2018 Blog: This article was originally written during my time at Arm.
How SDN, SD-WAN & NFV are reshaping Networks
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of network infrastructure, the demand for advanced solutions to address complexity, scalability, and security is paramount. Authors Jim Wallace from Arm and Joseph Byrne from NXP explore the challenges faced by service providers and network builders in adapting to the needs of our hyper-connected world.
They identify three key technologies at the forefront of this evolution:
- Software Defined Networking (SDN): SDN separates the control plane from the data plane, enabling centralised management and dynamic provisioning of network resources.
- Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN): An extension of SDN to wide area networks, SD-WAN optimises traffic routing and reduces costs by leveraging cloud-based interfaces and analyzing uplink traffic.
- Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV): NFV decouples network functions from proprietary hardware, allowing them to be implemented as virtualised instances on standard hardware, thus enhancing flexibility and scalability.
While each technology offers unique benefits, their synergy presents a powerful solution for deploying and managing network functions efficiently. Early adopters like Google have leveraged SDN within their data centers to streamline network configuration and optimize packet flow.
However, the initial vision of replacing traditional routers with SDN switches and virtual network functions (VNFs) proved more complex in practice. While cost-saving benefits were apparent, cautious IT managers emphasised the importance of on-site termination for VPNs, WAN optimization, and VoIP, challenging the feasibility of fully virtualised solutions.
To adapt to these realities, the market has witnessed a shift towards hybrid approaches. Enterprises seeking global network solutions are increasingly interested in SD-WAN, which offers simplified management and cost savings by utilising low-cost generic systems for SD-WAN functions.
For scenarios where on-premises network functions are essential, NFV-based CPE solutions have emerged as a viable option. These solutions enable the hosting of VNFs like routers, firewalls, and SD-WAN on networking devices, with SDN switches orchestrating the services.
To address the performance challenges inherent in virtualisation, both Arm and NXP have contributed innovations. Arm’s scalable processors and virtualisation extensions, combined with NXP’s accelerators for packet processing and I/O, have significantly improved system performance. These advancements have been demonstrated in the LS2088A processor, showcasing superior throughput compared to competing solutions.
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