Low latency and real-time kernels for telco and NFV

The kernel is the fundamental core of a computer operating system. It is the first program to load, and it manages all core functions of the computer. With the expanding role of the Linux kernel in systems today, Canonical is often asked to provide leadership and support for different offerings for many purposes.

Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) has taken root in the production environments of telecoms operators. The individual components of NFV, known as Virtualised Networks Functions (VNFs), are critically tied to a general purpose operating system, as opposed to being integrated into application-specific devices. This union makes performance and support of core operating system components, like the kernel, the foundational metrics of success.

There are flexibility and economic benefits of using general purpose software for function-specific applications, but as VNFs are mission critical services in a telco infrastructure, certain key, determining factors should be kept in mind when selecting an operating system to host them.

This special report will demonstrate that Ubuntu 18.04 LTS offers the necessary, proven reliability, while also offering supported kernel choices that enhance the efficiency of VNF operations and functions.

Whitepaper highlights:

• A detailed analysis comparing real-time kernel assumptions against test results designed to reflect telco and NFV workloads (architectures, networking, FS, VM, compute…)
• A results comparison of the Ubuntu 18.04 LTS generic kernel 4.15.0-22-generic, the Ubuntu low-latency kernel 4.15.0-22-low-latency and an Ubuntu Linux kernel patched to be fully preemptive 4.16.0-rt4-PREEMPT_RT_FULL as well as preemptive with low-latency
• Which of the compared kernels provide the most balanced operational efficiency

Read the report