Evolution to Consolidated Network Layers EPF 10 Madrid, September 2015 Chris Cousins BTI Systems ccousins@btisystems.com
Areas of Network Integration Data Plane Traditionally one technology choice per layer Control Plane Currently each layer has its own control plane (limited interop) Network Functions Dedicated hardware per function Integration of different layers in a single network element Ethernet L2 switching + optical IP/MPLS + optical SDN Integrates different control plane of different layers into a single unified control plane Centralized instead of distributed Virtualization allows network elements to host virtualized non- native functions Functions can be implemented in the most effective location Distributed vs Centralized Dynamic Cost, scalability and flexibility are forcing the integration of Network functions, layers and hardware 2
Typical Network Architecture Control Plane Ethernet: STP, MSTP, ERRP IP: ISIS, OSPF, BGP MPLS: LDP, RSVP, FRR Optical: OTN, ASON, G- MPLS L2, L3 Functions Data Plane Access: DSLAM, GPON Fixed: BNG, CPE WDM DWDM WDM IP/MPLS Optical IP/MPLS Add- on applications: analytics, encryption, etc. Mobile: P- GW, S- GW, MME Direct coupling of control and transport technologies 3
Network Evolution Control Plane Functions Data Plane L2 Ethernet Fixed: BNG/vCPE Optical/DWDM IP/MPLS Mobile: P- GW, S- GW, MME Unified de- coupled control plane, NEs delivering more than one transport technology, capability to deploy specific functions in existing NEs or servers 4
DATA PLANE/TRANSPORT 5
Data Plane: Cost Benefits of Converged Optical/MPLS Interfaces IP IP DWDM IP DWDM IP IP IP Optical and IP network topology are not necessarily the same Separate layers create inefficient routing - more difficult to change? Fewer transponder interfaces IP/MPLS allows for resource sharing and multiple destinations per interface Problem grows exponentially with meshes and amplified by protection requirements 6
Data Plane: Benefits of Combining Optical and LSR Common control plane Common protection mechanism IP adjacencies Path Computation, measurements and reporting Fast Re- Route Virtual Interfaces Effective Capacity Planning Efficient architectures Costs and Environmental savings Future focused Place routers where they need to be Match optical circuits to LSPs Cost savings from collapsing layers Single platform Enables innovation MPLS is well understood Aligns well with SDN vision 7
CONTROL PLANE 8
SDN functions Centralized Open Northbound Interfaces SNMP REST SFTP Initial Device Commissioning Topology Discovery & Display Inventory Reporting NE DB Backup & Restore Management Application Functions Nodal Provisioning (Modules, Ports, Cross- connects) Nodal Configuration (Initially Configuration) Service Discovery & Display Service Provisioning (Lambdas, EVCs, PWs) Service Quality Monitoring and Analytics Performance Stats Collection & Reporting NE Software Upgrades Network Element Logs Bulk Configuration (subset of all possible on device) Service Fault Management Network Fault Management User Security Audit Logs Legacy & Next Gen Southbound Interfaces SNMP NETCONF/Yang OpenFlow Other Legacy Open interfaces are required A Network Management System is still used for the other functions 9
NETWORK FUNCTIONS 10
Network Functions Integration Virtualization architectures decouple functions from proprietary hardware appliances Functions can run software on commercial hardware platforms. Dedicated platforms still needed to offer scalability, mainly in centralized functions Other functions could be virtualized when Distributed Requirements that do not justify a complete dedicated HW solution (smaller applications) Dynamic functions NFV allows functions to be deployed in the most efficient location and platform 11
Possible Virtualization Use Cases Function Distributed Dynamic Size Analytics ü DPI ü Mobile EPC (P- GW, MME) ü vcpe ü Gaming Compute Engine ü ü Troubleshooting ü Security (D- DOS) ü ü BNG ü ü 12
Summary Data Plane Hardware vendors announcing converged MPLS and optical functions. Control Plane SDN control plane in live production networks today Network Functions Virtualised functions in deployment for some years, more emerging 13
Thank you questions welcome ccousins@btisystems.com 14