Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV); Virtualisation Requirements

The present document specifies the requirements that Telecommunications operations put on Network Functions Virtualisation in order to consolidate network equipment, belonging to fixed and mobile networks, onto industry standard high volume servers, switches and storage, which could be located in N-PoPs, Network Nodes and in end user premises.
 
The present document addresses the requirements in the following areas:

• Portability/Interoperability
• Performance
• Management and Orchestration
• Elasticity
• Security
• Resiliency
• Network Stability
• Service Continuity
• Operations
• Energy Efficiency
• Migration and co-existence with existing platforms

The present document addresses the requirements to facilitate the assignment of infrastructure resources to virtual network functions. Specific NFV requirements will focus primarily on the differences introduced by the Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) process, and not on aspects of the Network Functions (NF) interfaces, protocols and management that are identical whether the implementation is physical or virtual.