Detail description about Network Function Virtualisation by Bachas Joshi.

1. Network Functions
Virtualization
By: Bachas and Sundar

2. What is Network Functions Virtualization
(NFV)?
 Network functions virtualization (NFV) is a way to virtualize network services,
such as routers, firewalls, and load balancers, that have traditionally been
run on proprietary hardware.
 Network functions virtualization (NFV) is the replacement of network
appliance hardware with virtual machines. The virtual machines use a
hypervisor to run networking software and processes such as routing and load
balancing.
 It is one of the primary components of a telco cloud.
 The NFV architecture is first proposed by the European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI).

3. NFV can do following three things
 Softwarization
 Virtualization
 Orchestration

4. Virtualization
 Virtualization is technology that lets us to create useful IT services using
resources that are traditionally bound to hardware.
 It allows you to use a physical machine’s full capacity by distributing its
capabilities among many users or environments.

5. Cloud Network Example

6. NFV architecture
It can be divided into four layers:
 Virtualization Network Function (VNF) Layer
 NFV Infrastructure (NFVI) Layer
 Operation Support Subsystem (OSS) Layer
 Management and Orchestration (MANO) Layer

7. NFV architecture

8. 1. Virtualization Network Function (VNF) Layer:
 Virtual Network Function (VNF)
 Element Management System (EMS)
2. NFV Infrastructure (NFVI) Layer
 Includes hardware and software components ,Virtual resources
3. Operation Support Subsystem (OSS)/Business Support System (BSS) Layer
OSS deals with network management, fault management, configuration management and service management.
BSS deals with customer management, product management and order management
4. Management and Orchestration (MANO) Layer
includes three components:
 Virtualized Infrastructure Manager(s)
VNF Manager(s)
 Orchestrator

9. Why network functions virtualization?
 separation of communication services from dedicated hardware, such as
routers and firewalls.
 provide new services dynamically and without installing new hardware.
 less expensive
 Pay-as-you-go
 Fewer appliances
 Scalability

10. The benefits of using NFV
 service providers can run network functions on standard hardware instead of
dedicated hardware
 network functions are virtualized, multiple functions can be run on a single
server
 less physical hardware is needed
 physical space, power, and overall cost reductions.
 service providers deliver services and apps faster.

11. Risks of network functions virtualization
 Physical security controls are not effective: Virtualizing network components
increases their vulnerability to new kinds of attacks compared to physical
equipment that is locked in a data center.
 Malware is difficult to isolate and contain: It is easier for malware to travel
among virtual components that are all running off of one virtual machine than
between hardware components that can be isolated or physically separated.
 Network traffic is less transparent: Traditional traffic monitoring tools have a
hard time spotting potentially malicious anomalies within network traffic that
is traveling east-west between virtual machines, so NFV requires more fine-
grained security solutions.
 Complex layers require multiple forms of security: Network functions
virtualization environments are inherently complex, with multiple layers that
are hard to secure with blanket security policies.

12. NFV vs. SDN
 NFV separates networking services from dedicated hardware appliances,
software-defined networking
 SDN, separates the network control functions such as routing, policy
definition and applications from network forwarding functions