Software Defined Network Function Virtualization Framework for Securing Cloud to Edge IoT and 5G Networks

Abstract

Software-Defined-Networking(SDN)has brought a new paradigm for networking and the programmability allows efficient implementation of new functions for modern networks,with dynamically evolving requirements. SDN has solved crucial problems in management, scalability and through de-coupled control plane brings in flexibility with programmable forwarding devices. Network Function Virtualization (NFV) paradigm virtualizes the networking functions (similar to the hypervisors for computing functions) and deploys the entire suite of networking services as Virtual Machines(VMs). SDN promises greater flexibility for directing packet flows, and NFV promises to enable dynamic management of software-based network functions. There are different approaches to applying these enabling technologies, such as shaping the traffic in a network to define paths programmatically, isolating unsecured network devices, controlling the packets trajectory to go through a device or a chain of network function services and so on. The softwarization of the network has enabled the modern virtualized datacenters, the ability and toolset to efficiently manage the traffic dynamics and respond to cyber-attacks and to enable proactive Intrusion-Prevention filters at vantage points. Both SDN/NFV are complementary modern networking paradigms however, the joint use of SDN/NFV for enabling scalability and security is still at a nascent level and research is underway. While SDN has been shown to be highly beneficial, some of its core features (e.g.de-coupling of control/data plane) opens up several attack vectors for disrupting the network operations and compromising the security. Also, the current divide between an intelligent control plane and an overly simple, stateless data plane results in the inability to exploit the flexibility of a software-based network.The enforcement of policy decisions and service chaining of Network Functions pose challenges in large scale networks both inside datacenters and across the wide area networks and current SDN