Question 7/2 - Interface specifications and specification methodology
(continuation of part of Questions 7/2, 9/2,10/2 and 11/2 (partially))
Motivation
There are several interfaces between network management systems, including both intra-domain and inter-domain interfaces. The intra-domain interfaces are essential for the interoperability between management systems within one organization. The inter-domain interfaces ensure the exchange of management information between systems from different organizations, which can be business to business (B2B), custom to business (C2B) or business to government (B2G) interfaces. Standardized interface specifications can bring prompt, reasonable cost, automated, time effective communication processes to business enterprises, customers and government. This question is responsible for the specification of the management requirements, both the protocol-neutral and protocol-specific versions of information models for both intra-domain and inter-domain interfaces.
The question is further responsible for the generic information models (e.g. the M.3100 series Recommendations) and the common management services (e.g. the M.3700 series). The management information models may need to be extended to address the required enhancements to support new technologies.
Besides the generic management information models and management functionalities, the question is also responsible for the management interface specifications for specific network technologies, including transport (e.g. Ethernet), access (e.g. PON), and core network (e.g. signalling and packet switching network elements), NGN (including Telecommunications for Disaster Relief, TDR), and other areas or technologies as specified in the work of Question Ma.
The essence of management standardization is in the specification of management functionality and associated management information for communication across management interfaces. The specification of a management interface is composed of interface requirements in the form of management functionality, the analysis and identification of the information to be communicated independent of the implementation means (termed an information model), and the transformation of the protocol-neutral information into a protocol-specific format (termed a data model). This process is generally referred to as requirements, analysis, and design (RAD).
The RAD process defines a methodology which provides a unified approach for all work on management interface specifications, including requirements capture, information analysis and design. Central to the methodology is protocol-neutral modelling.
This question is responsible for the definition and maintenance of the management interface methodology (Recommendation M.3020) and the frameworks specifying the use of management technologies, including UML, CORBA and XML-based Web-services, and collaborating with other SDOs and forums to harmonize interface methodologies and where possible produce common management interface methodology. This question is broadly responsible for the generation of any methodologies concerning the communication of management information within, between, and outside of management networks (such as for human-machine interfaces).
This question is also responsible for management protocol profiles. With the application of new technologies in network management, it is required to provide protocol support for exchanging management information, especially for Web services and XML technologies.
Question
Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
What enhancements and extensions are needed for the Requirements, Analysis and Design (RAD) methodology defined in Recommendation M.3020, including support for service-oriented architecture concepts? What additional frameworks are needed for timely support of new management technologies, including methodologies for definition of representations and concepts and the mappings between them?
What collaboration inside and outside ITU-T is required to support the generation of both generic and specialized requirements and information models?
What general requirements and protocol-neutral and protocol-specific generic information models (including the common management services) are required to support further development of management interfaces (e.g. Q, B2B/B2C, and B2G)?
What enhancements are required to M.1400 series and M.3100 series Recommendations to support new technologies?
What requirements and management information are required to specify service level information models supporting management activities over management interfaces?
What enhancements and extensions to the generic and specialized requirements and information models are required to support NGN (including TDR), EPON, IPTV, broadband technologies of transport and access networks, and new network technologies specified in Question Ma?
What requirements and information models are required to support the service life-cycle management, product and customer management (including product catalogue, customer/user self-service), resource management, supplier/partner management, and SLA (e.g. for end-to-end QoS) management across the B2B/C2B interface?
What protocol support is required to exchange information for Web services and XML based management?
What maintenance of existing Recommendations is required?
Further items of study can be identified later.
Tasks
Tasks include, but are not limited to:
Enhancements to M.3020 for analysis phase, including support for protocol-neutral data type representation using UML;
Enhancements to M.3020 for design phase, including support protocol-specific information modelling (especially for XML and Web-services based designs), by collaborating with other SDOs.
Development of additional frameworks and guidelines to support new management technologies;
Development of protocol-neutral versions of common management services (M.3700 series) from the existing Recommendations X.730, X.740, X.750 and Q.820 series;
Enhancements to Recommendations M.1400 series and M.3100 series to support new technologies.
Enhancements to or development of requirements, protocol-neutral and protocol-specific information models to support the management of the NGN transport stratum (transport and access network technologies) and associated service stratum (including support for the M.3340 series and M.3350 series), in collaboration with other organizations.
Development the protocol-neutral and protocol-specific models for the management of Service life-cycle management, Product and Customer management (including Product catalogue, Customer/user self-service), Resource management, Supplier/Partner management, and SLA (e.g. for end-to-end QoS) management across the B2B/C2B interface.
Specifying the requirements and development of the information models to support the management of cloud computing, converged fixed and mobile networks, and future networks.
Extend Recommendations Q.811 and Q.812 to support Web services and XML-based management.
Maintenance of Recommendations G.850 Series, M.1400 series, M.1520, M.1530, M.1532, M.1535, M.1537, M.1539, M.3020, M.3100 series, M.3320, M.3340 series, M.3350 series, M.3600 series, M.3700 series, Q.751, Q.816 series, Q.820 series, Q.830 series, Q.840 series, X.160, X.161, X.162, X.163, X.170 and X.171, X.700, X.701, X.702, X.720 Series, X.730 Series, X.740 Series, X.750 Series, X.780 series and X.790 Series; X.710, X.711, Q.811 and Q.812.
Relationships
Recommendations
Study Groups
Standardization bodies
3GPP, 3GPP2, TM Forum, ATIS, DMTF, ETSI, IETF, OASIS, MEF, IEEE, W3C
