What is Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)?

Today, most enterprises rely on proprietary networking equipment that is expensive and difficult to scale. This makes it expensive and cumbersome to deploy new technologies, manage large numbers of endpoints or migrate to new applications. Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) promises to change that. With NFV, network infrastructure can become software running on commodity servers rather than specialized hardware.

Read the below article to learn more about network function virtualization and its uses.

What is Network Function Virtualization (NFV)?

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) describes a network architecture model designed to virtualize network services such as routing, load balancing, and firewalls. This architecture allows multiple functions to be combined into a virtual machine (VM) software package. These individual virtual network functions (VNFS) can then be managed by a VM hypervisor running on shared physical infrastructure.

The goal behind NFV is to allow network operators to deploy network services without having to invest heavily upfront in expensive and proprietary equipment. Instead, they can buy off-the-shelf servers and install applications that provide those services.

How does NFV Architecture Work?

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is a set of technologies designed to bring about significant changes in how enterprises manage their networking infrastructure. NFV aims to transform the underlying architecture of the network and make it much easier to deploy, operate and maintain applications and services.

The concept behind NFV is simple: take a bunch of commercially available, off-the-sheek network components and combine them into one package called a Network Function Virtual Machine. This packaged software component runs inside a host device and acts like a miniature computer running a complete operating system.

In essence, NFV replaces expensive, proprietary network appliances with commodity servers that run open source software. These servers act as virtual machines, performing specialized tasks without requiring special hardware.

Why Use NFV?

There are several reasons you should consider deploying an NFV solution instead of a traditional one. Here are just a few examples:

• Flexibility Traditional deployments require you to buy specific equipment for every function you want to add. With NFV, you can choose which functions to add based on your needs, and you can easily scale up or down depending on your traffic patterns.
• Cost savings NFV offers significant cost savings because you don’t have to purchase hardware for every service and only pay for the functions you need.
• Speed NFV allows you to instantiate new functions when needed. You no longer have to wait hours or days to get a new server configured.
• Security NFV provides security benefits because it separates the functions from the underlying hardware, making it easier to protect against attacks.
• Agility NFV allows you more flexibility than traditional deployments. You can change existing functions’ configurations without reconfiguring the entire network.
• Scalability As your business grows, you can easily expand your infrastructure by adding additional servers, and NFV allows you to do this quickly and easily.

In conclusion, NFV is a great technology that enables you to build a highly scalable network architecture. It’s easy to adopt, and it delivers significant cost savings. NFV allows you to deploy multiple virtualized functions across different physical servers. This makes your networks more flexible and efficient, and VMs running on commodity hardware can scale up quickly. NFV also allows you to move workloads between data centers as easily as moving them within a single location.