VMware vCloud NFV

The solution VMware vCloud NFV  is the general virtualized infrastructure, management tools operation and the system of ensuring quality of services in private and public clouds and also in the distributed telecommunication clouds of telecom operators. With vCloud NFV telecom operators can unroll the multivendor and multifunctional NFV platform and provide automation of services, high-performance network functioning, safe multi-arendnost, management of operation and reliability of an operator class. The platform supports traditional and cloud-native cloud applicaions. In the course of further development of the VMware platform is going to increase performance of a network subsystem due to application of DPDK for loadings of the Data Plane level.

Implementation of architecture of MEC (peripheral calculations of a multiservice access) allows telecom operators to receive the general platform for support of a set of scenarios of use of the fixed and mobile communication with the low level of a delay. Architecture of MEC support creation of services, their automation and delivery in the main and peripheral DPCs. The VMware vCloud NFV platform provides a distributed architecture with a set of DPCs, providing full automation and orchestration of services and management with them. Among these services  there is a support of a voice communication in LTE networks (VoLTE) and video conference on demand. Automation and orchestration cover the network functions unrolled in the form of virtual machines and containers and also monitoring and management (Day 2 Operations) that provides complete transparency of operation and existence of analytics. For the solution of this type of tasks VMware proposes the joint solution with Affirmed Networks vEPC and Metaswitch vIMS.

2018: VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack Edition 3.0

On June 27, 2018 the VMware company announced an exit of VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack Edition 3.0, the next version of the platform for virtualization of functions of a communication network (NFV).

Among advantages of release there is performance improvement of network, the updated network configurations of an operator class and guaranteeing service quality on the basis of the set target status. Telecom operators will be able to improve the total economic characteristics of the software-defined multicloud telecommunication networks and 5G networks created on the basis of open standards, consider in VMware.

"Due to the inevitable transition to standard 5G the concept of networks and a cloud which will allow to cope with hyper distribution of virtual functions of communication networks, applications and data is necessary for telecommunication companies. With VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack 3.0 telecom operators will be able to create the software-defined, distributed telecommunication clouds of Telco Distributed Clouds to provide to subscribers modern services and also to carry out network segmentation on service quality categories for optimal compliance to requirements of applications in the different industries". Shekar Ayyar, executive vice president and CEO of the group Telco NFV, VMware

According to the statement of the developer, the solution of VMware is capable to catalyze return from transformation of communication networks for the account:

• The improved total cost of ownership (TCO) for NFV on the basis of OpenStack. VMware vCloud NFV allows to lower the total operating costs for OpenStack within 5 years by 45%, and the total capital costs of the equipment and software — for 83%. One more feature — support of bigger number of subscribers (+33%). Results are given according to a research of the ACG Research agency.
• Reductions of time to market of new services. Thanks to the unified infrastructures of NFV and the platform of operation, the program of certification of VNF and the built-in opportunities for automation of deployment of services, monetization of subscriber services occurs quicker.
• Decrease in the total costs of infrastructure. Customers of VMware will be able to reduce the total costs of network infrastructure, current costs of a power consumption, cooling and is resistant - places due to transition to the network technologies using DPDK. Expense reduction is promoted by possibilities of use of the distributed firewalls and the balancers who are a part of NSX Data Center. Uniform cloud infrastructure for tasks of IT and Technical Units of telecom operators will allow to increase return from investments into the equipment, tools and skills of personnel.
• Operation optimization. VMware vCloud NFV helps to increase efficiency of network and to reduce current costs thanks to the tools of predictive analytics capable to define future requirements and automatically align loadings for optimization of network performance. The built-in mechanisms of forecasting of capacity in real time proactively reveals the risks connected with the shortage of capacities, automate problems of recuperation of resources and determines their necessary volume. Functions of intellectual failure handling which predict prevent and liquidate problems, provide high quality of service and prevent outflow of clients.

In VMware company noted also other advantages of release of vCloud NFV-OpenStack 3.0:

• The increased performance of NFV. VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack supports the solution VMware NSX-T Data Center which is in turn constructed using libraries and the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) drivers. It allows to increase network performance in the plane of data and more effectively to use the CCP resources, having saved at the same time advantages of infrastructure of VMware to NFV. Beta tests of the virtual distributed switch under management NSX (NSX Managed Virtual Distributed Switch/N-VDS) in the Enhanced Data Path mode showed increase in productivity of network by 3 — 5 times depending on packet size.
• Network configurations of an operator class. The solution offers a number of the opportunities on the organization of network focused on telecom operators thanks to support of NSX-T Data Center. Thereby, the perimeter of the concept of networks of the future from VMware – Virtual Cloud Network, joins also telecom operators. The platform will increase fault tolerance of network thanks to fast detection of failures and support of the boundary gateways deployed in the bare-metal configuration and a set of additional tools on security management, performance and politicians.

Slicing of networks using microsegmentation the politician of service quality (QoS), security, availability and other rules in a slice of a virtual network will give to telecom operators flexible opportunities to destination.

• Guaranteeing service quality. Telecom operators will be able to set target operational and production network conditions and continuously control compliance of performance level at all stages of lifecycle. Among additional functions of the solution there are tools for deployment of services and their operation; planning of capacity, forecasting and recuperation of resources; fault detection and their elimination; dynamic optimization of performance.

VMware Integrated OpenStack 5-Carrier Edition is a part of VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack 3.0. Being an active participant of community OpenStack, the VMware company completes, tests and supports all principal components of a distribution kit, including a complete open source code of OpenStack within a multicloud computing architecture.

The solution VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack is completely compatible to ONAP Beijing release. VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack supports integration into the 4th version of OSM.

The complete solution VMware vCloud NFV 3.0 will go on sale in the second quarter 2018.

2017

vCloud NFV-OpenStack и Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition

On September 13, 2017 the VMware company submitted the VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack platform which will provide the shortest way to implementation of industrial NFV services on OpenStack. The solution includes VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition — the OpenStack distribution kit based on Ocata. This version is completely integrated with NFV infrastructure of VMware and passed the corresponding test and certification. Using VMware Integrated OpenStack as a management system for the virtualized infrastructure of NFV (VIM), network architects will be able easily to unroll, update and use OpenStack cloud over the VMware NFVI platform of an operator class.

As noted in VMware, implementation of NFV based on OpenStack the improved flexibility and rates of innovations for cloud networks, access to global community of OpenStack developers and standard server interfaces (NFV Orchestration, VNF-Manager) continues to gain steam in the industries thanks to several advantages among which — use of open architectures. VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack Edition supports an open architecture for seamless integration and operational compatibility.

OpenStack configured under requirements of telecom operators

VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition was developed taking into account specific requirements of telecom operators which implement network NFV services on OpenStack. VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack offers native support container virtualized network functions (VNF) there are built-in management tools containers which allow to start virtual machines and container VNF within one VIM system.

In the solution the functionality of Ocata allocating telecom operators with tools for implementation of NFV networks is used:

• The Multitenantnost and the reservation of the VNF resources provide isolation of resources of the tenant and guarantee resource availability for each tenant. Thus telecom operators can implement all agreements on the service level (SLA) in infrastructure, provide network protection of tenants and improve capacity planning.
• Adaptive services with a scaling option of network functions in the necessary direction depending on a consumption pattern allow operators to create dynamic and elastic scaling of network resources, responding to a current status of network traffic. It is necessary for optimization of resource management and decrease in capital and current expenses.
• The optimized support of network configurations and accounting of features of the platform (Enhanced Platform Awareness/EPA) provide performance of an operator class with low delays of the transmission level of data that allows operators to provide network performance, sufficient for the satisfaction of the high QoS standards. Resource optimization is provided thanks to such technologies as a binding to CPU, NUMA optimization (Non-Uniform Memory Access — "an uneven memory access", or Non-Uniform Memory Architecture — "Architecture with Uneven Memory"), support of a set of types of network controllers and SR-IOV (Single Root Input/Output Virtualization, virtualization of input-output with a uniform root).

VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack accelerates and simplifies transition to NFV

The VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack platform offers telecom operators a broad set of functionality of NFVI and VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition.

• The simplified installation and implementation of OpenStack:
  • VMware Integrated OpenStack-CE supports installation on a template and implementation of complete infrastructure of OpenStack through the web client of vSphere. Enhanced capabilities of management are available through vCenter.

• Trouble-free updating of OpenStack:
  • Separation of level of management and the transmission level of data ensures smooth operation of network services during OpenStack updating. Telecom operators will be able to go in step with innovations, quickly updating versions and setting updates.

• The integrated management of operation:
  • using the automation equipment of the transactions NFVI and infrastructure of Ceilometer and also analytical tools for prevention and forecasting, functions of isolation of faults, search of the prime causes and their fast elimination. The components VMware vRealize Operations Manager, Log Insight, Network Insight integrated into the solution vCloud NFV-OpenStack in total make the platform for monitoring of operation, job analysis and elimination of problems with the single console of management. This platform allows to reduce current expenses thanks to good indicators of MTTU (average time of diagnostics) and MTTR (average time of repair).

Availability

The VMware vCloud NFV-Carrier Edition platform will be available since the end of November, 2017.

VMware vCloud NFV 2.0

On March 3, 2017 company VMware, Inc. submitted the VMware vCloud NFV 2.0 platform. It is intended for upgrade and transformation of a network architecture and approaches to operation in infrastructure of telecommunication providers.

Submission of the VMware vCloud NFV platform, (2017)

The vCloud NFV platform is created on the basis of software-defined infrastructure of industrial level. Using vCloud NFV 2.0 telecom operators can provide services on software-defined architecture, developing networks towards support of technologies 5G and Internet of Things.

VMware vCloud NFV is the integrated modular NFV platform with support of multiple lease, conforms to the ETSI standards (The European institute of standardization in the field of communication). The vCloud NFV platform combines infrastructure of virtualization of network functions of an operator class (NFVI), a management tool and monitoring, a possibility of ensuring guaranteed quality of services that provides successful implementation and operation of NFV.

vCloud NFV VMware provides openness and a possibility of the choice in a stack of NFV technologies:

• NFV infrastructures (NFVI),
• managers of virtual infrastructure (VIM),
• the virtualized network functions (VNF)
• means of orchestration of NFV (NFVO).

In the conditions of the high competition telecom operators should implement services quicker, providing at the same time experience for customers and the minimum costs. Modern network architectures remain tough and costly for development and management. More than 80 NFV implementations in more than 45 telecom operators servicing 300 million subscribers worldwide — confirmation that VMware vCloud NFV allows to transform network architectures, providing services, operation and to improve economic indicators thanks to more dynamic and adaptive network built based on the software. Gabriele Di Piazza, the vice president for solutions of group of telecommunications and NFV in VMware company

In VMware vCloud technologies of a portfolio of VMware for the virtualized calculations, networks, data storage and infrastructure management will be used:

• VMware vSphere with Operations Management,
• VMware NSX for vSphere,
• VMware vSAN,
• VMware vCloud Director for Service Providers,
• VMware Integrated OpenStack,
• VMware vRealize Network Insight,
• VMware vRealize Log Insight,
• VMware vRealize Operations Advanced
• VMware Site Recovery Manager.

According to developer company, use of VMware vCloud NFV 2.0 will help with development of areas:

• automation of services,
• safe multitenantny architecture
• management of operation.

The packet of VMware vCloud NFV 2.0 will become available in the first quarter 2017 financial year - on February 4 — on May 5, 2017. Products will be its part:

• VMware vSphere with Operations Management 6.5,
• VMware Integrated OpenStack 3.1,
• VMware vCloud Director for Service Providers 8.20,
• VMware vRealize Log Insight 4.0,
• VMware vRealize Operations Advanced
• VMware vSAN Standard 6.5.

2015: VMware vCloud NFV

VMware vCloud NFV is the integrated platform for virtualization of network functions (NFV), in combination with the virtualization platform and managements of computing and network resources, resources of storage and the integrated support of OpenStack VMware^[1].

On March 12, 2015 the VMware company provided ^[1].

Feature of the platform - the built-in support of OpenStack for creation of infrastructure cloud services and cloud storages.

Graphical representation of the platform, 2015

VMware vCloud for NFV for March, 2015 the only platform allowing to start the virtualized network functions from different producers in the unified unified cloud environment. Using vCloud for NFV telecom operators can implement the solutions NFV on the checked platform and quicker bring new services to the market, considerably reducing at the same time costs.

Representation of VMware vCloud for NFV (2015)

In total VMware vCloud for NFV allows use more than 40 different virtual network functions implemented by 30 companies. According to developers, VMware vCloud for NFV — the only platform, available for March 12, 2015, within which virtual network functions of different suppliers can work that gives the chance to unroll necessary functions on the checked platform, offering the new, differentiated services, controlling expenses.

As a part of the VMware vCloud for NFV platform:

• VMware vSphere;
• full-function system of virtualization of VMware NSX networks,
• software-defined storage system of VMware Virtual SAN;
• expanded solution for management of operation of the VMware vRealize Operations cloud environment.

The compatibility with OpenStack is provided at the expense of the VMware Integrated OpenStack distribution kit.

The vCloud for NFV platform is available. The term of availability of VMware Integrated OpenStack — the first quarter 2015.

As a part of the VMware vCloud NFV platform:

• solution for virtualization of computing resources of VMware vSphere;
• the full-function system of virtualization of VMware NSX networks - provides program representation to all network and security systems at the L2-L7 levels;
• the software-defined storage system of VMware Virtual SAN - helps to lower capital and operating costs of data storage;
• the expanded solution for management of operation of the VMware vRealize Operations cloud environment - helps to use specially developed expansion units optimized for solving of tasks of telecom operators.

The compatibility of the platform with OpenStack is provided at the expense of the VMware Integrated OpenStack distribution kit.

Significant properties of a system

• VMware vCloud for NFV will help telecom operators to reduce considerably costs and to accelerate an output to the market of new services
• the easy and fast way of implementation OpenStack is offered to telecom operators
• the multivendor vCloud NFV platform supports more than 40 virtual network functions from 30 vendors.

Expansion of a packet VMware vRealize is included by the following products:

• Blue Medora vRealize Management Pack for KVM;
• VMware Management Pack for Network Devices is expansion of management vRealize Operations on the DPC "physical" network;
• VMware Management Pack for NSX for vSphere – интеграция VMware NSX for vSphere и Network Devices Management Pack;
• VMware Management Pack for OpenStack 2. The packet will work together with VMware Integrated OpenStack or other OpenStack distribution kits on the basis of Kilo release.

vCloud NFV is suitable for the service providers who are already using at themselves the systems of server virtualization from VMware. In fact, the platform provides management tools cloud infrastructure (vCloud Director for SP, VMware Integrated OpenStack) and several solutions of the partners of VMware certified according to the vCloud Ready NFV program.

Notes