NFV collaboration targeting small cell layer
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s NFV Industry Specification Group signed a collaboration agreement with the Small Cell Forum to “explore synergies” between the two organizations in working on network function virtualization technology targeting the small cell layer.
The agreement builds on the Small Cell Forum’s previously launched virtualization program announced last year and is keyed toward alignment between the two organizations and potential input from the Small Cell Forum on ETSI use-case definitions. As part of its initial announcement, the Small Cell Forum released a slideshow offering up its plans for NFV in regard to the small cell environment.
ETSI is already working on aspects of tying small cell technologies into its NFV program through its Low Throughput Network Group, which the Small Cell Forum said could provide the alignment opportunities. The two groups have been working together since 2010 at various “Plugfests,” with four events having already taken place, a remote event scheduled for next month and a face-to-face event scheduled for June.
“Virtualization of the small cell layer and the radio network can open up a wide range of use cases and opportunities, so it’s important that we fully understand each of these,” explained Alan Law, chairman of the Small Cell Forum. “The work with ETSI enables us to align our work streams, providing input and conclusions that will help shape future use-case definitions.”
ETSI recently wrapped up its “phase one” work on establishing a framework for NFV, which included an infrastructure overview; an updated architectural framework; descriptions of the compute, hypervisor and network domains of the infrastructure; management and orchestration; security and trust; and resilience and service-quality metrics. The documents build on the initial phase one work that was released in late 2013.
ETSI announced late last year the beginning of phase two, which is set to include growing interoperability across the NFV ecosystem; specifying reference points and requirements that were defined in phase one; growing industry engagement to ensure that its NFV requirements are met; and clarifying how NFV intersects with other standards, including software-defined networking and open-source initiatives.
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