2015 Year-end summary

Updated 20 Jan 2016

The OpenConfig operator group had a busy and productive year in 2015 with progress on several fronts (see some of the highlights below).

We’d like to thank all of the engineers and architects from participating operators who worked hard on all aspects of the effort – building and reviewing models, working with implementors, writing documentation, and getting the word out about the project. And many thanks to all of the engineers, product managers, and account teams at our vendor partners who worked closely with us to help realize the OpenConfig vision of common APIs for network telemetry and automation.

As always, there is lots more to do – we’re looking forward to more progress in 2016.

2015 highlights

New operator participants

• Cox Communications
• Apple
• Deutsche Telekom / TeraStream
• Jive Communications
• Bell Canada

Data models (all published models are available in our GitHub repo)

New models:

• MPLS / TE
• locally generated routes (static, aggregate, etc.)
• interfaces (incl. Ethernet, aggregates, IP, VLANs)
• terminal optics (transponders/muxponders)
• streaming telemetry configuration
• network instance (L2, L3, and combined virtual instances, e.g., VSIs and VRFs)
• device inventory
• RIB (initial focus on BGP RIB for IPv4/6)

Updated models:

• BGP
• routing policy

Vendor and OSS implementations (demos, announcements, etc.):

• Juniper : demo , product announcement, blogs
• Cisco : demo (streaming telemetry) demo (OpenConfig), datasheet (ST), announcement
• Arista: blog post (OpenConfig and streaming telemetry)
• OpenDaylight BGP-PCEP project: (github mirror)
• GoBGP project: (openconfig plugin on github)

Tools and software from OpenConfig members

• pyangbind - YANG data models to Python class hierarchy
• goyang – YANG parser and compiler for Go programs
• YANG design studio – Eclipse plugin to edit, visualize, and compile YANG modules

Industry presentations on OpenConfig and Streaming Telemetry

ONS (registration reqd), ODL Summit, OPNFV Summit, NANOG 64, Tech Field Day, SV SDN Meetup

Miscellaneous

• OpenConfig, Data Models, and APIs – blog post by Jason Edelman
• OpenConfig approach on versioning YANG modules
• Draft of protocol-agnostic OpenConfig reference RPC specification

IETF documents from OpenConfig

• Operational Structure and Organization of YANG Models
• Consistent Modeling of Operational State Data in YANG
• A Data Model for Locally Generated Routes in Service Provider Networks
• A Data Model for Network Instances in Service Provider Networks
• BGP Model for Service Provider Networks
• Routing Policy Configuration Model for Service Provider Networks
• MPLS / TE Model for Service Provider Networks
• Catalog and registry for YANG models

New models and repository

Updated 18 Oct 2015

The OpenConfig operator group has recently published a number of new models that are currently being reviewed by implementors. These include models for configuration and monitoring of interfaces, VLANs, terminal optics, and RIBs.

OpenConfig model are now available in a new location on our public repository.

Updated BGP and routing policy models

Updated 05 Jun 2015

The OpenConfig operator team has published new versions of our BGP and routing policy models based largely on extensive discussions with a number of implementors. The updated YANG modules are available at the YangModels public repository.

The changes generally do not affect the current structure of the model, but there are a number of fixes that improve clarity, or simplify mappings to implementations.

OpenConfig @ IETF 92

Updated 27 Mar 2015

At this week’s IETF 92 in Dallas, the OpenConfig working group presented several documents and data models:

• Operational Structure and Organization of YANG Models (presented in NETMOD working group)
• Consistent Modeling of Operational State Data in YANG (NETMOD)
• BGP Model for Service Provider Networks (IDR)
• MPLS / TE Model for Service Provider Networks (TEAS, MPLS)
• Routing Policy Configuration Model for Service Provider Networks (RTGWG)

All of the corresponding data models found in these documents are published in the public repository. Slides for the presentations are available on IETF meeting materials pages.

Routing policy model and draft

Updated 19 Feb 2015

OpenConfig published an Internet draft describing policy model for routing. This model provides a generic routing policy framework. The BGP policy model works hooks into the generic model through augmentation. This approach is intended to allow other routing protocol models, VRFs, etc. to add any protocol-specific policy configuration.

OpenConfig in the news

Updated 19 Feb 2015

Recent articles, blog posts, etc.

• Google: OpenConfig Grows, Goes Commercial (The New IP, February 19, 2015)
• Google & Carriers Are Ready to Disrupt Network Management With OpenConfig (SDxCentral, February 19, 2015)
• Collaboration Innovation (The New IP, November 24, 2014)
• How Google & OpenConfig Plan to Model the Whole Network (SDNCentral, November 21, 2014)
• Google, AT&T, BT Unite on Network Data Models (LightReading, November 21, 2014)
• Google & OpenConfig Push an Open Routing Model (SDNCentral, October 27, 2014)
• Google Wants Open-Source Help for Policy-Based SDN (SDNCentral, June 18, 2014))

Updated BGP and policy models

Updated 06 Jan 2015

Last month, OpenConfig published a new version of the BGP model with a number of changes based on additional operator input as well as from the broader community.

The updated models are available in the YangModels public github repo. [Update: new public repo location ]

Highlights of the changes:

• Refactored multiprotocol module with explicit set of supported AFI-SAFI combinations (using YANG identities) in a flattened list. Focus was on common config with more AFI-SAFI specific configuration forthcoming.
• Refactored BGP policy module to work with a new general routing policy module (see below) by augmenting it with BGP-specific policy options (conditions and actions).
• Several new configuration items added to base bgp module.
• The bgp-operational module is largely unchanged – the next release is expected to contain a significant update.
• Initial version of a general routing-policy module and associated reusable types module for policy. The routing policy module is currently augmented by the bgp-policy module for bgp-specific routing policy options.
• The IGP policy items in this version of the module are limited to generic items available in widely used protocols like IS-IS and OSPF.

Feedback on the models is welcome and can be posted to the OpenConfig discussion list.