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TOPIC

VNF

PNF

Concept

Application fulfills the role of a network function.

It is a network element, a physical entity, which can implement the role of a network function.

Physical Characteristic

Application without dedicated hardware; Virtualized applications require specific capabilities; Run on different vendor servers. SRIOV, Inter-PNP-DPDK. Hardware capabilities.

Has an actual physical asset that is deployed and associated directly with the PNF.

On-boarding

To onboard a VNF is to “bring it into ONAP” i.e. the VNF images, component VNF-C provide descriptors of these NFs. Deployment model, # components, functions. Configuration parameters. VNF is not tied or optimized for a specific hardware, only requiring perhaps some capability to be supported.

For PNF provide the descriptors. Only provide the meta-data. PNF S/W specifically optimized to run on dedicated hardware. (Now) Not the software image. (Future) ONAP will provide the software image repository.

Plug and Play

The model triggers the orchestration.

(See this slide package for PNF Plug and Play) at the end of PnP the PNF can provide service.

Characteristics

5G CU could be a VNF since there is no need to have an association to a physical environment.

5G DU must be PNF. PNFs are Elements which may need to interact with the physical environment. PNF is “High-Touch” technology. E.g. Emit radio waves in a geographical area.

Configurability

&

Deployment

Easily adaptable to functions that you expect. E.g. Packet gateway to reconfigure as different NFs. Services easily create instances reconfigures including deployments (for different applications). Use a different instance of the VNF to provide a new service. For a VNF you can easily “delete” and “create” a new VNF to perform a new function. Configured dynamically.

PNF has a “fixed” set of capabilities but can’t easily reconfigure it. One PNF in multiple services. Different capabilities exposed by the PNF. Reuse the same PNF with different services configuration. For a PNF you would not “destroy” a PNF but rather re-configure it. Can be configured dynamically.

ONAP Interaction

ONAP is started with VNF. VNF is “deployed” on-demand. Control from the ONAP perspective when a deployment of a VNF happens.

DCAE – same

Configure – Chef, Ansible

PNF do not “deploy” application. Do not use multi-VIM. Only “configure” the application, the PNF is deployed. A technician goes to site and “deploys” a PNF.

DCAE – same

Configure –Implementation of PNF client. Communication protocol, Client

Design Time Modeling

Model VNF. Templates. Onboarded before. In Run-time. Make sure properly identify specific PNF instance already deployed versus a dynamically created instance. VNF instances could be created & instantiated dynamically. SDC may assumed instantiation of network function.

PNF cannot be instantiated, a PNF is only instantiated when it “powers up” and connects to ONAP. Service Orchestration. PNF is instantiated by nature of a PNF installation & commission procedure.

Service Orchestration

VNF cloud, #VM resources consumption, define components implement different functions. Where & What will be deployed.

Physical location, pre-provisioned capabilities, performance monitoring. Components installed. RUs for specific functions.

Resources

VNF dynamically assigned resources.

PNF statically associated (hardware) resources.

Capacity

VNF Capacity can be dynamically changed

PNF is static (number of cells supported)