Glossary
Glossary
Networking and Communications
Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
Commercial off-the-shelf or commercially available off-the-shelf[1] (COTS) satisfy the needs of the purchasing organization, without the need to commission custom-made, or bespoke, solutions.
Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM)
Virtual Network Functions
Network functions virtualization (also Network function virtualization or NFV is a network architecture concept that uses the technologies of IT virtualization to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create communication services. NFV relies upon, but differs from, traditional server-virtualization techniques, such as those used in enterprise IT. A virtualized network function, or VNF, may consist of one or more virtual machines running different software and processes, on top of standard high-volume servers, switches and storage devices, or even cloud computing infrastructure, instead of having custom hardware appliances for each network function. Wikipedia
Virtual Network Functions Manager
VNFM
Virtual Network Functions Orchestrators
The NFV orchestrator (NFVO) is a key component of the NFV-MANO (network functions virtualization management and orchestration) architectural framework, which helps standardize the functions of virtual networking to increase interoperability of software-defined networking (SDN) elements. The NFVO performs resource orchestration and network service orchestration, as well as other functions. The NFVO is a central component of an NFV-based solution. It binds together different functions to create an end-to-end, resource-coordinated service in an otherwise dispersed NFV environment. Wikipedia
vCPE (Virtual Customer Premises Equipment)
Virtual customer premises equipment (vCPE) is a way to deliver network services such as routing, firewall security and virtual private network connectivity to enterprises by using software rather than dedicated hardware devices. By virtualizing CPE, providers can dramatically simplify and accelerate service delivery, remotely configuring and managing devices and allowing customers to order new services or adjust existing ones on demand.
A CPE device is telecommunications hardware located at the home or business of a customer. Such equipment might include cable or satellite television set-top boxes, digital subscriber line (DSL) or other broadband Internet routers, VoIP base stations, telephone handsets or other customized hardware used by a particular telecommunications service provider.
vBRAS (Virtual Broadband Remote Access Servers)
vEPC (Virtual Evolved Packet Core)
Virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) is a framework for virtualizing the functions required to converge voice and data on 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks. vEPC moves the core network's individual components that traditionally run on dedicated hardware to software that operates on low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers.
OSS/BSS
In telecommunications, stands for Operations Support System/Business Support System. The two systems, operated together by telecommunications service providers, are used to support a range of telecommunication services. Wikipedia
Multi-Access Edge Computing
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) is a network architecture concept that enables cloud computing capabilities and an IT service environment at the edge of the cellular network. The basic idea behind MEC is that by running applications and performing related processing tasks closer to the cellular customer, network congestion is reduced and applications perform better. MEC technology is designed to be implemented at the cellular base stations, and enables flexible and rapid deployment of new applications and services for customers. Combining elements of information technology and telecommunications networking, MEC also allows cellular operators to open their radio access network (RAN) to authorized third-parties, such as application developers and content providers. Wikipedia
Radio Access Networks
RAN
SOAP
SOAP (originally Simple Object Access Protocol) is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services in computer networks. Its purpose is to induce extensibility, neutrality and independence. It uses XML Information Set for its message format, and relies on application layer protocols, most often Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), for message negotiation and transmission. Wikipedia
Bare Metal Provisioning
Open Network Automation Platform
Design
Orchestration
Control
Policy
Analytics
Cloud Virtualization Platform
VMware
VMware vSphere (formerly VMware Infrastructure 4) is VMware's cloud computing virtualization platform. Wikipedia
VMware ESXi (formerly ESX) is an enterprise-class, type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware for deploying and serving virtual computers. As a type-1 hypervisor, ESXi is not a software application that is installed on an operating system (OS); instead, it includes and integrates vital OS components, such as a kernel. Wikipedia VMware VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) is VMware, Inc.'s clustered file system used by the company's flagship server virtualization suite, vSphere. It was developed to store virtual machine disk images, including snapshots. Multiple servers can read/write the same filesystem simultaneously while individual virtual machine files are locked. VMFS volumes can be logically "grown" (non-destructively increased in size) by spanning multiple VMFS volumes together. Wikipedia
Citrix
Citrix Systems, Inc. is an American multinational software company that provides server, application and desktop virtualization, networking, software as a service (SaaS), and cloud computing technologies. It was founded in Richardson, Texas in 1989 by Ed Iacobucci, who served as chairman until his departure in 2000. Wikipedia
LOB
Line of Business (LOB) Example
Non-uniform memory access
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
play a critical role in the seemingly immediate content access that users experience today by establishing POPs
Points of Presence (POPs)
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