P804

Interoperability of Network Computing Services

closed

As broadband network technology is gradually being introduced on a large scale, it is important for network operators to fully exploit its potential. The emerging concept of Network Computing offers the possibility of shifting service logic from the end user terminal equipment into the network.

This facilitates service (and network/element) management e.g. service accountability and adaptability across heterogeneous administration domain boundaries, allows for mobility support through service access independent of terminal equipment, time and location, supports high performance computing by using servers to run applications and, finally, enables compound use of different services via a single means of access. Additionally, Network Computing offers the potential of generating completely new types of services which are impossible or at least only with great difficulty to generate with conventional technology, e.g. client/server.

For maximum effect, offering the end user a broad range of services and resourcesand thus generating maximum revenue for the service providers and network operators in the light of the ongoing deregulation and liberalisation of the telecommunications arena, it is highly advisable to closely address the issue of interoperability between Network Computing services located in heterogeneous and autonomous domains.

This Project is a continuation of the P704 (Network Computing) Project. The results achieved in P704 will serve as input and basis for this Project.

2 What are the main objectives of this Project?

 The main objectives of this Project are as follows:

• to identify a limited set of key Network Computing service interoperability issues of common interest to all PNOs, e.g. accountability and support for mobile users;
• to establish a state-of-the-art overview of the identified key Network Computing service interoperability issues, e.g. commercially available technologies, standardisation activities and current research results;
• to define and model the identified interoperability issues with particular emphasis on their re-use in standardisation activities;
• to validate the models via the implementation of a common demonstrator using the demonstrators already implemented in P704;
• to produce guidelines for re-use of the defined models, e.g. as input for implementation by PNOs and as input to standardisation bodies

3 What are the key results of this Project?

• Key issues of Network Computing service interoperability and state-of-the-art overview
• Definition of a generic Network Computing service interoperability mode
• Generic Network Computing Service Interoperability Model (Submission to standards bodies)
• Evaluation of the Network Computing service interoperability model implementation and guidelines for re-use
• Web Presentation on Network Computing service interoperability