FederatedNetworkArchitectures

 

Federated Network Architectures

Federating networks means to share resources among multiple independent networks in order to optimise the use of those resources, improve the quality of network-based services, and/or reduce costs. The main challenges relate to management, technological differences, missing standards, cost model and the federation-independent presentation of services.
 
Focus of research:

• Defining federation and its key parameters.
• Assessing the user demand for federated networks based on an analysis of current and future large-scale projects requiring international data transmission.
• Evaluating a selection of existing GÉANT tools and services that could serve as building blocks for federated networks.
• Designing, verifying and refining architecture models for building federated networks.
• Investigating the implications of establishing a federated Point of Presence (PoP) via a test and demonstration case.
• In collaboration with the Task researching Virtualisation, designing a slice-based federation control and operation framework.

  


Specific aspects being researched include:

• Optical Transport Network (OTN) switches or advanced packet switches as a solution for multi-domain interconnections, providing intelligent add/drop capabilities and enhanced utilisation of cross-border fibre capacity to turn a multi-domain junction into a dynamic adaptive switching bridge.
• Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Results:
The results of the investigation into federation have been documented in the following project reports, papers, poster and video presentation:

• Deliverable DJ1.3.1: Architecture Considerations for Federated Backbone Networks Study (project report)
• Deliverable DJ1.3.2: Architecture Considerations for Federated Backbone Networks Study: The Federated PoP (project report). 
• Building Federated Research Networks in Europe (TNC2010 research paper).
• Federated PoP: a successful real-world collaboration (TNC2012 abstract).
• Federated PoP: a successful real-world collaboration (TNC2012 full case study paper).
• Federated PoP facility in Hamburg (TNC2012 poster).
• Federated Network Architectures: The Work of JRA1 Task 3 (video presentation).