scope:

Services such as content distribution, distributed databases, or inter‐data center connectivity place a set of new requirements on the operation of networks. They need on‐demand and application‐specific reservation of network connectivity, reliability, and resources (such as bandwidth) in a variety of network applications (such as point‐topoint connectivity, network virtualization, or mobile back‐haul) and in a range of network technologies from packet (IP/MPLS) down to optical. An environment that operates to meet these types of requirements is said to have Application‐Based Network Operations (ABNO). ABNO brings together many existing technologies and may be seen as the use of a toolbox of existing components enhanced with a few new elements.

This document describes an architecture and framework for ABNO, showing how these components fit together. It provides a cookbook of existing technologies to satisfy the architecture and meet the needs of the applications.