Coordination of optical transport network standards
(Continuation of Question 3/15)
Motivation
The continued evolution of transport networks and the services they support such as, the Internet, smartphones phones targeting Gbps end-user throughput, datacentre-based enterprise services, and higher definition video, have resulted in drastic changes in the demands placed on transport networks. In addition transport networks and technologies need to continuously reduce network cost (including energy consumption) without causing a significant impact on the current operational experience including tolerance and resilience against serious disasters. As a result of this changing environment technologies such as packet as well as new technologies for circuit switched networks such as the OTN extension for an ultrahigh-speed ultrahigh-capacity transport networks. These technologies must provide a converged transport network including a packet-based timing distribution function and geo-location function.
This rapidly evolving situation led us to recognise that without strong coordination efforts there is the danger of duplication of work, gaps in the work program as well as the development of incompatible and non-interoperable standards. It also mandates us to:
- Study the appropriate core Questions (Questions 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14/15).
- Define and maintain overall (standards) framework, in collaboration with other SGs and SDOs.
- Coordinate, assign and prioritise the studies done by the Study Groups (recognising their mandates) to ensure the development of consistent, complete and timely Recommendations,
- Maintain a standardization work plan for the Optical Transport Network (OTN).
- Maintain a set of coherent and consisted terms and definitions for the OTN.
- Maintenance of established standards such as SDH technologies.
A coordination and communication activity among the involved Questions is required in order to facilitate the most efficient completion of the work. This activity includes the identification of missing work areas and those that are overlapping, or potentially so, between multiple Questions or other standards groups. In case of a new work area, clarification of general requirements and framework by this Question would facilitate the work on specific aspects by relevant Questions. It includes encouraging the relevant work items in the most appropriate Questions, helping to define a suitable time schedule, and monitoring its development in a consistent way.
In addition, some general aspects such as terminology, reliability and availability, need to be captured.
A communications, publicity, and promotion activity is also important to support the adoption of ITU-T Recommendations throughout the industry. External communications activities should aid in the consistency of Recommendations and other standards related to optical and packet-based transport technologies across the industry.
The following major Recommendations, in force at the time of approval of this Question, fall under its responsibility: G.780/Y.1351, G.870/Y.1352, G.8081/Y.1353, G.8001/Y.1354, G.8101/Y.1355.
The Optical Transport Networks & Technologies Standardization Work Plan (OTNT SWP) is also maintained by this Question.
Question
What enhancements to OTNT SWP or what new Recommendation(s) or mechanisms are necessary to capture, within this framework, new or evolving aspects of optical transport networks, their general terminology, and reliability/availability characteristics?
What form of communication or publicity is necessary to enhance the use of and alignment with ITU-T standards in the area of optical and packet-based transport networks and technologies?
What coordination is needed to provide energy savings directly or indirectly in Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) or in other industries?
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
Coordination of work in the following areas:
- Transport network protection/restoration (Q9/15)
- Interfaces, Interworking, OAM and Equipment specifications for Packet based Transport Networks (Q10/15)
- Signal structures, interfaces, equipment functions, and interworking for transport networks (Q11/15)
- Transport network architectures (Q12/15)
- Network synchronization and time distribution performance (Q13/15)
- Management and control of transport systems and equipment (Q14/15)
- OTN physical layer characteristics (Q5, Q6 and Q7/15)
- Optical systems for fibre access networks (Q2/15)
Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Develop, maintain, and regularly distribute a baseline overview/work plan that documents the work and time schedules of all major new optical transport network activities (OTNT SWP).
- Harmonize and align related terminology definitions across Recommendations, striving for a single normative definition for each term.
- Maintain terminology Recommendations G.780/Y.1351, G.870/Y.1352, G.8081/Y.1353, G.8001/Y.1354, and G.8101/Y.1355 in a timely manner.
- Publicize results of ITU-T related to optical and packet-based transport networks and technologies in the form of press releases, brochures, etc. when appropriate.
- Coordinate any work during SG15 meeting to facilitate discussion among questions, including operators’ meeting, vendors’ meeting, off-line session and so on.
NOTE − An up-to-date status of work under this Question is contained in the SG15
Relationships
Recommendations:
- Recommendations on generic transport characteristics, OTN, Ethernet, MPLS-TP, SDH, ASON.
Questions:
- Q2/15, Q6/15, Q7/15, Q9/15, Q10/15, Q11/15, Q12/15, Q13/15 and Q14/15.
Study Groups:
- ITU-T SG13 responsible for future networks, with focus on IMT-2020, cloud computing and trusted network infrastructures
- ITU-T SG12 on performance aspects
- ITU-T SG2 on management aspects
Standardization bodies, forums and consortia:
- IETF on IP-related networks and control protocols related to ASON, OTN and MPLS (-TP)
- Broadband Forum on IP/MPLS related networks, architecture and requirements
- IEEE on Ethernet
- MEF on Carrier Ethernet architecture, services, management, and operations
- OIF on optical networking processing elements, component technologies, and control plane
- ATIS
- TIA
- IEC
