Distributed NFV Orchestration in a WMN-Based Disaster Network

This publication deals with distributed NFV orchestration in a WMN-based disaster network. The NFV orchestrator defined by ETSI is designed as a central unit and therefore includes the possibility of a single point of failure. Due to the environment of a disaster, a WMN node hosting this centralized orchestrator might get destroyed at events such as aftershocks resulting in a breakdown of the NFV infrastructure as it cannot be maintained and orchestrated anymore. To eliminate this aspect, requirements for a distributed NFV orchestration are defined. The requirements are categorized into architectural and orchestration specific aspects and are derived from the characteristics of a WMN and the conditions of a disaster environment. A concept for realizing a distributed NFV orchestration in a WMN-based disaster network according to the defined requirements is presented. The architecture consists of five logical layers with each layer fulfilling a specific functionality.