| Description:
|
1 Motivation
The recent continuous change of digital technologies in networking closely influences on various aspects of human life (e.g., industrial control, self-automated driving, time-critical and high-reliability communications, and cloud-based services). New types of networks are emerging or become closer to practical usage with the trend of the times.
Network softwarization is based on an overall approach for the design, deployment, control, management and orchestration of network components by software to provide diversified services to users, exploiting flexibility, dynamicity, and rapidity of networking. The network can be a "platform" for aggregating related network capabilities and providing services, supporting dynamic scaling of functions, elastic provision of performance, and dynamic matching of service supply and demand. The characteristics of network softwarization have a high affinity with the realization of new scenarios and requirements in various business and social fields.
Key technologies include SDN/NFV and data plane programmability supporting platformized network. Besides, to enhance service-oriented network, extended the field of network services providing network slicing, edge computing, management and orchestration from the perspective of network operational efficiency, and intelligence of service-based computing and data plane need to be studied in Y.3000, Y.3100 and Y.3300-series.
In addition, to make progress on network softwarization, the importance of software-based approach is increased more and more. Development and operations (DevOps) with artificial intelligence (AI) technique, network-as-a-service, software-as-a-service especially for networking and communication-as-a-service are realized and should be taken care for network softwarization.
The Recommendations that specify framework, service scenarios, requirements, and architecture of network softwarization in the networks beyond IMT-2020, and IMT-2030 networks fall under the responsibility of this Question.
The following major Recommendations, in force at the time of approval of this Question, fall under its responsibility:
? ITU-T Y.2242, Y.2305, Y.3110, Y.3111, Y.3112, Y.3150, Y.3151, Y.3152, Y.3153, Y.3154, Y.3156, Y.3157, Y.3158, Y.3160, Y.3324
2 Study items
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
? What are the requirements and architecture of SDN/NFV and data plane programmability to support functions such as network virtualization and network slicing necessary for exploding and diversifying services taking into account traffic controlling, time sensitivity, scalability, reliability, security and distribution of functions?
? What are the requirements and architecture of management and orchestration, related management-control continuum capability of softwarized networks and network slices, taking into account operational efficiency, energy saving, high efficient resource utilization and others?
? What are the gaps in standardization effort for network softwarization as well as in open-source activities?
? What are key technology enablers to enhance network softwarization, supporting network platformized, to enhance DevOps of networking software, and to enhance service-based network, in both public telecommunications including satellite communications and private communication networks specific to vertical industry services or applications?
? How to enhance network softwarization by using AI techniques to support network automation?
? What new business models are available with the advent of digital transformation by using techniques of network softwarization, network management and orchestration?
? How to handle, evaluate and measure network parameters for softwarization including network slice to guarantee a measurable service level over homogeneous or heterogeneous networks?
3 Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
? Considering open-source activities, development and maintenance of Recommendations on requirements, functional architecture and mechanisms for network softwarization including generic SDN and their profiles for intent-based networking, network virtualization, network slicing, NFV, network platformized, DevOps of networking software, service-based network and virtualized network applications supporting service requests over versatile kinds of networks.
? Development of Recommendations on the management and orchestration of homogenous/heterogeneous types of softwarized infrastructure in both public and private networks.
? Development of Recommendations on the capability in support of network softwarization by using enhanced APIs and AI-assisted functionalities.
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is contained in the SG13 work programme: https://www.itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sp=18&q=21/13.
4 Relationships
Recommendations:
? Y-series Recommendations in SG13
? Q-series Recommendations in SG11 relevant to network softwarization
Questions:
- All Questions relating to network softwarization
Study groups:
- ITU-T and ITU-R study groups involved in the networks beyond IMT-2020 studies and IMT-2030 networks studies
Other bodies:
? European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
? The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
? Internet Engineering Taks Force (IETF)/Internet Research Task Force (IRTF)
? Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
? TM Forum
? Broadband Forum (BBF)
? Global System for Mobile Communication Alliance (GSMA)
? Open-source activities involved in network virtualization, network slicing and orchestration studies
WSIS Action Lines:
? C2
Sustainable Development Goals:
? 9
|
