Re-Architecting NFV Ecosystem with Microservices: State of the Art and Research Challenges
Re-Architecting NFV Ecosystem with Microservices: State of the Art and Research Challenges
复制标题
使用微服务重新构建 NFV 生态系统：最新技术和研究挑战
作者：
S. R. Chowdhury;M. A. Salahuddin;Noura Limam;R. Boutaba
网络功能虚拟化(NFV)被认为是网络“软件化”的关键推动因素，它承诺通过将分组处理从专门构建的硬件转移到在商用服务器上运行的软件来减少网络运营商的资本和运营支出。然而，NFV中的最先进技术只是用单片VMF取代单片硬件，单片VFP是实现不同网络功能(例如，防火墙、广域网优化器等)的软件。虽然这是部署NFV的第一步，但通用功能是在单一的VFP中重复实现的。重复执行这种冗余功能会在链接VNF以实现服务功能链时引入处理开销，并导致基础设施资源的次优使用。这强调了需要通过模块化的VNF设计和灵活的服务组合来重新构建NFV生态系统，从VNF到它们的编排。从这个角度来看，我们提出了使用微服务软件体系结构来重新构建NFV生态系统的理由，该体系结构被证明对于从可重用和独立部署的组件构建大规模云应用程序是有效的。我们还讨论了产业界和学术界在实现模块化VNF方面的最新进展。最后，我们概述了基于微服务的NFV平台面临的一系列研究挑战。
Network Function Virtualization (NFV), considered a key enabler of network "softwarization", promises to reduce capital and operational expenditures for network operators by moving packet processing from purpose-built hardware to software running on commodity servers. However, the state-of-the-art in NFV is merely replacing monolithic hardware with monolithic VNFs, the software that realizes different network functions (e.g., firewalls, WAN optimizers, and so on). Although this is a first step toward deploying NFV, common functionality is repeatedly implemented in monolithic VNFs. Repeated execution of such redundant functionality introduces processing overhead when VNFs are chained to realize Service Function Chains and leads to sub-optimal usage of infrastructure resources. This stresses the need for re-architecting the NFV ecosystem, from VNFs to their orchestration, through modular VNF design and flexible service composition. In that perspective, we make the case for using the microservice software architecture, proven to be effective for building large-scale cloud applications from reusable and independently deployable components, to re-architect the NFV ecosystem. We also discuss the state-of-the-art in realizing modular VNFs from both industry and academia. Finally, we outline a set of research challenges for microservice-based NFV platforms.