NoF 2023 Keynotes

Keynote #1

Title: NFV and Telecom Cloudification: current state and new technology trends

Abstract: Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) has changed and transformed the way that telecom networks are being deployed and operated. NFV enables software-based networks to become, not only a reality, but almost the norm in the development, deployment, and operation of 4G and 5G networks, as being adopted by network operators and suppliers worldwide. In turn, NFV is nurtured by multiple upstream technologies such as compute and network virtualization and new methodologies and concepts such as Cloudification. Hence, as technologies evolve or new ones emerge, so does NFV. In this keynote presentation we will present the current state of NFV technologies and standardization activities, with a focus on its applicability to 5G. In addition, we will introduce the challenges and technology trends in various domains such as infrastructure resources, virtualization/cloudification technologies, management, orchestration and automation, that are expected to play a key role in how NFV will evolve and adapt to become one of the key pillars for developing telecom networks beyond 5G and into 6G.

Bio: Dr. Joan Triay is a network architect and manager at DOCOMO Euro-Labs, in Munich, Germany, which he joined in 2012, and where he is currently involved in standardization and development activities spanning different areas such as network virtualization, telecom cloudification, mobile communication networks, and 5G network management and orchestration. Before joining DOCOMO Euro-Labs, Joan had been a visiting fellow at the University of Essex, UK (2009-2010) and a visiting researcher at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (2010-2011) sponsored by a Fulbright fellowship. Joan served as the Technical Manager of the ETSI NFV, standardization group that he joined as a delegate from the very beginning (2013) and in which he has been participating actively in developing the NFV concepts and standards. Joan holds an M.Eng. in Telecommunications Engineering (2006), an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Telematics Engineering (Computer Networks) (2007 and 2011, respectively) all from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), BarcelonaTech, Spain.

---

Keynote #2

Title: Disaggregating the Access Network – What is achieved, what lies ahead?

Abstract: Network softwarization – disaggregating the network hardware to implement network functions as software – has been much talked on, together with the its technology enablers, solution architectures, as well as gains and trade-offs that it brings. This talk will focus more on the practical side of network softwarization, giving hints of what has been achieved so far, which gains have been experienced and which obstacles have been overcome. Following that we will also discuss what lies head, to be able to see the full potential of network softwarization.

Bio: Dr. Burak Gorkemli is the Product and Innovation Director in Argela, where he works for the disaggregation and virtualization of the fixed broadband access network, leads the reference design activities in the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and participates in standardization communities like the Broadband Forum (BBF). He has been in the telecommunication industry for 25 years, where he designed/developed solutions for SS7, GSM and IP networks, managed R&D projects, coordinated patent applications and supervised university collaborations. Dr. Gorkemli holds 14 patents on SDN, NFV, IP and telecommunication technologies.

---

Keynote #3

Title: End-to-end Learning or Parameter Refinement? Complementary perspectives for the application of  Machine Learning in Network Design

Abstract: Machine learning is being increasingly adopted at different stages in network design and management. In this talk I will discuss two intrinsically different, yet complementary ways to apply Machine Learning for current network design problems.

Bio: Massimo Tornatore is  a Professor with the Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano.  He has also held appointments as Adjunct Professor at University of California, Davis, USA and as visiting professor at University of Waterloo, Canada.  
His research interests include performance evaluation, optimization and design of communication networks (with an emphasis on the application of optical networking technologies), network virtualization, network reliability and machine learning application for network management. In these areas, he co-authored more than 400 peer-reviewed conference and journal papers (with 20 best paper awards),  2 books and 1 patent.  He is a member of the Editorial Board of IEEE Communication Surveys and Tutorials, IEEE Communication Letters,  IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, IEEE Transactions on Networking, and Elsevier Optical Switching and Networking.  Dr. Tornatore is an IEEE Fellow.