Carrier SDN – Points for discussion
January 2014
Chris Gallon
[email protected]
Copyright 2014 FUJITSU
Ofcom Research Study on SDN
 Fujitsu are producing a research study on SDN and NFV for
Ofcom with emphasis on how it will impact fixed and mobile
carrier networks.
Considers technology and business impacts.
Any views from organisations involved in SDN are welcome.
Contact:
 Chris Gallon [email protected]
Questions about Ofcom interest and work on SDN/NFV should
be referred to:
 Robindhra Mangtani [email protected]
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SDN Landscape as seen by a controller
 SDN has multiple use
cases for carriers.
 OSS Automation = Service
Orchestration.
 Network APIs for value
added services and
enhanced network
performance.
 Service nodes and service
centralisation in conjunction
with NFV.
 OpenFlow is just one small
part of this landscape.
 For SDN the key enabler
for new services is the
Northbound API
 Must make it easy to build
Orchestration and service
applications on.
Source: http://www.opendaylight.org
 Open Industry standard
 Flexible degrees of network
and topology abstraction
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SDN and Broadband Service Provisioning
UNI Config
Unicast EVC + tagging
Multicast EVC + tagging
QoS parameters
Aggregation end point id
NNI tagging
QoS
Backhaul Bandwidth +QoS
Service View
(UK NICC ND1417)
SDN/NFV Migrates to:
Ethernet NID +
ALA User Virtual RG in the PE router
Today XML, future SDN OSS API
Service Orchestration
Topology
abstraction
Policy
Network
View
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SDN and mobile broadcast application
1. Request for multicast service
Or Offer of multicast service
MBMS
GW
SDN
Controller
BM-SC
REST API
Video App
3. Session Information
Serving
GW
2. Configure Network
LTE
Stadium
PDN
GW
3GPP
AAA
Datacentre
WLAN
Client location information
4. Client configuration instructions
 Combine location information, video services, multicast and SDN API / Orchestration functions
 For example, what happens if a football stadium decides to watch the match highlights at half time.
 Either
 Video App determines large number of unicast sessions to same network/location – Request model
 or Mobile Network provider identifies the potential for efficiencies – Offer model.
 Multicast / Broadcast is requested from the network
 Use the Northbound API from the mobile operators SDN controller
 Network sets up multicast service, or for mobile network service orchestration configures MBMS service.
 Joining details passed to application provider.
 Application provider instructs the clients to switch source.
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SDN and NFV impacts – thoughts
 SDN orchestration applications will provide increased automation of OSS
functions.
 Will increase service velocity and change the nature of the OSS, but operations
teams will not suddenly become network programmers.
 Service Nodes will exploit virtualisation to support service chaining.
 Introduction of Service APIs to networks
 Operators will offer these to enhance their offerings, they will allow applications
to more easily exploit the network.
 Simpler CPE will be deployed, with routing and firewalling functions
centralised and virtualised in the network.
 In mobile networks Cloud-RAN will exploit virtualisation if the fibre
infrastructure can support it.
 The core network and NNI will remain IP/BGP based, access networks will
remain Ethernet centric.
 It is possible that regulation may be required to ensure that wholesale
operators offer SDN APIs fairly to all of their customers.
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Timescales – initial thoughts
 Current SDN solutions:
 Single vendor point solutions: e.g. using vendor SDK interfaces to deploy application
centric software within the network, or simplifying complex service provisioning (PCEP
and Traffic Engineering)
 Trials, proof of concept and limited deployments of SDN/NFV solutions.
 Short term (1-2 years) :
 Single vendor service orchestration solutions replacing some OSS functions,
 End to End orchestration using SDN for key services in single vendor networks.
 New network deployments become SDN centric.
 Virtual CPE applications - enterprise.
 Medium term solutions (2-3 years):
 Service APIs for simple well defined problems, e.g. bandwidth reservation, VPN services.
 Virtual CPE applications – residential.
 Long Term (4-5 years):
 Service APIs for more complex services, e.g. multicast enablement, service chaining
APIs.
 Multi-vendor, multi domain service orchestration solutions.
 C-RAN deployments where infrastructure allows.
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Copyright 2014 FUJITSU