arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Achim Autenrieth.
We present a distributed, vendor-agnostic multi-MCP architecture for SDN-based automation and autonomous control of multi-vendor, multi-layer IPoDWDM networks. The framework enables E2E service lifecycle automation, closed-loop cross-layer control using GNPy model and optical telemetry, and is experimentally validated on a IPoDWDM testbed.
This demo presents an MCP-enabled agentic AI architecture for autonomous control of vendor-agnostic IPoDWDM networks. We demonstrate live end-to-end lifecycle multi-layer automation and closed-loop control using GNPy and telemetry, validated on a real testbed.
This paper explores WireGuard as a lightweight alternative to IPsec for securing the user plane as well as the control plane in an industrial Open RAN deployment at the Adtran Terafactory in Meiningen. We focus on a realistic scenario where external vendors access their hardware in our 5G factory network, posing recurrent security risks from untrusted gNBs and intermediate network elements. Unlike prior studies limited to lab setups, we implement a complete proof-of-concept in a factory environment and compare WireGuard with IPsec under industrial traffic conditions. Our approach successfully protects user data (N3 interface) against untrusted gNBs and man-in-the-middle attacks while enabling control plane (N2 interface) authentication between the access and mobility management functions (AMF) and gNB. Performance measurements show that WireGuard adds minimal overhead in throughput, latency, and Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage, achieving performance comparable to IPsec. These findings demonstrate that WireGuard offers competitive performance with significantly reduced configuration complexity, making it a strong candidate for broader adoption in O-RAN, providing a unified, lightweight security layer across multiple interfaces and components.
Optical transport network operators typically follow a pay-as-you-grow strategy for their network deployment. We propose a proactive multi-period planning approach based on heuristic network planning, supporting this deployment strategy while enabling efficient network utilization through next-generation technology. We report 60% less provisioned lightpaths.
This paper addresses the transmission-aware transceiver allocation problem of flexible optical networks for a multi-period planning. The proposed approach aims at assigning the best configuration of bandwidth variable transceivers (BVTRX) considering the amplifier noise and nonlinear channel interferences using the incoherent Extended Gaussian Noise (EGN) model. The proposed solution improves the network throughput and spectrum utilization in the early planning periods and allocates lower number of BV-TRXs in later periods in comparison to algorithms presented recently. A heuristic approach to regenerator placement has also been applied achieving up to 25% transceiver and 50% spectrum utilization savings in comparison to configurations without regenerators.
A lightpath configuration algorithm considering a multi-period traffic model is presented and evaluated to a realistic German core network study.~Strategically exploiting BVT excess capacity, we show that offered traffic can be carried up to an additional five years in all traffic growth scenarios.
We report on the EU H2020 project METRO-HAUL use-case demonstration, including flexible allocation of storage and computing resources in different network locations and deployment of a network slice instance through a programmable multi-layer optical network.
We present a transceiver configuration selection heuristic combining Enhanced Gaussian Noise (EGN) models, which shows a 40\% increase in throughput and 87\% decrease in execution time, compared to only approximate EGN and Full-Form EGN respectively.
Datacenter operators and internet content providers require optical network programmability to efficiently interconnect distributed datacenters. This paper describes the requirements, applications and use cases for optical network programmability. Based on application scenarios, open northbound APIs with different levels of control and abstraction to address different network operator requirements which are defined. For their illustration, use cases for optical network programmability show current research directions.
Growing traffic demands and increasing security awareness are driving the need for secure services. Current solutions require manual configuration and deployment based on the customer's requirements. In this work, we present an architecture for an automatic intent-based provisioning of a secure service in a multilayer - IP, Ethernet, and optical - network while choosing the appropriate encryption layer using an open-source software-defined networking (SDN) orchestrator. The approach is experimentally evaluated in a testbed with commercial equipment. Results indicate that the processing impact of secure channel creation on a controller is negligible. As the time for setting up services over WDM varies between technologies, it needs to be taken into account in the decision-making process.
Software-defined networking is finding its way into optical networks. Here, it promises a simplification and unification of network management for optical networks allowing automation of operational tasks despite the highly diverse and vendor-specific commercial systems and the complexity and analog nature of optical transmission. A fundamental component for software-defined optical networking are common abstractions and interfaces. Currently, a number of models for optical networks are available. They all claim to provide open and vendor agnostic management of optical equipment. In this work, we survey and compare the most important models and propose an intent interface for creating virtual topologies that is integrated in the existing model ecosystem.
In this work we demonstrate an automatic intent-based encryption layer selection and configuration for a multilayer network covering IP and optical utilizing an open source SDN orchestrator. Results indicate that the processing impact of a secure channel creation is negligible.
The paper presents a pragmatic and practical multilayer network planning approach based on a candidate lightpath auxiliary graph model. The paper discusses, how this approach can be applied to offline network planning as well as dynamic planning and provisioning of services.
We demonstrate multi-layer encrypted service provisioning via the ACINO orchestrator. ACINO combines a novel intent interface with an ONOS-based SDN orchestrator to facilitate encrypted services at IP, Ethernet and optical network layers.