1.2.3. Auto-configurable network (ACN) enabler

1.2.3.1. Introduction 

This enabler provides solution for network configuration using the SDN Controller of an ASSIST-IoT eco-system. The policy based solution using the northbound APIs of the SDN Controllers that improves the per-formance of selected KPIs of the network (required by use case applications). The strategies are under spec-ification based on requirements of network performance and quality for use cases applications. Solution for network resources optimisation are under investigation. Enabler consist of two components:

Policy module - polices generation based on data from monitoring module and services paramaters to be send to SDN controller.
Monitoring module - to monitor selected parameters in the SDN network.

Implemented enabler is at TRL 6 level.

1.2.3.2. Features 

Enabler provides optimised network routing configuration of SDN to improve network performances and quality. The requirements in ASSSIT-IoT:

R-P1-20: Remote latency capabilities (this enabler can help prioritising involved traffic)
R-P3A-12: Edge Connectivity (this enabler can prioritise traffic related to PCM calibration updates)

It assumes generation of the policies and enforces them using the northbound APIs of the SDN Controllers. Polices can be set manually or automatically (using different algorithms like AI solutions) to improve the performance and quality of selected KPIs of the network (e.g., network load distribution, data transfer losses and latency).

1.2.3.3. Place in architecture 

The ACN enabler is located in the Smart Network and Control plane as SDN elements of the ASSIST-IoT architecture. In particular, it belongs to the building block related to SDN networks, which is related to network configraion functionalities.

This enabler considers two components:

Policy engine, in charge of the creation of polices and their execution in the SDN network for optimising the network traffic and the creation of routing paths. It obtains network information through the SDN controller, and data traffic statistics via monitoring module.
Monitoring module, responsible for collecting network traffic statistics.

1.2.3.4. User guide 

In the following table are presented the endpoint ready to use:

### Communication interfaces

Currently, this enabler is envisioned to work automatically, without interacting with users. Any configuration parameter needed (e.g., SDN Controller address) will be passed to the enabler at instantiation time. In further releases, a feature related to enable manual activation/deactivation of the policies will be assessed and, if needed, implemented following the endpoint indicated below.

Method	Endpoint	Description	Payload (if need)
POST	/enabled/{true/false}	Enables/Disables the enabler	none

1.2.3.5. Prerequisites 

Installed SDN controller (ONOS preferable).

1.2.3.6. Installation 

The installation are done implemented by dockerization.

Steps of installation are avaible in [deployment](./deployment) folder.

1.2.3.7. Configuration options 

The usage of the enabler is related to the strategy of the performance/quality parameters goal optimisation. Three strategies (currently under development) are intended to be implemented, aiming at optimising traffic load optimisation, data transfer losses and latency in the network (RTT). A flow diagram and related steps of the main use case is presented below, consisting in the policy-based adaptation of the network, also considering the gathering of needed information:

STEP 1: The policy engine requires data from the network. The monitoring module has to collect them previously, communicating with agents present in network nodes. This will be a continuous operation once the enabler is on.

STEP 2: The policy engine requests the selected parameters for a given purpose (optimise the load traffic, data losses or latency) from the monitoring module.

STEP 3-4: After data reception, the policy module generates the rules and sends them to the SDN controller.

STEP 5: SDN controller deploys the rules in the SDN network.

STEP 6-7: Confirmation messages are sent back to the policy engine.

The policy engine will work in a standalone fashion, triggering itself regularly or based on the threshold over defined KPIs. In the future, the addition of an endpoint to manually enabling and disabling it will be evaluated.

1.2.3. Auto-configurable network (ACN) enabler

1.2.3.1. Introduction 

1.2.3.2. Features 

1.2.3.3. Place in architecture 

1.2.3.4. User guide 

1.2.3.5. Prerequisites 

1.2.3.6. Installation 

1.2.3.7. Configuration options 

1.2.3.8. Developer guide 

1.2.3.9. Version control and release 

1.2.3.10. License 

1.2.3.11. Notice(dependencies)