CMO (Control, Management and Orchestration)

Introduction

Control, Management, and Orchestration (CMO) is a term used in the context of network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN). It refers to the set of functions required to manage and orchestrate virtualized network functions (VNFs) and physical network functions (PNFs) in a software-defined network. CMO is critical for ensuring the efficient operation of network services and ensuring that they meet service level agreements (SLAs). This article provides a comprehensive overview of CMO, including its key components, their functions, and their interactions.

Overview of CMO

CMO consists of three main components: control, management, and orchestration. These components work together to enable the automation and orchestration of network services, including the deployment, scaling, and monitoring of VNFs and PNFs. The following sections provide an overview of each component.

Control

The control component is responsible for managing the data plane of the network. It is the component that implements the policies and rules that govern how traffic flows through the network. The control component consists of two main elements: the control plane and the forwarding plane.

The control plane is responsible for computing the paths that data packets should take through the network. It receives information about the network topology and the state of the network from the management component and uses this information to compute forwarding paths. The forwarding plane, on the other hand, is responsible for forwarding data packets along the paths computed by the control plane. It consists of the forwarding devices, such as routers and switches, that actually perform the forwarding of packets.

Management

The management component is responsible for the overall management of the network. It includes functions such as configuration management, fault management, and performance management. The management component interacts with the control and orchestration components to ensure that the network is configured correctly, that any faults are detected and resolved quickly, and that performance meets SLAs.

The management component is responsible for configuring both the control and data planes of the network. It sets up policies and rules that govern how data packets are forwarded through the network and how resources are allocated to different network services. It also monitors the performance of the network and individual network services to ensure that they are meeting SLAs.

Orchestration

The orchestration component is responsible for the automation and orchestration of network services. It interacts with the management and control components to deploy, configure, and manage VNFs and PNFs. The orchestration component is responsible for scaling network services up or down as required, based on changing demand. It also ensures that the network is secure and that the policies and rules governing the network are enforced.

The orchestration component consists of two main elements: the service orchestration layer and the infrastructure orchestration layer. The service orchestration layer is responsible for the orchestration of network services at a higher level of abstraction, such as the virtual network functions (VNFs) that make up a network service. The infrastructure orchestration layer, on the other hand, is responsible for the management of the physical resources that make up the network, such as the servers, storage devices, and network devices.

Key Functions of CMO

The three components of CMO work together to provide a range of functions that are critical for the efficient and effective operation of network services. Some of the key functions of CMO are described below.

Service Lifecycle Management

CMO provides lifecycle management for network services. This includes functions such as service design, service instantiation, service activation, and service termination. The orchestration component is responsible for the deployment and configuration of VNFs and PNFs required to provide the service. The management component is responsible for monitoring the performance of the service and ensuring that it meets SLAs. The control component is responsible for implementing policies andrules that govern how traffic is forwarded through the network to ensure that the service performs correctly.

Resource Management

CMO is responsible for the allocation and management of resources required to support network services. This includes functions such as resource allocation, resource monitoring, and resource optimization. The orchestration component is responsible for deploying VNFs and PNFs on appropriate resources, based on their resource requirements. The management component is responsible for monitoring the resource utilization of the network and individual network services to ensure that they are using resources efficiently. The control component is responsible for implementing policies and rules that govern how resources are allocated and used to ensure that they are used effectively.

Fault Management

CMO provides fault management functions to detect, isolate, and resolve faults in the network. The management component is responsible for detecting faults and initiating the appropriate corrective actions. The control component is responsible for implementing policies and rules that enable the network to recover from faults quickly and efficiently. The orchestration component is responsible for coordinating the recovery of network services after a fault has occurred.

Security Management

CMO is responsible for ensuring the security of the network and network services. This includes functions such as authentication, authorization, and encryption. The orchestration component is responsible for configuring security policies and rules that govern the behavior of the network and network services. The management component is responsible for monitoring security events and taking appropriate action in response to security threats. The control component is responsible for implementing security policies and rules that enforce the security policies defined by the orchestration and management components.

Interactions between CMO Components

The components of CMO interact with each other to enable the automation and orchestration of network services. The following sections describe some of the key interactions between the CMO components.

Orchestration and Management

The orchestration and management components interact closely to enable the automation and orchestration of network services. The orchestration component relies on the management component to provide information about the current state of the network and network services. This information is used to make decisions about the deployment, configuration, and scaling of network services. The management component relies on the orchestration component to automate the deployment and configuration of network services and to monitor their performance.

Control and Orchestration

The control and orchestration components interact to enable the dynamic provisioning of network services. The orchestration component uses the control plane to compute forwarding paths for network services and to configure network devices to support those services. The control component relies on the orchestration component to provide information about the network services that need to be supported and to automate the configuration of network devices to support those services.

Control and Management

The control and management components interact to ensure that the network is configured correctly and that network services meet SLAs. The management component configures the control plane to implement policies and rules that govern how traffic is forwarded through the network. The control component provides information about the current state of the network and network services, which is used by the management component to monitor the performance of the network and to detect and resolve faults.

Conclusion

Control, Management, and Orchestration (CMO) is a critical component of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV). It enables the automation and orchestration of network services, including the deployment, scaling, and monitoring of virtualized network functions (VNFs) and physical network functions (PNFs). The three components of CMO – control, management, and orchestration – work together to provide a range of functions that are critical for the efficient and effective operation of network services. By enabling the automation and orchestration of network services, CMO makes it possible to deliver network services that are flexible, scalable, and cost-effective.