If telecom operators or enterprises were to build their networks from scratch today, they would likely build them as software-defined resources, similar to Google or Facebook’s infrastructure. That’s the premise of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV).
NFV is a once in a generation disruption that will completely transform how networks are built and operated. And, OPNFV is a leading open source NFV project that aims to accelerate the adoption of this technology.
Are you a telecom operator or connected enterprise employee wondering which open source projects might help you with your NFV transformation initiatives? Or a technology vendor attempting to position your products and services in the new NFV world? Or perhaps an engineer, network operator or business leader wanting to progress your career using open source projects (case in point, in 2013 Rackspace stated that network engineers with OpenStack skills made, on average, 13 percent more salary than their counterparts)? If any of this applies to you, the Understanding OPNFV book is a perfect resource for you.
In 11 easy-to-read chapters and over 144 pages, this book (written by Nick Chase from Mirantis and me) covers an entire range of topics from an overview of NFV, NFV transformation, all aspects of the OPNFV project, to VNF onboarding. After reading this book, you will have an excellent high-level understanding of what OPNFV is and how it can help you or your organization. This book is not specifically meant for developers, though it may be useful for background information. If you are a developer looking to get involved in a specific OPNFV project as a contributor, then wiki.opnfv.org is still the best resource for you.