This put up is the primary in a collection across the Cloud-Native Network Function Orchestrator (CNFO).
Part 1: What are CNFs?
Before we dig into the Cloud-Native Network Function Orchestrator (CNFO), let’s begin with Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNFs).
The naked bones definition of a CNF is a container which is working a community operate, akin to a firewall or VPN. Contextually, CNFs are the subsequent stage of an evolution that started with bodily units, progressed to digital community capabilities (VNFs), and is now heading in the direction of CNFs. As evident within the identify, “Cloud-Native” Network Functions in the end symbolize a shift from on-premises environments in the direction of cloud-based networking environments.
Physical Devices
Physical units, like routers or switches, are monolithic and function constructed, which means that they run on devoted {hardware} and home all their very own purposes. While devoted bodily {hardware} have their boons, they solely carry out one job (i.e. be a router). Consequently, bodily units are costly as constructing out scale and redundancy requires investing in additional {hardware}. If {hardware} goes down, engineers should spend time and sources troubleshooting the system. Network engineers noticed a strategy to take away devoted {hardware} dependency by implementing digital community capabilities (VNFs).
Virtual Network Functions
By shifting to VNFs, community engineers began breaking community performance into smaller items. Engineers might rack a generic piece of {hardware} after which run a hypervisor, which permits the working system to run a number of digital machines. Each digital machine runs a VNF. One VNF may home a VPN gateway whereas one other might run a firewall. Segmenting community performance and eradicating {hardware} reliance made constructing scalability and redundancy cheaper. In addition to value financial savings, VNFs had been a pure first step, as they’re architecturally and operationally much like bodily networks.
In follow, VNFs fall wanting their preliminary guarantees. VMs are taxing on sources, have lengthy boot up occasions, and, typically occasions, sit idle. Most notably, VNFs resemble bodily units in that they’re constructed as monolithic, single-purpose digital purposes. VNFs have began the networking world on its journey to the cloud, however fall wanting making the ultimate leap.
Cloud-Native Network Functions
CNFs symbolize the subsequent step into cloud-based environments. CNFs break monolithic VNF purposes into particular person parts. Multiple containers work collectively within a cluster to create the general community operate. Each cluster is managed by a Kubernetes-like lifecycle supervisor, akin to fundamental Kubernetes, Openshift, or EKS.
Since CNFs are composed of particular person, light-weight containers, they’re simple to spin up or down, which has a cascade of implications. CNFs are able to self-healing: if a person container fails, it’s simply and shortly changed. Engineers don’t have to troubleshoot like they might a VNF or bodily system. In addition, CNFs can run on non-public servers or on the general public cloud, which reduces the necessity for {hardware} funding.
However, this final soar into the cloud will most likely be the most important soar. With the shift to the cloud comes the merging of two established fields, DevOps and Network Engineering (coined NetDevOps). Right now, there’s a technological and cultural hole as community engineers be taught to be builders and vice versa.
Conclusion
Part of what we’re attempting to do with CNFO is assist bridge the hole between the cloud and the present networking world. As such, I need to hear from you. Are you accustomed to CNFs or are they solely new? How do you see your self utilizing them? Let me know your ideas within the feedback and in the event you’d like to attach.
To be clear, we don’t suppose that bodily units or VNFs are going away solely. Rather, community engineers might want to orchestrate a subject composed of all three community operate sorts. Luckily, orchestrating throughout system sorts and at giant scales is the place NSO excels. We will dig into how NSO can orchestrate CNFs (in addition to VNFs) in Part 2 of this weblog collection.
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