CORD (Central Office Re architected as Data Center)
Introduction:
As the telecommunications industry continues to evolve, service providers are looking for ways to simplify and streamline their networks to meet the ever-increasing demand for data and services. Central Office Re-architected as a Data Center (CORD) is a project that aims to transform traditional telecommunications Central Offices (COs) into a more flexible and cost-effective data center-like environment. In this article, we will explain the concept of CORD, its architecture, and its benefits.
What is CORD?
CORD is an open-source project that aims to transform traditional COs into data center-like environments that can provide a wide range of services to customers. It is based on the principles of Software Defined Networking (SDN), Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), and cloud computing, which enables service providers to leverage the same technologies that power data centers to create more agile and scalable telecommunications networks.
The CORD project was initially developed by ON.Lab, which is now part of the Linux Foundation Networking (LFN) organization. CORD aims to provide a framework for service providers to deploy virtualized network functions (VNFs) and other cloud-based services in a more flexible and cost-effective manner.
Architecture of CORD:
The CORD architecture consists of three main components:
The CORD Pod:
The CORD Pod is a pre-integrated and validated hardware platform that includes all the necessary components required to deploy CORD. It consists of commodity servers, switches, and other networking equipment that are pre-configured to work with the CORD software stack. The CORD Pod is designed to be modular and scalable, enabling service providers to deploy new capacity quickly and easily.
The CORD Controller:
The CORD Controller is the brain of the CORD architecture. It provides the control and management plane for the entire CORD infrastructure. It is responsible for configuring the virtualized network functions, managing the CORD Pods, and orchestrating the overall network operations. The CORD Controller is based on the ONOS (Open Network Operating System) platform, which provides a highly scalable and resilient control plane.
The CORD Services:
The CORD Services are the applications and services that run on top of the CORD infrastructure. These include virtualized network functions (VNFs) such as routers, firewalls, and load balancers, as well as other cloud-based services such as content delivery networks (CDNs) and video streaming platforms.
Benefits of CORD:
Increased Flexibility:
One of the key benefits of CORD is increased flexibility. By virtualizing network functions and other services, service providers can create more agile and scalable networks that can respond quickly to changing demands. This enables them to offer new services and features to customers more quickly and easily.
Lower Costs:
Another benefit of CORD is lower costs. By using commodity hardware and open-source software, service providers can reduce their capital and operational expenses. This is particularly important in today's highly competitive telecommunications market, where margins are often tight.
Better Customer Experience:
CORD can also improve the customer experience. By deploying virtualized network functions, service providers can offer more personalized and differentiated services to customers. For example, they can offer customized security policies, bandwidth guarantees, and other features that meet the unique needs of individual customers.
Conclusion:
CORD is an innovative and exciting project that aims to transform the telecommunications industry by leveraging the same technologies that power data centers. By virtualizing network functions and other services, service providers can create more agile and scalable networks that can respond quickly to changing demands. This enables them to offer new services and features to customers more quickly and easily while reducing costs and improving the overall customer experience.