This certification exam attests and formally certifies that the successful candidate has vendor-neutral conceptual knowledge of the major domains of software-driven networking. The knowledge domains include SDN, NFV, Carrier Ethernet/Connectivity Services, LSO/Orchestration, and various combinations and use cases in these practice areas, collectively called “The Software-Driven Network Vision.” This certification exam presupposes foundational knowledge in computer networking practices. It is an entry-level certification examination for technical professionals asserting concept-level mastery of the 5 knowledge domains.
MEF Network Foundations is the foundation credential in a stack of professional-level certifications called the MEF Network Certification Framework. In time, a full suite of professional, practitioner-level certifications in SDN/NFV (2018), Advanced Network Security (2018), Carrier Ethernet (2013), and LSO/Automation/Orchestration (2019) will form the knowledge validation standard for advanced networking professionals.
The major focus of this certification is the IT professional currently working in network operations (server, network, storage administrators) who is seeking greater responsibility in their current job, or seeking to validate new skills to gain a better job, are interested in modern network technologies. Additionally, the marketing, support, product management, and entry-level technical training needs of companies that make or utilize these technologies would also benefit by training and certification with this credential. In creating the MEF Network Foundations Certification Exam, MEF studied and engaged the people who are deploying and describing today’s powerful, programmable, and flexible Ethernet networks (which feature programmability, orchestration, and a services menu that is easily ordered and modified). While the MEF-CECP Certification is designed for the actual practitioners and operators of these complex networks, there is a need for those who market, sell, and support these networks to be familiar at a conceptual level with the elements, functions, deployment, and management of these networks. The MEF Network Foundations validates at a concept level the key terms, processes, and elements of today’s programmable Ethernet networks. By this we mean professionals who are employed in Technical Sales, Sales Engineering, Product Management, Executive Operations, Product and Services Marketing, and others whose need to communicate accurately at a conceptual level is critical to the success of their products or services.
The breadth of skills necessary to address all the facets of advanced networking is daunting and growing daily. The growing body of vendor-neutral information that an IT technical professional needs to know (networking, virtualization—in many forms, as well as SDN, NFV, orchestration, architecture, and security) is no longer found in any one domain, but must be acquired intentionally across a larger variety of previously separated disciplines. The migration from a single-role network administrator, responsible
for only one function of the network, to a multi-skilled and multivendor set of professionals managing a complex set of technologies, has already begun. For those network engineers who are practitioners with standard networking equipment and want to make the move to more software-driven topologies and technologies, this certification could validate their foundational competence in the world of advanced, virtualized networking. As there are hundreds of thousands of Cisco, Juniper, HP, and Brocade certified network engineers, the possibility that they would go through the MEF Network Foundations certification as their entrance into these new forms of networking technologies would give greater confidence of success.
Minimally Qualified Candidate
To pass the MEF Network Foundations certification exam, a foundational knowledge of computer networking is assumed, with specific familiarity with various conceptual models of networking (OSI, Internet, etc.) and technologies also required. Such knowledge is formally validated by the CompTIA Network+™ certification examination. No job experience is mandated, but familiarity with all the knowledge domains of this certification is essential to succeed. Resources that would be helpful include publications on networking, as well as foundational certifications in networking from Cisco, Citrix, CompTIA, Juniper, or Microsoft, and materials freely available from MEF. Other materials and resources may be referenced on the MEF Certification landing page.
Students uncertain of their knowledge of these foundational networking terms and practices should consult the CompTIA Network+ certification landing page at https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/network . There they will find (upon free registration) useful resources, practice tests, and other materials that can validate this foundational level of knowledge, or resources to train and prepare to pass the CompTIA Network+ exam.
Primary References:
- Linux Foundation website: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/
- Open Networking Foundation: https://www.opennetworking.org/sdn-definition/
- Wikipedia references on SDN architecture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_networking
- https://blog.ecitele.com/do-you-need-an-sdn-controller-when-you-already-have-an-nms
- Software Defined Networks, 2nd Edition, Goranson & Black RFC 6241, Section 5.1
- Wikipedia references on SDN architecture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_networking
- TechTarget http://searchsdn.techtarget.com/tip/REST-APIs-in-SDN-An-introduction-for-network-engineer
- Microsoft Hardware Development Center https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/network/network-virtualization-using-generic-routing-encapsulation--nvgre--task-offload
- Show IP Protocols http://showipprotocols.blogspot.com/2014/06/northbound-southbound-and-eastwestbound.htm
- Software Defined Networks, 2nd Edition, Goranson & Black Page 43
- Federal Communications Commission https://transition.fcc.gov/Reports/tcom1996.pdf
- SDxCentral https://www.sdxcentral.com/nfv/definitions/nfv-mano/
- Network Functions Virtualization, Ken Gray and Thomas Nadeau Page 4
- Foundations of Modern Networking, Chapter 7, William Stallings, pages 177-178, Stallings Page 189
- Network Functions Virtualization, Ken Gray and Thomas Nadeau Pages 22-24
- Understanding OPNFV, Amar Kapadia & Nicholas Chase pages 17-24,
- Foundations of Modern Networking, Chapter 7.4 NFV benefits, page 191
- Network Functions Virtualization, Ken Gray and Thomas Nadeau, “Proof of Concepts Framework”, Page 7
- Foundations of Modern Networking, William Stallings, page 199
- Virtualized Software Defined Networks and services, "Integrating SDN & NFV in Future Networks", p. 169
- Understanding OPNFV pages 25, page 27
- NFV White Paper volume 3, pages 13 – 20
- Network Functions Virtualization, Ken Gray and Thomas Nadeau, chapter 3, page 67
- Understanding OPNFV, pages 80, 95, 107
- ETSI NFV Architecture document, Chapter 8
- Understanding OPNFV, pages 119 – 120
- ETSI Use Case document, pages 10, 15, 21, 36
- Foundations of Modern Networking, page 180
- NFV White Paper volume 3, pages 5 – 20
- Understanding OPNFV, "NFV Architecture", page 23
- Virtualized Software Defined Networks and Services, Duan & Toy, page 289
- MEF Third Network LSO Vision, pages 7 - 18
- MEF Third Network White Paper: An Industry Initiative for Third Generation Network and Services, pages 8 - 18
- Gruntwork blog, "Why we use Terraform and not Chef, Puppet, Ansible, SaltStack, or CloudFormation"
- MEF 55
- MEF Third Network LSO Vision, pages 12
- MEF Third Network White Paper: An Industry Initiative for Third Generation Network and Services, page 6
- OASIS (Open Standards, Open Source) Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications (TOSCA) TC
- MEF 10.3 & MEF10.3 Section 7
- MEF 26.2
- MEF 6.2
- MEF 51
- Introduction to Carrier Ethernet: A foundation for MEF-CECP training (2nd edition), Jon Kieffer, page 10
- Introduction to Carrier Ethernet: A foundation for MEF-CECP training (2nd edition), Jon Kieffer, page 7
- MEF CE 2.0 Service Management Life Cycle White Paper,
- MEF 53
- MEF Third Network Service
- MEF Third Network White Paper: An Industry Initiative for Third Generation Network and Services, page 9
- MEF 55, page 1
- SD WAN for dummies, Wiley & Sons, page 15
- MEF Third Network White Paper: An Industry Initiative for Third Generation Network and Services, pages 3, 11, 20
- SD WAN for dummies, Wiley & Sons, page 24
- SD WAN for dummies, Wiley & Sons, "Security Parameters", page 11
- Telecom Ramblings, "Arguing for Third Network"
- MEF "Understanding SD-WAN Managed Services" white paper, page 5 - 9