Two emerging technology trends credited with enabling this switch and the subject of much discussion at the moment are Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). In the new digital world, both technologies are perceived by service providers as tools for reducing CAPEX and OPEX, increasing the flexibility and configurability of networks, and reducing time to market for new services. In order to adapt to the situation, the network needs to become more application aware and should be able to communicate the needs of applications to the network infrastructure. 

With SDN, together with network programmability functions, communication between the network and upper-layer applications becomes bidirectional. Consequently, transparent traffic flows can be managed across the entire network, without specific knowledge on switching and routing protocols. Resource usage is always under control and infrastructure management becomes easy and cost-effective. NFV, meanwhile, is largely driven by the convergence of cloud computing and traditional telecommunications networks, with the benefits including reduced operator CAPEX and OPEX, through reduced equipment costs and reduced power consumption; reduced time-to-market to deploy new network services; improved return on investment from new services; and greater flexibility to scale up, scale down or evolve services. It also opens the virtual appliance market and pure software entrants, as well as opportunities to trial and deploy new innovative services with lower risk.

Regardless of the great potential both NFV and SDN hold, though, both technologies are still very much in their infancy, with use cases limited. As a result, standardisation is lacking, leading to problems with interoperability. Unless the industry comes together to develop these technologies in a measured way then their potential may remain unrealised with the technologies heading in the way of IMS – lots of investment but ten years on still no widespread adoption. To ensure this is not the case, we believe the full NFV and SDN architectures should be developed in cooperation between two or three different companies with different specialisms. So far Italtel, and other vendors, have been able to develop and promote NFV versions of its products but the full picture of NFV orchestration and SDN interaction is much more complex than interlinking different products and a joined up approach is vital for success.

Critical component

In the big picture of Video and Voice over IP, NFV and SDN, as well as working together, another component that is absolutely critical in creating next generation networks is the Session Border Controller (SBC). Originally focused on the borders between two service provider networks in a peering environment, the role of the SBC has now expanded to include significant deployments between a service provider's access network and a backbone network to provide service to residential and enterprise customers. In VoIP networks, they govern the way a phone call is initiated, conducted and terminated.  With such an important role, the future of SBCs should be clear – to continue to be an essential piece of the next generation network puzzle. In the new complex digital world, though, this does not seem to be the case. The continuing growth of VoIP networks is pushing SBCs further to the edge and increasing traffic volume, with more and more sessions passing through the SBC and requiring adaptation both of signalling and media streams. Therefore intelligent functions such as SIP manipulation, interworking with WebRTC and adaptive dynamic media transcoding are becoming key features.  Flexibility  of deployment of hybrid infrastructures (pre-NFV/–NFV) also constitutes an additional value. As a result of this change in demand, most major softswitch vendors are not ready to address SBCs as a strategic part of their next-generation network plans, according to research carried out by Heavy Reading.

So, is it game over for the SBC? While innovation does sometimes mean replacing old products with new, I believe it is a mistake to discount SBCs. Increasing traffic and data does not call for elimination, but evolution in the capacity, complexity and intelligence of the box, which is distinctive in that it is completely capable of this. Indeed, evidence of this can already be seen. The marketplace now offers cloud-enabled SBCs that use SDN and NFV technologies and are capable of managing and securing voice, video and multimedia IP sessions at the border of enterprises and service providers’ networks.