Network functions virtualization is a fast evolving area of expertise in telecommunications. There is a yearly increase in investments in the development of NFV hardware and software. Network functions virtualization promises to reduce operational and capital expenses, make networks more scalable and lead to faster returns on investments. To achieve all these gains, area management and orchestration need to be addressed.
In the beginning of the given thesis network functions virtualization architectural framework is presented. Descriptions are provided for all functional blocks, including their roles and the reference points that connect them. In continuation, detailed descriptions are laid out regarding network functions virtualization management and orchestration specifications as proposed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
In the fourth chapter there is an overview of the current status of all open source initiatives available that explore management and orchestration of network functions virtualization.
At the end there is a presentation of my findings in testing three selected open source projects. In conclusion, a comparison of the three is made along with a discussion on the development progress of each project and what remains to be improved.
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