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Service Assured vCPE: What is it and Why Operators Need it
Oct 22, 2018
It is widely known that vCPE has the potential to deliver the NFV benefits that service providers desperately need. This however, comes with its challenges as we’ve already discussed in our analyst corner. Specifically, network service assurance becomes critical with virtualization, increasingly demanding users and cloud service adoption. In addition, service providers and vendors alike are challenged by the complexities of adapting open NFV/SDN principles to Brownfield networks and traditional CPEs. They need to keep legacy services and existing network operations whilst migrating to NGN.
Helping CSPs deliver software-centric value added services (VAS)
Unlike in the world of IT, CSPs are bound by scale and complexity, particularly in the access network, as well as the service expectations of their enterprise end-customers. They therefore must ensure carrier-grade NFV/vCPE implementation. This mandates a holistic view that takes into account every phase within the service lifecycle. Best practices for service assured vCPE include the following aspects:
Health: Monitoring of performance (PM, FM) and resource utilization in real time (including memory leakage and CPU overconsumption alerts), diagnostics, troubleshooting, and self-healing/recovery (SH/SR) on every level: vCPE, NFVI and individual VNFs. Advanced VNF performance analysis includes TWAMP response loops and generation for the whole service chain, as well as stitching of different test points along the chain.
High Availability: Backup and redundancy of the network, connections, vCPE system uptime, and NFV infrastructure (NFVI) stability.
Security: A range of security measures are needed, from TPM to secure tunneling/VPN and management channels over public networks to allow direct and secure connection to data centers.
WAN connectivity: Ubiquitous service look & feel over PON, Carrier Ethernet, xDSL, LTE, and even TDM access. Such variety of WAN connections and interfaces enables a unified global deployment for any NFV-based value added service (VAS), including Brownfield infrastructure.
Operating system: Must provide true openness to prevent vendor lock-in and ensure high performance of all vCPE aspects, including third-party VNF hosting, while remaining slim and agile.
Automation: Zero-touch network and service provisioning, VNF onboarding, instantiation and chaining, as well as maintenance, updates, rollback/reconfiguration, and tear down.
RAD’s Service assured vCPE Toolbox
After analyzing carrier needs vis-à-vis current gaps, we at RAD, developed a vCPE toolbox for the customer edge that we believe meets all of the crucial factors mentioned above – providing everything service providers need to roll out carrier-grade, vCPE-based business services today while maintaining full openness to work with any VNF, SDN controller, orchestrator, and third-party white box. RAD’s vCPE Toolbox addresses all aspects of carrier-grade service assurance with an unparalleled wealth of options. It helps to increase CSPs’ competitive offering and make digital transformation available for all, whilst eliminating vendor lock-in and removing silos with True Openness.
To learn more about RAD’s vCPE Toolbox read up on it here and also check out the demo video below.
About RAD's Blog
We’ll be blogging on a wide range of hot topics affecting service providers and critical infrastructure network operators. Our resident experts will be discussing vCPE, Cyber Security, 5G, Industrial IoT and much, much more.