The motivation and basics of SDN and NFV

1. NDI Communications - Engineering & Training
SDN & NFV
Chapter 1 - Introduction

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Chapter Content
Motivation and concepts
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and
OpenFlow
NFV Concept
SDN vs. NFV
2

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What are SDN, NFV and OpenFlow?
SDN – Software Defined
Networking is a new network
architecture from the Open
Networking organization
OpenFlow is an open protocol that
is used as part of the SDH
architecture
Virtual
Services
Virtual
Services
Virtual
Services
LAN
Switch
LAN
Switch
LAN
Switch
LAN
Switch
LAN
Switch
Controller

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SDN Architecture
Open Networking
Foundation (ONF) launched
publicly in March, 2011
The ONF defines OpenFlow
and API specifications
Founding members:

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The Traditional Network:
The OSI - Reference Model
LANLAN
Bit stream
OH Data EIP (L3)
OH Data ETCP (L4)
OH Data EHTTP (L-5/6/7)
OH Data EETH (L2)
Bit stream
OH Data E
OH Data E
OH Data E
OH Data ESDH (L2)
Bit stream
OH Data E
OH Data E
OH Data E
WAN
OH Data EETH (L2)
L1

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The Traditional Network:
Structure & Components
Closed/proprietary equipment
Software bundled with hardware
Vendor-specific interfaces
Protocols development
Slow protocol standardization
Only few companies can innovate
Equipment vendors write the code
Long time to introduce new features
Few market leaders (one?)
Low flexibility
Devices stay the same
Limited functionality in a device

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The Traditional Network Architecture
Data Plane
Control Plane
Management Plane
Data Plane
Control Plane
Management Plane
User data
Control data
Management
System
Management data
Data Network
NENE

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SDN Network Architecture
Data Plane
Control Plane
Management
Plane
Data Plane
User data
Open Flow Protocol
Management
System
Management data
Architecture:
• Separate Control plane and
Data plane
• Control plane software on
general purpose hardware
• Programmable data planes
• Applications access to
network
Data Network
Applications access
through APIs
Controller

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SDN/NFV: The Purpose
1. Centralized management and control of
networking devices from multiple vendors
2. Improved automation and management by
using common APIs
3. Rapid innovation through standard device
configuration
4. Programmability by operators, enterprises,
independent software vendors and users
Data Plane
Control Plane
Management Plane
Data Plane
User data
Open Flow Protocol
Control System
Control data
Data Network
Applications access
through APIs
1
2
3
4

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Chapter Content
Motivation and concepts
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and
OpenFlow
NFV Concept
SDN vs. NFV
10

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SDN Architecture
Application Layer
Control Layer
Data Layer
Business Application
Business Application
Business Application
Control Software
(Controller)
Network
Device
Network
Device
Network
Device
APIs
OpenFlow

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What is OpenFlow
OpenFlow is a standard communications interface defined
between the control and forwarding layers of an SDN
architecture.
Control Software
(Controller)
Network
Device
Network
Device
Network
Device
OpenFlow
The OpenFlow protocol is
implemented on both
sides of the interface
between network
infrastructure devices
and the SDN control
software.

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Standard Bodies
Open Networking Foundation
http://www.openflow.org/
https://www.opennetworking.org/
IETF
http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-
nadeau-sdn-problem-statement-00
http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-
nadeau-sdn-framework-01

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Chapter Content
Motivation and concepts
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and
OpenFlow
NFV Concept
SDN vs. NFV
14

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NFV – Network Function Virtualization
Network Functions Virtualization
(NFV) is a network architecture
concept that proposes using IT
virtualization related
technologies to virtualize entire
classes of network node
functions into building blocks
that may be connected, or
chained, together to create
communication services
VNF VNF VNF
Virtualization layer
Hardware layer
Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs)
NFV Infrastructure (NFVi)
HD
HD
HD
HD
NFVManagementandOrchestration

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Traditional Networks
Every device in the network has it’s own functionality – router,
firewall, load balancer etc.
Multiple vendors, with multiple protocols, for example: Cisco
Juniper routers, Checkpoint and PaloAlto firewalls, radware and
F5 load balancers etc.

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Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
Switch Switch Switch Switch Switch Switch
FW
R
RSBC
R
RRLB
Software implementation of network
Network functions modules
Implementation in virtual machines
Standard APIs between modules

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Motivation for NFV
Virtualization: Use network resource without physical
dependency
Orchestration: Manage thousands of devices to provide network
functionality
Programmable: Should be able to change behavior on the fly.
Dynamic Scaling: Should be able to change size, quantity of
flows and more

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Why NFV (Cont.)
Visibility: Monitor resources, connectivity
Performance: Optimize network device utilization
Multi-tenancy: multiple users with various requirements working
on the same network
Openness: Full choice of Modular plug-ins

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Chapter Content
Motivation and concepts
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and
OpenFlow
NFV Concept
SDN vs. NFV

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SDN vs. NFV
SDN NFV
Origin Started in the campus
and data centers
Developed by Telco’s for Telco's
Where in the
network
Layers 2-3 optimization Layers 3-7 optimization
Standards Open Networking
Foundation (ONF)
European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI)
How Separation of
forwarding from control
Separation of hardware from
software
Applications Data centers and cloud
orchestration
Routers, FWs, LBs, CDNs,
WAN Acceleration

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Open source projects
and commercial implementations
Function Implementations
Virtualization Framework for Telco: turns
network elements (router, firewall, DNS, HSS,
PCRF etc.) into software applications
Number of trials:
• Virtual EPC
• Virtual RAN
Operating System for Cloud: controls pools of
storage, compute and networking resources
in a virtualized data center
• AWS
• Microsoft Azure
• VMware vCloud Air
SDN Controller: a set of common APIs that
implements one or more protocols for
command and control of the physical
hardware within the network
• VMware NSX
• Cisco ACI
SDN Protocol: enables the SDN Controller to
determine how packets will travel through a
network of switches and routers
Cisco OpFlex

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Summary
Yoram Orzach
yoram@ndi-com.com
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