Reasons for the Question
The objective of signalling standardization is to provide an interoperable
solution for realizing new or enhanced info-communication services. This
objective has been achieved by providing a protocol specification in terms
of procedures and formats to be applied to an identified interface. However,
in the future, the major traffic will be of multimedia and major service
control in the broad sense and will be achieved by the protocols above
the network layer. Advance in information technologies has resulted in
machine/language independent technologies and object-orientation, e.g. Java
and CORBA, and they have expanded their applicability to many application areas.
In such a paradigm, API-based interface and/or Object interfaces can provide
more flexible and interoperable solutions compared to protocol-based interfaces.
It is intended to focus on the APIs/Object interfaces between network control
and application layers. The APIs, studied by this Question, are service-oriented
and network (transport) technology independent.
This Question is intending to foster such standardization.
Question
What new recommendations, new Supplements and what enhancements to
existing recommendations and Supplements are required in order to:
a) Provide a document capturing the requirements,
descriptions (including their architectural descriptions) and their
applicability to each identified API/Object Interface-related activities,
outside of the ITU-T, so that the most appropriate specifications can be referenced.
b) Define API/Object interface-based specifications for those areas where market
needs are identified and are not covered by any other identified
standardization organization/industrial forum (SDOs, Forums). This
may include a possible reference to all or part of the results of other
standardization bodies in a cooperative way. This activity is
recommended to be done in co-operation with relevant SDOs/Forums.
Task objectives
1) Provide a document capturing this Question and its results. Based on the received
information of the identified API/Object Interface-related activities,
their requirement, their description and the applicability of how each API shall
be used, needs to be specified. This document should cover the latest status on
this subject by means of referencing, and is to be updated at every meeting.
Expected completion of first Draft: 2Q 2001.
Expected completion of first version: 1Q 2003
2) Define API/Object interface-based specifications for those areas where market
needs are identified and are not covered by any other identified standardization
organisation/industrial forum (SDOs, Forums). This may include a possible reference
to all or part of the results of other standardization bodies in a cooperative
way. This activity is recommended to be done in co-operation with relevant SDOs/Forums.
Expected completion, if required: 2Q 2004.
Relationships
Input from other groups, which are developing requirements for multimedia
services, is expected. There are a number of Internet-related questions,
Mobility Service and VHE questions and questions for IN-based applications. The development of a
reference document and the API/Object interface specifications will require
collaboration and/or interaction with SG 16, SSG-IMT, and other API/Object-oriented
activities external to ITU-T (e.g. OMG, TINA, MSF, IETF, ISC, Parlay,ETSI, 3G Partnership
Projects, JAIN, etc.).
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