(Continuation of Question 29/13 studied during 1997-2000)

Background and Justification

As networking and computing technologies emerge and new end user needs arise, there is an explosion of enhanced communications services, such as Web-controlled multimedia conferencing and Internet �follow-me�. To ensure seamless introduction of these services it is desirable to have a telecommunications architecture that incorporates a wide range of networks and end user devices (both, IP-based and non-IP-based) and which is adaptable to an ever-evolving communications environment. The Information Communication Architecture (ICA) as defined in Y.130 has provided such an initial architectural framework. Further work is required to advance the specification of all the elements pertaining to the architecture. The work should take into consideration relevant efforts in the other ITU-T Study Groups and other standards bodies such as the IETF.

Items for Study

Enhancements to ICA to:

1) Provide an evolutionary path for the support of existing and future services as new enhanced technologies implemented within the network;

2) Specify various types of interfaces, including application programming interfaces, using the latest modeling and specification techniques;

3) Specify a model for location (naming and addressing) services on the overall heterogeneous network environment.

Close cooperation with other relevant standards organizations (e.g., the IETF and OMG) is needed. In addition, as the characteristics of the long range framework for telecommunications architecture in an evolving environment emerge, the results of this study may be used directly or indirectly by other Study Groups that are developing specific system and equipment Recommendations.

Specific Tasks and Deadlines

1) Identify a set of ICA benchmark services (e.g., Web-controlled multimedia conferencing, unified messaging and UMTS) (2001)

2) Identify a set of benchmark technologies (e.g., H.323 and SIP) for implementing ICA

3) Further specify the function capabilities of the agents defined in Y.ICA, including reference points and abstract service primitives (2001)

4) Identify the information flows for the set of benchmark services identified in task 1 to illustrate interactions between ICA agents (2001)

5) Map the above information flows to message flows of the set of benchmark technologies identified in task 2 (2001)

6) Identify the need for new Recommendations and updates to existing Recommendations, as required, based on the ICA framework (ongoing)

7) Identify the need for new Recommendations and updates to existing Recommendations, as required, as the communications technologies and environments evolve beyond what can be supported by the ICA (ongoing)

Relationships

• ITU-T and ITU-R Study Groups on system and equipment Recommendations
• IETF
• OMG