Cloud4NFV: A platform for Virtual Network Functions

Abstract

The principle of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) aims to transform network architectures by implementing Network Functions (NFs) in software that can run on commodity hardware. There are several challenges inherent to NFV, among which is the need for an orchestration and management framework. This paper presents the Cloud4NFV platform, which follows the major NFV standard guidelines. The platform is presented in detail and special attention is given to data modelling aspects. Further, insights on the current implementation of the platform are given, showing that part of its foundations lay on cloud infrastructure management and Software Defined Networking (SDN) platforms. Finally, it is presented a proof-of-concept (PoC) that illustrates how the platform can be used to deliver a novel service to end customers, focusing on Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) related functions.