SFCPerf: An Automatic Performance Evaluation Framework for Service Function Chaining

Network Function Virtualization allows the provisioning and composition of on-demand network function chains tailored to an application or a service. Repeatable compliance tests and performance comparison of network functions and the whole function chains are required for virtual network function manufacturers and telecommunication operators. In this paper, we propose and develop SFCPerf, a framework for an automatic performance evaluation of service function chaining. SFCPerf describes all experimental configuration as a single workflow and provides automatic: (i) environment creation and setup; (ii) network configuration; (iii) experimental data measurement; (iv) experiment execution and control; and (v) data preliminary analysis. Our framework provides repeatability for experimenting different network functions and virtualization infrastructures. To demonstrate SFCPerf functionality, we design and implement a prototype of a service function chain that complies with the Network Service Header (NSH). We show the results of an SFCPerf experiment that evaluates the performance of our prototype, composed of an intrusion detection system (IDS) and a firewall, running on top of the open platform for network function virtualization (OPNFV).