Planning and Managing Virtualized Next Generation Networks

摘要

Service convergence, content digitization, rapid and flexible service delivery, reduction of capital and operating costs, economies of scale, changes in telecom policy and regulation, and ever increasing competition have been key factors in the evolution of virtualized Next Generation Networks (vNGN). IP-centric converged networks aim to provide a multitude of services over a single network infrastructure. Tremendous success and benefit of server virtualization in data centers is driving the adaption of network virtualization. Network virtualization is applicable to enterprise data center, and enterprise as well as wide area networks. The focus of this paper is network virtualization aspects of service providers’ next generation network. The key factors for moving to virtualized network is optimal use and sharing of network infrastructure even among competitive service providers, programmability of network and rapid introduction of new service and standard based on open platform rather than proprietary implementation. Evolving Software Defined Network (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) shall enable common network infrastructure sharing, control, and management at a higher layer thus making network devices more generic and less intelligent, thus enabling cost competitiveness and quick service delivery. Network virtualization shall enable key benefits such as lower cost, flexibility, efficiency, and security, However, the deployment of virtualized next generation networks has brought its unique challenges for network managers and planners, as the network has to be planned in a comprehensive way with effective management of virtual network elements, its correlation with physical infrastructure and monitoring of control functions and server platforms. This paper discusses generic next generation network, its virtualization, and addresses the challenges related to the planning and managing of virtualized next generation networks. This paper proposes a reference OSS model enabling effective management of vNGN, which is key contribution of this paper.