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LSOAPI Architecture
Overview
The Metro Ethernet Forums (MEF) defines an architecture targeted at enabling virtual Ethernet Services. The MEF architecture includes the definition of reference entities, the relationships between the reference entities, and attribute groups.
lsoapi is a software stack that enables the creation of MEF defined services. The structure of the code is heavily influenced by MEF concepts and attribute definitions. The following MEF documents were referenced when designing the lsoapi software
Primary MEF References
- MEF 6.2: EVC Ethernet Services Definitions Phase 3, August, 2014
- MEF 10.3: Ethernet Services Attributes Phase 3, October 2013
- MEF 26.1: External Network Network Interface (ENNI) – Phase 2, January 2012
Secondary MEF References
- MEF 4: Metro Ethernet Network Architecture Framework - Part 1: Generic Framework, May 2004
- MEF 11: User Network Interface (UNI) Requirements and Framework, November 2004
- MEF 7.2: Carrier Ethernet Management Information Model, April 2013
- MEF 12.1 Carrier Ethernet Network Architecture Framework Part 2: Ethernet Services Layer - Base Elements, April 15, 2010
- MEF 12.1.1 Carrier Ethernet Network Architecture Framework, Part 2: Ethernet Services Layer - External Interface Extensions, October 14, 2011
Service Architecture
The software is partitioned into services layers, each layer is dedicated to creating, persisting, and managing a specific MEF defined entity, along with the associated attributes.
Each service layer presents a Northbound Rest Interface, which in general allows requesters to create, delete, modify, suspend, and resume entities for which it is responsible. Each layer may requests the services the layer directly beneath it via REST calls in order to carry out it’s responsibilities.
The following diagram provides a high level overview of the service layers defined, along with general responsibilities of each service layer, and the REST communications that place among them (the components of this architecture that are implemented in the lsoapi code base are shown in blue)
