Software Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualization for Converged Access‐Metro Networks

This chapter describes how new 5G requirements are shaping the architectural design process, through the convergence of both data and control planes of the access and metro networks. It provides a brief introduction of the techno‐economic challenges posed by 5G's key performance indicators of large increase in capacity, number of devices, network reliability, and decrease in network latency. The chapter discusses the solutions that use wavelength switching in the optical access‐metro network to dynamically provide capacity to 5G mobile base stations from different computation centers in the metro area. It describes the main software elements being developed for the control and management of the network. Orchestration is the coordination of resources across a number of domains, disciplines and timescales so as to provision and maintain an end‐to‐end service. MANO is one such European Telecommunications Standards Institute project, for the management and orchestration of software‐defined networks and network function virtualization.