5G Cloud and Virtualization
Course Overview
In the rapidly evolving landscape of telecommunications, the intersection of 5G technology with cloud computing and virtualization has ushered in a new era of connectivity and innovation. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the symbiotic relationship between 5G and these cutting-edge technologies, and is designed to equip participants with a deep understanding of how cloud computing and virtualization synergize with 5G networks to drive the next generation of digital transformation.
Target Audience
- Professionals working in Communication Service Providers
- Radio and Packet Core Engineers
- Managers
- Project Managers
- IP Engineers
- Packet Core Engineers
- Technical Product Managers
- Technical Marketing Officials
- Technical Strategy Officials
- IT Managers
- C-Level Decision Makers & Executives
Duration & Training Format
- Classroom: 5 days
- LIVE Virtual*: 35 hours
*Note:
- A minimum of 6 or more participants are required for a company-based LIVE Virtual course to commence
- LIVE Virtual courses can be conducted for 5 hours or 7 hours daily. Please note that the number of training days will be extended if you opt for 5 hours daily.
Upcoming Course Dates
24 – 28 Feb 2025 (Mon – Fri), GMT +08:00
If you are keen on attending the above scheduled course, please register your interest via our course enquiry form.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand core concepts of virtualization, cloud computing, virtualization of network elements
- Discuss and compare the main global initiatives on Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)
- Understand why NFV offers extraordinary potential to enhance the delivery of carrier and enterprise network services
- Be able to explain the revolution in Cloud, Virtualization, NFV, SDN, OpenFlow, OpenStack, and other cloud computing technologies (e.g. Containers, Kubernetes)
- Describe the key benefits of SDN, the separation of data and control planes
- Explain network virtualization and describe NFV reference architecture
- Describe techniques used for verification and debugging of SDNs
- Describe NFV components and how they work together
- Explain how to create new network services using Cloud and NFV
- Describe the role and functionality of middleboxes in networks and how they are managed
- Describe architecture and operation of the SDN-based 5G RAN and Core
- Describe applications of NFV and the value they bring
- Understand the evolution from vNFs to CNFs and to FaaS
- Describe 5G Orchestration, Service Chaining and other related techniques
- Be able to discuss how VoNR, Slicing and other services & operations will operate in the 5G cloud
- Discuss SDN / NFV attack vectors and security best practices
- Describe The Third Network and Automated Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO)
- Hands-on understanding of NFV onboarding, management and orchestration
- Hands-on understanding of cloud stack operation
Course Outline
- Fundamentals of Cloud Computing
- The IT ecosystem
- The Telecom Ecosystem
- Why Convergence?
- What is the Cloud?
- Cloud Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, FaaS, XaaS)
- Private, Public, Hybrid, Multi-Cloud
- The Need for Cloud & Virtualization in 5G and beyond
- Present Mobile Networks and their Limitations
- Distributed Control Plane
- Centralised Control Plane
- Introduction to OpenFlow
- Hybrid Control Plane
- NETCONF/YANG
- vSwitches and vAppliances
- Key Benefits of SDN/NFV in Mobile Networks
- SDN/NFV Standardization, Alliances and Global Initiatives (opendaylight, openstack, ETSI, ONF, CloudNFV, ITU, IETF, IRTF, ON.LAB/ONRC, OpenContrail, OVA, OPNFV, OCP, ODCA, ONAP, Open Config, Floodlight, E-Comp, OASIS, TOSCA, OpenMANO, OPEN-O, OIL…)
- Industry Initiatives – Global Network Operators
- Virtualization and Network Virtualization
- Why use Virtualization
- Types of Virtualization (CPU, Network, Storage, Application)
- Introduction to Hypervisors
- Hypervisor Models (QEMU, KVM, XEN, LXC, VMWare…)
- Virtual Switches & Routers (i.e. Open vSwitch)
- Single/Multi-Tenancy
- Migration Strategies
- Cloud Technologies
- Cloud Infrastructure
- Datacenter Architecture
- Cloud Ready vs. Cloud Native
- Monolithic vs. Micro-services Architectures
- OpenStack
- Virtual Machines vs. Containers
- Docker, LCX
- Container Management {Openshift, Kubernetes}
- Acceleration Technologies {SR-IOV, DPDK, Accelerated VMs/Containers}
- 5G Programmable Network Deep Dive
- SDN Framework
- Programmable Network Controller Environment
- Network Programmability
- Case Studies
- 5G Network Function Virtualization
- Standardization
- PNF vs. VNF
- NFV Concepts
- vNF, cNFs
- NFV Architecture
- NS Data Model
- Service Access Points Data
- NFV Function Chaining
- Services Engineered Path
- Service Locations and Chaining
- ETSI NFV ISG Models
- Non-ETSI NFV Work
- Example Network Virtualization Functions
- Network Topology and Topological Information Abstraction
- Network Topology
- Traditional Methods
- LLDP
- BGP-TE/LS
- ALTO
- I2RS Topology
- 5G NF Application Lifecycle
- Onboarding
- Instantiation
- Scaling
- E2E MANO
- 5G NR in the Cloud
- SDR vs SDN
- 5G NR Logical Functional Split
- Cloud RAN, E-RAN, V-RAN
- Multi Network Planning
- Inter-Cell Interference Management & Dynamic Offloading
- Edge Caching and CDN
- Topology Discovery
- RAN Slicing
- 5G Mobile Core in the Cloud
- Centralised vs. Decentralised vs. Hybrid Architecture
- Dynamic Management
- Dynamic Provisioning and Orchestration
- Service Chaining & Orchestration
- Resource Optimization for Dynamic Environments
- Customer Edge Switching & UE Multihoming
- Automation to Streamline Operations
- Granular Control and Policy Management
- Meta-Policies
- Network Slicing
- Traffic Steering
- Mobile Traffic Management & ALTO-SDN
- Load Balancing
- QoE Enforcement (QEN)
- Pervasive Monitoring
- Cognitive Network Management and Orchestration
- Cloud-Based Network Operators
- CNO Features
- CNO Architectures
- Cooperation between CNOs and MNOs
- Services & Flexible Business Models
- Advanced vApps
- Security Challenges in 5G Cloud & Virtualization
- Trusted Software Environment
- Trusted Layers
- Security Attack Vectors
- Security Impacts
- Security Best Practices
- Securing the Infrastructure
- Securing the Controller
- Protecting the NFs
- Robust Policy Framework
- DevSecOps
- AI-based Security Management
- Risks with AI-Based Security
Note: A Certificate of Completion will only be issued upon achieving at least 75% attendance for the course.
Pre-requisites
- Reasonable knowledge of core networking and functions
- A basic understanding of IP-based communication is highly recommended
- Experience with IT infrastructure (i.e. Ethernet, Switches, Routers)
- A basic understanding of software principles (i.e. APIs)
- Prior software development experience would be a plus but not required
Basic to Intermediate level programming is required for the “Plus” version of the course.