In the networks of both telecommunication operators and entrepreneurs, we are witnessing an increasing number of users, especially those mobile. The use of public and private cloud computing is attractive due to ialmost limitless and flexible resource allocation. However, new trends, such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and the constant development of cloud-related solutions generate new challenges.
Today, developers of network solutions, service providers or organizations operating on the Internet, want to gain market leverage. Hence, the technology must act in a faster, more efficient and safer manner. Moreover, changes must be implemented virtually overnight. This is why such challenges as the time to market or flexibility take on a completely new significance.
The right tools are required to ensure quick reactions to the changing environment. You have to be able to quickly enhance current services and give over the improved product to your partners. This has been difficult to implement so far. The restriction was the equipment itself, where even a small change could mean replacing the entire device. Through SDN technology, such situation will go down in history.
SDN and NFV as a solution to the key telecommunication issues of the 21st century
Nowadays, it has become necessary to ensure a highly-efficient, flexible and safe network infrastructure. This requires solutions that will allow making almost instant changes safely and effectively. Such changes will spread throughout the entire infrastructure almost imperceptibly. The implementation of these needs is guaranteed by SDN (Software-defined Networking) and NFV (Network Function Virtualization). These are mechanisms that constitute the foundations of network devices developed at EXATEL. SDNbox is one of them – a Polish programmable network platform for telecommunications networks.
Why SDNbox?
The SDNbox platform enables telecommunications operators and other business clients to develop their own flexible, secure and highly-efficient infrastructure within the operator’s network aggregation layer, as well as inside the customer network interface [CE – Customer Edge /CPE – Customer Premises Equipment]. This is a solution developed based on generally available network interfaces and components that can execute a number of selected software-defined network features, such as a router, switch, encoder, probe, firewall, anti-DDoS or Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC).
OpenAPI or openness to other solutions
Open standards and protocols (among others, OpenFlow, Netconf, REST API) play a very important role in the development of Software-Defined Networking. This is why we place great emphasis on the application side of our solutions. We aim at, among others, achieving the possibility of simple integration with other solutions or software. Ultimately, we strive to provide the global open-source community with the ability to develop their own components that will allow integration with our solution.
Multifunctional means more effective
SDNbox will enable the execution of numerous functionalities on one device – and all this without the need to invest in further, dedicated hardware solutions. This means less racked devices for users. This simplifies network architecture, decreases energy consumption and reduces the network management and maintenance costs. Another SDNbox advantage is the possible improved utilization of device computing power owing to dynamic resource allocation and balancing the load with network traffic of specific destinations. This functionality is particularly important for telecommunications operators, who care about the quality of the services they provide.
SDNbox and security
Network devices must not only be efficient, but also secure. SDNbox will enable implementing, besides the basic Firewall functionality, an anti-DDoS feature that protects against volumetric attacks and a Probe that passively detects threats based on available signatures. The provided Hypervisor, within the available computing resources, enables executing original solutions of the Virtual Network Function type in a Network Function Virtualization (NFV) environment. In addition, owing to the aforementioned OpenAPI, SDNbox functionalities can be expanded with new services in the future.
SDNbox as a scalable virtual platform
The solution we develop can implement almost any function. How? It is enough for the service controlling software to operate on a virtual platform. Do you need an extra proxy? The solution is to just install software that implements this feature. Would you like to create a “captive portal”? Nothing stands in the way. The provided SDNbox computing power enables the execution of numerous functions – and that’s not all. Increasing needs may be followed by hardware platform scaling (IaaS), so that it meets the higher computing power demand through, e.g., increasing hard drive capacity, RAM, etc.
SDNBox means savings
The variety and multi-functionality of SDNbox leads to reduced costs – both CAPEX and OPEX. This has been and still is the key argument for any organization. A good example is EXATEL – a Polish telecommunications operator that naturally became the first recipient of SDNbox. Owing to the application of the Software-defined Networking ideology, a network environment almost instantly adjusts to customer requirements. Using programmable circuits (FPGA, field-programmable gate array) provides high functional flexibility of the device while maintaining its high efficiency. And if we consider EXATEL’s scale of operations – over 25 000 km of fibre-optic network and thousands of devices operating therein – the calculation will leave no doubts as to the cost effectiveness of SDN solutions.
