The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) has established a Northbound Interface (NBI) Working Group with a charter to develop information models for NBIs and to help the application developers actively seeking an open Application Programming Interface (API) to develop code against.
“The proliferation of approaches to NBIs is impeding the progress of SDN,” said Dan Pitt, executive director of the Open Networking Foundation. “As part of our role in helping the industry develop and maintain approaches to open SDN, we are taking the lead in helping end users better understand what NBIs serve what needs. The primary driver for our work in this area is the creation of one or a small number of stable, open interfaces that will support rapid adoption of SDN. We continue to believe that software standards should be created by a committee only when absolutely necessary,” continued Pitt. “One of the purposes of the Working Group is to determine if an NBI standard from a committee is needed by the market. Over the last two years, we have said that more experience was needed with SDN controllers and applications before anyone could judge the qualities of a ‘good’ NBI. Our Working Group will build on the considerable body of experience gained since then and on the demand from application developers for assistance in understanding this critical component of a complete SDN solution.”
The new Working Group, chartered this month, has launched with strong support from ONF Member Companies: HP, Huawei, Intel, NEC, Plexxi, and Radware.
A Chairperson for the NBI Working Group will be appointed by the Board in November, after applications are received from Member Company candidates. Initial information modeling will be completed in 2014.
The ONF has also formed a new Wireless & Mobile Working Group to develop reference architecture/implications for OpenFlow in mobile networks. Current projects include Mobile backhaul/wireless transport, Mobile packet core/EPC, OmniRAN and Enterprise.
https://www.opennetworking.org/working-groups/working-groups-overview
