MEF members recognized that, with the arrival of SDN/NFV and cloud-computing, enterprises needed agility, assuredness, and automation from their networks. Thus, was born Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO), a reference architecture and framework for enabling end-to-end automation and orchestration, across multiple provider networks. This LSO framework forms the basis for enabling software-defined digital services, from commercial interactions to operational level inter-provider automation, as well as intra-provider automation from orchestrator, to controller, to infrastructure.
When an enterprise’s needs are seamlessly communicated and fully realized across the technology infrastructure, covering multiple service provider domains, the result is much like that of an orchestra performing a symphony: the complexities of each part, played on many instruments, fade into the unified experience of the music.
The LSO Reference Architecture incorporates seven reference points:
Together, the interface reference points enable the full orchestration of enterprise digital services across service providers, their partners, cloud providers, and the Internet.
Enabling end-to-end service orchestration within and between providers, to deliver digital and connectivity services to the enterprise.
The interface that manages interactions between the Customer Application Coordinator (e.g. the enterprise customer via a web portal) and the Service Provider, such as ordering, billing, trouble management, etc.).
The interface that allows Customer Application Coordinator supervision and control of dynamic service behavior of the LSO service capabilities under its purview, through interactions with the Service Orchestration Functionality.
The interface that manages interactions between two network providers (e.g., Service Provider Domain and Partner Domain), such as ordering, billing, trouble management, etc..
The interface that provides for the coordination of a portion of digital LSO services within the partner domain that are managed by a Service Provider’s Service Orchestration Functionality, within the bounds and policies defined for the service.
The interface between the Business Applications and the Service Orchestration Functionality, that manages interactions supporting digital LSO connectivity services.
The resource management interface needed to manage the network infrastructure, including network- and topology-view-related management functions.
The element management interface needed to manage the network resources, including element-view-related management functions.
The interface between the Business Applications and the Service Orchestration Functionality, that manages interactions supporting digital LSO connectivity services.
The resource management interface needed to manage the network infrastructure, including network- and topology-view-related management functions.
The element management interface needed to manage the network resources, including element-view-related management functions.
Customer- to service-provider interactions:
The interface that manages interactions between the Customer Application Coordinator (e.g. the enterprise customer via a web portal) and the Service Provider, such as ordering, billing, trouble management, etc.).
The interface that allows Customer Application Coordinator supervision and control of dynamic service behavior of the LSO service capabilities under its purview, through interactions with the Service Orchestration Functionality.
The Management Interface Reference Point that provides a Customer Application Coordinator (including enterprise customers) with capabilities to manage interactions (e.g., ordering, billing, trouble ticketing, etc.) with the service provider’s business applications, for a portion of the service provider service capabilities related to the customer’s products and services.
The Management Interface Reference Point that allows Customer Application Coordinator supervision and control of dynamic service behavior of the LSO service capabilities under its purview, through interactions with the Service Orchestration Functionality.
When a customer exercises dynamic service behavior via Allegro, the Service Orchestration Functionality must validate each request using the service-specific policies that govern such dynamic behavior. Such dynamic behavior and associated constraints are defined based on the product specification implemented by the service.
Example: A service-specific dynamic service policy may describe the range of bandwidth in which the Customer is permitted to throttle. Allegro may also be used to share service-level fault information with the customer.
Inter-provider interactions:
The interface that manages interactions between two network providers (e.g., Service Provider Domain and Partner Domain), such as ordering, billing, trouble management, etc..
The interface that provides for the coordination of a portion of digital LSO services within the partner domain that are managed by a Service Provider’s Service Orchestration Functionality, within the bounds and policies defined for the service.
Example: The Service Provider Business Applications may use Sonata to place an order to a partner provider for an access service that is needed as part of an end-to-end connectivity service.
The Management Interface Reference Point that manages interactions between two network providers (e.g., Service Provider Domain and Partner Domain), such as ordering, billing, trouble ticketing, etc.
The Management Interface Reference Point that coordinates a portion of digital LSO services within the partner domain that are managed by a service provider’s Service Orchestration Functionality, within the bounds and policies defined for the service.
Through Interlude, the Service Orchestration Functionality may request initiation of technical operations or dynamic control behavior associated with a service with a partner network domain. Such requests must be within the constraints set forth in the policies associated with established services and performed without impacting business applications.
Example: To satisfy a customer request, the Service Orchestration Functionality may request changes to a CE-VLAN ID mapping at a UNI that resides in a partner domain. Interlude may also be used to share service-level fault information with the partner domain.
Intra-provider interactions:
Service Provider and Partner Domains
The interface between the Business Applications and the Service Orchestration Functionality, that manages interactions supporting digital LSO connectivity services.
The resource management interface needed to manage the network infrastructure, including network- and topology-view-related management functions.
The element management interface needed to manage the network resources, including element-view-related management functions.
The Management Interface Reference Point between the business applications and the Service Orchestration Functionality (SOF) that manages interactions supporting digital LSO connectivity services.
Example: The Business Applications may, based on a customer order, use Legato to request the instantiation of a connectivity service. Legato may also allow the SOF to describe Services and capabilities it is able to instantiate. Also, the Service Orchestration Function may use Legato to ask the business applications to place an order to a partner provider for the access service needed as a service component of an end-to-end connectivity service.
The Resource Management Interface Reference Point needed to manage the network infrastructure, including network- and topology-view-related management functions.
Example: The Service Orchestration Function will use Presto to request ICM to create connectivity or functionality associated with specific service components of an end-to-end connectivity service within the domain managed by each ICM. Presto may also allow the ICM to describe resources and capabilities it is able to instantiate.
The Element Management Interface Reference Point needed to manage the network resources, including element-view-related management functions.
Example: ICM will use Adagio to implement cross-connections or network functions on specific elements via the ECM functionality responsible for managing the element.
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