NFV
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Networking
| Stands for | Network functions virtualization |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
NFV stands for Network functions virtualization, a networking abbreviation.
Runs network services such as firewalls, load balancers, routers and mobile core functions as software on standard servers instead of dedicated appliances. Telecom operators adopted it to launch services faster and cut hardware costs.
Example: The operator replaced racks of firewall appliances with NFV instances on commodity servers.
Usage notes
Launched by a 2012 white paper from a group of telecom operators working through ETSI, the European standards body. NFV and SDN are complementary: NFV virtualizes the functions, while SDN programs how traffic flows between them. 5G mobile cores are designed around virtualized, cloud-native network functions.
Related abbreviations
More networking abbreviations
- MSS – Maximum segment size
- MTA – Mail transfer agent
- MTU – Maximum transmission unit
- MX – Mail exchanger (record)
- NAT – Network Address Translation
- NFS – Network File System
- NOC – Network operations center
- NS – Name server (record)
- NTP – Network Time Protocol
- OSI – Open Systems Interconnection (model)
- OSPF – Open Shortest Path First
- P2P – Peer-to-peer