Opening up networks with JAIN Parlay

The desire for new business growth has been a major driving force towards the development of open network APIs, such as the Parlay API, within telecommunications networks. The Parlay API enables both third parties (external companies, operating outside the security domain of the network operator) and network operators to build new applications that rely on real-time control of network resources. The Java APIs for integrated networks (JAIN/sup TM/) Community is defining a Java version of the Parlay API to bring the benefits of the Java language to the Parlay API, and to promote industry-wide adoption of the Parlay API. This article describes the background and rationale behind the work of the Parlay Group, together with the characteristics, structure, and capabilities of the Parlay API. The benefits that Java and the JAIN Community bring to the Parlay API are then explored. A technical overview of the Java version of the Parlay API, referred to as the JAIN Parlay Edit Group API, is given and illustrated using example sequence diagrams. The article concludes by taking a look at what additional features may be added to the API and the implementation activities that lay ahead.