Network DevOps Solution for Creating New Network Services Minoru Takimoto Hiroaki Komine Kiyoko Tamura Fujitsu has systematized its experience and expertise in DevOps (a portmanteau of “develop- ment” and “operations”) into a cloud solution that integrates products and services on the basis of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV). This Network DevOps Solution provides telecom carriers with network development and operations- management systems and enables them to independently improve their systems and achieve flexible operations management by combining Fujitsu’s network platforms, management sys- tem products, and partner products. Customers can then quickly respond to changing market needs and continuously enhance their service quality. These abilities will be crucial for carri- ers as network users’ needs increasingly diversify and the demand for new network services multiplies in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper outlines this Network DevOps Solution, describes application examples, and discusses future development. 1. Introduction • Network abstraction and modeling An issue now facing telecom carriers is how to • Network virtualization such as SDN and NFV maintain the quality of their network services while • Policy-based network optimization. responding quickly to new needs. In the area of cloud In this paper, we explain the basic ideas behind computing, Fujitsu has put DevOps (a portmanteau the Network DevOps Solution, describe its constituent of “development” and “operations”) into practice as a elements, present an application example and its ef- means of system development that integrates the de- fects, and touch upon future activities. velopment and operations functions. DevOps makes it possible to shorten the time for providing a new service 2. Basic principles from several months to a matter of days. Similarly, the The development (Dev) and operations (Ops) need is growing for providing new network services for lifecycle envisioned in the Network DevOps Solution is the Internet of Things (IoT) era in a prompt and flexible illustrated in Figure 1. As the needs of service users manner. This can be done by leveraging advances in become increasingly diverse, telecom carriers must be software-defined networking (SDN) and network func- able to turn new business ideas into services, respond tions virtualization (NFV). quickly to changes in the market, and take advantage To resolve this issue and meet the needs of service of new business opportunities. They are therefore faced users, Fujitsu has systematized its experience and ex- with the challenge of how to shorten the time required pertise in DevOps into a Network DevOps Solution that for implementing new services. To meet this challenge, supports an integrated lifecycle from service planning we plan to apply the basic principles of DevOps—a best and development to implementation and operation in practice in cloud computing—to the network and speed the creation of new network services. up the entire service lifecycle, as summarized below. The Network DevOps Solution features five key 1) Revolutionize the development process by technologies: switching from development and revision in cal- • Core business systems transformation endar time periods to continuous integration (CI) • Agile development process and tools through the modeling and agile development of 8 FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 8–12 (April 2016) M. Takimoto et al.: Network DevOps Solution for Creating New Network Services network services. operations of a telecom carrier. Each area corresponds 2) Revolutionize the operations process includ- to a Fujitsu product-or-service group. ing development elements by switching from 1) Network platform consisting of products and in- planning and operations based on a previously frastructure such as the FUJITSU Network Virtuora established design to growth-oriented optimiza- series2) announced in 2014. tion based on continual service improvement 2) Network integration and system integration (NI/ (CSI). SI) services already being provided to telecom 3) Enable continuous delivery (CD) by introducing carriers. process automation technology in DevOps and 3) Network service solutions to be provided in accor- automating testing, verification, and implemen- dance with customer needs on top of the above tation. infrastructure. In addition, monitoring, analyzing, and visual- A network integrated control infrastructure, a type izing operating conditions enables information to of software-defi ned networking (SDN), and a network be fed back to the planning of new network services virtualization infrastructure, a type of NFV infrastruc- with the aim of enhancing the customer experience. ture link the individual development and operations The Network DevOps Solution shortens the service lifecycles of network services of telecom carriers. With implementation period by repeating the entire devel- functions that support total customer service, they con- opment and operations lifecycle in an effi cient and safe stitute the core technologies of the network platform. manner. These network platform functions enable information linking and process linking and provide a consistent 3. Constituent elements process chain for creating new services. Fujitsu has developed the FUJITSU Intelligent The aim of the Network DevOps Solution is not Networking and Computing Architecture1) for opti- simply to virtualize the network. It is also to optimize mizing the entire ICT platform on the basis of SDN/ the entire network service lifecycle and thereby increase NFV principles. The Network DevOps Solution applies the value of a telecom carrier’s network, support the the concept of this architecture in particular to wide creation of new services, and increase service revenues. area networks. As shown in Figure 2, it covers three areas based on the lifecycle of the development and Planning Operations policy improvement Service Visualization modeling QoE optimization Design and Development Testing/ Operations Analysis Implementation optimization development (Dev) Verification (Ops) Source NFV orchestrator Operations/ management SDN controller Monitoring Big data analysis Open API & building development environment API: Application programming interface QoE: Quality of experience Continual service Continuous integration (CI) Continuous delivery (CD) improvement (CSI) Figure 1 Lifecycle envisioned in Network DevOps Solution. FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 52, No. 2 (April 2016) 9 M. Takimoto et al.: Network DevOps Solution for Creating New Network Services 4. Application example and effects 2) Modeling of networks (abstraction of devices, The “network service chaining” application shown networks, and services; definition of interfaces in Figure 3 is an example of a new network service and data items) using network virtualization technology. Network ser- 3) Automation of network service installation (pro- vice chaining enables a telecom carrier to add to its gramming using network model in 2) above) existing lineup of leased-line services and data-center 4) Release of network services (release of services cloud services by providing companies with functions on customer portal, etc.). for customer premises equipment (CPE) as on-demand Introducing the principles of the Network DevOps network services. These CPE functions, which com- Solution to the above process can shorten the service panies typically implemented and operated on their implementation period. At the same time, repeating own, include firewalls and load balancers, intrusion a network-operations improvement process enables a prevention systems (IPSs), and intrusion detection telecom carrier to revise rates in conjunction with ser- systems (IDSs). With this service, a telecom carrier can vice level agreements (SLAs), to feed back information minimize capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating to the service modeling process, and to create new ser- expense (OPEX) with respect to their in-house network vices. In this way, a carrier can continuously improve its of CPE. The service also enables it to concentrate its market competitiveness. efforts on its core business and to improve its business agility. The telecom carrier can provide new network 5. Future activities services by using an SDN controller and NFV orchestra- The network and operations system of a telecom tor, including carrier provides services by coordinating equipment 1) Virtualization of network resources (multi-tenant and systems from a variety of vendors. Consequently, to format) increase the customer’s network value while using SDN/ NFV network virtualization technology, “co-creation” of Network MVNO/MVNE core Data center/ Wide area network Optical/Packet service CPE/Security network construction Enterprise VPN infrastructure integrated solutions construction construction management and others Rapid service installation & continuous service improvement NI/SI services Consulting Modeling Development Testing support Implementation Operations Network analysis/ support environment support support Optimization support Source Design/ Testing/ Operations management Resource Operations/ Analysis Lifecycle Planning Development Verification policy & building implementation Monitoring Optimization improvement Network virtualization infrastructure (a type of NFV) Automated Integrated Service Template Lifecycle operations Big data Policy simulation Network platform modeling development management and analysis management testing