Leveraging NetworkVirtualization forFuture ICT Converged NetworkFuture ICT Converged Network

Alex Jinsung Choi, EVP, Head of ICT R&D Division, SK Telecom

Q. LTE subscribers and penetration rate in SK Telecom?

19 Mil39% CAGR

A. 39% CAGR increase in LTE subscribers and 48% market share

SK Telecom Drives LTE/LTE-A in Korean Market

2011

0.6 Mil

2012

7 Mil10 Mil

2013.4 2013 2014 2015

Launchedin July 2011

14 Mil

17 Mil39% CAGR(2012-2015)

26%

LTE %

37%

3%

53%

65%

73%

ChallengesSKT is transforming the network against mobile data traffic explosion>> Traditional approach: Physical-layer innovation

Mobile Data Traffic Growth Dramatic increase of mobile traffic - Data traffic surges due to the increasing number of smartphone users and the spread of LTE

Network Evolution for Higher Capacity Exploiting heterogeneous network portfolio to

support explosively growing data Topology reshaping with small cells is on-going-Need lots of investment and time-Network complexity grows exponentially

0.4PB

2.2PB

3.5PB

5.7PB

7.1PB

19.2PB

40.3PB

53.3 PB

65.5PB

`10.8 `10.12 `11.3 `11.6 `11.9 `12.9 `13 `14 `15

Petabyte/Month

Year

Petabyte/Month

3G unlimited

data plan

(10.8.16)

LTE

(11.7.1)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

HSPA+3FA

6 SectorW-SCAN

MCCumulative Capacity GrowthLTE

WCDMA

Wi-Fi, Femtocells

Time

2011.7

2012.7

2010.7

-Network complexity grows exponentially

Computing Evolution- It allows IT infra techniques to be extensively used even for network technologiesTelecommunication infrastructure become more like IT infrastructure

IT Cloud

Computing Evolution for ICT Convergence N/W

(Data Center)Network ?

Software defines functions in telecommunication networks

Infrastructural Innovation is InspiredBoth SDN and NFV help to build the network that has the potential

to increase operator agility, reduce the costs, and disrupt the vendor landscape

Encourages innovationand competiveness

Open, flexible, and innovative networking Cost-effective and efficient infrastructureVirtualized Network Functions

PE Router

P-GW/S-GW

Software-Defined Networking Network Functions Virtualization

Innovative Network Apps and competiveness

among 3rd Parties

CapEx/OpEx saving

Data Plane

Control Plane Open Standards

DPI

Firewall

CDN

WAN Accelerator

PE Router

P-GW/S-GW

CG-NAT

Standard/High-Volume Servers

Standard/High-Volume Storage

Standard/High-Volume Switches

Orchestrated,Automatic & Remote Install

Network Appsfrom 3rd Parties

Harnessing the Transformative Nature of SDN/NFV

Migration to the efficient and extremely efficient alternative to the legacy

Vendor-specific H/W, Lack of Scalability and Flexibility,

Limited Intelligence

Virtualized,Service-Oriented and Flexible Network

Legacy Network Software and Cloud-based Network

RU#1

RU#2

RU#N

#1

#2

#N

Internet

EPC DPI Video

Opt.

CDN

Access Network Core Network

DU Pool (A-SCAN)

RU#1

RU#2

RU#N

Internet

DU #N

DU #1

DU #2

S/W

IMS

EPC

Video Opt.

DPI

CDN

TCP Opt.

S/W

Orchestrator

SDN/Cloud Controller

Analytics

Platform

Analytics-based Control

GPP, Standard H/W

Web Accel.

PCRF

Carrier Cloud Managed by SDN

A Small Start: SDN-Enabled Dynamic VAS Platform

SGi/Gi Service Network

Device

InternetEPC

SDN Network

On Context A

SDN

Controller

SDN/NFV provide a highly scalable and flexible middle-box networkingfor the network optimization and service innovation

As-Is To-Be

SDN minimizes the time-to-market of new innovative servicesNetwork congestion-aware traffic optimizationApplication-aware dynamic traffic managementPersonalized and dynamic value-add services (VAS) will be realized

Lack of Scalability: most traffic passes through every in-line service nodeHuge capital investment is indispensable against unpredictable data explosion

Lack of flexibility: manual & static policy control & enforcementLack of flexibility and agilityOperational complexity grows fast

Device

InternetEPC

Device

Internet

On Context A

On Context C

EPC

On Context B

Dedicated appliances performing

specific network functions

Virtualized network functions

running on standard H/W

MNO's Requirements: 3GPP CompliancyFor the seamless integration with mobile networks, 3GPP-compliancy,

subscriber-awareness, service-awareness and controllability should be devised

MME PCRFS1-MMES6a

DPI?? ?

HSS

UE Internet

Core Network

eNode-B

RAN

S1-U

S11 Gx

S-GWData Plane

SGiP-GWData Plane

SDN Protocol

SDN

Control Plane

SDNControllerS/P-GW

Control Plane

For those features, standards got left behind, and vendor-specific/vendor-isolated solutions are raging

MNO's Requirements: Performance & ReliabilityOperators expect 100% reliability and availability, and deterministic performance:

Those requirements should be collected, and reflected in the technology

Pipe functionseNodeB, P-GW or DPI requires high-performance data plane (packet processing), 100% reliability & availability, and extremely low latency

Transaction10000CPS

Virtualization Requirements

availability, and extremely low latency performance.

Control functions SON, MME, PCRF or CSCF, that controls pipe workloads, requires high-performance signal processing as well as near 100% reliability & availability

Services functionsSMS/MMS, IMS AS or CDN that provides telecoms value-add services (Similar to trivial IT workloads)

Latency

Throughput

Availability100%

100Gbps

50ms

5000CPS

99.99%

Service

Control

Pipe

1ms1Gbps

Concluding Remarks

Networking paradigm shift is just around the corner SKT is transforming the network to support the mobile data traffic explosion SDN/NFV will help operators to build more efficient and economic network

Mind the Gap: for the success of SDN and NFV in the wild, Viable use cases should be collected The technology should address the MNO-specific requirements The technology should address the MNO-specific requirements Lessons learned from Proof-of-Concept and Pilots will be shared

Remaining question: Has the eco-system got ready? Carrier-grade and innovative applications by 3rd parties must be encouraged andsupplied for the open innovation