>> Study Group 13 : Next Generation Networks
Question 16/13 - Requirements and framework for enabling COTS components in
an open environment
- Motivation
Evolution of current networks to NGNs will occur in a changing environment.
However, there is a need to maintain a high level of quality such as that known
from legacy telecom networks. Because there is no commonly available term to
refer to this level of quality in the context of NGN so far, the term “carrier
grade” should be used to refer to this level of quality. In this new environment
there are technology trends which include the use of open source operating
systems (such as Linux), commoditization of hardware and the availability of
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) components. Additionally, NGN holds the promise
of making available mix and match (plug and play) components and enabling
services to be developed by third parties.
Guidance is required to ensure that COTS components will allow for creation of
open and integrated communications platforms consistent with open standards such
that they will accelerate deployment of NGN infrastructure and services. It is
necessary to define a common approach that helps to navigate through the
appropriate interfaces and options to deliver an open and integrated
communications platform using these standards.
No complete framework exists today to outline and represent relationships with
open interfaces and standards required to assemble COTS components across all
layers of an NGN solution. A comprehensive component framework that enables the
creation of network elements, platforms and applications is needed. Categories
of components should be defined to enable the integration of open
standards-based off the shelf software intended to operate in hardware and
software agnostic architectures. Open standards-based platforms will facilitate
advanced solution development and deployment using COTS components from vendors.
These components include traditionally-developed commercially available
components as well as open source components being integrated into the service
provider’s network delivery platforms (such as call control and switching) and
simplifying and facilitating the external delivery of new and/or third-party
services, content and applications. This framework allows service provider to
improve time to market and develop and deliver lower cost value-added
enhancements (such as IP Centrex, IP PBX, call servers, etc.) to both customers
and third parties.
Managing the complexity of the interoperability of multiple vendors products is
among the major issues service providers face in transitioning to next
generation infrastructure to deliver new packet-based communications services.
The framework should enable service providers to plug and play different COTS
components.
The ultimate goal of this work is to support the transformation of networks’ to
NGNs through the availability of software components.
- Question
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- What new Recommendations or enhancements to existing Recommendations are
needed to develop components which use open interfaces and standards and which
may be used to assemble COTS components across all layers of an NGN solution?
- What new Recommendations or enhancements to existing Recommendations are
needed to enable the creation of network components, platforms and applications
into a common open framework?
- What new Recommendations or enhancements to existing Recommendations are
needed to enable the availability of COTS plug and play components?
- Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to development of:
- New Recommendation (Y.cgoe) for “carrier grade” open environment (cgoe)
-model
- New Recommendation (Y.cgoe-cmpts) on cgoe component descriptions.
- Supplement cgoe.cots.select to provide guidance on how to select cgoe
components.
- New Recommendation (Y.cgoe.cmf) on conformance.
- Relationships
Recommendations: Y-series
Questions: Relevant Questions on NGN networking, architecture, performance,
languages, methodologies, frameworks and telecommunication software: Q.3/13,
Q.4/13, Q.7/13, Q.10-15/17
Study Groups: ITU-T Study Groups 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17
Standardization bodies, fora and consortia:
ATIS
ETSI
Open Mobile Alliance (OMA)
IETF
TMForum
W3C
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