Open Networking Foundation extending OpenFlow SDN to wireless, mobile

The non-profit Open Networking Foundation (ONF) announced the creation of a new working group to create architectural frameworks encompassing different elements of OpenFlow-based or OpenFlow-oriented wireless and mobile network domains.

Serge Manning huawei

Manning

Serge Manning, Huawei's senior manager for corporate standards, was named chair of the ONF Wireless and Mobile Working Group, whose mission is to help foster the adoption of OpenFlow and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies in the wireless and mobile industries. Manning contributes to the ONF's Market Education Committee and last year co-authored an ONF solution brief on OpenFlow-enabled mobile and wireless networks.

"With the exponential growth of mobile data, there is an inherent need to simultaneously operate over multiple wireless technologies. By studying the open SDN requirements of wireless and mobile networks, OpenFlow and related ONF endeavors can be enhanced to bring even greater benefit to this space," said Dan Pitt, ONF executive director.

The working group has three initial projects on its agenda: mobile packet core, wireless backhaul and integrated fixed/wireless operation in the enterprise.

ONF was launched in 2011 by Deutsche Telekom, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and Yahoo. It now has more than 100 members.

For more:
- see this ONF release

Related articles:
NFV plus SDN: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
Informa: SDN, virtualization will first be applied to network core 
OSS hinders SDN rollout
SDN will be 2014's biggest network trend, says Strategy Analytics
ONF counts 100 members backing its SDN advocacy effort
Survey: U.S. mobile operators helping drive SDN adoption 
SDN's adoption in mobile ramping up quickly
SDN, OpenFlow to spell the end of complex ASICs
SDN bringing virtualization to a network near you