Milestones of the journey from legacy to cloud-native architecture include:
- Evolution of telecommunications and network design—During the early days of telecommunications, networks relied heavily on hardware-based infrastructure that was centralized in nature. Network functions were tightly coupled with specific physical devices, making introducing changes without manual intervention challenging. As networks expanded in size and complexity, this approach became increasingly rigid and inefficient.
- Transformation with the rise of cloud computing—The advent of cloud computing in the late 1990s and early 2000s revolutionized the management of IT resources. Unlike the traditional model, cloud computing enabled hosting applications and data on virtual machines that could be created, modified, or removed on demand. This breakthrough introduced unprecedented levels of flexibility and scalability to the IT landscape.
- Introducing NFV and SDN—In the 2010s, the principles of cloud computing found their way into the telecommunications industry through Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). NFV implements network functions using software that can run on various hardware platforms. SDN separates the control and forwarding planes of the network, allowing for programmable network control and abstraction of the underlying infrastructure for applications and network services.
- The emergence of the telco cloud—The combination of NFV and SDN enabled the emergence of the telco cloud, where telecommunications network functions are virtualized and managed within cloud-like environments. This approach brings enhanced flexibility, scalability, and operational efficiency, as network resources can be dynamically allocated and adjusted to meet changing demands. The telco cloud represents a significant evolution in telecommunications, empowering providers to deliver services with agility and adaptability.