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1 Motivation
Transport network architecture Recommendations (G.800, G.805, G.807, and G.809) and technology specific network architecture Recommendations (G.803, G.872, G.8310, G.8010, G.8110, G.8110.1 and I.326) have been established and are widely used. As operating experience is gained with employing current transport network technologies and new technologies evolve (e.g., variable size packets, high-speed transport networks), new Recommendations, or enhancements to existing Recommendations need to be developed, in close cooperation with the standardization activities on transport network systems and equipment. The operational aspects of networks are becoming more important. The operational aspects of combined packet and circuit switched optical networks should be considered to ensure that they are addressed in a way that is architecturally sound and minimizes divergent approaches.
Software defined networking (SDN) is an architectural approach to managing transport network resources. Its architecture needs to be understood in the context of the management control continuum that includes the architecture of the automatically switched optical network (G.7703). Commonality and differences with existing architectures requires study as it is applied to various transport layers. Requirements for enhanced control interfaces to and within the transport network, for example to support network slicing, need to be studied. Interfaces to configure and control programmable hardware are needed. Interfaces that enable clients to request network services beyond basic connectivity are needed.
Control and management have developed over many years initially from automation of manual call/connection set up, to a set of common components used by SDN, ASON, and legacy (pre ASON) control and management architectures. These enable a management/control (MC) continuum of how components may be distributed and located. Requirements for enhanced control interfaces to and within the transport network, for example to support network slicing, need to be studied. Interfaces to configure, control, and receive information (e.g., streaming) from programmable hardware are needed. Interfaces to other applications that utilize information from MC systems and in turn provide information to operators and MC systems need study. Such applications include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) based enhanced network operations and digital twin networks.
AI and ML are emerging technologies that may benefit transport network operators by increasing the degree of automation, the operating efficiency and the flexibility of transport network operation and improve resource utilization. Work on AI/ML is ongoing in many other organizations with whom we collaborate, we should provide analysis and guidance on the applicability of AI/ML to the transport network for use in SG15 and in other organizations. There are two broadly distinct aspects to this work: the potential benefits AI/ML technologies might provide to the transport network; and the support (i.e., the interfaces) that those applications may need from the transport network.
As compute and storage capabilities evolve, they may impact network architecture and that should be studied (e.g., a distributed SDN controller, the use of computing hardware to flexibly provide network functions such as forwarding and adaptation). Transport network technology for data centres may have new architecture requirements. Furthermore, other capabilities, such as optical sensing and power saving technologies, are also emerging, and the impact on the network architecture should also be studied.
The continued evolution of transport networks and the services they support such as, the Internet, IMT-2020/5G and the evolution to IMT-2030/6G, datacentre-based services, and higher definition video, have resulted in drastic changes in the demands placed on transport networks. The services supported by the transport network are critical to modern society. As a key component of society's infrastructure the security of the transport network is an important consideration. The demands placed on the transport network by these evolving services is also changing. Transport networks need to continuously evolve to meet these changing demands and continue to provide a converged transport network. This rapidly evolving situation led us to recognise the need for a coordination and communication activity among the involved Questions (primarily Questions 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14/15) in order unify the terminology, avoid duplication of work and facilitate the most efficient completion of the work. Multiple technologies and network segments are having their own contributions to the network and services so that the coordination should also be investigated. Also, a standardization work plan for new optical transport network activities (the optical transport networks and technology standardization work plan, OTNT SWP) needs to be maintained. In addition, some general aspects such as terminology, need to be captured.
The following major Recommendations, in force at the time of approval of his Question, fall under its responsibility: G.800, G.803, G.805, G.807, G.809, G.872, G.8310, G.7701, G.7702, G.7703, G.8010, G.8110, G.8110.1 and I.326.
2 Questions
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- What refinements and enhancements to the specification of transport network architecture are required, including enhancements to G.800, G.872, G.8310, G.7701, G.7702, G.7703, G.8010, G.8110 and G.8110.1, use of ASON or SDN for network restoration, operational aspects and implications of the evolution of photonic technologies are required to support additional flexibility within the transport network?
- What refinements and enhancements to the architectures that use G.7701 components are needed (e.g., to support fault management)?
- What is the relationship between the transport network architecture and applications such as computing and storage?
- What is the relationship between the architecture of MC systems and the evolving compute and storage environment?
- What are the implications of multi-technology and multi-layer integration, the potential for network simplification and the consequent impact on the network architecture and existing standards?
- What enhancement are required to the architecture of media networks as the manner in which information layers use them evolves?
- What enhancements and refinements are required to G.807 for OTSi that have multiple information streams distinguished by frequency and/or time? For example signals with subcarriers.
- What enhancements are required to G.807 for optical parameter monitors that are used for media for sensing?
- What enhancements are required to the architecture of transport networks to describe the coordination between layer networks including between the media and digital layers?
- What is the relationship among functional architectures developed in Q12/15 and the information models developed in Q14/15?
- What enhancements to the architecture of transport networks are required to address emerging requirements of IMT-2020/5G and the evolution to IMT-2030/6G?
- What are the requirements for enhanced control interfaces to and within the transport network. Interfaces to configure and control programmable hardware are needed including the impacts of AI, ML, and DT on those interfaces?
For example:
o Do existing interfaces need to be extended with new parameters to support AI/ML/DT based applications?
o are new interfaces required to support AI/ML/DT based applications?
- What enhancements or refinements are required to the transport network architecture to allow AI/ML/DT based applications to be used in the operation of the transport network?
- What interfaces are required to enable clients to request network services beyond basic connectivity, e.g., client policy adjustments?
- What enhancements to the architecture are required to support the interaction between transport network management and IMT 2020/5G and IMT 2030/6G network management?
- What security aspects of the control components used in the transport network's control and management architecture should be specified?
- What security aspects of management and control, and the applications using it including resource allocation aspects should be specified?
- 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?
3 Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- The study of:
o Transport networks that offer circuit switching capability including photonic switching technology.
o Transport networks that offer packet switching capability.
o Converged multi-technology and multi-layer transport networks.
o The architecture of the media network and new ways that information layers can be supported over media.
o Support of point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint transport services including use of point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint topologies in media.
o Architectural aspects and constructs for unguided and free space media.
o The dynamic behaviour of resources in the network (e.g., link speed change) and service demand.
o The architectural approach and its role in providing more flexible control.
o The architectural implications, if any, of providing support for the use of AI/ML technology for operational enhancements to the transport network, excluding AI/ML algorithm development.
o The architectural implications, if any, from the emerging application like network digital twin.
o Use of ASON or SDN for network restoration.
- Maintenance of Recommendations G.8010, G.8110, and G.8110.1.
- Refinement and enhancement of Recommendations G.800, G.807, G.8310, G.872, G.7701, G.7702, and G.7703.
- Investigate Lifecycle Management and alignment with Q14/15.
- Use of AI and ML and DT in the transport network.
- Facilitate discussion among questions during SG15 meetings to coordinate work on optical transport, access and home networks, including the harmonization of terminology.
- Develop, maintain, and regularly distribute a work plan that documents the work and time schedules of all major new optical transport network activities (OTNT SWP).
- Examine the application of existing SG17 security related Recommendations to transport network with a focus on architectural aspects.
- Facilitate discussion among questions during SG15 meetings to coordinate work on security.
- Exploring the relationship between the architecture of MC systems and the evolving capabilities such as compute, storage and sensing.
- Exploring the architecture of media used by Questions within SG15, particularly free space
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is contained in the SG15 work programme (https://www.itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sp=18&q=12/15).
4 Relationships
Recommendations:
- AI and ML application Recommendations (e.g., Y.3172)
- DT application Recommendations (e.g., Y.3090)
- Compute and networking Recommendations (e.g., Y.2501)
Questions:
- 2/15, 3/15, 6/15, 8/15, 10/15, 11/15, 13/15 and 14/15
Study Groups:
- ITU-T SG2 on telecommunication management
- ITU-T SG13 working on SDN, AI, ML, DT, IMT-2020/5G and the evolution to IMT 2030/6G
- JCA-IMT-2020 and beyond on 5G
- ITU-T SG20 requirements from IoT
- ITU-T SG17 on security issues
Other bodies:
- IETF on Control Plane and security Issues
- IEEE 802 on Ethernet Issues
- OIF on optical control plane and flex Ethernet and security
- ETSI ISG F5G, ISG ZSM
- 3GPP on IMT-2020/5G and beyond
- Broadband Forum on IMT-2020/5G and the evolution to IMT 2030/6G
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