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References

[6.1.3-1] Draft ETSI GS MEC 002 V0.5.1 (2016-02): Mobile-Edge Computing (MEC); Technical
Requirements.
[6.1.3-2] Draft ETSI GS MEC 003 V0.3.2 (2016-02): Mobile-Edge Computing (MEC); Framework and
reference architecture.
[6.1.3-3] ETSI, "Mobile-Edge Computing – Introductory Technical White Paper," 2014.

6.1.4 Standardization activities at ETSI NTECH AFI WG

The AFI working group in ETSI’s NTECH Technical Committee focuses on Autonomic Management and Control
(AMC) for network and services, with a comprehensive work programme. Its main deliverable is a reference
model for a Generic Autonomic Network Architecture (GANA). The GANA model defines a generic AMC
framework and structure within which to specify and design autonomics-enabling functional blocks for any
network architecture and its management architecture. The NTECH-AFI work programme comprises also an
implementation guide for the GANA reference model, and GANA instantiations onto various reference
architectures defined by standardization organizations such as 3GPP, BBF, IEEE, ITU-T and other. For example,
the generic model has been instantiated onto the 3GPP mobile backhaul and core network (EPC)
architectures as reported in TR 103.404 0.

6.1.4.1 Autonomic Management & Control (AMC) Reference Model
AMC is about Decision-making-Elements (DEs) as autonomic functions (logics that dynamically configure their
associated managed entities in respective closed control-loops) with cognition introduced in the
management plane as well as in the control plane (whether these planes are distributed or centralized).
Cognition (learning, analysing and reasoning used to effect advanced adaptation) in DEs, enhances DE logic
and enables DEs to manage and handle even the unforeseen situations and events detected in the network.
Control refers to the control-loop logic kernel of the DE , capable of dynamically adapting network resources
and parameters or services in response to changes in network goals/policies, context changes and challenges
in the network environment that affect service availability, reliability and quality.

DEs realize self-* features of a functionality or system (self-configuration, self-optimization, etc.) as a result
of the decision-making behaviour of a DE that performs dynamic and adaptive management and control of
its associated Managed Entities (MEs) and their configurable and controllable parameters. Such a DE can be
embedded in a Network Element (NE) or higher at a specific layer of the outer overall network and services
management and control architecture—thereby creating AMC architecture. An NE may be physical or
virtualized (such as in the case of the NFV paradigm).

From an architecture perspective, ETSI/NTECH AMC Framework and 3GPP Hybrid-SON (Self Organising
Network) model are compatible with each other. Indeed, they share common design principles on enabling
implementers of autonomics algorithms to combine centralized control and distributed control of network
resources, parameters and services (more details on the compatibility can be found in the ETSI White Paper
No.16 [Ref.6.1.4-7]). Indeed, a control-loop in the AMC Framework can be based on a distributed model (for
fast control-loops). In this case the DE is embedded in the nodes (physical or virtualized), whereas in a
centralized model (for slow control-loops), the DE is outside of the NEs. Both kinds of control-loops act
towards a global goal to ensure a stable state of the network. A DE can negotiate with another DE to realize
dynamic adaptation of network resources and parameters, or services, via reference points defined in the
ETSI/NTECH AMC framework.
This aspect of interworking, complementary, hierarchical and nested control-loops leads to the notion of
global network autonomics, a result of interworking DEs as collaborative manager components that perform
AMC of their associated MEs and their configurable and controllable parameters.

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