This paper proposes a framework where Customer Premises Equipments (CPEs) are dynamically instantiated, by leveraging Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Vitualisation (NFV), in the cloud as a chain of containerised virtual network functions (VNFs). Resulting virtual CPE instances (i.e., vCPEs) are organised in clusters and a Management and Orchestrator (MANO) entity is used to monitor the cluster and to migrate vCPEs among the nodes composing the cluster as required for ensuring the load balancing of the resources of the cluster. During the vCPEs migration process, the data-path is dynamically updated via SDN mechanisms. A proof of concept prototype of the framework was developed and evaluated in an experimental testbed, showcasing its feasibility and a near-zero downtime while migration is taking place.

In order to increase flexibility and agility in the way that network operators deliver their services, the virtualization of the Customer Premises Equipments (CPE) has been being proposed. This dissertation extends such approach and proposes a solution that enables the deployment of CPEs’ network functions in a chain of containerized virtual network functions (VNFs) creating virtual CPE instances (vCPEs) organized in clusters. Through Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) mechanisms, vCPEs can be migrated among clusters ensuring the balancing of its resources, or to fulfill the requirements of a specific data transmission. A proof of concept prototype was tested with a transmission of a video in Full and Ultra High-Definition, showing none impact in the quality of experience of end-users when vCPE migration is taking place.

With the dynamism and adaptability provided by the SDN and NFV paradigms, it is possible to make computer networks programmable. And this makes the performance of the applications to be optimized, as the management and resolution of possible problems becomes easy. In this way, virtualizing network functions, allows the simultaneous application of several applications on the same hardware. The OpenFlow protocol is largely responsible for all this rise in programmable networks. This protocol defines the functioning of all elements of the network and establishes a pattern of interaction between them. The data plan is separate from the control plan, and the network operating system, or controller, is the element that has a centralized view of the entire network. This "privileged view" allows the controller to update the network architecture without modifying packet switching elements. The switch is one of the elements used in a network to carry out data traffic through the flow table pipeline. As modern applications increasingly need space and flexibility to meet the interoperability required by current systems, the pipeline based on a single flow table can leave implementations inflexible and rigid. Therefore, this work proposes the implementation of multiple flow tables in OpenFlow switches applied and evaluated in two modern scenarios of Software Defined Networks: vCPE (virtual Custommer Premises Equipment) and Sd-VANET (Software defined Vehicular Ad-hoc Network). Experiments in simulation environments using the iperf application revealed that the OpenFlow network equipped with the scheme of multiple flow tables, can manipulate the functions and services of vCPE and Sd-VANET with greater flexibility, and still obtain an average gain of 17,48\% in the general performance of the proposed scenarios.