nettverksfunksjonsvirtualisering
Nettverksfunksjoner, or network functions, are the operations and services that enable a computer or telecommunications network to transfer, manage, and secure data. They can be implemented in hardware, software, or a mix, and may run on dedicated devices, general purpose servers, or containerized platforms in the cloud. Core functions include routing (determining paths for data), switching (forwarding frames or packets within a network), addressing and name resolution, and session management. Additional functions include quality of service (QoS), firewalling, intrusion prevention, network address translation, load balancing, VPN termination, and DNS services.
In modern networks many functions are provided as virtualized network functions (VNFs) or cloud-native functions (CNFs).
Standards bodies such as IETF and ETSI develop specifications for interfaces, descriptors, and management of network