Standardization - OGF
NSI-WG
Network Service Interface Working Group
Description
High performance networks offer advanced network services to end users with differing requirements. The user/application/middleware may request network services from one or more network service providers through a network service interface. The network service setup requires configuration, monitoring and orchestration of network resources under particular agreements and policies. Provisioning mechanisms support allocating, configuring, and maintaining network internal resources.
The Network Service Interface (NSI) Working Group (WG) will provide the recommendation for a generic network service interface that can be called by a network external entity such as end users, middleware, and other network service providers. The recommendation will define the information exchange, the required messages and protocols, operational environment, and other relevant aspects. The scope of the NSI WG includes, in particular, the interface between Grid middleware and the network infrastructure as well as the interface between network domains in order to provide interoperability in a heterogeneous multi-domain environment. The WG will consider user authentication/authorization, service negotiation agreements, and information exchange to describe advanced network services.
Details
List of partners active in this research group:
| Person | Partner | Role |
| Eduard Escalona | University of Essex | Co-founder, Contributing member |
| Georgios Zervas | University of Essex | Co-founder, Contributing member |
| Dimitra Simeonidou | University of Essex | Co-founder, Contributing member |
| Joan Antoni | Fundació i2CAT | Contributing member |
| Sergi Figuerola | Fundació i2CAT | Contributing member |
| Eduard Grasa | Fundació i2CAT | Contributing member |
| Radoslaw Krzywania | Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center | Contributing member |
| Bartosz Belter | Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center | Contributing member |
Link to group's page at OGF website is available here.
State of the work
The group is working both on a use-case document and the architecture document. A NSI Use case questionnaire has been created and filled in by several industrial and research institutions, which is used to cover several sections of the use case document and in turn provide valuable information for the architectural document too. The discussion during the last OGF meeting in Chapel Hill (OGF 26) identified common requirements across NSI/NML/NMC. There is a need for grater coordination across groups, which will be addressed by:
- formal cross attendance and representatives
- modular approach allowing re-use by different groups
A matrix of common services across infrastructure groups will be prepared and the leading working group will be identified. In parallel, the group started to more closely identify standards outside of OGF relevant to NSI.