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OpenStack Tacker

OpenStack Tacker is a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) orchestration project that implements ETSI NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) for deploying and managing virtualized network functions on OpenStack (cloud infrastructure orchestration).

  • ETSI-compliant NFV Orchestrator and Virtual Network Function (VNF) Manager for OpenStack-based clouds (network orchestration).
  • Supports lifecycle management of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and Network Services (service orchestration).
  • Provides TOSCA-based VNF and Network Service templates for modeling and onboarding (infrastructure-as-code / service modeling).
  • Integrates with OpenStack services such as Nova, Neutron, Cinder, and Heat to provision resources for VNFs (cloud infrastructure integration).
  • Targets telecom and service provider use cases for NFV deployments on OpenStack infrastructure (telecom cloud / NFV platform).

More About OpenStack Tacker

OpenStack Tacker is an OpenStack project focused on NFV orchestration, implementing components of the ETSI NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) framework (network orchestration). It addresses the need for a standardized way to define, deploy, and manage virtualized network functions (VNFs) and network services on OpenStack-based cloud infrastructure, targeting telecom operators and service providers that run carrier workloads on OpenStack.

Tacker functions as both an NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) and a VNF Manager (VNFM) (network and service orchestration). As an NFV Orchestrator (NFVO), it coordinates the deployment of network services composed of multiple VNFs, including chaining and relationships between them. As a VNF Manager (VNFM), it manages the lifecycle of individual VNFs, including instantiation, scaling, healing, update, and termination. This dual role aligns with the ETSI NFV MANO reference architecture and provides a control layer for NFV workloads in OpenStack environments.

The project relies on TOSCA-based templates (service modeling) to describe VNFs and network services. These templates capture properties such as topology, software images, resource requirements, connection points, and policies, enabling repeatable and declarative deployment. Tacker uses these templates to interact with underlying OpenStack services, including Nova for compute, Neutron for networking, Cinder for block storage, Glance for images, and Heat for orchestration (cloud infrastructure orchestration). Through these integrations, Tacker provisions and configures the infrastructure resources that VNFs require.

In enterprise and institutional environments, Tacker is used primarily by telecom carriers, service providers, and network-centric organizations deploying virtualized network services such as firewalls, load balancers, Evolved Packet Core (EPC) components, or virtual routers (telecom cloud). It enables multi-VNF network services, service chains, and policy-driven deployment patterns on OpenStack-based NFV infrastructure. Organizations can use Tacker to integrate VNF lifecycle operations into broader OSS/BSS workflows and automation pipelines.

Tacker exposes APIs for managing VNFs and network services (API-based orchestration), allowing integration with external NFV and network management systems. Its adherence to ETSI NFV MANO principles and TOSCA-based service descriptions supports interoperability with tooling and VNF packages that follow the same standards. Within the OpenStack ecosystem, Tacker occupies the NFV orchestration role, complementing core compute, networking, and storage services by providing an NFV-specific control plane. In taxonomy and directory terms, OpenStack Tacker fits into NFV orchestration, telecom cloud management, and service modeling for OpenStack-based infrastructure.