Leading Carrier Ethernet (CE) solution provider, Overture Networks, today announced the real-world simulation tests of its Carrier Ethernet Virtual Network Function (VNF), running on a pure-play Network Function Virtualization (NFV) platform, in a collaboration with Integra, Brocade, Intel and Spirent. A pure-play NFV platform allows VNFs to run on standard servers with no specialized networking hardware.
The service chain performance benchmark tests were done using Brocade Vyatta 5600 vRouter, and Spirent TestCenter Virtual, orchestrated by Overture’s Ensemble Service Orchestrator, with Intel Atom C2000 processor-based servers acting as the VNF hosting platform.
According to Overture, the test results showed zero packet loss throughput for 2 Gigabit ports carrying line-rate IMIX traffic through multiple VNFs, in the pure-play NFV environment.
Prayson Pate, Overture chief technology officer
To achieve line-rate performance using bi-directional traffic on a 1 Gbit/s port, running through multiple VNFs on a server that costs less than $1,000 is a game changer for this industry. A service chain with layer 2 functionality providing this level of performance on this type of machine shows that pure-play NFV can meet even the most demanding carrier-class service provider environments.
Lynn Comp, director of market development for the Intel Network Platforms Group
Reliable performance is a critical consideration as telco service providers evaluate NFV for deployment. Benchmark results such as these demonstrate that cost-effective industry standard servers, based on the Intel architecture and utilizing the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK), can deliver the performance required for carrier-class network environments.
