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1 Core network aspects

A.4.3 Multi-layer management functions orchestration functional element

The MMF orchestration functional element provides functionality for supporting the lifecycle management
of SDN application/network services across the entire SDN operator's domain (e.g., multiple data centers
interconnected by a WAN transport network).

A.4.4 Inter-layer service orchestration functional element
The inter-layer service orchestration functional element provides orchestration of multi-layer resource
management. It coordinates management operations among the SDN-AL, SDN-CL, and SDN-RL, especially the
relationships among virtualized and physical resources across the SDN layers. Some examples of
orchestration realized by this functional element can be:

– orchestration for a multi-layer virtual to physical resource fault correlation;
– orchestration for scale-in and scale-out of control element (e.g., controller instances) depending on
the traffic demand changes in the underlying resource layer, and;

– orchestration for an application layer service provisioning request to resource layer relevant
resources.

A.5 External relationship management functional component

Figure A.5 shows the internal structure of the ERM functional component.

Figure A.5 – Functional elements of the ERM functional component

The ERM functional component provides management functionality to interwork with external management
entities. External management entities can be a legacy OSS/BSS, management and orchestration entities [b-
MANO], cloud management entities, or other management functionality which can be defined in the future.
The ERM functional component plays a role of the representative interface of SDN management toward the
external management entities. Its main functionality includes abstraction of SDN management information
for the exchange and request/reply of management operations with external management entities. It can be
used for policy management, data analytics, accounting, etc.

The ERM functional component is also responsible for MMF to interact with an external DevOps system to
enable efficient development of SDN functionality by providing developer environment setup processes,
build and test management, and deployment.

A.5.1 External management interworking support functional element
The external management interworking support functional element provides an MMFO reference point to
OSS/BSS for requesting and receiving management operations and associated information to/from OSS/BSS.
A.5.2 Management information abstraction functional element

The management information abstraction functional element provides abstraction of SDN management
information for the exchange with external management entities for inter-domain management information
hiding purpose.

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