Many multicast services such as live multimedia distribution and real-time event monitoring require constructing a multicast mechanism that involves network functions (e.g. firewall, video transcoding). Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a concept that proposes using virtualization to implement network functions on infrastructure building block (such as high volume servers, virtual machines), where software provides the functionality of existing purpose-built network equipment. We present an approach for building the multicast mechanism whereby multicast flows are processed by NFV before reaching their end users. We propose a routing algorithm and a method for building an appropriate multicast topology.
This paper discusses the role of virtualization and software-defined infrastructure (SDI) in the design of future application platforms, and in particular the Future Central Office (CO). A multi-tier computing cloud is presented in which resources in the Smart Edge of the network play a crucial role in the delivery of low-latency and data-intensive applications. Resources in the Smart Edge are virtualized and managed using cloud computing principles, but these resources are more diverse than in conventional data centers, including programmable hardware, GPUs, etc. We propose an architecture for future application platforms, and we describe the SAVI Testbed (TB) design for the Smart Edge. The design features a novel Software-Defined Infrastructure manager that operates on top of OpenStack and OpenFlow. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the Smart Edge design on the Future CO.
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