The OPNFV project—a common integration and testing platform to facilitate NFV deployments that defines a consistent, functional stack—differs from more traditional code-based open source projects in that its work is focused upstream. Rather than re-event many wheels, the project leverages a variety of existing code bases from leading open source projects across compute, storage, and networking and fills gaps where needed to meet strict carrier-grade end user requirements. This approach is difficult and requires an extremely complicated set of requirements, but the result is a much needed common, de facto platform for the industry to test and build NFV products and services. Hear from OPNFV director Heather Kirksey on why the community chose to take this integrated approach, what’s been successful, and key lessons learned from this unique project.