Managing Hybrid Networks: A Layered Approach

It will become clear from this report that the simplicity of this interconnection is grossly misleading. The challenge of managing services and network performance, across what has become a hybrid network, is far more complex and difficult than it appears on paper. Another reality that should become clear is that life will continue to change for technicians, as network operations centers begin to stow their manual MOPs, and learn to accept the necessary evil of automation. For the purposes of this report, a hybrid network is one that includes legacy-based physical core and edge infrastructure and support software; as well as a combination of NFV, SDN and cloud network technologies; and management and orchestration architectures. More simply, it is a combination of physical network functions (PNFs) and virtual network functions (VNFs).