What is NFV MANO?
MANO a MANO
Management and orchestration (MANO) is a key element of the ETSI network functions virtualization (NFV) architecture. MANO is an architectural framework that coordinates network resources for cloud-based applications and the lifecycle management of virtual network functions (VNFs) and network services. As such, it is crucial for ensuring rapid, reliable NFV deployments at scale. MANO includes the following components: the NFV orchestrator (NFVO), the VNF manager (VNFM), and the virtual infrastructure manager (VIM).
Orchestrating the cloud
An essential characteristic of effective NFV orchestrators is how easy they make it to onboard new VNFs. With an effective MANO architecture, onboarding is straightforward and can be performed by a telco operator without the involvement of the orchestrator supplier. Other key MANO challenges include addressing operations issues to enable scalability and security in multi-tenant scenarios, and ensuring easy migration to the latest versions of VNFs. Automation is also an essential goal for NFV orchestrators that need to integrate with OSS and BSS systems and support external VNF managers.
An essential characteristic of effective NFV orchestrators is how easy they make it to onboard new VNFs ...
Don’t forget the M in MANO
On the management side, achieving scalability requires simplified deployment and management of NFV infrastructure. MANO solutions must provide the ability to upgrade NFVI infrastructure software easily, and to revert back when required. They also need to fit into standard networking and security models and ensure security across each layer. Finally they need to clearly separate design versus deployment tasks to reflect the realities of telco operation. For us in the ADVA Ensemble team, one of the big benefits of having been at the MANO game longer than most is the lessons we’ve learned and applied to our MANO solution. As a result, our architecture and software provide a simple and risk-free path to the benefits of NFV.
