- SDN: SDN decouples the control plane of networking equipment from its forwarding plane. It centralizes the control, which makes the network more flexible, programmable, and centrally managed. Therefore it reduces the equipment complexity, reducing equipment to a dumb box.
- NFV: NFV virtualizes equipment functions and puts them on a commodity server or switch. For example, a router, a firewall, a NAT can become a virtual machine that can be run on commodity servers. This completely removes the dependency on vendor-proprietary hardware.
- Network Virtualization: The network virtualization’s concept comes from both SDN and NFV. When equipment becomes dumb and its management and control is taken to a central place, the network can run completely decoupled from the actual underlying hardware. The network then becomes completely elastic in terms of the resources it can provide. This is why we say that the network has virtualized. Network virtualization is a well known concept in the data center world.
The Challenges of Network Virtualization Technologies
October 20, 2015
Networks
Network virtualization, software defined network (SDN), and network function virtualization (NFV) have taken the communication industry by storm. They are no longer buzzwords; the industry is seriously focusing and converging on them.
And why shouldn’t the industry focus on them? They are supposed to bring down OPEX and CAPEX by commoditizing the network elements. Commodity switches and servers will become future network elements instead of vendor’s proprietary gear. Therefore, hardware will lose its importance and, in contrast, software will become dominant and relevant.
Therefore, if you are in the communication/networking domain, you must align your current/future strategies around SDN/NFV, or else you are sure to miss the boat of opportunities these technologies promise.
This article touches upon some untold truths about SDN/NFV. More specifically, it points out that softwarization/virtualization is still in its infancy and therefore associated with some challenges. But these challenges also promise opportunities for some vendors to capitalize on.
What are SDN, NFV and network virtualization?