// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// * edge_computing/day_2_core_cnf_clusters/security/telco-security-basics.adoc

:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT
[id="telco-security-key-areas-for-cnf-deploy_{context}"]
= Key areas for CNF deployment

The cloud-native network function (CNF) deployment contains the following key areas:

Core:: The first deployments of CNFs occurred in the core of the wireless network. Deploying CNFs in the core typically means racks of servers placed in central offices or data centers. These servers are connected to both the internet and the Radio Access Network (RAN), but they are often behind multiple security firewalls or sometimes disconnected from the internet altogether. This type of setup is called an offline or disconnected cluster.

RAN:: After CNFs were successfully tested in the core network and found to be effective, they were considered for deployment in the Radio Access Network (RAN). Deploying CNFs in RAN requires a large number of servers (up to 100,000 in a large deployment). These servers are located near cellular towers and typically run as {sno} clusters, with the need for high scalability.