NREN Architectures
Analysing NREN architectures from an orchestration, automation and virtualisation (OAV) point of view using a common reference architecture helps align efforts, and find similarities in the way different functionalities and components are implemented, which in turn facilitates potential collaboration between organisations and future interoperability. In pursuit of this goal, the GN4-3 Network Technologies and Services Development Work Package (WP6), Network Services Evolution & Development task (T2) selected the TM Forum Open Digital Architecture (ODA) as a reference blueprint architecture that can be used for such cross-comparison. The rationale for that choice is described in Deliverable D6.6: Transforming Services with Orchestration and Automation and in the White Paper: OAV Architectures.
CARNET
CARNET OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper June 16, 2021
(pdf)
The document analyses the mapping of the CARNET architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation and virtualisation within the NRENs.
CYNET
CYNET OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper December 9, 2020
(pdf)
This document undertakes an analysis of CYNET’s network architecture components. It does so by comparing the current status to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA), which is the reference architecture selected by the GN4-3 project’s Orchestration, Automation and Virtualisation (OAV) focus group within the Network Technologies and Services Development Work Package. The analysis can help to further develop the potential for CYNET to be compatible with future OAV multi-domain processes and workflows throughout Europe.
CYNET is Cyprus' National Research and Education Network. It provides a network infrastructure for the Cypriot Research and Education Community and connects educational and research institutions. CYNET-II, the national backbone of CYNET, is connected to the European backbone GÉANT which is part of the world-wide community of research and education networks. Because Cyprus is a small island, CYNET is a National Research and Education Network (NREN) that serves only a few universities (around 17) which has so far allowed its workflows to be mainly non-automated processes. However, although CYNET is currently only at the beginning of its journey into Orchestration, Automation and Virtualisation (OAV), going forward the organisation would like to do more to benefit from adopting OAV principles, and to make sure it is compatible with future OAV multi-domain processes and workflows throughout Europe.
GÉANT
GÉANT OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper November 28, 2022
(pdf)
The document analyses the mapping of the GÉANT network architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA). This analysis is one of a series of such documents aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation and virtualisation (OAV) within the community.
This document maps GÉANT’s current Operations and Business Support Systems (OSS and BSS) to the TM Forum (TMF) [TMF] Open Digital Architecture (ODA) [ODA] reference architecture to demonstrate the flexibility and the benefits that the ODA model offers.
A reference architecture like ODA supports the transition from traditional work organisation based on manual work and procedures to a model where services are automatically provisioned and orchestrated. The mapping of the tools in use at GÉANT to functional blocks shows, how ODA can be used as a framework to understand architectures in situations where environmental complexity and independent growth have led to dependencies that are not easy to identify. This helps manage and guide the digital transformation process in complex organisations such as GÉANT and other Research and Education (R&E) entities
GRNET
GRNET OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper January 24, 2022
(pdf)
The document analyses the mapping of the GRNET (Greek Research and Technology Network) architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation, and virtualisation for network management services.
The Greek National Research and Education Network (GRNET) provides a network infrastructure for the Greek research and education community, and connects educational and research institutions. It also provides a variety of additional services, including cloud services, high performance computing, Firewall-on-Demand, Firewall-as-a-Service, sound-, video- and teleconference-services, and a large collection of digital services for the educational community. In May 2019 GRNET participated in a GÉANT survey [SURVEY2019, SURVEY-RESULTS] and, as part of that, performed an analysis of existing systems and architecture components in the context of automation, virtualisation, and orchestration. Based on this analysis GRNET architectural components have been identified and matched to the TMForum Open Digital Architecture (ODA) functional blocks.
HEAnet
HEAnet OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper October 20, 2021
(pdf)
The document analyses the mapping of the HEAnet architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture, aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation, and virtualisation within the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs).
PIONIER
PIONIER OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper February 4, 2022
(pdf)
The document analyses the mapping of the network architecture of the Polish Optical Internet (PIONIER) - a nationwide broadband optical network for e-science to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA). This analysis is one of a series of such documents aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation and virtualisation (OAV) within the NRENs.
In this document, the team reports on an analysis of the different functional aspects of the PIONIER network architecture, managed by the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Centre (PSNC). The document focuses on PSNC networking activities, and analyses how different components map to the ODA reference model. The mapping highlights the main characteristics and capabilities of the current PIONIER network architecture, and how they fit into the main functional domains of ODA. The analysis was carried out by the PSNC network architects supported by the WP6T2 team.
SURF
SURFnet OAV Architecture Analysis
GÉANT Whitepaper December 9, 2020
(pdf)
This document analyses the mapping of the SURFnet architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture, as part of the GN4-3 project’s ongoing activity in the Network Technologies and Service Development’s work package to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation and virtualisation within the NRENs. Overall, it can be concluded that the SURFnet OAV architecture, although independently developed, is very much aligned to the ODA’s core principles and design concepts.
Other Use Cases
5G
5G is a mobile technology that is addressing, by design, a broad range of requirements: very high data rates, very low latency, low energy consumption, high scalability, improved connectivity and reliability, and improved security [FGPPP18], [FGPPP20]. The 5G specifications focus on serving mobile operator needs in terms of extreme mobile broadband services and include several features to support vertical industries in terms of enablers for an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) [FGPPP20]. Within the 5G system, end-to-end (E2E) network slicing, service-based architecture, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) are seen as the fundamental pillars of the 5G architecture. Read more...
NMaaS
The document analyses the mapping of the NMaaS (Network Management as a Service) architecture to the TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture aiming to provide a standardised view of the components and implementations of orchestration, automation and virtualisation for network management services. Read more...
TALENT
Terrestrial Satellite Resource Coordinator (TALENT) is a coordination tool which provides end-to-end services over satellite domain, radio system, cloud and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) resources [TAL19]. It provides a single and easy-to-use point of interaction for all stakeholders involved in the ecosystem, such as terrestrial and satellite operators as well as different 5G verticals. TALENT is completely in line with 3GPP and ETSI definitions, extending them towards satellite systems. The original idea of TALENT is based on the definition of hierarchical and distributed orchestration [HDO17], where an overarching orchestrator is able to manage and coordinate several independent domains (satellite, radio and cloud). It is assumed that a domain manager (DM) exists in each domain that can work with the resources of this domain. In this sense TALENT becomes a light, scalable and efficient solution, agnostic to elements of domains coming from various vendors. Read more...
References:
[FGPPP18] 5GPPP Architecture Working Group View on 5G Architecture, v2.0, Jan 2018 https://5g-ppp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/5G-PPP-5G-Architecture-White-Paper-Jan-2018-v2.0.pdf
[FGPPP20] 5GPPP Architecture Working Group View on 5G Architecture, v3.0, Feb 2020 https://5g-ppp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/5G-PPP-5G-Architecture-White-Paper_final.pdf
[HDO17] J. S. Choi, “Hierarchical Distributed Orchestration Framework for Multi-Domain SDTNs”, Journal of Optical Communication and Networking, vol. 9, no. 12, pp. 1125-1135, 2017 https://www.osapublishing.org/abstract.cfm?uri=jocn-9-12-1125
[SURVEY2019] GÉANT WP6, Orchestration, Automation and Virtualisation in NRENs, https://wiki.geant.org/display/NETDEV/WP6+Events?preview=/123792049/133766032/WP6_OAV_NREN-Survey.pdf
[SURVEY-RESULTS] GÉANT WP6, Orchestration, Automation and Virtualisation (OAV), The Survey Rsults, by Topic, https://wiki.geant.org/display/NETDEV/WP6+Events?preview=/123792049/123793662/2019-05-09-OAV-Survey-Results-by-Topic.pdf
[TAL19] H. Khalili, P. S. Khodashenas, D. Guija and S. Siddiqui, “Introducing Terrestrial Satellite Resource Orchestration Layer”, 21st International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), 2019, pp. 1–4, doi: 10.1109/ICTON.2019.8840562 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8840562/