NFVO network function virtualization orchestrator

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a technology that enables the virtualization of network functions that have traditionally been implemented on proprietary hardware. This approach allows network operators to deploy network functions as software-based virtual machines (VMs) on commodity hardware, which can be rapidly provisioned, scaled, and reconfigured to meet changing network requirements. The NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) is a crucial component of the NFV architecture, responsible for managing the lifecycle of virtualized network functions (VNFs) and the virtualized infrastructure on which they run.

In this article, we will discuss the NFV Orchestrator in detail, including its architecture, components, and functions.

NFV Orchestrator Architecture

The NFV Orchestrator is a complex system that comprises several components, each responsible for specific functions. The architecture of the NFVO can be divided into three layers:

Infrastructure Layer

The infrastructure layer is the bottom layer of the NFV Orchestrator architecture. It includes the physical and virtual resources required to run the VNFs. These resources may include servers, storage devices, networking equipment, and hypervisors. The infrastructure layer provides an abstraction of the underlying physical infrastructure, allowing the NFVO to manage the resources and allocate them to VNFs based on their requirements.

Management and Orchestration (MANO) Layer

The middle layer of the NFVO architecture is the Management and Orchestration (MANO) layer. It is responsible for the management and orchestration of VNFs and the virtualized infrastructure. The MANO layer includes three main components:

Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM)

The Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) is responsible for managing the virtualized infrastructure, including the physical and virtual resources required to run VNFs. The VIM provides a set of APIs that allow the NFVO to manage the virtualized infrastructure, such as creating and deleting VMs, allocating resources to VMs, and monitoring the performance of the virtualized infrastructure.

VNF Manager (VNFM)

The VNF Manager (VNFM) is responsible for the lifecycle management of VNFs. It provides a set of APIs that allow the NFVO to manage VNFs, such as deploying, configuring, scaling, and terminating VNFs.

NFV Orchestrator (NFVO)

The NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) is responsible for the orchestration of VNFs and the virtualized infrastructure. It receives requests from the higher-level orchestration systems, such as the Service Orchestrator, and translates them into specific actions that can be executed by the VIM and VNFM. The NFVO also monitors the performance of the virtualized infrastructure and VNFs and makes decisions to optimize the allocation of resources.

Service Layer

The top layer of the NFVO architecture is the Service layer. It includes the Service Orchestrator, which is responsible for the orchestration of end-to-end network services. The Service Orchestrator receives service requests from the higher-level management systems, such as the Operations Support System (OSS), and translates them into specific actions that can be executed by the NFVO.

NFV Orchestrator Functions

The NFV Orchestrator performs several functions, including:

Virtualized Infrastructure Management

The NFVO manages the virtualized infrastructure, including the physical and virtual resources required to run VNFs. It communicates with the VIM to allocate resources to VNFs and to ensure that the virtualized infrastructure is optimized for the performance of the VNFs.

VNF Lifecycle Management

The NFVO manages the lifecycle of VNFs, including deployment, configuration, scaling, and termination. It communicates with the VNFM to execute these actions on the VNFs. The NFVO also monitors the performance of the VNFs and makes decisions to optimize their operation, such as scaling up or down based on the network traffic load.

Service Orchestration

The NFVO receives service requests from the Service Orchestrator and translates them into specific actions that can be executed by the NFV infrastructure. It coordinates the deployment and configuration of the VNFs required to provide the requested services and ensures the end-to-end connectivity and functionality of the network services.

Resource Allocation and Optimization

The NFVO optimizes the allocation of resources based on the requirements of the VNFs and the network services. It takes into account factors such as network traffic load, resource availability, and quality of service requirements to ensure that the virtualized infrastructure is efficiently utilized.

Fault Management and Self-healing

The NFVO monitors the performance of the virtualized infrastructure and the VNFs and detects any faults or performance degradations. It takes appropriate actions, such as restarting failed VNFs or reallocating resources, to ensure the continuity of the network services and the resilience of the NFV infrastructure.

Policy and SLA Enforcement

The NFVO enforces policies and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) defined by the network operator or service provider. It ensures that the deployment and operation of the VNFs and the network services comply with the defined policies and SLAs.

Benefits of NFV Orchestrator

The NFV Orchestrator plays a crucial role in the successful deployment and operation of NFV-based networks. Some of the key benefits of the NFV Orchestrator include:

Agility and Flexibility

The NFV Orchestrator enables rapid provisioning, scaling, and reconfiguration of network functions and services. It allows network operators to respond quickly to changing network requirements and to introduce new services more efficiently.

Resource Optimization

The NFV Orchestrator optimizes the allocation of resources based on the network traffic load and the requirements of the VNFs and services. It ensures that the virtualized infrastructure is efficiently utilized, leading to cost savings and improved performance.

Scalability

The NFV Orchestrator allows network operators to scale the VNFs and services up or down based on the network traffic load. It enables dynamic resource allocation and ensures that the network can handle varying traffic demands without compromising performance.

Service Assurance and Resilience

The NFV Orchestrator monitors the performance of the virtualized infrastructure and the VNFs and takes appropriate actions to ensure the continuity of the network services. It detects faults or performance degradations and implements self-healing mechanisms to maintain service availability and resilience.

Vendor Independence

The NFV Orchestrator provides a vendor-agnostic platform for managing and orchestrating VNFs and the virtualized infrastructure. It allows network operators to deploy VNFs from different vendors and to mix and match them to create customized network services.

Conclusion

The NFV Orchestrator is a critical component of the NFV architecture, responsible for managing and orchestrating virtualized network functions and the virtualized infrastructure. It provides functions such as virtualized infrastructure management, VNF lifecycle management, service orchestration, resource allocation and optimization, fault management, policy enforcement, and SLA enforcement. The NFV Orchestrator brings agility, flexibility, scalability, and cost savings to network operators, enabling them to deploy and manage network functions and services more efficiently. With the continued development of NFV technology, the role of the NFV Orchestrator will become increasingly important in future network deployments.