Content for TS 32.107 Word version: 16.1.0
1 Scope Word‑p. 4
On-going industry convergence and pressure to reduce cost is placing an ever-increasing emphasis on the need to rationalize and align various network management aspects across boundaries of standards/specifications producing organizations. The cost, resulting from integration and management challenges, of the lack of a coherent treatment of the whole network has becoming increasingly apparent to the point where operators of networks are demanding action.
This document provides key concepts and principles for the Federated Network Information Model covering all key aspects of a solution to the on-going industry convergence challenge. The proposal focuses on Information Model federation and is constructed to best deal with the various contradictory pressures of the current environment providing a pragmatic and realizable approach. The structure proposed will be called the Federated Network Information Model (FNIM).
The proposal set out in this document:
-
Explains:
-
How, from a technical perspective, a number of standards and specifications generated by different organizations can function together to bring greater coherence to the management of converged networks and hence reduce operations costs.
-
Specifically how TM Forum and 3GPP can work with each other and with other industry groups in a Standards Federation to develop a Federated Network Information Model drawing on insights from the broad community (including the TM Forum SID [7], TM Forum MTNM/MTOSI [8], 3GPP SA5 IRPs [14], DMTF CIM [15]).
-
How the Federated Network Information Model can be used from a technical perspective (with the focus here being the Network Model).
-
Recognizes:
-
The network is "always on", therefore changes in management solutions should not impact networks in operation.
-
There will always be on-going change.
-
That this is only a start on a very long journey.
-
Allows and enables:
-
Decoupling of concerns across the industry whilst growing industry coherence.
-
Differing delivery pace across the industry whilst aiming for industry convergence.
-
Variety from innovation whilst removing unnecessary variety in management infrastructure.
-
Temporary divergences and overlaps during the convergence process.
-
Ensures:
-
Change is made only as a result of understanding of specific market needs.
-
Progress by providing coherent solutions to satisfy the needs of all participating industry partners in order not to be blocked by the slowest laggard.
-
Highlights:
-
The challenges of dealing with differing methodologies/tooling used across the standards arena and points out that methodology/tooling differences if ignored will significantly slow progress towards the target.
-
The need for development of a new governance regime and points to some of the attributes of such a regime.
-
An approach of gradual restructuring and a controlled converging coherence starting small and growing step by value-justified step.
-
The challenge of presenting the models so all can have an identical understanding.
-
The challenge of interpreting models from different origins, with their different terminology and viewpoints, to arrive at a shared understanding through a federated model. This leads to recognition of the need for a deeper uniform semantic analysis of the area covered by the umbrella information model (UIM) and the navigation points among concrete models which may further lead to the need for the development of information architectures and patterns.
This document focuses on the Information Model aspect of the problem as it is clear that the lack of an agreed-upon, coherent information model across organizational boundaries to support the FMC aspects of the industry that defines the things to be managed and the way they should be expressed is one of the first aspects that need to be tackled.
This document proposes a Federated approach to model development and emphasizes the need for the development of an Umbrella Information Model (UIM) and its relationships with the other domain specific models. The document also deals with direct relationships between domain/technology specific concrete models.
It is proposed that:
-
The work will be published and expressed in UML and will also be published in formats appropriate for each of the participating bodies to absorb (this may require nothing more than the UML format in some cases). The output form required by a particular body will be generated by resources contributed by that body.
-
As necessary the model will be embellished using stereotype to express all aspects/properties of the model.
The proposal recognizes that the TM Forum Information Framework (SID) [7] and the TM Forum Integration Framework (MTNM/MTOSI) [8] work provide an enterprise-wide structure and model that can be used to seed the converged model. The proposal recognizes that the 3GPP SA5 group work [14] provides models relating to mobile networks (including RANs, CNs and IMS) that can be used to seed the converged model.
The proposal:
-
Ensures on-going reduction in cost of integration and improvement of degree of integration for the purpose of End-to-End management;
-
Enables models from many organizations to be used together for the purpose of End-to-End management (recognizing that there are a number of critical governance issues to be overcome to enable this);
-
Provides structure for the alignment on a deeper understanding of the semantics and for the development and maintenance of an information architecture and associated patterns;
-
Provides both an initial pragmatic solution form and a longer term target;
-
Recognizes that the model will evolve in stages, but will never be "completed" and hence this is an on-going activity;
-
Recognizes the importance of providing solutions that are backward compatible to existing standards. See [13, 17]
This content of this document has been jointly developed by 3GPP and TM Forum as part of the Joint Working Group on Resource Model Alignment [18].
2 References Word‑p. 6
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.
-
References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non specific.
-
For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
-
For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.
[1]
ITU-T X.680 "OSI networking and system aspects - Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)".
[2]
3GPP TS 32.642 "UTRAN network resources IRP: NRM".
[3]
ATM Forum, Technical Committee, Network Management, M4 Network View CMIP MIB Specification ("CMIP Specification for the M4 Interface", Sep 1995, http://www.broadband-forum.org/ftp/pub/approved-specs/af-nm-0027.000.pdf).
[4]
3GPP TS 32.622 "Generic network resources IRP: NRM".
[5]
MEF Technical Specification MEF 7.1, "Phase 2 EMS-NMS Information Model", October 2009.
[6]
3GPP2 S.S0028-E "OAM&P for cdma2000 (Overview, 3GPP R7 Delta Specification, 3GPP2 Network Resource Model IRP)".
[7]
TM Forum GB922, Information Framework (SID) Suite, Release 9.0 (http://www.tmforum.org/browse.aspx?catID=9285&artf=artf2048).
[8]
TM Forum MTOSI 2.0 (http://www.tmforum.org/MTOSIRelease20/MTOSISolutionSuite/35252/article.html).
[9]
TM Forum SD1-44_ConnectionlessTechnologyManagement.pdf available as part of [8] (Especially Appendix III "Mapping MEF - MTNMETH").
[10]
TM Forum SD1-7_DSLOverview.pdf available as part of [8].
[11]
TM Forum SD1-18_layers.pdf available as part of [8] (Especially 4.2.7 ATM and SDH capable STM-4).
[12]
TM Forum "Connectionless, Connection Oriented Convergence and TP Modelling" (http://tmforum.org/FeatureDescription/ConnectionlessConnection/41718/article.html).
[13]
TM Forum TR 146 "Lifecycle Compatibility Release 1.0" (http://www.tmforum.org/TechnicalReports/TR146LifecycleCompatibility/36664/article.html).
[14]
See Appendix B for the list of 3GPP Technical Specification series on Network Resource Models.
[15]
DMTF CIM ("Distributed Management Task Force Common Information Model").
[16]
3GPP TR 32.852: "Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) 3GPP/TM Forum Model Relationships & Use Cases".
[17]
TS 32.154: "Backward and Forward Compatibility (BFC); Concept and definitions".
[18]
3GPP / TM Forum JWG RMA: "FMC Federated Network Information Model (FNIM)" V3.0.
[19]
TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".
3 Definitions and abbreviations Word‑p. 7
3.1 Definitions
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in TR 21.905.
Encoding:
It is the process by which information is converted into symbols to be communicated. In this document, the 'information' is captured by the so-called model.
Operations/Notifications:
Specification conveyed over an interface between two interacting parties indicating the action to be performed on some identified entity or set of entities. In general the "operations model"/"business services model"/"action model" (or similar) cover the definitions of the actions performed to change the state/value/etc. of the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing.
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if any, in TR 21.905.
DN
Distinguished Name
FIM
Federated Information Model
FNIM
Federated Network Information Model
FMC
Fixed Mobile Convergent
IM
Information Model
LT
Layer Termination
NM
Network Management
UIM
Umbrella Information Model
-
Explains:
- How, from a technical perspective, a number of standards and specifications generated by different organizations can function together to bring greater coherence to the management of converged networks and hence reduce operations costs.
- Specifically how TM Forum and 3GPP can work with each other and with other industry groups in a Standards Federation to develop a Federated Network Information Model drawing on insights from the broad community (including the TM Forum SID [7], TM Forum MTNM/MTOSI [8], 3GPP SA5 IRPs [14], DMTF CIM [15]).
- How the Federated Network Information Model can be used from a technical perspective (with the focus here being the Network Model).
-
Recognizes:
- The network is "always on", therefore changes in management solutions should not impact networks in operation.
- There will always be on-going change.
- That this is only a start on a very long journey.
-
Allows and enables:
- Decoupling of concerns across the industry whilst growing industry coherence.
- Differing delivery pace across the industry whilst aiming for industry convergence.
- Variety from innovation whilst removing unnecessary variety in management infrastructure.
- Temporary divergences and overlaps during the convergence process.
-
Ensures:
- Change is made only as a result of understanding of specific market needs.
- Progress by providing coherent solutions to satisfy the needs of all participating industry partners in order not to be blocked by the slowest laggard.
-
Highlights:
- The challenges of dealing with differing methodologies/tooling used across the standards arena and points out that methodology/tooling differences if ignored will significantly slow progress towards the target.
- The need for development of a new governance regime and points to some of the attributes of such a regime.
- An approach of gradual restructuring and a controlled converging coherence starting small and growing step by value-justified step.
- The challenge of presenting the models so all can have an identical understanding.
- The challenge of interpreting models from different origins, with their different terminology and viewpoints, to arrive at a shared understanding through a federated model. This leads to recognition of the need for a deeper uniform semantic analysis of the area covered by the umbrella information model (UIM) and the navigation points among concrete models which may further lead to the need for the development of information architectures and patterns.
- The work will be published and expressed in UML and will also be published in formats appropriate for each of the participating bodies to absorb (this may require nothing more than the UML format in some cases). The output form required by a particular body will be generated by resources contributed by that body.
- As necessary the model will be embellished using stereotype to express all aspects/properties of the model.
- Ensures on-going reduction in cost of integration and improvement of degree of integration for the purpose of End-to-End management;
- Enables models from many organizations to be used together for the purpose of End-to-End management (recognizing that there are a number of critical governance issues to be overcome to enable this);
- Provides structure for the alignment on a deeper understanding of the semantics and for the development and maintenance of an information architecture and associated patterns;
- Provides both an initial pragmatic solution form and a longer term target;
- Recognizes that the model will evolve in stages, but will never be "completed" and hence this is an on-going activity;
- Recognizes the importance of providing solutions that are backward compatible to existing standards. See [13, 17]
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.
- References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non specific.
- For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
- For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.
[1]
ITU-T X.680 "OSI networking and system aspects - Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)".
[2]
3GPP TS 32.642 "UTRAN network resources IRP: NRM".
[3]
ATM Forum, Technical Committee, Network Management, M4 Network View CMIP MIB Specification ("CMIP Specification for the M4 Interface", Sep 1995, http://www.broadband-forum.org/ftp/pub/approved-specs/af-nm-0027.000.pdf).
[4]
3GPP TS 32.622 "Generic network resources IRP: NRM".
[5]
MEF Technical Specification MEF 7.1, "Phase 2 EMS-NMS Information Model", October 2009.
[6]
3GPP2 S.S0028-E "OAM&P for cdma2000 (Overview, 3GPP R7 Delta Specification, 3GPP2 Network Resource Model IRP)".
[7]
TM Forum GB922, Information Framework (SID) Suite, Release 9.0 (http://www.tmforum.org/browse.aspx?catID=9285&artf=artf2048).
[8]
TM Forum MTOSI 2.0 (http://www.tmforum.org/MTOSIRelease20/MTOSISolutionSuite/35252/article.html).
[9]
TM Forum SD1-44_ConnectionlessTechnologyManagement.pdf available as part of [8] (Especially Appendix III "Mapping MEF - MTNMETH").
[10]
TM Forum SD1-7_DSLOverview.pdf available as part of [8].
[11]
TM Forum SD1-18_layers.pdf available as part of [8] (Especially 4.2.7 ATM and SDH capable STM-4).
[12]
TM Forum "Connectionless, Connection Oriented Convergence and TP Modelling" (http://tmforum.org/FeatureDescription/ConnectionlessConnection/41718/article.html).
[13]
TM Forum TR 146 "Lifecycle Compatibility Release 1.0" (http://www.tmforum.org/TechnicalReports/TR146LifecycleCompatibility/36664/article.html).
[14]
See Appendix B for the list of 3GPP Technical Specification series on Network Resource Models.
[15]
DMTF CIM ("Distributed Management Task Force Common Information Model").
[16]
3GPP TR 32.852: "Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) 3GPP/TM Forum Model Relationships & Use Cases".
[17]
TS 32.154: "Backward and Forward Compatibility (BFC); Concept and definitions".
[18]
3GPP / TM Forum JWG RMA: "FMC Federated Network Information Model (FNIM)" V3.0.
[19]
TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".
3 Definitions and abbreviations Word‑p. 7
3.1 Definitions
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in TR 21.905.
Encoding:
It is the process by which information is converted into symbols to be communicated. In this document, the 'information' is captured by the so-called model.
Operations/Notifications:
Specification conveyed over an interface between two interacting parties indicating the action to be performed on some identified entity or set of entities. In general the "operations model"/"business services model"/"action model" (or similar) cover the definitions of the actions performed to change the state/value/etc. of the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing.
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if any, in TR 21.905.
DN
Distinguished Name
FIM
Federated Information Model
FNIM
Federated Network Information Model
FMC
Fixed Mobile Convergent
IM
Information Model
LT
Layer Termination
NM
Network Management
UIM
Umbrella Information Model
3.1 Definitions
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in TR 21.905.
Encoding:
It is the process by which information is converted into symbols to be communicated. In this document, the 'information' is captured by the so-called model.
Operations/Notifications:
Specification conveyed over an interface between two interacting parties indicating the action to be performed on some identified entity or set of entities. In general the "operations model"/"business services model"/"action model" (or similar) cover the definitions of the actions performed to change the state/value/etc. of the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing and to receive information on changes that have occurred to the thing.
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if any, in TR 21.905.
DN
Distinguished Name
FIM
Federated Information Model
FNIM
Federated Network Information Model
FMC
Fixed Mobile Convergent
IM
Information Model
LT
Layer Termination
NM
Network Management
UIM
Umbrella Information Model