shows these basic concepts. The current implementations of this architecture are multivendor environments deployed in telecom service providers' data centers where the physical implementation of most network elements typically consists of a collection of vendor-specific hard- ware and chassis configuration that is integrated with other infrastructure components including routers, switches, firewalls, and load-balancers. Vendor-specific load-balancing solutions are used for most network elements. The most prevalent database technology used for network databases is relational databases. With the advent of cloud technologies and the industry-wide push to move toward network function virtualization and software-defined networking, the evolution strategy for service platforms moves the physical network functions (PNFs) to virtualized network functions (VNFs) implemented as software that runs in a cloud environment, controlled by a set of policy- based controllers with the ability to perform automated recovery and dynamic scaling of the VNFs. In the present mode of operation (PMO), services are designed and instantiated on a network platform for real-time services, which consists of physical network elements with tightly coupled hardware and software. Vendors provide proprietary hardware for network functions and each Messaging Conferencing Application Video Application Server Application Voice Server Application Server Presence Server Application Applications Server Session Control & Management Infrastructure Internet Managed IP Wireless Gateway Border Border Border Element Element Element Packet Core Infrastructure P/MPLS Converged Network Wireless endpoints Internet Managed/Broadband/ Wireless Endpoints WIFI IP Endpoints endpoints (LTE) FIGURE 14.1 Conceptual view of service platform architecture. Building the Network of the Future vendor also provides its own element management system (EMS). This makes it very difficult to select a best in-breed vendor for a network function. The concept of having one platform for 