Hierarchical Network Controller
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The document discusses the concept of a hierarchical network controller that can abstract and provide control over complex multi-domain, multi-vendor SDN transport networks. A hierarchical network controller sits above domain-specific SDN controllers and provides an end-to-end view of the network, combining capabilities from different network domains like IP, optical, and others. This allows domain controllers to focus on domain-specific functions while the hierarchical controller provides cross-domain intelligence and optimization for end-to-end services across technology and vendor boundaries. The document also presents a case study of Vodafone using such a hierarchical approach to manage its European transport network.
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Hierarchical Network Controller
- 1. Hierarchical Network Controller Abstracting Complex Multi-Domain, Multi-Vendor SDN Transport Shahnaz Mohammad Zaki Cisco Systems Malaysia 1
- 2. What we will explore in the next 30 minutes: 2 SDN Deployment Review Landscape of the Modern SP Network SDN Deployment Scenarios The Concept of the Hierarchical Network Controller Case Study 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 3. 3 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO Manage network scale and maximize infrastructure investment across all network paths The outlook of an ever-growing size and complexity of transport network infrastructure drives the idea of a more autonomous and intelligent control capabilities The SDN Ambition Improve operations efficiencies and make use of analytical data to facilitate informed decision making Foster new service experience to create market attraction and retain subscriber loyalty Faster fault detection and service remediation Continuous network optimization based on class of service
- 4. 4 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO Manage network scale and maximize infrastructure investment across all network paths The outlook of an ever-growing size and complexity of transport network infrastructure drives the idea of a more autonomous and intelligent control capabilities The SDN Ambition Improve operations efficiencies and make use of analytical data to facilitate informed decision making Foster new service experience to create market attraction and retain subscriber loyalty Faster fault detection and service remediation Continuous network optimization based on class of service “Cut cost, make more money”
- 5. The Need for Automation 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO The Larger the Scale, the Higher the Demand 5 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
- 6. 6 Landscape of a Modern SP Network Network domains which may varied by locations and vendors NodeB Etnerprise Broadband NodeB Etnerprise Broadband Internet & Cloud Network Assurance & Control Across each Domains 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO service flows across multiple network domains
- 7. The Challenge: Rigid & Fragmented Networks • Transport networks are a patchwork of technologies, domains, layers and vendor turfs • Most still rely on a siloed, highly manual and error-prone operational apparatus • Current network data is fiendishly difficult to collect, corelate and utilize IP Aggregation NW IP Core Network Metro Optical Vendor A LH Optical Vendor B Delivering SDN automation use cases are bounded by network domains and achieving end-to-end service can be very limited
- 8. Transport SDN Deployment Scenarios 8 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 9. Vendor Independent Platform What we always hoped to be 9 Transport SDN Vision Provisioning Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry Vendor A Vendor B Vendor C IP Core IP Metro DWDM Region 1 Planning SNMP SSH BGP- LS PCEP TL1 Netconf / Restconf gNMI OSS BSS API API Vendor D DWDM Region 2 A single platform-independent solution that provides multiple integrated SDN functions which works across all network domains and OSS/BSS layer 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO Service creation, bandwidth on demand, service optimization, service prioritization, close-loop, predictive analysis... Common Seen Challenges • Device Scale limits to support large networks • Advance SDN network optimization capabilities are vendor centric - not proprietary but exclusively developed • Multi-vendor integration is not mature enough • Standards are not fully adopted • Software lifecycle nightmare – one component upgrades can cause incompatibility chain effect • SP adoption of DevOps / NetOps
- 10. Vendor A Incumbent Vendor SDN Deployment 10 Transport SDN Scenario 1 Provisioning Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry Vendor A Vendor B IP Core IP Metro DWDM Region 1 Planning SNMP SSH BGP- LS PCEP Netconf / Restconf gNMI OSS BSS API API Most common transport SDN deployment seen in the market where incumbent vendor for the network takes the lead in deploying SDN. Produces well tested use cases and less complicated. Commonly for smaller SP. 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO The challenge • Advance capabilities are vendor-domain specific, with close tie-ins between software and hardware pre-sets • Potential vendor lock-in and onboarding of third-party innovation within domain is a challenge if not impossible • No failure correlation between domains – example: optical-to-IP Vendor B Configuration Assurance Planning TL1 SNMP DWDM Region 1 Provisioning
- 11. Domain-specific deployment 11 Transport SDN Scenario 2 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO The challenge • Siloed topology awareness between domains • No failure correlation between domains – example: optical- to-IP • Network optimization is domain specific and different from another • Cross-domain service optimization is limited as network data are not exchanged • SP needs to maintain API for every domain vendors and OSS/BSS SDN capabilities which are vendor-specific IP and optical domains, by combining all the management and control components needed for unified, closed-loop and self-sufficient operations of that domain. Each domains can offer best of capabilities are within vendor specific elements. Commonly for large SP. Vendor D Vendor B DWDM Region 2 Vendor D Vendor B IP Metro Region 2 Vendor A Provisioning Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry IP Core IP Metro Region 1 DWDM Region 1 Planning OSS BSS Vendor B Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry Vendor C Configuration Optimization Assurance Planning Planning AI / ML TL1 SNMP SSH BGP- LS PCEP Netconf / Restconf gNMI SNMP SSH API API API
- 12. The Hierarchical Network Controller 12 Transport SDN Scenario 3 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO The challenge • Domain-level SDN deployment as first step • Validation of domain-level northbound interface capabilities • Potential manual correlation mapping between infra layers The hierarchical network controller together with the multi-vendor domain SDN controllers introduces a hierarchical SDN controller architecture providing an end-to-end view (both horizontal and vertical) of the transport network combining the IP/MPLS, optical domains or other domains and providing an abstracted network view of the higher-layer OSS systems. Vendor D Vendor B DWDM Region 2 Vendor D Vendor B IP Metro Region 2 Vendor A Provisioning Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry IP Core IP Metro Region 1 DWDM Region 1 Planning OSS BSS Vendor B Configuration Optimization Assurance AI / ML Telemetry Vendor C Configuration Optimization Assurance Planning Planning AI / ML TL1 SNMP SSH BGP- LS PCEP Netconf / Restconf gNMI SNMP SSH API API Hierarchical Network Controller TL1 SNMP Netconf / Restconf
- 13. The Concept Hierarchical Network Controller 13 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 14. Hierarchical Network Controller in the Overall SP SDN Architecture Service Orchestrators, Assurance, Inventory, RCA… NFV Orchestrators Hierarchical Network Controller Access Controller SDN controllers Optical Controllers SDN controllers SDN controllers EMS / Controllers Microwave WDM/OTN IP/MPLS/Ethernet Data Centers Mobile/Fixed/CPE 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 15. IP Network 15 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO • Multi-layer visualization and mapping (Fiber-Optical-IP) allows domain managers to maintain and correlate link assets • Acquire each domain-specific network data and normalize into common network model to provide and end-to-end view as well as multi-layer view • Domain controllers focus on domain-specific optimization and assurance, while Hierarchical Controller provides inter-domain intelligence for end-to-end serices • Abstracts and simplifies SP’s OSS transformation, as hierarchical network controller becomes a common point of interface to execute network wide use-cases The Concept Advantage Hierarchical Network Controller VPN Services Fiber Fiber Leased Fiber Optical Network Vendor C Metro Vendor D NLD Vendor B Metro Vendor B Metro Vendor A IP Core Vendor C Aggregation Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Optical Vendor A IP Domain Controller IP Open SDN Architecture Hierarchical Network Controller
- 16. Recommended Capabilities 16 Hierarchical Network Controller REST APIs for inventory, topology and service CRUD OSS BSS Database / Query Language Map integration / visualization Network Inventory Path Computation IETF Based Interfaces – NETCONF, RESTCONF Legacy Support– TL1, SNMP Network • Open northbound interfaces – REST API • Soutbound interfaces – towards domain managers and controllers • IETF-based (NETCONF) • ONF Supported – T-API • Legacy southbound interface support – SNMP and TL1 (DWDM) • Strong database engine and open query language – SQL • Path computation engine (PCE Server component) ONF Supported – T-API 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 17. 17 Key recommended features of the hierarchical SDN controller Feature Description Modularity The platform should be flexible enough to allow plug and play and swapping of modules at varying levels of granularity depending on the service provider’s need, for example, the PCE or management applications (assurance and planning). Openness It should open northbound and southbound interfaces/APIs with minimal integration effort. Large ecosystem support with open APIs, SDKs and a developer community would provide additional value. Standards and model- based Support for industry standard data modelling languages, protocols, and APIs such as those from MEF, TMF, IETF and ONF as well as compatibility with legacy SNMP/CLI- based operations. Extensibility/gradual deployment Service providers need a flexible and adaptable software solution to enable them to incrementally cover additional services and domains over time. This will also require legacy/backwards compatibility with existing infrastructure. Cloud-native platform architecture Built using a set of common and shared micro-services/functions to enable rapid onboarding of new features and functions to meet future requirements. It should also support various deployment models including on-prem and cloud-hosted and provided in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) licensing model. Source: Analysys Mason 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 18. Case Study Vodafone Europe 18 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
- 19. Vodafone 19 • Linking more than 270 third- party and Vodafone-owned data centers across Europe and Africa • Up to 250 terabytes of data traffic at any one time • Integration with Juniper Paragon Pathfinder, Ciena MCP controller, Huawei NCE-T and Cisco CNC • Network for mobile, fixed data and voice traffic to serve hundreds of millions of users and third-party internet and content providers in 28 countries across four continents Global Transport Network “This enables end-to-end multilayer automation and programmability, removing the complexity for third party services interacting with the network.” Alessandra Pavese Head of Cloud and Connectivity Evolution and Automation, Vodafone
- 20. • Supporting HA scenarios of a failure during provisioning and discovery scenarios • L0L1L2 services • PWLSPTE++ • L2L3 VPN • Topology visualization of all domains and of all layers from OTS to LSP • Discovery using scheduled polling cycles and notifications for near real time updates • Device HW inventory Shelves Cards Pluggable ports • Uses applications set for advanced assurance and analytics Vodafone Main Use Cases Provisioning Topology Visualization Service Assurance and Analytics HA Inventory 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 21. IP Service Optical Fiber The Hierarchical Controller Network Model – from service to fiber Initial Use Cases: Service to Fiber Visibility Layered service view in Hierarchical Controller UI Visualization of a protected private line service – zoom out and zoom in views 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 22. Understand all network layers Understand physical risks + Risk Management • What will be the impact of taking down a set of resources for maintenance? • Is the network vulnerable to 1 or 2 failures? • What would be the impact of a failure? • Define diversity policies for any set of connections and see if they are violated Understand service mapping to network
- 24. Key Takeaways • Allow domain-level to perform best-of-breed while.. • Having cross-domain intelligence and produce end-to-end service outcomes • Take IP + Optical integration as first wins • Feasibility studies required, may not be for everybody 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO
- 25. Thank You 25 2023 MYNOG-10 HCO