Home // International Journal On Advances in Networks and Services, volume 10, numbers 3 and 4, 2017 // View article

Implementation of VNF Descriptor Extensions for the Lifecycle Management of VNFs

Authors:
Emanuele Miucci
Giuseppe Monteleone
Giovanni Fausto Andreotti
Paolo Secondo Crosta

Keywords: Network Function Virtualization; Orchestration; Lifecycle Management; VNF Descriptor; User-data; Auto-scaling Rules

Abstract:
This paper focuses on improvements in management and orchestration within the Network Function Virtualization (NFV) domain. The key benefits are related to automation in the Virtual Network Function (VNF) lifecycle, adaptation to different network traffic loads and new models for improving network resilience. These could be achieved by introducing some extensions of the NFV Information Model. In particular, we propose the introduction in the VNF Descriptor (VNFD) of an Information Element (IE) providing the dependencies between Virtual Deployment Units (VDUs) that allows managing the VDUs instantiation process in a more efficient way. We also suggest an extension related to the execution of script(s) – including the possibility to pass parameters - in response to particular events detected by the VNF Manager (VNFM). Since each single component of a VNF may need the execution of specific operations based on its redundancy scheme, we propose a new Information Element describing the high availability features. In addition, we give an example of how to carry information about auto-scaling rules directly in the VNFD defining a possible structure of the autoScale IE. Finally, in order to support the validity of the proposed approach, we provide two practical use cases related to the instantiation and scaling lifecycle events of a VNF designed by Italtel and providing Session Border Controller functionality. The main output of the paper is the definition of four extensions to the VNF Information Model - easy to fit into the ETSI specification framework - which has been used to improve the operations in the VNF lifecycle management, as demonstrated in a real implementation scenario.

Pages: 107 to 116

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2017. Used with permission.

Publication date: December 31, 2017

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2644