MEF released an API portfolio that empowers enterprises to seamlessly perform automated business and operations with their service providers.
The new MEF enterprise business and operational Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) API portfolio features a range of new and existing MEF assets to fuel the advancement of Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) for enterprises. The APIs enable large enterprises undergoing digital transformation and cloud migration to seamlessly connect their internal automation systems and applications with service provider networks.
Currently available MEF business LSO APIs include address validation, site query, product catalog, product offering qualification, product offering availability discovery, quote, price discovery, product order, product inventory, trouble ticketing and incidents, appointment, work order, and billing and settlement. Current and planned MEF operational LSO APIs include service function testing, service performance monitoring, and fault management.
MEF enterprise business and operational LSO APIs are available for Carrier Ethernet (E-Line, E-LAN and E-Tree) and traditional IP Broadband and Direct Internet Access network services. New services to be added in coming months include dark fiber, wavelengths, edge compute, cross-connects, cloud connects, and satellite followed by SD-WAN, SASE, Zero Trust, and SSE.
“MEF’s enterprise business and operational LSO API portfolio is a game-changer for enterprises undergoing digital transformation,” said Debika Bhattacharya, Chair, MEF Board of Directors, and Chief Technology Solutions Officer, Verizon Business. “These APIs allow for seamless automation of managed services between businesses and their technology partners, giving enterprises greater control, flexibility and visibility over their NaaS environments and eliminating the need for proprietary APIs. This translates to improved operational efficiency and a stronger foundation for innovation.”
Initial use-cases of the enterprise portfolio include:
- Buying and managing enterprise services such as network services, cloud connectivity, low latency edge compute for AI, cybersecurity, IoT, and more
- Incident reporting for rapid enterprise response to service changes and cybersecurity threats
In addition, MEF noted that more than 155 service providers worldwide are now in various stages of the adoption lifecycle for MEF business and operational LSO APIs. At least 35 service providers are already in production with these APIs to automate business and/or operational functions with their service provider partners, and this number is forecasted to surpass 100 by the end of 2025.
