Carrier SDN and NFV Strategies

IIR SDN & NFV 2013, 2-October, Prague

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Infonetics Definition:
SDNs Are Subset of Programmable Networks
SDNs enable networking applications to request and
manipulate services provided by the network
and allow the network to expose
network state back to the applications
2 common types of SDNs
API
Control plane abstracted
from data plane
Programmable Networks
Network
APIs
SDN API
protocols
* IETF SDNP
* ALTO
* OpenFlow
* PCE
* BGP-TE
SDNs
SDN
Control Plane
Protocols
Infonetics Research 2013
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Infonetics View of Carrier Network
Architecture ~2020
MBH N.A.
Home
services
Business
VPNs
CDN
Mobile Core
EPC
Cloud
Services
Optical
Transport
MBH Asia
Consumer
Broadband
RAN
Access/
Aggregation
App
Network Control & Map
Centralized Control & Orchestration: Controller of Controllers
Holistic, Global End-to-End View of Network
Distributed
Domain
Controllers
(e.g., OpenFlow)
SDN-optimized
Network Hardware
Servers for
NFV, cloud, etc.
App App
Services Control & Map
Policy input
Control is
distributed
Gather network
and subscriber
behavior
Real-time
analytics
Feedback to
Apps, control,
policy
Infonetics Research 2013
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Why Service Providers Want SDNs & NFV
Top Drivers
New revenue and operational efficiency drive SDN/NFV
#1 Service velocity (100%)quicker time to new revenue
#2 Simpler provisioning over multivendor networks
#2 Lower OPEX with master view over multivendor, multilayer
Corollary: global view and network intelligence means networks can
run hottersaves CAPEX
Corollary: global view and subscriber intelligence means quicker
new services and new revenues
Translation: we need more automation and new paradigm
Infonetics Research 2013: SDN and NFV Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, July, 2013
Strategy to Deploy SDNs
5
82%
Plan to deploy SDNs in their
existing networks, not just in
greenfield networks

Hybrid SDN is critical
Infonetics Research 2013: SDN and NFV Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, July, 2013
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Likely Domains for Deployments
Prioritized list of SDN target domains:
DC-related: intra-DC, inter-DC, cloud services
Consumer/business services via virtual CPE,
a.k.a., cloud box
Optical transport
EPC/mobile core, BNG/BRAS, mobile backhaul,
metro aggregation
Infonetics Research 2013: SDN and NFV Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, July, 2013
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Contained DomainsData Centers Are Easy
Service providers are inspired by DC SDNs as proof of
concept
3 years of Google resources/investments + Nicira smarts
solves operational problems of data center environment
SDNs work!
DC is simple contained domainwhile service provider
networks are much more complex
Much bigger challenge / much bigger payoff
SDNs will take time
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Infonetics Research 2013: SDN and NFV Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, July, 2013
Conclusions: SDN-NFV Here to Stay
A network is a collection of elements/nodes and EMSs using many technologies,
protocols, and architectures, using multivendor equipment
For SPs, SDN and NFV create a new paradigm for network operations and
services
New levels of innovation not possible with current technologies
New revenue and operational efficiency drive SDN/NFV for SPs
Global network view and intelligence means networks can run hottersaves CAPEX
Global network view and subscriber behavior data means new services and quicker
revenues
Many operators are testing, doing proof of concepts (PoCs), learning, and some
are pushing toward initial commercialized services or network operations based
on SDN and NFV
SDNs and NFV are a fundamental change that will take many years for
transformationbut operators are starting now first in targeted contained domains

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Infonetics Research 2013: SDN and NFV Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, July, 2013
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Q&A

Thank You
Michael Howard
Principal Analyst, Carrier Networks
+1 408.583.3391
michael@infonetics.com