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This article introduces the knowledge of "how to use NFV+SDN to achieve fully automated deployment of VNF". In the operation of actual cases, many people will encounter such a dilemma, so let the editor lead you to learn how to deal with these situations. I hope you can read it carefully and be able to achieve something!

1. An operator expects to improve its competitiveness through digital transformation projects and support future business growth

An operator has launched a new digital transformation plan, including future services such as 5G mobile systems, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things (IoT). The goal is to create cloud-based infrastructure and platforms to improve their digitization capabilities. This will enable it to better meet the needs of customers in an increasingly competitive market.

The "new cloud-based platform" planned and built by the operator refers to the platform for deploying cloud-based CT VNF and IT applications based on COTS hardware and CloudOS. The platform includes four data centers to provide support for three major business scenarios: "fixed-mobile convergence, business communications", "enterprise cloud services" and "enterprise mobile services".

Second, traditional VNF deployment involves a lot of manual operations, which takes a long time and is inefficient.

The traditional way to deploy VNF network elements requires the following three steps, and it is basically manual:

Step 1: manually complete the configuration of physical layer network devices (EOR gateway, TOR switch, firewall)

It is necessary to visit and log on to the operation and maintenance command line platform of each EOR, TOR and firewall equipment, and complete the configuration of the equipment by issuing the command line manually. A large number of devices need to be operated, and a large number of command line configurations need to be issued manually, so it is inefficient.

Step 2: manually complete the VNF logical network configuration

You need to visit CloudOS and log in to the Web page of CloudOS management and maintenance system respectively to complete the layer 2 or layer 3 logical network configuration of VNF.

Step 3: complete the instantiated deployment of VNF network elements through the VNFM system

You need to visit and log in to the VNFM Web page to complete the upload of VNFD and VNF software packages, complete the configuration of various related parameters involved in VNF instantiation, and then automatically complete the deployment process of VNF network element instantiation with one click.

Figure 1: traditional VNF deployment process

We take the actual deployment of VNF in one of the data centers of the operator as an example to deploy a set of IMS+EPC systems with a total of 21 VNF, which takes more than a month in the traditional way.

Third, the choreographer and SDN controller are introduced to realize the linkage of cloud network and greatly improve the efficiency of business deployment.

1. The NSD (Network Service Descriptor) file is introduced to define the manual configuration operations of EOR, TOR, firewall devices and VNF logical network in the traditional way.

2. The SDN controller is introduced to interact with CloudOS to realize the automatic configuration of the network on physical network devices such as TOR,EOR,FW.

3. Introduce NFVO components as the brain of cloud-network linkage, uniformly cooperate with SDN controller and VNFM to complete the process of network configuration automation and VNF instance automatic deployment.

Figure 2: automatic deployment by introducing NFVO and SDN controllers

Through the introduction of NFVO and SDN controller to realize the linkage between cloud and network, the installation and deployment of network elements is fully automated, and the IMS+EPC system of the second data center is completed. The instantiation deployment of 21 VNF network elements takes only about 120 minutes. (note: the first data center is also the instantiation deployment of 21 VNF network elements of the IMS+EPC system, which takes more than a month in the traditional way).

Take the instantiated deployment of nine VNF of the IMS solution as an example to compare the deployment efficiency of the two solutions. See the table data below. From configuration design to configuration implementation, the automation method of introducing NFVO and SDN controllers has a very obvious effect on efficiency improvement.

Table 1: efficiency improvement between traditional deployment and automated deployment

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