ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses service platforms that support end-to-end service implementations in an IP network. Examples of these platforms include the IMS—IP Multimedia Subsystem-based platforms [1] that support Voice over LTE (VoLTE), Rich Communication Services (RCS) including video and messaging, consumer Voice over IP (VoIP) services, and Business VoIP (BVoIP) service platforms, which support business customers, and the EPC—Evolved Packet Core [2], which supports mobility voice and data services. The current implementations of service platforms are mostly based on proprietary equipment provided by vendors. SDN and NFV are the key technologies that enable addressing many of the problems with the current implementations. A design framework that uses software defined networking (SDN)/network function virtualization (NFV) to enable new solutions and virtualized implementations of service platforms under SDN control, is described in this chapter. In addition, the chapter also discusses the skills and methodologies pivot needed to implement service designs that use SDN/NFV.
