The network service plane: An approach for inter-domain network reservations

This paper introduces an architecture for managing a wide range of different administrative domains, that already have its own management systems. The approach and requirements exposed enhance the different network resource provisioning system (NRPS) under scope, since the set of interfaces specified and implemented allow their interoperability through the network service provider (NSP). The northbound interface defined within the NSP provides single-step on-demand services across multi-domain networks, with advance reservation functionalities involving network resources. Another aim of the specifications defined, is the future interoperability with the JRA3 developments done within the GEANT2 project. The hierarchical client-server schema between the NSP and NRPSs could be replicated horizontally in order to allow different NSP communicating each other. The overall management system becomes more fault-tolerant and scales better than the single, centralised system. Moreover, hierarchical structures of NSPs could be implemented in order to add control over the management system, pursuing a balance between the scalability of the system and the control over the different domains.