​Management architecture and security

(Continuation of Question 6/2)

Motivation

The standardization of management interfaces cannot be pursued fruitfully without a characterization and specification of the systems and functions which communicate via these interfaces. For this purpose, TMN was specified by Recommendation ITU-T M.3010. Recommendation ITU-T M.3060 builds on ITU-T M.3010 and specifies the framework and the architectures needed to support the management of the NGN. Ongoing developments in telecommunications network and technologies, architectures and services, e.g., related to cloud computing, energy saving, future telecommunication/ICT architectures, capabilities, technologies, applications and services, require that the management framework and architecture evolve with them. Evolve management framework and architecture to support smart maintenance, and AI/ML-enhanced management.
A very important aspect of the management infrastructure is security. Undisturbed operation of telecommunications networks has become a cornerstone of society. In order to withstand actions that are aimed at disturbing this operation, the management plane must be very well secured. Therefore, it is needed that the security of management is considered and included in each step in the study and specification of management frameworks, architecture and interfaces.

Question

Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:
1)  How should the management architectures evolve in order to support evolving and future telecommunication network technologies, architectures and services, e.g., cloud computing, energy saving, future telecommunication/ICT architectures, capabilities, technologies, applications and services?
2)  How to use future technologies (e.g., using cloud, smart maintenance and AI/ML) to improve the management system architectures?
3)  Which extensions to existing Recommendations, or which new Recommendations, are needed in response to the results of the study under 1 and 2)?
4)  What is the impact of evolution in network technologies and architectures on the security of the management plane?
5)  Which extensions to ITU-T M.3016 series, or which new Recommendations, are needed in response to the results of the study
under 4)?

Tasks

Tasks include, but are not limited to:
1) Develop/enhance management architectures to support cloud computing, energy saving, and future telecommunication/ICT architectures, capabilities, technologies, applications and services, if needed.
2) Develop smart operation management and maintenance architectures.
3) Develop AI/ML enhanced management architectures, which support new services, such as auto-driving.
4) Maintain management architecture Recommendations, including the ITU-T M.3010, M.3050 series, M.3060 series, M.3040 series and M.3070 series.
5) Maintain security of management and management of security Recommendations, including the ITU-T M.3016 series, M.3210.1, Q.813, Q.815, Q.817, and M.3410 Recommendations.
An up-to-date status of work under this Question is contained in the SG2 work programme (https://www.itu.int/ITU-T/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sg=2).
Recommendations and Supplements under responsibility of this Question: ITU-T M.3040, M.3071.
Texts under development: M.AI-tom.

Relationships

WSIS Action Lines