in and enables greater competition in the networking industry.

NFV enables the deployment of network functions that can be scaled up or down in response to changing traffic patterns. This allows network operators to optimise the use of resources and avoid over-provisioning.

NFV can significantly reduce the cost of deploying and managing network functions by replacing dedicated hardware appliances with software running on general-purpose hardware. This reduces the capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenditure (OpEx) associated with traditional networking solutions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) is a network architecture concept that proposes the deployment of network functions using software on general-purpose hardware instead of using dedicated hardware appliances. The NFV concept is based on the virtualisation technology, which enables the abstraction of underlying hardware resources and the creation of virtualised environments for the deployment of software.