OpenCloud: A Showcase for Cloud Applications, SDN and NFV

Larry Peterson

• Based on experience selling the 1st NFV function to network operators (Telcos and MSOs) – CDN: Caching, Request Routing, Object Store, Analytics

– Designed using best practices for scalable/elastic services

– Both organically and as part of BT’s original NFV PoC

• Lessons Learned – Operators are obsessed with security

– Operators care about operations

– Operators & vendors think “devices” rather than “services”

– Configuring the network is hard

– There are risks to “incrementalism” (re-purpose-and-tweak)

Background

• Cloud

– demonstrates best practices in scaling a function

• SDN

– treats the network’s control plane as a programmable function

• NFV

– treats the network’s data plane as a programmable function

First Principles

• Cloud

– demonstrates best practices in scaling a function

• SDN

– treats the network’s control plane as a programmable function

• NFV

– treats the network’s data plane as a programmable function

First Principles

The key is to scale functions, whether they are applications, SDN controllers, proxies, middleboxs, or

packet processors. We call a “scalable function” a Network Service.

• A service exports a logically centralized interface to network-wide functionality, while having many points of implementation distributed across the network.

– SDN Controller distinct from Packet Switch

– EC2 API distinct from VM Instances

– Service Controller distinct from Service Instances

– Interface distinct from Implementation

Network Service

f()

f() f()

f() f()

f() f()

f()

f() f()

f() f()

F

f() f() f() f() f() f() f()

f()

=

Scale-Out Design

Network Virtualization

Physical Network

Virtual Network (e.g., Big Switch)

Network Hypervisor – Topology Isolation – Address Space Isolation – Control Isolation

R

C

S

M

O Internet

Big Switch (Virtual Net)

Network Service “F” F

Clients

Service Composition

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

Service1 Service2

Service3 = Service1 Service2

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

VM

Logically compose services to achieve desired functional/security behavior

Map onto physical infrastructure to meet performance requirements

Service Composition

VM

Points of Emphasis

• The “F” in NFV = scalable services, not virtual devices

– Hardware Appliances Virtual Devices Network Services

– Support service composition, not just device chaining

– Orchestrate services, not just servers (virtual devices)

• Role of SDN

– Leverage SDN to create VNs that host (isolate) services

– Run SDN Controllers on top of VNs

XaaS – Everything-as-a-Service

(Organizing Principle)

XOS – XaaS Operating System

(Open Source Software)

OpenCloud

(Operational Deployment)

What Do We Do With This?

OpenCloud

Node

OpenStack

Node

OpenStack

OpenVirteX

OpenCloud

OpenCloud Management System

Node

OpenStack

Node

OpenStack

IDaaS (Keystone)

XOS (XaaS Operating System)

CaaS (Nova)

NaaS (Neutron)

OpenVirteX

MaaS MaaS

MaaS PaaS

MaaS MaaS

MaaS SaaS

Architecture

For More Information

• Visit http://opencloud.us

• Visit the SDN Solutions Showcase for an NFV demo

– Isolation through network-wide resource containers

– Composition through shared virtual networks

– Orchestration through programmable service controllers