Service providers embrace NFV
Network functions virtualization is spearheading a fundamental shift in the telecommunications industry. While still in its infancy, major service providers like AT&T, Verizon and Cisco are launching NFV deployments.
The goal of NFV is to take network functions typically reserved for proprietary hardware and install them on virtual software. Service providers stand to reap the most from NFV, leveraging virtual machines (VMs) to deliver customizable services for their customers. The technology saves companies time and money with speed and agility.
AT&T Integrated Cloud
Among all the service providers pushing for a network society, AT&T has been arguably the most aggressive. Over the course course of a year, AT&T rolled out approximately 74 AT&T Integrated Cloud (AICs) centers built to run virtual network functions (VNFs). The telecom conglomerate intends to virtualize 75% of its network by 2020.
AIC is a data center housing various switches, storages, servers and software to run VMs that perform VNFs, which are available through its Network Functions on Demand service. Examples of VNFs provided by Network Functions on Demands include: virtual routers from Juniper (vSRX) and Cisco (vCSR); virtual security from Fortinet (FortiGate); WAN optimization from Riverbed (Steelhead); and virtual network probes from Radcom. Once finished, AIC will cover more than 1,000 areas around the world.
Verizon’s OpenStack
Verizon is another service provider at the forefronts of NFV with the deployment of OpenStack cloud computing software. To address the hurdles of mass NFV deployment, the company joined forces with Big Switch Networks, Dell and Red Hat to develop the software in nine months.
OpenStack is open source software that manages large pools of compute, storage and networking throughout a datacenter, which are controlled by an administrative dashboard. OpenStack allows users to use VMs to help manage both public and private clouds. In particular, OpenStack makes horizontal scaling a breeze. Services that run concurrently can be distributed among users by spinning up additional instances.
Nine components pervade the OpenStack system. These include nova, swift, cinder, neutron, horizon, keystone, glance, ceilometers and heat. Endorsed by several software developers, OpenStack is widely considered the poster child of cloud computing.
Cisco Enterprise NFV
Cisco is another early mover with its Cisco Enterprise NFV solution, which is part of the Cisco Digital Network Architecture. Cisco Enterprise NFV is an end-to-end solution that tackles what is needed to deploy virtualized network and application services, including management and orchestration (MANO).
Cisco Enterprise NFV virtualizes the network, enabling services to run on any platform. The Cisco Enterprise solution decreases the number of hardware elements, increases the speed of deployment, automates deployment and management operations, and boosts the flexibility of network functions.
Some of the network functions Cisco provides on a virtualized platform include: integrated services virtual router (ISRv), adaptive security virtual appliance (ASAv), next generation firewall virtual (NGFWv), virtual wide area application services ((vWAAS) and virtual wireless controller (vWLC) for a virtualized wireless LAN controller.
From hardware to software
Service providers like AT&T, Verizon and Cisco are able to deploy NFV on a large scale because they can afford to. NFV can help businesses save money in the long-term but its deployment requires money in the short-term, which is difficult for tech start-ups on a limited budget. Nevertheless, NFV deployments are expected to become more widespread as hardware appliances gradually phase out.
