The CNCF CNF Testbed provides reference code and test comparisons for running the same networking code packaged as containers (Cloud native Network Functions or CNFs) on Kubernetes and as virtual machines (Virtual Network Functions or VNFs) on OpenStack.
Status: The CNF Testbed is not a CNCF-hosted project. Instead, it is an initiative to create a repeatable, apples-to-apples testbed that telcos and telecoms vendors can use to evaluate how CNF architectures compare to more traditional VNF ones.
Note: The CNF Testbed is still in the prototype stage. Additional reference code and benchmarking tests will be added incrementally.
The CNF Testbed will help facilitate the transition in the NFV world from virtualized hardware running network functions to lightweight, network functions following cloud-native methodologies running on Kubernetes in public, private, or hybrid clouds.
The reference code and comparisons from the CNF Testbed support the claim that CNFs orchestrated by Kubernetes will provide 3 major benefits to service providers:
- Cost savings (capex/opex)
- Improved resiliency
- Higher development velocity
The ideal outcome of the CNF Testbed is that a third party developer can run the provided CNF reference code/benchmarking tests with an API key and a couple of CLI commands. Furthermore, a developer can re-use some or all of the software in their own environment with minimal, or at least isolated modifications.
Please review this slide deck.
The CNF Testbed includes the following high-level goals:
- Comparing Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) vs. Cloud-native Network Functions (CNFs)
- Providing easily reproducible test cases and use cases
- Providing Helm Charts for CNFs
- Using 100% open source software
- Supporting automated deployment from bare-metal up
- Building the software in working, composable parts
So far the project has been focused on provisioning the infrastructure to support data plane CNF test cases that would be of interest to a service provider. This includes building up from minimal, single NFs running on KVM and Docker to OpenStack and K8s.
Events and recurring testing:
- (recurring) Baseline NF Performance on Packet
- (recurring) Baseline NF Performance on CSIT
- Mellanox Chained IP Routers: OpenStack & K8s
- Kubecon NA 2019 Chained IP Routers
- Box-by-box KVM and Docker
Are you interested in contributing to CNFs? We, the maintainers and community, would love your suggestions, contributions, and help! Please email [email protected] or open an issue or pull request if you have questions or suggestions.
What this means:
Issues
- Point out issues that are duplicates, out of date, etc.
Pull Requests
- Read and review the code. Leave comments, questions, and critiques.
- Download, compile, and run the code and make sure the tests pass.
- Also verify that the test cases follow best architectural patterns and include tests.
The CNF Testbed BoF meets on the first and third Mondays of the month at 8AM PT (USA and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/297749799
Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 877 369 0926 US Toll-free +1 855 880 1246 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 297 749 799
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acX94Wyyaj
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Next meeting: An in-person CNF Testbed BoF will be scheduled during Open Networking Summit in San Jose, CA (Date/Location TBD).
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Next zoom meeting: Monday, April 15th at 8AM PT
Upcoming and past meeting agenda/notes are available here.
https://slack.cncf.io/ - #cnf
Wednesday, April 3 • 10:30am - 12:00pm - Tutorial: Driving Telco Performance with the Cloud Native Network Function (CNF) Testbed - Sponsored by Cloud Native Computing Foundation (Pre-registration required)
Wednesday, April 3 • 3:50pm - 4:20pm - Works on My Machine: How to Validate Performance of VNFs and CNFs in a Reproducible Testbed - W. Watson, Vulk Cooperative & Denver Williams
TBD - In-person CNF Testbed BoF
Thursday, May 23 • 11:05am - 12:30pm - Intro + Deep Dive BoF: Cloud Native Network Functions (CNF) Testbed - Dan Kohn, CNCF & Taylor Carpenter, Vulk Coop
Two Birds-of-a-Feather (BoF) sessions covered aspects of the CNF Testbed.
Deep Dive: Using CNCF Cross-Cloud CI with CNFs – Denver Williams & Taylor Carpenter, Vulk Coop
Intro: Cloud Native Network Functions BoF - Dan Kohn, Cloud Native Computing Foundation