Network Management Challenges and Trends in Multi-Layer and Multi-Vendor Settings for Carrier-Grade Networks

The exponential growth of Internet traffic gives no respite to the telecommunications industry and is visibly shortening the life-cycle of the technologies used for core networking. To cope with the traffic demand, the industry has primarily focused on the evolution of the data and control planes, and has rapidly made progress in both subjects. However, the innovations in the market have not reached the management plane at the same speed. This stems from a number of factors, most of which point to the segmentation of competencies in managing multi-layer infrastructures. Current carrier-grade networks are organized as multi-layer infrastructures, typically composed of two layers: IP routers deployed in tandem with optical transport nodes. In turn, each of the two layers is typically composed of devices from different vendors, each of which usually supplies its own (proprietary) network management system (NMS). In practice, the lack of broadly accepted mechanisms for enabling interoperability among the different NMSs has led to the isolation of these proprietary systems. As a result, the operation and maintenance tasks on the network are becoming increasingly complex, which is leading to duplication of functions, higher OPEX, and significant delays in the coordination of multi-layer provisioning processes. In this paper, we examine in detail the interoperability challenges of managing multi-layer and multi-vendor carrier-grade networks, and review the current trends and recent standards in the area, with strong focus on industrial advances. We cover the Multi-Technology Operations System Interface (MTOSI) as well as OpenFlow, and analyze their potential impact and reach. We also discuss some of the reasons why relevant carrier-grade management proposals have not been able to fulfill the requirements of Internet service providers (ISPs), and identify a set of features that might help pave the way to market for new management products.