Management and Orchestration Challenges in Network Functions Virtualization

Sun Shuo(3486412)Yang Yang(5140142)Tiko Domonakibau Loulou (5139262)Yaoxian Xu(5139772)Abhilash Bezbaruah(5141132)

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Contents

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Content Page Number(s)

Introduction 3

Journal Summary 4

ETSI MANO Framework 5-7

Overview of Projects and Products 8-9

Challenges 10-11

Critical Thinking 12

References 13

Introduction

1. IEEE Journal - Management and orchestration challenges in network functions virtualisation

2. Network functions virtualization (NFV) is the concept of replacing dedicated network appliances — such as routers and firewalls — with software running on commercial off-the-shelf servers.

3. NFV is the separation of NFs from physical infrastructure

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Journal Summary● Telecommunications service providers (TSPs) facing challenging times -

demands from customers and competition from OTTs

● NFV offers potential solution:

○ Improve operational efficiencies → significant OPEX cost reductions

○ Increased flexibility and efficient utilisation of resources → reduction in CAPEX

● Expectations fuelling research into NFV. ETSI leading research and is developing standards for NFV

● Description of ETSI MANO framework components, relationship

● Current projects and vendor product features and relationship with MANO

● Defines MANO challenges and future research opportunities.

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ETSI MANO Framework● 3 main entities of ETSI MANO

framework:

1. NFV architectural layers

2. Network management systems

3. NFV managemet and orchestration (NFV MANO)

● Entities connected using defined reference points

Combination of s/ware and h/ware hosting the VNFs

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NFV Management and OrchestrationNFV MANO consists of 3 functional blocks:

1. VIM - manages physical and virtual resources in single domain.

2. VNFM - manages each VNF instance.

3. NFVO - combines 1 or more functions to create E2E services. 2 categories:

○ Resource orchestration

○ Service orchestration

4. Data repositories: predefined templates and NFV resource information

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Network Management Systems

5. Element Management - the EMs handle FCAPS functions. E.g. signalling issue, EM will highlight

6. OSS/BSS - Operational and Business Support Systems. They would be existing already and can add value to NFV MANO if not supported by a certain implementation of MANO.

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Overview of projects and products - NFV

● Mapping against MANO framework

● Some projects/products rely on existing infrastructures and cloud systems e.g. OpenStack for achieving the NFVI

● Majority include system mapped to NFV MANO

● However differences functions

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Project/Product MANO function implementations

● Grouped under 4 categories

● Differences in the

functionalities

● FCAPS - except for

Performance others are mostly

not included.

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Three Main Challenges in Resource ManagementNFV PoP Locations - latency to subscribers and the costs of setup and maintenance

Function placement - How to avoid network congestion ?

Dynamic Resource Management - automation and self-allocation mechanisms that allow the network to dynamically manage resources are critical to the success of NFV

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Other Four ChallengesSecurity in The Cloud - Detecting and blocking possible intrusion[2].

Programmability and Intelligence - A MANO system should be intelligent enough so that (re-)configuration operations can be automated to a large extent, especially those that react to run-time events.

Interfacing and Interoperability - To break the bond between equipment vendors and TSPs, and the services they provide

Providing support for all FCAPS functionality - Especially, accounting which is is often heavily intertwined with legacy solution 11

Critical thinking - Group observations1. The differences in the functionalities observed in the projects/products prove that

without standardisation implementations tend to vary and be more proprietary2. Pre-standardisation products likely to result in such differences in functionality as

vendors look at ways to reduce cost. This will cause integration and compatibility issues later. Hence need for early standardisation.

3. As of March 2017, ETSI has completed the set of NFV Release 2 specifications corresponding to information models, interfaces and also its maintenance work.

4. The success of NFV will solely depend on the availability of mechanisms which are able to manage networks and handle resources autonomously

5. The group also thinks the journal can be improved if the authors provides some directions on the solution to the challenges 12

References1. Telcocloud Bridge, “A Beginner’s Guide to NFV Management & Orchestration (MANO)”, 9

April 2015, by Faisal Khan. Available from http://www.telcocloudbridge.com/a-beginners-guide-to-nfv-management-orchestration-mano/

2. NFV Security; Problem Statement. Bob Briscoe (Rapporteur). Draft Group Specification published, Oct. Available from http://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_gs/NFV-SEC/001_099/001/01.01.01_60/gs_NFV-SEC001v010101p.pdf

3. ETSI NFV Announcement after NFV#17: work progress and Release 2 and Release 3 updates, ETSI, Mar 2017 <https://docbox.etsi.org/ISG/NFV/Open/other/NFV(17)000081_ETSI_NFV_Announcement_post_NFV_17.pdf>

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