Re: [Supa] Network Topology Data Model and Network Configration Data Model

[Juergen Schoenwaelder <[e-mail]>]

On Tue, Nov 11, 2014 at 08:04:33PM +0000, Wunan (Eric) wrote:
> 
> 
> In the IP world, we usually talk about nodes, links, and interfaces.
> And interfaces have been generalized to cover multiple layers. Is
> there a specific reason why you prefer the term 'TerminationPoint'?
> How is a 'TerminationPoint' different from an interface (and what
> is the relationship between them)?
> 
> [Eric]: As the draft said, network topology DM is supposed to be defined in a hierachy manner.
> 
> When "IP world" is the concern, we are acutally talking about the topology DM for IP.
> 
> You are right that people are more familar with "interface", I am.
> 
> Actually in the IP Topology DM, "TerminationPoint" is interface.
> 
> Per my understanding, this word may be prefered because network topology is not only focusing on IP.
> 
> As you know some protocols don't have to depend on "interface", they got their own vacabulary.
> 
> For example, IS-IS was using "circuit" and VLAN got "port".
> 
> When speaking "interface", i feel it will be more proper when CLI is used.

A VLAN port is just another interface. See the IF-MIB or the
ietf-interfaces YANG model or the IANA interface registry. If a
TerminationPoint is just a different name for 'interface', then I
clearly prefer to stick to terms we are all familiar with.
 
> What is the difference of this topology data model from other
> proposals on the table, such as draft-clemm-i2rs-yang-network-topo-01
> and draft-hares-i2rs-info-model-service-topo-01 (there there might
> be more)?
> 
> [Eric]: I would say both of them are talking about topology data model.
> 
> One difference may be the position they are used in the architecture.
> 
> For draft-hares-i2rs-info-model-service-topo-01,
> 
> I think it is the topology for service, another layer in the hierarchy.

I was hoping for a more technical answer. Why do we need N topology
data models? If I look at the YANG snippets, I do not see what makes
them specific to a 'position in the architecture'.

/js

-- 
Juergen Schoenwaelder           Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH
Phone: [phone]         Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
Fax:   [phone]         <http://www.jacobs-university.de/>