Which of the following network types allows the addition of new features through the use of network function virtualization?

A Software-Defined Network (SDN) is an architecture that decouples the network control plane from the data forwarding plane, enabling the network to be programmatically controlled. This programmability is the key mechanism that allows for the dynamic addition of new features. Network Function Virtualization (NFV) complements SDN by virtualizing network functions (e.g., firewalls, routers, load balancers) so they can run as software on standard servers. An SDN architecture provides the ideal framework to manage, orchestrate, and chain these virtualized network functions, allowing new features to be deployed rapidly through software rather than by installing new physical hardware.

A. Local area network: This term defines a network by its limited geographical scope (e.g., an office), not by an architecture that inherently supports adding virtualized functions.
B. Wide area network: This term defines a network by its broad geographical scope (e.g., across cities), not by its design for programmatic control and feature addition.
C. Storage area network: This is a specialized network dedicated to providing block-level access to storage devices; it is not designed for general-purpose network services virtualized via NFV.

1. European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). (2014). Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV); Architectural Framework (ETSI GS NFV 002 V1.2.1). Section 4.2

"Relationship between NFV and Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

" explains that SDN and NFV are complementary

with SDN being a potential technology to control and route traffic between virtualized network functions.

2. Nunes

B. A. A.

Mendonca

M.

Nguyen

X. N.

Obraczka

K.

& Turletti

T. (2014). A survey of software-defined networking: Past

present

and future of programmable networks. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials

16(3)

1617-1634. Section IV.A

"Network Virtualization

" discusses how SDN's abstraction enables the creation of virtual networks and the deployment of network functions. https://doi.org/10.1109/SURV.2014.012214.00001

3. Kreutz

D.

Ramos

F. M.

Veríssimo

P. E.

Rothenberg

C. E.

Azodolmolky

S.

& Uhlig

S. (2015). Software-defined networking: A comprehensive survey. Proceedings of the IEEE

103(1)

14-76. Section V

"Use Cases and Opportunities

" details how the SDN architecture facilitates the deployment of middleboxes and other network functions as software services. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2014.2371999