Relationship of SDN and NFV

1. SDN + VNF
Dr. Ahmad Tajuddin bin Samsudin
Principal Researcher, TM Research & Development
Sdn. Bhd.
Telefocal SDN Professional Certified
RHCSA in Red Hat OpenStack
ONOS/CORD Ambassador, ONF
18 August 2018 <knowledge sharing>
Software-defined networking (SDN) is an
architecture that aims to make networks agile
and flexible.
Network functions virtualization (NFV) offers a
new way to design, deploy and manage
networking services

2. SDN Components Model
SDN Application SDN Application
SDN northbound interface (NBI)
SDN Controller
Network
element
Network
element
Network
element
SDN southbound interface (SBI)
Application layer
Application plane
Control layer
Controller plane
Infrastructure layer
Data / Forwarding plane
Application-controller interface
Data-controller interface

3. Computing HW Storage HW Network HW
Virtual
Computing
Virtual
Storage
Virtual
Network
Virtualised
Network
Function 1
Elementary
System 1
OSS BSS Network
Function
Virtualisation
Orchestrator
Virtualised
Network
Function
Manager(s)
Virtualised
Infrastructure
Manager(s)
Service,
VNF and
Infrastructure
Description
Elementary
System 2
Elementary
System 3
Elementary
System n
Virtualised
Network
Function 2
Virtualised
Network
Function 3
Virtualised
Network
Function n
NFV Architecture Framework NFV Management & Orchestration
Virtualisation Layer
Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure

4. Computing HW Storage HW Network HW
Virtual
Computing
Virtual
Storage
Virtual
Network
Virtualised
Network
Function 1
Elementary
System 1
OSS BSS Network
Function
Virtualisation
Orchestrator
Virtualised
Network
Function
Manager(s)
Virtualised
Infrastructure
Manager(s)
Service,
VNF and
Infrastructure
Description
Elementary
System 2
Elementary
System 3
Elementary
System n
Virtualised
Network
Function 2
Virtualised
Network
Function 3
Virtualised
Network
Function n
SDNc + NFV = Telco Cloud NFV Management & Orchestration
Virtualisation Layer
Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure
4
1
2
3
SDN Controller
5

5. Computing HW Storage HW Network HW
Virtual
Computing
Virtual
Storage
Virtual
Network
Virtualised
Network
Function 1
Elementary
System 1
OSS BSS Network
Function
Virtualisation
Orchestrator
Virtualised
Network
Function
Manager(s)
Virtualised
Infrastructure
Manager(s)
Service,
VNF and
Infrastructure
Description
Elementary
System 2
Elementary
System 3
Elementary
System n
Virtualised
Network
Function 2
Virtualised
Network
Function 3
Virtualised
Network
Function n
SDNd + NFV = Telco Cloud NFV Management & Orchestration
Virtualisation Layer
Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure
3
2
SDN Data/Forwarding Plane
1
4

6. Computing HW Storage HW Network HW
Virtual
Computing
Virtual
Storage
Virtual
Network
Virtualised
Network
Function 1
Elementary
System 1
OSS BSS Network
Function
Virtualisation
Orchestrator
Virtualised
Network
Function
Manager(s)
Virtualised
Infrastructure
Manager(s)
Service,
VNF and
Infrastructure
Description
Elementary
System 2
Elementary
System 3
Elementary
System n
Virtualised
Network
Function 2
Virtualised
Network
Function 3
Virtualised
Network
Function n
SDNa + NFV = Telco Cloud NFV Management & Orchestration
Virtualisation Layer
Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure
5
3
2
1
SDN Application
4

7. Legend:
SDNc
1. SDN Controller is virtualised as a VNF
2. SDN Controller is merged with the Virtualised Infrastructure Manager
3. SDN Controller is part of the NFVI and is not a VNF
4. SDN Controller is part of the OSS BSS
5. SDN Controller is a Physical Network Function
SDNd
1. SDN Data Plane is Physical switch or router
2. SDN Data Plane is Virtual switch or router
3. SDN Data Plane is switch or router as a VNF
4. SDN Data Plane is software based SDN enabled switch in a server NIC
SDNa
1. SDN Application is part of a Physical Network Function
2. SDN Application is part of the Virtualised Infrastructure Manager
3. SDN Application is virtualised as a VNF
4. SDN Application is part of an Elementary System
5. SDN Application is part of the OSS BSS