The ultimate promise of NFV will only be realized with new network function software systems that are designed from the ground up to exploit the power of the cloud: so called “cloud native”. 5G infrastructures, for example, are crying out for a radical new approach to NFV. The far greater capacity provided by the 5G RAN will drive up traffic volumes dramatically, but with no increase in ARPU, necessitating steep reductions in cost per bit.
This white paper covers what it’s like to work with CNFs versus VNFs from an operations standpoint, why the cloud native approach is so superior, and how fixed line and mobile network operators can make a successful transition from VNFs to CNFs.