News
April 18, 2018NewsSoftFIRE has released a new White Paper about Virtual Security Functions on a Federated and Orchestrated Virtualisation Testbed Interested findings could be found in this paper about the innovative approach SoftFIRE has taken to virtual security functions to its experimenters. Check out the details here. [...]
April 13, 2018NewsSoftFIRE has released a new White Paper about the Second Wave of Experiments on the SoftFIRE Testbed Interested findings could be found here, as more experiments could be attracted due to newly developed Middleware of the SoftFIRE platform. [...]
March 30, 2018NewsSoftFIRE has released a new White Paper about the First Wave of Experiments on the SoftFIRE Testbed with interested findings – please check the details here. [...]
March 22, 2018NewsSoftFIRE is pleased to announce the winning teams of the SoftFIRE Challenge. It has been a great competition with high quality demos that made it challenging for the international jury to choose the winning teams. The Prizes have been handed over to the winners during the FEC3 conference in Paris on March 15th together with the Awards the conference provided for the Demo Day so showing the interesting results of the Challenge to the conference audience. More details about the winners can be found here. [...]
March 18, 2018NewsSoftFIRE has released a new White Paper on the Topic: Programmability with NFV and SDN in SoftFIRE. Check out the latest findings here [...]
March 2, 2018NewsSoftFIRE is participating at the IETF Hackathon 101 event in London, UK, on 17-18 March 2018, and providing access to its federated virtualisation testbed to the IETF NFV-SDN community. Click here for more information and to register. Looking forward to seeing you there. [...]
January 30, 2018NewsLet’s work and INNOVATE on a 5G European federated testbed to win a Prize! SoftFIRE launched the Open Call for its Innovation Hackathon. Apply for participation to the Hackathon and join the SoftFIRE team in the two days event on April 18-19, 2018 at Ericsson in Rome! For more detailed information please refer here. [...]
January 28, 2018NewsThe deadline for the SoftFIRE Challenge has been extended to February 4th, 2018, 17.00 CET. Please apply here for amazing prizes. [...]
January 19, 2018NewsThe real-time Virtual Reality (VR) gaming is becoming a promising but challenging service/application for the next generation of multimedia system. To provide good quality for VR gaming, all of these VR headsets demand for the wired connection to the powerful gaming Personal Computer (PC) or gaming controller (e.g., PS4). To overcome these problems, DozeroTech AB has advanced a software backend system, which intends to support the wireless VR gaming over common wireless technologies like, e.g., WiFI, 4G/5G. More Information about this interesting experiment can be found here. Listen to the Dozero interview. The demo of the SWVR experiment is available here. YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving your results. Participate in the SoftFIRE GRAND Challenge [...]
January 15, 2018NewsInstitut Mines Telecom – Telecom SudParis proposed a Cost-efficient Centrality-based VNF Placement and chaining algorithm (aka CCVP) as one of the recent solution for cost-efficient network service provisioning. The CCVP used the Betweenness centrality and flow source modification (FSM) techniques. The objective of CCVP was to find the optimal number of VNFs along with their locations in such a manner that the provider cost is minimized. Institut Mines Telecom – Telecom SudParis wanted to evaluate their solution in a real platform in order to further evaluate the algorithm. Implementing CCVP in SoftFIRE gave the great opportunity of evaluating the CCVP on a federated and distributed platform that suits the CCVP goals. More information about this interesting experiment can be found here. Listen to the Telecom SudParis interview Watch the Demo of Cost-efficient Centrality-based VNF Placement and chaining algorithm (aka CCVP) Experiment YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving your results. Participate in the SoftFIRE Grand Challenge [...]
January 11, 2018NewsAVALON developed an intelligent traffic steering mechanism to optimize the number and sequence (chain) of service functions. Dynamic SFC is based on higher layer inspection (Layer 7), i.e., traffic identification and classification at the application layer. To achieve this goal, the OpenStack-compatible Open Virtual Switch (OVS) has been extended adding an interface interacting with an external Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) VNF. Avalon’s key contribution is the implementation of Dynamic Service Function Chains based on higher layer inspection (L7) in comparison to transitional Layer2 to Layer4 existing implementation. The key concept in Avalon’s implementation is the method designed and developed to identify traffic patterns in an asynchronous way without limiting the throughput of the overall system. More Information about the experiment can be found here. Listen to the Eight Bells interview. The demo of the Avalon experiment is available here. YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving your results. Participate in the SoftFIRE Grand Challenge [...]
January 8, 2018NewsThe PrivaCity experiment focused on data management optimization with scalable privacy and security, based on distributed access networks and scalable data storage in SDN-based data centres. The main goal of the experiment was to exploit the Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) capabilities for IoT massive deployments in scenarios such as Smart Cities. PrivaCity has enabled HOP Ubiquitous to explore the possibilities of SDN and 5G to enhance the scalability, Quality of Service, and security/privacy of the deployments based on Future Internet networks. The company is expected to exploit its obtained results as part of the 5G deployments in the coming years, when SDN and network slicing capabilities will be widely available. Listen to the interview of HOP Ubiquitous S.L. interview. The demo of the PrivaCity project is available here.   YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving your results. Participate in the SoftFIRE Challenge [...]
December 13, 2017NewsModio’s experiment, Intelligent resource allocation for 5G cloud environments, implemented a novel computational intelligent-based approach to dynamically assist the dynamic resource allocation mechanism, implemented within OpenBaton’s autoscaler. Specifically, Modio  implemented a predictive agent incorporating state of the art forecasting algorithms (ARIMA, Holt Winters and Recurrent Neural Networks) in order to predict the upcoming system load and dynamically generate the autoscaling policy content. Read about Modio and other experiments here. Listen to the Modio interview here. Watch the Demo of “Intelligent resource allocation for 5G cloud environments” Experiment here.   YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving great results. Participate in the SoftFIRE  Challenge [...]
December 10, 2017NewsCumucore has successfully completed its experiment on the SoftFIRE platform. The objective of 5GNaaS was to integrate NFV mobile packet core (EPC) as part of SoftFIRE federated testbed and install SDN-based switches in LTE eNBs. The objective of this experiment was to design and deploy the first slice manager according to 3GPP specifications  using the SoftFIRE capabilities. Read about 5GNaaS and other experiments here. Listen to the Cumucore’s CEO interview here. Watch the 5GNaaS demo here.   YOU too can exploit and use the SoftFIRE platform for achieving your results. Participate in the SoftFIRE Grand Challenge [...]
November 6, 2017NewsSoftFIRE has completed the evaluation process for the Third Open Call and we are pleased to announce the project proposals that have been conditionally accepted for funding. We selected 13 out of 14 proposals received. More details on the winners can found here. [...]
November 3, 2017NewsSoftFIRE has launched its Challenge with interesting prizes addressing following topics: the interoperability/extension of the platform, the creation/consolidation of services and/or the creation of applications on top of the infrastructure This challenge is very broad in principle and it aims at demonstrating the conformity, compliance and consistency of the NFV/SDN framework to the requirements of networked applications and in particular the nascent 5G realms. Prizes will be provided in 3 streams for the first 3 places! For more details please click here. [...]
October 17, 2017NewsThe SoftFIRE Project is organising a workshop about “Federated Testbeds for NFV/SDN/5G: Experiences and Feedbacks”. The workshop will be held on November 6, 2017 at the IEEE NFV-SDN conference which is taking place during the Berlin 5G week. Join the SoftFIRE team at the workshop. More details can be found here. [...]
October 17, 2017NewsThe Second SoftFIRE Hackathon is now open for remote participation. Please find all details here. [...]
September 22, 2017NewsThe deadline for the SoftFIRE Open Call has been extended to October 18, 2017. The new deadline for the feasibility check is October 4th, 2017. For more information please visit here. [...]
September 1, 2017NewsLet’s work and play on a European federated testbed to win a Prize! SoftFIRE launched the Open Call for its Second Hackathon. Apply for participation to the Hackathon and join the SoftFIRE team in the two days event  in Berlin on November 7-8, 2017 prior to the FUSECO Forum! For more detailed information please refer to Second Hackathon [...]
July 28, 2017NewsSoftFIRE launched its Third Open Call for Experimenters interested in SDN and NFV technologies for experimenting with programmability, security, and interoperability aspects on the federated testbed. Experimenters interested in submitting a proposal can choose between: the production and/or validation of new services, systems and applications that benefit from network programmability and NFV and SDN technologies more generally the development and validation of extensions to the current federated testbed or of new functionalities For this Open Call, SoftFIRE is especially interested – but not limited to these areas – in receiving proposals for experiments covering NFV security, SDN programmability, and software architecture evolution towards 5G. For more detailed information please refer to Third Open Call. [...]
July 10, 2017NewsSoftFIRE has completed the evaluation process for the Second Open Call and we are pleased to announce the project proposals that have been conditionally accepted for funding. We selected 12 out of 15 proposals received. More details on the winners can found here. [...]
June 29, 2017NewsSoftFIRE organises together with 5GinFIRE FED5G – the IEEE International Workshop on Federated Testbeds for NFV/SDN/5G: Experiences and Feedback. To be held in conjunction with the 3rd IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software Defined Networks (NFV-SDN 2017) Day of the Workshop: 6th November 2017 Venue: Fraunhofer-Forum Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2 10178 Berlin Germany More information about the workshop and the related Call for Paper can be found here.   [...]
May 10, 2017NewsSoftFIRE will present a joint special session on “Emerging trends for 5G experimental environments” at the European Conference on Networks and Communications EuCNC 2017, to be held on 12-15 June, Oulu, Finland, together with projects 5GINFIRE and ORCA. The session will take place on Tuesday, 13 June 2017, 16:30-18:00, Room Radisson Blu Ranta&Koski More details can be found here. [...]
April 21, 2017NewsSoftFIRE launched its Second Open Call for Experimenters interested in SDN and NFV technologies for experimenting with programmability, security, and interoperability aspects on the federated testbed. Experimenters interested in submitting a proposal can choose between: the production and/or validation of new services, systems and applications that benefit from network programmability and NFV and SDN technologies more generally the development and validation of extensions to the current federated testbed or of new functionalities For more detailed information please refer to Second Open Call. [...]
April 7, 2017NewsJoin our SoftFIRE partner Fraunhofer FOKUS presenting a live demonstration together with Canonical. This joint demonstration showcases the integration between the Canonical’s Juju VNFM and Open Baton. Open Baton is the NFV MANO Framework solution utilised by the SoftFIRE project for managing VNF deployment across the federated infrastructure. Register here: https://www.sdxcentral.com/event/vnf-deployments-ubuntu-open-baton/ [...]
April 3, 2017NewsSoftFIRE launched the Open Call for its First Hackathon. Interested in  “challenging” the SoftFIRE platform and its programmability? Apply for participation to the Hackathon and join the SoftFIRE team in this two days event  in Berlin on May 4-5, 2017! For more detailed information please refer to First SoftFIRE Hackathon. [...]
December 9, 2016NewsDuring 5G week in Berlin a co-organised workshop with IEEE SDN took place for working on a joint roadmap for a breakthrough collaboration model on boosting 5G innovation. Based on the results in the SoftFIRE project one element will be the demo of the First Federated Testbed Portal (FTP) on federated 5G/SDN/NFV/MEC testbeds. More information can be found here. [...]
November 3, 2016NewsSoftFIRE is continuing its promotion of its SND/NFV federated testbed for 5G in the area of Pan European Networks. Details can be found here. [...]
October 7, 2016NewsSoftFIRE demonstrated the functionality of its federated Testbed in a successful Interoperability Test in Berlin on September 30th. Interested persons attended on site as well as over videostreaming where they could interact with the participants on site and the project team members. More Information and results can be found here. [...]
September 14, 2016NewsSoftFIRE invites interested parties to take part in the Open Interoperability Test of the Federated Testbed to get to know all  its functionality and capacities. Join us for this exiting event in Berlin on September 30th, 2016! For more details, please contact us at event@softfire.eu [...]
August 31, 2016NewsSoftFIRE has extended the deadline for its First Open Call for Experimenters until September 20th! Get involved into the latest developments around new SDN and NFV technologies for 5G and be part of this exciting ecosystem! [...]
July 22, 2016NewsSoftFIRE has launched its First Open Call and is doing promotion in different partner sites to spread the voice – see here and here   [...]
July 12, 2016NewsSoftFIRE launched its First Open Call for Experimenters interested in SDN and NFV technologies for experimenting with programmability, security, and interoperability aspects on the federated testbed in order to boost the developments of a 5th Generation of Mobile Networks. Experimenters interested in submitting a proposal can choose between two objectives: enhancing the federated testbed development or testing new functionalities producing and validating new services, systems and applications that can benefit from such distributed SDN/NFV infrastructure For more detailed information please refer to First Open Call [...]
July 3, 2016NewsUser Story: Connecting to a live Cellular Radio System Summary This user story details one experience that the SoftFIRE team have had in develping ETE test capabilities that involve connection of a static Cellular Radio Access Network (RAN) to a virtualised Core Network (CN) to produce soft configured ETE LTE-A test network slice for experimenters to use. Description The SoftFIRE team have spent some considerable time learning how to interconnct a static LTE-A RAN to virtualised Core Network components to provide  slices of ETE LTE-A infrastructure in an Infrastructuer as a Service (IaaS) form. This is a description of what the 5GIC testbed team have sone to generate such IaaS slices that are accessible via the SoftFIRE OpenBaton Central MANO Orchestrator which is located in the Fokus testbed of the federated SotFIRE testbed. 5GIC planned a hard configured segment of the overall 5GIC RAN testbed that they wanted to expose to the SoftFIRE experimenters.  This was planned as a sensible size of geographical coverage to allow a short outdoor drive test and/or walk test as well as some indoor walk test coverage in a multi-storey building, across three floors.  The RAN segment was planned in terms of a number of base stations to be included in the exeperiment, a variery of type of base stations  (indoor or outdoor, single, dual or tri-sector and with some variety in resource capacity, i.e. some base stations with single carrier capability and  some with dual carrier aggregated capability. The RAN segment was planned in terms of RAN  hard configured IP adderssses for endpoints for  i) User Plane, ii) the Control plane and the iii) Operations and Maintenacnce Centre per base station. The core VNF components were allocated IP addressses as a pool for the target VMs instantiated.  The planning for core allows up to 2 x IP addresses per VNF. A simple SDN flow plan was designed to connect the RAN to all potential installed VNFs that may be instantiated. The LTE EPC Core Network VNFs (HSS, MME, SGWc, SWGu, PGWc, PGWu) and the Cluster Controller (CC) and Cluster Member, 5G evolved experimental core network functions, were were all loaded onto the local resource server at the 5GIC testbed as software images and their VNF Descriptors (VNFD) were constructed as YAML files and loadedonto the local resourcse server the Fokus tsetbed. YAML Network Function Descriptors (NFD) were constructed to function chain the following NF’s together into NF’s: Network Service Abbreviation List of VNFs included Control Plane Node CPN HSS,MME, SGWc, PGWc User Plane Node(Cluster Controller) UPN(CC) SGWu, PGWu, CC USer Plane Node(Cluster Member) UPN(CM) SGWu, PGWu, CM This rendered the ability to generate IaaS LTE-A ETE slices with 5G capabilities to experimenters from the Open Baton Controller and inatantiated on the 5GIC testbed. Lesson Learned  Always ensure that the UE  IP address range is large enough for your all potential test mobiles being used in all of the experiments in operation at a time. Use addres ranges wherever possible in the SDN flow design to avoid line by line flow programming. [...]
June 11, 2016NewsObjectives SoftFIRE focuses on NFV/SDN aiming at creating a secure, interoperable and programmable experimental infrastructure within FIRE+. The Project is federating experimental testbeds that will result  in an infrastructure that Third Parties can use to develop new services and applications. The federation is a fundamental step towards the creation of a network experimental infrastructure that anticipates 5G.   Key Properties Three key elements are assessed by SoftFIRE: programmability, interoperability and security. These properties will be evaluated in terms of efficiency, functional responsiveness and in general terms E2E QoS. The main objective is then to demonstrate and assess the level of maturity of adopted solutions and to show how they can unleash the full potential in a real world infrastructure by creating, nurturing and supporting an innovative ecosystem.   Ecosystem Third parties play a fundamental  role, they will be called to make use of the SoftFIRE testbed and to probe and functionally extend it. The project aims at creating a broad ecosystem of companies engaged with the evolution of SDN/NFV technologies. The mechanisms used for building the ecosystem are: Open Calls and specific events (like Hackathons, Plug-tests and Challenges). [...]
June 10, 2016NewsIEEE Software Defined Networks (IEEE SDN), a cross-society IEEE worldwide programme addressing the main techno-economic aspects concerning SDN and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV), and EIT Digital, the leading European digital innovation and entrepreneurial education organisation driving Europe’s digital transformation, jointly launched today an international Open Testbed Community (OTC) aimed at stimulating 5G innovation. This breakthrough came about following a workshop on Federated Testbeds spearheaded by leaders from the IEEE SDN Initiative and EIT Digital. The workshop that took place in San Francisco in early May 2016 culminated in a significant intent to start an Open, Federated Testbed (OFTB) by interconnecting three existing centers of expertise based in the USA and Europe. More details can be found here and the workshop report as well as the presentations can be downloaded here.   [...]