This is part 2 of a 2-part series.
In part 1 of the series, we discussed the challenges communication service providers (CSPs) face today and how VMware Telco Cloud Platform addresses those challenges through multi-tenancy. We showcased the integration of VMware NSX and VMware Cloud Director and set up “Organizations” in VMware Cloud Director for creating a multi-tenant setup. In this part, we integrate VMware Cloud Director with VMware Telco Cloud Automation to manage the VNF and CNF lifecycle using a single platform. We instantiate a sample VNF and CNF to showcase the power of VMware Telco Cloud Platform using multi-tenancy.
Configure VMware Telco Cloud Automation
VMware Telco Cloud Automation provides multi-tenancy using a logical construct called “Tenant” allowing each customer availing the CSP’s platform services, their own logically isolated environment for managing their network functions.
- The CSP starts by creating users using VMware vSphere’s RBAC for each customer to access VMware Telco Cloud Automation. This is achieved by logging in to VMware vCenter and navigating to Administration > Users and Groups > Groups > Add and provide a name for the group and click on Add.
Figure 1: Add a new RBAC User Group to VMware vCenter
Figure 2: User Group created for each customer
- The next step is to create a user for each customer. This can be performed by navigating to Users > Add and providing the required details.
Figure 3: Add a new User to vSphere
Figure 4: Users created for each customer in VMware vCenter
- This is followed by adding each user into the user group created for each customer.
- Once the users are created in VMware vCenter, the CSP logs in to VMware Telco Cloud Automation and creates a tenant for each customer by navigating to Authorization > Tenants > Create and providing the tenant name, selecting VMware vCenter as the identity provider, clicking on Add Tenant Admin, followed by selecting the required privileges and assigning it to the VMware vSphere user group created for the customer earlier as shown in figures 5 and 6.
Figure 5: Selecting the roles for tenant admin
Figure 6: Selecting the user group created in VMware vSphere
Figure 7: A tenant created for each customer in VMware Telco Cloud Automation
- The next step performed by the CSP is onboarding each VMware Cloud Director Organization into VMware Telco Cloud Automation as a VIM. This is performed by navigating to Virtual Infrastructure > Add and selecting VMware Cloud Director followed by providing the required details along with the user created in the previous step.
Figure 8: Add VMware Cloud Director Organization as VIM in VMware Telco Cloud Automation
Figure 9: Both customer organizations onboarded as VIM in VMware Telco Cloud Automation
- The next step involves sharing access of each organization VIM to the respective customer tenants by clicking on the ellipses next to each organization VIM and selecting Share followed by selecting the specific tenant along with the access level.
Figure 10: Sharing access of organization VIM to specific tenant in VMware Telco Cloud Automation
In this demo, a common VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid management cluster has been used across both customers. An alternate deployment option is to create separate management clusters in each customer tenant.
- Once the management cluster is shared with both customers, each customer logs in to their tenant in VMware Telco Cloud Automation and creates a workload cluster by navigating to CaaS Infrastructure > Deploy Cluster > Workload Cluster and providing the required details. The customer associates the management cluster shared from the default tenant by the CSP.
Note: The workload cluster can also be created by the CSP and shared with the customers if the CSP wishes to have more control over workload cluster resource management and improve security.
Figure 11: Workload cluster deployment
Figure 12: Workload cluster deployed successfully for customer A
Figure 13: Workload cluster deployed successfully for customer B
Network function onboarding and instantiation
Now that the infrastructure and CaaS layers are ready to support network function instantiation and lifecycle management, we demonstrate the VNF and CNF instantiation.
For this demo, we assume that the CSP is providing the network function to both customers. However, the customers may also choose to onboard their network functions.
- The CSP navigates to Network Function > Onboard, provides the package name and uploads the VNF CSAR file.
Figure 14: Virtual Network Function onboarding
- Once the VNF is uploaded, the CSP shares the VNF with both customers.
Figure 15: VNF details extracted from CSAR file
- Each customer can then view the VNF in their tenant. Then instantiate it by navigating to Network Function, clicking on the ellipses next to “VNF-Test” network function, and selecting the Instantiate option.
Figure 16: Network function instantiation
- This is followed by selecting the VMware Cloud Director organization VDC associated with the customer, choosing the vApp template method, and selecting the catalog created earlier.
Figure 17: Network Function instantiation details
- Network function properties and inputs are provided by the customer and instantiation is initiated.
Figure 18: Network function properties selection
Network instantiation completes successfully.
Figure 19: VNF instantiated successfully
During instantiation, vApps can be seen being deployed in VMware Cloud Director in the customer’s organization.
Figure 20: vApp creation during VNF instantiation
- The same process is followed by each customer for CNF instantiation. The CSP uploads the CNF and shares it with the customers and they instantiate it by selecting their workload clusters, defining an optional namespace, and providing the repository URL (public or private) where the CNF Helm chart is stored. This is followed by providing a configuration file required for the CNF.
Figure 21: CNF instantiation
Figure 22: CNF instantiated successfully
Conclusion
The procedure laid down in parts 1 and 2 emphasize how CSPs can make use of VMware Telco Cloud Platform to deploy a tiered multi-tenant solution for isolating customer environments to support the instantiation and lifecycle management of VNFs and CNFs. This allows CSPs to make the most out of their physical infrastructure and reduce their TCO while providing flexible resource scaling, improved resource efficiency, and an enhanced security posture for their customers.
To know more about VMware Telco Cloud Platform, visit telco.vmware.com.
