The open source ECOMP project, which AT&T recently turned over to the Linux Foundation, and Open Orchestrator Project (OPEN-O), which is also managed by the Linux Foundation, will be merged to create the new Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP) Project.
ONAP will allow end users to automate, design, orchestrate, and manage services and virtual functions. Its goal is to provide a harmonized and comprehensive framework for real-time, policy-driven software automation of virtual network functions that will enable software, network, IT and cloud providers and developers to rapidly create new services.
The Linux Foundation said that by consolidating member resources, ONAP is well positioned to deliver a unified architecture and implementation, with an open standards upstream focus, faster than any one project could on its own.
Founding Platinum members of ONAP include Amdocs, AT&T, Bell Canada, China Mobile, China Telecom, Cisco, Ericsson, GigaSpaces, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Nokia, Orange, Tech Mahindra, VMware and ZTE. Silver members of ONAP are ARM, BOCO Inter-Telecom, Canonical, China Unicom, Cloudbase Solutions, Metaswitch and Raisecom.
“By combining two of the largest open source networking initiatives, the community is able to take advantage of the best architectural components of both projects,” said Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of The Linux Foundation. “We’re excited to see the industry coalesce around ONAP with this unprecedented merger. Such a broad effort and investment will expedite our vision to deliver an open platform for network automation.”
The Linux Foundation will establish a governance and membership structure for ONAP to nurture a vibrant technical community.
“AT&T is excited to be working with a larger team on the future, open source network operating system for SDN automation. Creating a combined team of the initial open source ECOMP members with existing OPEN-O members bodes well for the project’s success. I want to thank the people at CMCC and Huawei, along with Jim Zemlin and Arpit Joshipura at The Linux Foundation who worked so hard with us to make this happen. We expect more consolidation in this space, and we expect many more service providers and other technology leaders to join us in this important work, which benefits the entire industry,” stated Chris Rice, SVP of Domain 2.0 Architecture and Design at AT&T.
“It is well accepted that SDN/NFV plays a key role to the carrier transformation, where automation of management and orchestration is one of the most critical enablers. Hence China Mobile has long been investing resources in the orchestrator development, and launched OPEN-O open source project with partners. In order to cohere efforts, to avoid fragmentation, and to accelerate the transformation of operators, China Mobile, AT&T and The Linux Foundation, finally reached consensus after several rounds of discussion. We are pleased to embrace the birth of the new project ONAP. It is our firm belief that, as the world's two largest telecom operators, the close collaboration in ONAP between China Mobile and AT&T, will accelerate the carrier network evolution with a strong impact on the industry globally. We sincerely hope that more industry partners would join hands with us in ONAP to promote industrial prosperity,” stated Madam Yang Zhiqiang, Deputy General Manager, China Mobile Research Institute.
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