T-API taps into the transport layer
The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) in collaboration with the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) have tested the second-generation transport application programming interface (T-API 2.0).
T-API 2.0 is a standardised interface, released in late 2017 by the ONF, that enables the dynamic allocation of transport resources using software-defined networking (SDN) technology.
The interface has been created so that when a service provider, or one of its customers, requests a service, the required resources including the underlying transport are configured promptly.
The OIF-led interoperability demonstration tested T-API 2.0 in dynamic use cases involving equipment from several systems vendors. Four service providers - CenturyLink, Telefonica, China Telecom and SK Telecom - provided their networking labs, located in three continents, for the testing.