2021-02-22 Multi-SDO Autonomous Networks Workshop #2 Meeting Notes

Date

22 Feb 2021

Attendees

Input Material

• MultiSDO_AN_Workshop3.pptx
• Multi-SDO Autonomous Networks Meeting 2 MoM 22-FEB-2021.xlsx

Meeting Agenda

Main focus of meeting was to clarify the objectives and establish the way of working together.

1. Permission to record /Roll call   ~4 minutes
2. Open meeting: No IPR protection                  ~1 minute
3. Review Agenda   ~5 minutes
4. Review of output from Workshop #1  ~10 minutes
5. Establish the collaboration/contribution process  (30 minutes)
   1. Reconfirmation of agreed objectives in Workshop #1
   2. List of discussion topics
   3. Agree  Schedule Dates
   4. Contribution process
   5. Have some straw man contributions ahead of meeting time
6. Identify concepts and definition (Time permitting) 
   1. Autonomous Networks,  
   2. Autonomous Network Levels,  
   3. Intent driven interactions
   4. Control loops
   5. Autonomous Domain
7. Agree schedule for future meetings   ~10 minutes
8. AOB

Call for IPR Declaration – IPR Statements for Use in Meetings

Recordings

1. Video:   https://tmf365-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/dmilham_tmforum_org/EeYB-E4nKMROqdnwSNohHNcBlH-2c14Au55zR93uI_ZU5g?e=Gede3n   Password:  ANMulti%SDO2 Expies Aug 21, 2021
2. Audio:   https://tmf365-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/dmilham_tmforum_org/EYNpWdamJYhKuiIZX84bq-oBAyZBVnZo1KE60DfdXAsRpg?e=rp5ONN  Password:  ANMulti%SDO2 Expies Aug 21, 2021
3. Chat Log:   https://tmf365-my.sharepoint.com/:t:/g/personal/dmilham_tmforum_org/EfC2weih379GubdfWhr-JVwBqGAtWlDAJEL9e3NeS0kgEw?e=Gq9lG5  Password:  ANMulti%SDO2 Expies Aug 21, 2021

Meeting Summary 

Introduction by Dave Milham

1. Many attendees were new and had not attended previous workshop ~1.
2. Presented the previous workshop minutes location - 2020-09-28 Multi-SDO Autonomous Network Coordination Workshop Meeting Notes/Video - AN-SDO Collaboration - TM Forum Confluence  - and key agreement at end of Workshop #1:
   1. "Start from the consensus and alignment of basic concepts, terminologies, framework, and key perspectives including definition of Autonomous Networks, closed loop, Autonomous Networks Levels, Autonomous domains, Intent driven interaction and open discussions.
   2. Further deep dive on the development of key technical mechanisms, framework and interfaces, as well as use cases/PoCs and testing and verification mechanisms to support autonomous networks."
3. Feedback received on detailed  ETSI TC and IETF group titles. Any correction should be emailed to [email protected]
   
   

Presentations: AN SDO Workshop Contributions - AN-SDO Collaboration - TM Forum Confluence

Group Planning session facillitated by Kevin McDonnell

1. Kevin proposed a simple matrix of topic/SDO to establish the full list of topics and then to  establish which SDOs and individuals were prepared to contribute to those topics. The topic list was seeded by the 5 topics listed in the agenda.
2. Discussion followed focused on making clear the precise objectives of the group are and some suggestions were given on how to organize this worksheet to create a more high-level landscape and then roadmap view of collaboration.
3. As such, it was not possible to fully complete this matrix analysis during the meeting as clarification on the high-level objectives was needed from many participants. 
4. The matrix of topic/SDO will be further elaborated offline by participants and analyzed in future meetings. Matrix is in spreadsheet above: Multi-SDO Autonomous Networks Meeting 2 MoM 22-FEB-2021.xlsx

Feedback Topics

A number of comments were made about the process of moving the work forward which differed from the output of the previous workshop. These are summarized below and are not attributed to individuals or SDOs.  The recording above give the chronological record. 

Scope 

• Need to establish a common view of the objectives and benefits of such coordination.
• Query about objectives of the worksheet:
  • Confirm the topics identified from Workshop #1.
  • Who is interested in what topics? Frameworks specific meaning of definitions / terms
  • Who might be planning to contribute?
  • Alignment by sharing of work
  • Possibly jointly developed document.
  • Approach is to establish which groups have interest in which  areas.
• Noted that topics are similar and different groups may be working on similar concepts but at different levels of the network.
• General consensus to work out what to do together in concrete form

Concerns- Operational/ organizational

• Concern if the work addresses standardization as that will take much time.
• Joint specification would require discussions on rules and procedures.
  And is the purpose of the parallel Inter SDO meeting for later in March 2021.
• Overarching document might be feasible.  e.g. white paper
  • Could be definitions and or frameworks
  • Use case
  • Test and verification
• Different group will have more or less engagement and some topics might be of higher or lower priority.
• Autonomous Network Levels - are these separate from maturity levels? Consensus was yes.
• Conceptually alignment whilst necessary might still not create aligned outputs for example APIs models split between common /non domain specific and domain specific.
• Intent APIs are one example where divergence across SDO would be unhelpful.
• Concerns about possibility of establishing a 'mega-organization' to create common framework
• Multiple things done in organization trying to create consistency work in collaboration using Liaison offices and liaisons
• Need to avoid creating obstacles and impeding SDO progressing their existing works
• Idea of Joint PoCs looks good and was supported by multiple participants
• Concerns about setting a scope of work that is too large to be done within reasonable time frame and effort.
• Starting point should be the existing SDO material and consider motivation and issues they plan to solve. E.g. whether Autonomous Network means the same in all organizations. Should try to find the commonalities  and how complementary work.

CSP Concerns and Proposal/Ask

• Major obstacle for CSP is to follow and analyze the activity of the SDOs organization.
• PROPOSAL: Suggestion that CSP would benefit initially from a document setting out the  landscape of AN activities across SDOs to create a common understanding, more elaborated understanding of the terminologies (some are technical e.g. Autonomous Networks Autonomous Domains;  and some are types of deliverables) and get a picture of where the industry is going i.e. form of roadmap (attracted several supporting comments).

Technical Concerns and Proposal

• Would be useful to know where current detailed work is underway for the topics listed.
• Common operational principle: Need to establish what is common across SDOs. And would need metamodels.  Reference to IEEE Common overarching operational principles. Contributed by members of IEEE, AFI and TM Forum.
• Metamodels strong opinions were expressed both for and against 'Metamodels':

• • Against : too complex and create another model to be supported and of unknown value.
  • For: Suggestion to extract common model by extraction form multiple existing models with create criteria.
    Metamodels linking SDO Concepts is essential for full automation as envisaged by AN I.e. Zero-touch, Self-healing.

• Common information models:
  • Federation / merge of information models was successful for Network models as developed between 3GPP and TM Forum and common models led by Cablelabs.
  • Concern about creating new overarching model as that creates N+1 standards.
  • Should try to establish what was done in the past that worked well.
• PROPOSAL: Review proposal developed by IEEE at Future networking conference "Overarching Blueprint of Common Operational Principles of Autonomic/Autonomous Networks," which involves Mappings for Federated Models as well
• Concern that even aligning principles guidelines across SDOs could be a challenge as implies changes to existing SDO specifications.
• Formal contributions might be best done by company contributions as easier to handle in the SDO Working Groups.
• Outcomes could be:
  • Sharing of information.
  • Sharing of definition, then figure out if there a was mutual interest to create shared understanding which could then become the Landscape/ Roadmap.

Next meetings:

Proposal is to hold next Multi-SDO AN  Workshop ( technical level)  in a month
i..e 22nd March 2021 time to be agreed

And we have proposed an Inter-SDO Strattegic coordination meeting focued on  planning and business objectives  in a formal  liaison from TM Forum to all interested SDOs on
15^th March exact timing to be discussed.

Action List

• Representatives of afilliated SDOs to complete the Topic / SDO Matrix  online.

Next Meeting details

Scheduled Date:        

Link to Project Calendar:

Apologies for next week’s meeting: 

Requested topics for next meeting agenda: