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Network Function Virtualization

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31 views

Network Function Virtualization

Uploaded by

kanyuchinicholas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Network Function Virtualization (NFV).

It is a concept and architectural framework in the field of networking that aims to virtualize network
functions traditionally performed by dedicated hardware devices. The goal of NFV is to increase network
flexibility, agility, scalability, and cost-efficiency by decoupling network functions from proprietary
hardware and running them as software-based virtualized instances on standard servers or cloud
infrastructure.

Traditionally, network functions such as firewalls, routers, load balancers, and intrusion detection
systems were implemented using specialized hardware appliances. Each appliance performed a specific
network function, requiring separate physical devices for each function.

With NFV, network functions are abstracted from the underlying hardware and implemented as
virtualized software instances. These virtualized network functions (VNFs) can run on standard servers
or cloud infrastructure, sharing the hardware resources and operating independently of the underlying
hardware.

Key benefits of NFV include:

Agility and flexibility: NFV enables network operators to deploy and scale network functions more
quickly and easily. VNFs can be provisioned, modified, and decommissioned dynamically, allowing for
rapid service deployment and network adaptation to changing demands.
Cost-efficiency: By virtualizing network functions, organizations can reduce their reliance on expensive
dedicated hardware appliances. They can leverage standard servers or cloud infrastructure, leading to
cost savings in terms of capital expenditure, maintenance, and energy consumption.

Scalability: NFV allows for elastic scaling of network functions based on demand. As the network traffic
increases or decreases, the number of VNF instances can be dynamically adjusted to meet the
requirements, ensuring optimal resource utilization and performance.

Service innovation: NFV promotes service innovation by enabling the rapid introduction and integration
of new network functions and services. Network operators can leverage the agility and flexibility of NFV
to experiment with new functionalities and service offerings more easily

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