If you grew up with datcom and telecom, you are a wizard in understanding complex terminologies and a broad range of acronyms. But as cloud takes a more prominent role in network evolution, you will be exposed to a new set of terminologies and abbreviations. Here are a few you might want to master this year:
Everything about the cloud is open. Open source refers to the business model of community developed “free” software where you pay someone for integration assistance and support in combining free components into a useful entity. OpenStack represents an open cloud computing platform used as a base for virtualization. An alternative to existing paid alternatives, OpenDaylight refers to a Linux foundation driven initiative to create an open controller for software defined networking. The interface between control and forwarding layers is called OpenFlow. The biggest challenges you will face is likely in understanding the business model around open software, with the prime benefit the low cost from a “free’ product. But as you learn the business aspects around the model, you will see that the costs come in support and integration and that the real value offered is the increased velocity in open ecosystems.
Hardware and software were once integrated into products and sold as telecom and datacom products. In the cloud future, we will see all required hardware capabilities, such as compute, memory, storage and networking, integrated into PoDs, an abbreviation for point of delivery. Commercial-off-the-shelf or COTS can be used for either hardware or software. In a cloud context for operators, COTS is mostly used to refer to IT server hardware. Cloud servers can be of two types. OEM for Original Equipment Manufacturer and refers to classic IT servers. Original Design Manufacturers, ODM, refers to customized technology where you define the specifications and run the supply chain. The approach used by large global cloud data center operators. The server market is at an inflection point where new architectures are introduced. Classic blade and rack servers are replaced by Rack Scale Architecture or RSA. RSA enables design of hyperscale archictectures to achieve the scale and cost advantages restricted to ODM server solutions in the past.
The point where IT and telecom minds will meet first to shape the new world is for data centers hosting virtualized network functions or VNFs. VNFs are the network functions resulting form a Network Function Virtualization or NFV. It is easy to mix up the two. The software platform for VNFs is standardized by OPNFV, the Open Plaform for Network Function Virtualization. The OPNFV platform represents a superset of OpenStack with carrier grade features additions to support VNF with the same characteristics. The first release of the OPNFV platform, Arno, was introduced in May 2015. OPNFV releases are named after rivers. The OpenStack community uses locations from the most recent summit to guide names. Icehouse, the most recent OpenStack release is named after a street in Hong Kong.
Here are five conversations you want to master in the conversations with your IT peers this fall when outlining your cloud center strategies:
- Understanding the difference between ODM and OEM hardware in a COTS context and why hyperscale architectures is the way to move forward
- Understand the open source business model and the cost drivers around initial systems integration (SI) and recurring SI as part of life cycle management and support. Open source is not free to operate, and the economics around it are different
- Being able to articulate the differences between OpenStack and OPNFV and why the latter is vital for hosting VNFs
- Articulate a clear idea on which hybrid environments you need to manage. Hybrid hardware bridges classic COTS, telecom servers and hyperscale servers. Hybrid execution environments are where OpenStack, OPNFV and commercial environments can co-exist on the same hardware.
- See the application drivers for centralization of non-real-time IT applications, the distribution of VNFs and what it means for you topology strategy.
The shifts we see for cloud represent a move for the datacom, telecom and the IT industry into the new ICT industry. And an essential part of the journey is to bring the best parts and the best players from the old industry into forming the new industry. Old terminologies and old acronyms will be shaped by new as the new market starts to settle in. Because it is not my way or your way, it is a new route we all define in the new market. And as much as it is a new route, it will grow up in a hybrid environment the rest of this decade. Stay tune for more geek speak down the road.
[IWNS]
