Operationalizing Network & SErvice abstractioNs (ONSEN)
bofreq-clarke-operationalizing-network-service-abstractions-onions-03

Document Type Approved BOF request
Title Operationalizing Network & SErvice abstractioNs (ONSEN)
Last updated 2026-02-05
State Approved
Editors Dhruv Dhody , Joe Clarke
Responsible leadership
Send notices to (None)
bofreq-clarke-operationalizing-network-service-abstractions-onions-03

Name: Operationalizing Network & SErvice abstractioNs (ONSEN)

Description

A variety of service abstraction mechanisms are used in large networks to provide differentiated services, simplify provisioning, and decouple service operations from underlying network operations. These service abstractions include (but are not limited to) VPNs, service function chains, traffic-engineered services, attachment circuits, and network slicing. The operational workflows for deploying, monitoring, troubleshooting, and evolving these service abstractions are inconsistent. In particular, integration is complex when the components needed for a given service abstraction are not necessarily aligned.

The ONSEN BoF will build on the IAB NEMOPS workshop and establish the operators’ use of abstractions, as well as the challenges faced, to enable operators to manage and automate service abstractions and do so in a consistent manner.

The goal of this BoF is to determine whether there is interest in forming a working group focused on operationalising service and network abstractions, including:

  • Understanding the need for service and network abstractions.
  • Enabling and maintaining the service and network-level YANG data models.
  • Documenting the interaction between the service and network YANG data models and the underlying device models.
  • Enabling YANG-based APIs for use in integration and automation.
  • Cataloging tools related to automation.

Required Details

Conflicts

  • Chair Conflicts: TBD
  • Technology Overlap: OPSAWG, TEAS, CCAMP, NETMOD, BESS
  • Key Participant Conflict: OPSAREA, RTGAREA, NMOP, RTGWG, NETCONF, MPLS, IVY, GREEN, NMRG

Information for IAB/IESG

To allow evaluation of your proposal, please include the following items:

  • Any protocols or practices that already exist in this space: L3SM, L2SM, L3NM, L2NM, Network Slicing, ACaaS
  • Which (if any) modifications to existing protocols or practices are required: Proposed updates to the above models
  • Which (if any) entirely new protocols or practices are required: Service abstractions through APIs built from YANG data models
  • Open source projects (if any) implementing this work: Related to yang2swagger

Agenda (Very Early Draft)

Topic Speaker Time
Introduction & problem framing TBD 10 min
Operator perspectives TBD 30 min
Review of work outside of IETF TBD 10 min
Review of tooling work TBD 10 min
Charter Discussion Chairs 40 min
Conclusion Chairs/AD 10 min