The term “Network-as-a-Service” (NaaS) is often used along with other marketing terms like cloud computing, along with acronyms such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and Communication-as-a-Service (CaaS).
NaaS sometimes includes the provision of a virtual network service by the owners of the network infrastructure to a third party. Often this includes network virtualization using a protocol such as OpenFlow.
Some service models are:
- Virtual private network (VPN): Extends a private network and the resources contained in the network across networks like the public Internet. It enables a host computer to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if it were a private network with the functionality and policies of the private network.
- Bandwidth on demand (BoD): Technique by which network capacity is assigned based on requirements between different nodes or users. Under this model link rates can be dynamically adapted to the traffic demands of the nodes connected to the link.
- Mobile network virtualization: Model in which a telecommunications manufacturer or independent network operator builds and operates a network (wireless, or transport connectivity) and sells its communication access capabilities to third parties (commonly mobile phone operators) charging by capacity utilization. A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), is a mobile communications services provider that does not own the radio spectrum or wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services. Commonly a MVNO offers its communication services using the network infrastructure of an established mobile network operator.