A Network Virtualisation framework in Operator Perspective

• Author(s): Márcio Melo
• Date: 2013
• Origin: Electrónica e Telecomunicações
• Subject(s): future Internet; network virtualisation; virtual network provider and operator; infrastructure provider; future Internet; network virtualisation; virtual network provider and operator; infrastructure provider
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Network virtualisation is seen now from adifferent perspective. Instead of using it as a mere tool fortesting new protocols and new architectures, it can be used as a key element of the future internet: it will enable and trigger the development of new protocols and different architectures in coexistence with the existing ones. Recently, the interest from the operators and industry mainstream in networkvirtualisation has grown quite significantly, as the potentialbenefits of virtualisation became clearer, both from aneconomical and an operational point of view. So far, the concept has been mainly a research topic and has been materialized in small-scale testbeds and research network environments. The challenges posed by the deployment of virtualisation in operator networks are still largely unknown and require urgent study. In this paper, we present the 4WARD architecture for network virtualisation and, based on this architecture, we propose a framework for network resource control in virtualisation-based network environments. We also present the developed virtual network testbed and an assessment is made to the framework. Network virtualisation is seen now from a different perspective. Instead of using it as a mere tool for testing new protocols and new architectures, it can be used as akey element of the future internet: it will enable and trigger the development of new protocols and different architectures in coexistence with the existing ones. Recently, the interest from the operators and industry mainstream in networkvirtualisation has grown quite significantly, as the potentialbenefits of virtualisation became clearer, both from aneconomical and an operational point of view. So far, the concept has been mainly a research topic and has been materialized in small-scale testbeds and research network environments. The challenges posed by the deployment of virtualisation in operator networks are still largely unknown and require urgent study. In this paper, we present the 4WARD architecture for network virtualisation and, based on this architecture, we propose a framework for network resource control in virtualisation-based network environments. We also present the developed virtual network testbed and an assessment is made to the framework.