RFSDN vs NFV: Key Differences Explained
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This page compares SDN vs NFV and mentions the difference between SDN and NFV. SDN is the short form of Software Defined Networking and NFV is the short form of Network Functions Virtualization.
SDN - Software Defined Networking
SDN-Software Defined Networking
- The role of SDN is to separate control and data plane in order to accomplish elasticity, on-demand, programmability, and scalability.
- SDN is the ideal underlying network for NFV.
NFV - Network Functions Virtualization
NFV-Network Functions Virtualization
The role of NFV is to relocate network functions from dedicated appliances to generic servers. NFV allows network operators to implement network policy without worrying about where to place the functions in the network and how to route traffic through these functions.
NFV moves all the functions as listed below in a common x86 architecture using virtualization.
- Router
- Firewall
- Web server
- Load Balancer
- Switch
- Media Server
NFV helps in achieving the following benefits for the operators:
- Standard hardware
- Less complex
- Very flexible
- Reduced power
- Lower CapEx
- Lower OpEx
- Test new applications
- Low risk
- Reduced TTM (Time To Market)
- Open market to software suppliers
The following table mentions potential functions that could be virtualized.
| Network element to be virtualized | Its Function |
|---|---|
| Switching elements | Broadband network gateways, carrier grade NAT (network address translation), routers |
| Mobile network nodes | HLR/HSS, Gateway, GPRS support node, radio network controller, various node B functions |
| Customer Premise Equipment | Home routers, set-top boxes |
| Tunneling Gateway elements | IPsec/SSL virtual private network gateways |
| Traffic analysis | Deep packet inspection (DPI), quality of experience measurement assurance service assurance, service level agreement (SLA) monitoring, testing and diagnostics |
| signaling | session border controllers, IP multimedia subsystem components |
| control plane/access functions | AAA servers, policy control and charging platforms |
| application optimization | content delivery networks, cache servers, load balancers, accelerators |
| security | firewalls, virus scanners, intrusion detection systems, spam protection |
Both SDN and NFV are highly complementary, but there are a few differences between them as listed below.
Tabular difference between SDN and NFV
The following table describes the difference between SDN and NFV.
| Features | SDN | NFV |
|---|---|---|
| Focus or major role | SDN focuses on data center. | NFV focuses on service providers or operators. |
| Strategy | It splits the control and data forwarding planes. | It replaces hardware network devices with software. |
| protocol | Uses OpenFlow | Not finalized yet, does support OpenFlow |
| Where the applications will run? | Applications run on industry standard servers or switches | Applications run on industry standard servers |
| Prime intiative supporters | Vendors of enterprise networking software and hardware. | Telecom service providers or operators. |
| Business initiator | Corporate IT | Service provider |
| Customer benefit or end user benefit | Drives down complexity and cost and increases agility. | Drives down complexity and cost and increases agility. |
| Initial applications | Cloud orchestration and networking | routers, firewalls, gateways, CDN, WAN accelerators, SLA assurance |
| Formalization body | Open Networking Foundation (ONF) | ETSI NFV Working Group |
Conclusion: SDN vs NFV
Let us conclude the difference between SDN and NFV.
- SDN is considered to be a re-definition of network architecture.
- It has come from the IT world.
- It separates the control and data layers while centralizing the control.
- Deliver the ability to program network behavior using well-defined interfaces.
- NFV is considered to be a re-definition of network equipment architecture.
- NFV has been developed to meet the needs of service providers as listed below.
- Lower CAPEX by reducing or eliminating proprietary hardware.
- By consolidating multiple network functions into industry-standard platforms.
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