The ITU’s Next-Generation Network (NGN) architecture is designed to enable delivery of a wide range of telecommunication services over a single packet-based infrastructure. This new infrastructure is organized into “building block” layers - a service/application layer where the bulk of the services are defined, a control layer which represents a software system such as IMS, the transport layer responsible for the physical transport of data, as well as some basic networking software. All three layers use common components as represented by OSS/BSS systems. NGN uses multiple broadband, Quality of Service (QoS) enabled transport technologies and makes service-related functions independent from the choice of underlying transport technology. As a result, this architecture frees service providers from the constraints and costs of a stovepipe architecture in which each service would have its own dedicated or overlay network. The business rationale for the transformation is quite simple. It is difficult and costly to add another stovepipe. Indeed, the requirement to handle “any service, anywhere” means that the stovepipe approach is not practical. The sheer number of services and access types also means that the complexity of a stovepipe solution would cause it to collapse. To keep the complexity (and hence operational costs) in check, the number of network platforms needs to be reduced, otherwise, stovepipes are recreated between the service and transport layers. Alternatively, the stovepipes could reappear between the transport and access networks.
The result of this new framework is the ability to construct new services, allow the potential for unbundled services at each layer, and move to new network architectures. A flexible software driven framework is required to deliver what is needed in both the service and transport domains.
The distributed control layer mechanisms (routing, signaling) meant for transport have become too complex as the number of services and policy requirements continue to increase. Alternatively, an external software controller centralizes transport controls and hides the complexity from operations while still retaining interoperability at the data plane. This new control plane paradigm limits the interoperability requirements to data planes and accelerates the adoption of newer equipment into existing networks. Soapstone Networks provides the industry's only multi-vendor dynamic control plane to accelerate new service development while automating network operations.
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