Multi-vendor, multi-lab test supported by CenturyLink, China Telecom, SK Telecom and Telefónica aims for standard northbound interface.

June 26, 2018

3 Min Read

NICE – Following a six week testing period, the OIF (Optical Internetworking Forum) today announced the conclusion of its 2018 Software-Defined Networking (SDN) Transport Application Programming Interface (T-API) multi-vendor interoperability demonstration. The much-anticipated demo results were revealed during a public read-out event being held today at NGON & DCI Europe 2018 in Nice, France.

Additionally, Juan Pedro Fernández Palacios, Head of Unit, Telefónica will discuss Telefonica’s view of the demo results and use cases during his NGON keynote presentation on June 27.

"In bringing together service providers and optical networking vendors to demonstrate new SDN deployment scenarios including dynamic-behavior use cases, the OIF in collaboration with MEF has taken another important step towards providing the foundation for service providers to efficiently deliver dynamic multi-domain connectivity services to market," stated Heidi Adams, senior research director, IP & Optical Networks, IHS Markit. "With the 2018 demo event, the T-API 2.0 interface from the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) is on its way to becoming a standard northbound interface (NBI) to SDN transport network controllers."

OIF, in collaboration with MEF, is leading the industry toward the validation and widespread commercialization of T-API 2.0 from ONF as a standard northbound interface (NBI) to transport network controllers.

The multi-vendor demo led by four network operator labs included lab-deployed and cloud-deployed systems testing new dynamic behavior use cases and deployment scenarios. The demo also incorporated service provisioning scenarios at the LSO Presto reference point in the MEF LSO architecture, using the MEF NRP Interface Profile Specification (MEF 60), which defines extensions to T-API in support of Carrier Ethernet services.

"The OIF SDN Interoperability demonstration has successfully brought together carriers, vendors and integrators with a common goal of moving to an open API (TAPI)," said Jack Pugaczewski, distinguished architect, CenturyLink. "TAPI is a key enabler for providing automated service fulfillment and assurance. We have tested the Connectivity, Topology and Notification software patterns that TAPI provides. Common APIs reduce design, development and deployment cycles for all involved, thus getting to market faster and realizing the financial benefits of automation."

Participating network operators were CenturyLink, China Telecom, SK Telecom and Telefónica and vendors included ADVA, Coriant, Infinera, NEC/Netcracker, Nokia and SM Optics. Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) was a participating academic institution and TELUS Communications participated as a consulting network operator.

Additionally, two private events detailing the test results will be held with participating network operators: CenturyLink on July 10 in Denver, Colorado and China Telecom on July 19 in Beijing.

"The OIF’s goal for interop events is to improve the quality and clarity of specifications being tested," explained Jonathan Sadler, OIF VP and Networking & Operations Interoperability Working Group Chair. "As the tests were performed, we noted possible points for misunderstanding and places where the specifications may be enhanced. These results will be liaised to ONF and MEF for review at future meetings."

A technical white paper and an executive summary of the demo result will be available in August.

Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF)

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