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ACTN refers to the set of virtual network operations needed to
orchestrate, control and manage large-scale multi-domain TE networks
so as to facilitate network programmability, automation, efficient
resource sharing, and end-to-end virtual service aware connectivity
and network function virtualization services.

These operations are summarized as follows:

- Abstraction and coordination of underlying network resources
to higher-layer applications and customers, independent of how
these resources are managed or controlled, so that these
higher-layer entities can dynamically control virtual
networks. Where control includes creating, modifying,
monitoring, and deleting virtual networks.

- Multi-domain and multi-tenant virtual network operations via
hierarchical abstraction of TE domains that facilitates
multi-administration, multi-vendor, and multi-technology
networks as a single virtualized network. This is achieved by
presenting the network domain as an abstracted topology to the
customers via open and programmable interfaces. Which allows
for the recursion of controllers in a customer-provider
relationship.

- Orchestration of end-to-end virtual network services and
applications via allocation of network resources to meet
specific service, application and customer requirements.

- Adaptation of customer requests (made on virtual resources) to
the physical network resources performing the necessary
mapping, translation, isolation and, policy that allows
conveying, managing and enforcing customer policies with
respecttotheservicesby the network to said customer.

- Provision of a computationschemeandvirtualcontrol
capability via a data model to customers who request virtual
network services. Note that these customers could, themselves,
be service providers.

ACTN solutions buildson, and extend, existing TE constructs and
TE mechanisms wherever possible and appropriate.

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      . CNC - Customer Network Controller - 
      . MDSC - Multi Domain Service Coordinator -  
      . PNC - Physical Network Controller -

Customer Network Controller

A Virtual Network Service is instantiated by the Customer Network
Controller via the CMI (CNC-MDSC Interface). As the Customer Network
Controller directly interfaces the application stratum, it
understands multiple application requirements and their service
needs. It is assumed that the Customer Network Controller and the
MDSC have a common knowledge on the end-point interfaces based on
their business negotiation prior to service instantiation. End-point
interfaces refer to customer-network physical interfaces that
connect customer premise equipment to network provider equipment.
In addition to abstract networks, ACTN allows to provide the CNC
with services. Example of services include connectivity between one
of the customer's end points with a given set of resources in a data
center from the service provider.

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The PNC, in addition to being in charge of controlling thephysical
network, is able to implement two of the four ACTN main
functionalities: multi domain coordination function and
virtualization/abstraction function
A hierarchy of PNCs can be foreseen for scalability and
administrativechoices.

IETF ACTN architecture, YANG models and PCE-P protocols for NBI