



Common Control and Measurement Plane                             X. Zhao
Internet-Draft                                                     CAICT
Intended status: Informational                                     H. Yu
Expires: 23 April 2026                                            Huawei
                                                                   Y. Xu
                                                                   CAICT
                                                         20 October 2025


 Integration of Network Management Agent (NMA) into ACTN-Based Optical
                                Network
             draft-zhao-ccamp-actn-optical-network-agent-00

Abstract

   With the growth of optical network scale, the complexity of network
   operation and maintenance has increased dramatically.  Enhancing the
   intelligence level of optical network operation and management and
   building high-level autonomous optical networks have become the
   common vision of global operators.  The development of AI, especially
   large AI model technologies, provides a feasible technical path for
   realizing autonomous perception, decision-making, analysis, and
   execution.  The existing ACTN architecture provides network
   abstraction and control functions for optical networks but lacks
   higher-level autonomous capabilities.

   This document explores the introduction of AI based Network
   Management Agent(NMA) functions into ACTN-based optical networks to
   achieve high-level autonomy of optical networks.  It discusses the
   ACTN-enhanced architecture of optical networks after the introduction
   of NMAs, including key components, interaction relationships, new
   interface requirements in the enhanced architecture, as well as
   typical use cases of agent-based autonomous operation and maintenance
   for optical networks.  The document aims to improve the autonomy
   level of optical networks and promote the realization of autonomous
   optical networks by extending the original ACTN architecture.

Discussion Venues

   This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC.

   Discussion of this document takes place on the Network Management
   Operations Working Group mailing list (nmop@ietf.org), which is
   archived at https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/ccamp/.

   Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at
   https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zhao-ccamp-actn-optical-
   network-agent/.



Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 1]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on 23 April 2026.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2025 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/
   license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document.
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.  Code Components
   extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as
   described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are
   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.1.  Acronyms and Abbreviations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.2.  Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  NMA-based enhanced ACTN architecture  . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     3.1.  Enhanced ACTN architecture  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     3.2.  Enhanced ACTN interfaces  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   4.  Use cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     4.1.  Service provisoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     4.2.  Service Assurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     4.3.  Fault Handling  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   5.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   6.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   7.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     7.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9



Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 2]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


     7.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

1.  Introduction

   With the emergence and popularization of the SDN concept, [RFC8453]
   proposed the ACTN architecture, which provides network abstraction,
   service and connection control functions for optical networks and has
   been deployed in multiple operators' networks.  Currently, as the
   scale of optical networks continues to grow, the complexity of
   network Operations and Maintenance (O&M) has increased dramatically.
   Existing existing existing optical network O&M management systems are
   complex; scenarios such as optical network service provisioning and
   fault handling require extensive manual involvement, leading to
   complicated collaboration processes among O&M personnel and long
   processing durations.  Therefore, further enhancing the intelligence
   level of optical network operation and management, building high-
   level autonomous optical networks, and achieving the service
   experience of "Zero-X" (zero waiting, zero failure, zero touch) and
   "Self-X" (self-configuration, self-healing, self-optimization) have
   become the common vision of global operators.

   The development of AI, especially large AI model technologies,
   provides a feasible technical path for realizing autonomous
   perception, decision-making, analysis, and execution.  As one of the
   important forms of AI application implementation, the concept of AI
   Agent has gained extensive attention and recognition in the industry.
   An AI Agent is defined as an intelligent entity capable of perceiving
   the environment, making autonomous decisions, and executing actions,
   which can gradually achieve set goals through independent thinking
   and tool invocation.  The four core elements of an AI Agent include
   planning, tools, execution, and memory.  Most current AI Agents are
   based on Large Language Models (LLMs), i.e., LLM-based Agents.  The
   relationship between an AI Agent and a large model can be summarized
   as: Agent = large model + memory + planning + tool use.

   Currently, the IETF document [I-D.zhao-nmop-network-management-agent]
   has proposed an AI Agent for network O&M management, which can
   automatically perform network state perception, task intent parsing,
   task planning, decision-making, and task execution.  Based on user
   task intent or preset goals, it enables closed-loop processing of
   scenario-oriented network O&M management tasks.

   This document, building on the Network Management Agent (NMA) concept
   proposed in [I-D.zhao-nmop-network-management-agent], explores the
   introduction of NMA into the ACTN-based optical network architecture.
   By enhancing the capabilities of the agent, it aims to improve the
   intelligent O&M management capabilities of optical networks and drive



Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 3]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


   the realization of high-level autonomy in optical networks.  This
   document will first discuss the enhanced ACTN architecture of optical
   networks after the introduction of NMA, analyze in detail the key
   components, interaction relationships, and new interface requirements
   in the new architecture, and provide examples of typical agent-based
   autonomous O&M use cases for optical networks.

2.  Terminology

2.1.  Acronyms and Abbreviations

   AI: Artificial Intelligence

   LLM: Large Language Model

   NMA: Network Management Agent, refers to AI based network management
   agent

   Agent: Specifically refers to NMA, i.e., the AI Agent for network
   management.

2.2.  Definitions

   The document defines the following terms:

   Network Management Agent (NMA):  A network management entity built
      based on ML/AI and equipped with the autonomous task processing
      capabilities.  It can automatically carry out network status
      perception, task intent interpretation, task planning, decision-
      making and task execution operations based on user task intentions
      or preset goals, so as to achieve closed-loop processing of
      scenarios-oriented network management tasks.  For different
      application scenarios, NMA can be subdivided into multiple
      scenario-oriented agents.

3.  NMA-based enhanced ACTN architecture

3.1.  Enhanced ACTN architecture

   The enhanced ACTN architecture for optical networks after the
   introduction of NMA is illustrated in Figure 1 below.  The AI agents
   (i,e.  NMA) are introduced within the ACTN architectural framework as
   auxiliary components intended to augment and assist existing ACTN
   functional entities, rather than to replace them.  In alignment with
   this design principle, the NMAs are conceptually implemented as
   design components within the MDSC, PNC, or CNC, rather than as
   independent entities external to these controllers.  The agents can
   interact with existing ACTN functional components through



Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 4]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


   standardized protocols such as the Management Control Protocol (MCP).
   This integrated design approach ensures backward compatibility with
   the established ACTN framework and enables seamless interaction with
   the existing ACTN interfaces and control logic.

            +----------------------------------+
            |           Enhanced CMC           |
            | +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ |
            | |  NMA1  | |  NMA2  | |  NMA3  | |
            | +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ |
            +-----------------^----------------+
                              |(1)Extened CMI
            +-----------------v----------------+
            |           Enhanced MDSC          |
            | +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ |
            | |  NMA1  | |  NMA2  | |  NMA3  | |
            | +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ |
            +-----------------^----------------+
                              |(2)Extended MPI
                         +----+-----------------------+-----------+
                         |                            |           |
  +----------------------v--------------------+  +----v----+ +----v----+
  |               Enhanced PNC1               |  |         | |         |
  | +----------+             +------+         |  |         | |         |
  | |          |        +----> NMA2 >----+    |  |         | |         |
  | | Original |        |(5) +------+    |    |  |  PNC2   | |   PNC3  |
  | | Function | (4) +--^---+   (5)  +---v--+ |  |         | |         |
  | |  Modules <-----> NMA1 >--------> NMA3 | |  |         | |         |
  | +----------+     +------+        +------+ |  |         | |         |
  +----------------------v--------------------+  +----v----+ +----v----+
                         |(3)Extended SBI             |           |
  +----------------------v--------------------+  +----v----+ +----v----+
  |               Network domain 1            |  | Domain2 | | Domain3 |
  +-------------------------------------------+  +---------+ +---------+


              Figure 1: NMA-based enhanced ACTN architecture

   The enhanced ACTN architecture includes the following key entities:

   NMA-enhanced CNC (Customer Network Controller):  As defined in










Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 5]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


      [RFC8453], the CNC is responsible for transmitting the customer’s
      Virtual Network Service (VNS) requirements to the network operator
      via the CNC-MDSC Interface (CMI).  By integrating NMA entities
      related to service scenarios at the CNC layer, it can address
      operation and management needs specific to the service domain,
      enhance the intelligence level of end-to-end service operation and
      management, and enable intelligent service-domain capabilities
      such as automated service provisioning and automated work order
      flow.

   NMA-enhanced MDSC (Multi-Domain Service Coordinator):  As defined in
      [RFC8453], the MDSC undertakes core functions including multi-
      domain service coordination and network virtualization/
      abstraction.  By introducing NMA entities for cross-domain
      scenarios at the MDSC layer, it can meet cross-domain O&M
      management requirements, strengthen closed-loop task processing
      capabilities in typical scenarios, and improve the efficiency of
      optical network management and control.

   NMA-enhanced PNC (Provisioning Network Controller):  As defined in
      [RFC8453], the Provisioning Network Controller (PNC) oversees
      configuring the network elements, monitoring the topology
      (physical or virtual) of the network, and collecting information
      about the topology (either raw or abstracted).  By integrating NMA
      entities for single-domain scenarios (e.g., Fault Management NMA,
      Service Assurance NMA) at the PNC layer, it can address single-
      domain O&M management needs and enhance the ability to handle
      various network O&M tasks within the domain.

3.2.  Enhanced ACTN interfaces

   As shown in Figure 1, the architecture includes 5 types of
   interfaces:

   1.  Extended CMI: The interface between CNC and MDSC.  After
       introducing NMA entities at each layer, the communication
       requirements between the original CMI interfaces will be enhanced
       from traditional transactional communication to include agent-
       oriented conversational communication.  The CMI interface needs
       to be extended to meet the requirements of agent capability
       invocation and interaction between upper and lower layers.

   2.  Extened MPI: The interface between MDSC and PNC.  Similar to CMI,
       after introducing NMA entities into MDSC and PNC, the original
       MPI also needs to be extended to support agent capability
       invocation and interaction between upper and lower layers.





Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 6]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


   3.  SBI: The interface between PNC and physical network devices,
       which is out of scope of ACTN discussions.

   4.  Interfaces between NMAs and original functional modules at each
       layer: These are internal system interfaces, which can be
       implemented through private interfaces or interface solutions
       such as MCP, and are not within the scope of discussion in this
       document.

   5.  Interfaces between NMAs within same layers: These are internal
       system interfaces that can use private interfaces or general
       agent communication interfaces (e.g., A2A, ACP, etc.), and are
       out of scope of ACTN discussions.

   Since NMAs can be deployed on different controllers within the ACTN
   hierarchy, two possible inter-controller AI-agent communication
   scenarios can be identified.  For example, when there is a need for
   direct communication between NMAs in the upper-layer MDSC and those
   in the lower-layer PNC (A2A Communication), it will manifest as a
   single communication channel physically but multiple communication
   processes logically (i,e.including multiple A2A communication
   processes).

   Figure 1 illustrates these scenarios between the MDSC and PNC (The
   case between the MDSC and CNC is similar and omitted here for
   simplicity).

   As shown in Figure 1(a), when both the MDSC and PNC host AI agents,
   they can communicate directly through agent-to-agent (A2A) protocols
   (or other solutions).  In contrast, when only one controller is
   equipped with an AI agent—as depicted in Figures 1(b) and 1(c)—the
   agent communicates with the other controller, which lacks an agent,
   via the existing ACTN MPI.  For example, in Figure 1(b), the AI agent
   residing on the MDSC uses a RESTCONF client to interact with the PNC
   through MPI calls.
















Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 7]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


+---------------------+ +----------------------+ +----------------------+
|         MDSC        | |          MDSC        | |          MDSC        |
|                     | |          +----------+| |                      |
|+-----------+   +---+| |+---+  MCP|   other  || |+----------++--------+|
||  Other    |MCP|   || ||   | +--->functional|| || Original ||Restconf||
||functional <--->NMA|| ||   | |   |  modules || ||functional|| Client ||
|| modules   |   |   || ||NMA<-+   +----------+| ||  modules ||        ||
|+-----------+   +-^-+| ||   | |   +----------+| |+----------++---^----+|
|                  |  | ||   | |MCP| Restconf || |                |     |
|                  |  | |+---+ +--->  Client  || |                |     |
|                  |  | |          +-----^----+| |                |     |
+------------------|--+ +----------------|-----+ +----------------|-----+
                   |A2A                  | MPI                    | MPI
+------------------|--+ +----------------|-----+ +----------------|-----+
|         PNC      |  | |          PNC   |     | |         PNC    |     |
|                  |  | |                |     | |          +-----v----+|
|+-----------+   +-v-+| |+----------++---v----+| |+---+  MCP|   other  ||
||   Other   |MCP|   || || Original ||Restconf|| ||   | +--->functional||
||functional <--->NMA|| ||functional|| Server || ||   | |   |  modules ||
||  modules  |   |   || ||  modules ||        || ||NMA<-+   +----------+|
|+-----------+   +---+| |+----------++--------+| ||   | |   +----------+|
|                     | |                      | ||   | |MCP| Restconf ||
|                     | |                      | |+---+ +--->  Client  ||
|                     | |                      | |          +----------+|
+---------------------+ +----------------------+ +----------------------+


    Figure 2: Inter-controller NMA communication scenarios between
                             MDSC and PNC

4.  Use cases

   The ACTN architecture enhanced by NMA can effectively improve the
   automation and intelligence levels in typical O&M management
   scenarios of optical networks by building agents for different
   scenarios.  Examples of typical application scenarios include:

   1.  Service Provisioning: enable users to describe services in
       natural language and to automate service design, provisioning,
       and deployment processes.

   2.  Service Assurance: ensuring compliance with service-level
       agreements (SLAs), including assisting in risk detection,
       prediction, and decision-making for preemptive actions to prevent
       service degradation.






Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 8]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


   3.  Fault Handling: support anomaly detection, fault localization,
       root cause analysis, and generate fault repair solution to
       accelerate fault resolution and improve network reliability.

4.1.  Service provisoning

   TBD

4.2.  Service Assurance

   TBD

4.3.  Fault Handling

   TBD

5.  Security Considerations

   TBD

6.  IANA Considerations

   This document has no requests for IANA action.

7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

7.2.  Informative References

   [I-D.zhao-nmop-network-management-agent]
              Zhao, X., Wang, M., Wu, B., Ceccarelli, D., Zheng, H., and
              J. Zhou, "AI based Network Management Agent(NMA): Concepts
              and Architecture", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft,
              draft-irtf-nmrg-network-digital-twin-arch-09, 17 October
              2025, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-irtf-
              nmrg-network-digital-twin-arch-09>.

   [RFC8453]  Ceccarelli, D. and Y. Lee, "Framework for Abstraction and
              Control of TE Networks (ACTN)", RFC 8453,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC8453, August 2018,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8453>.

Authors' Addresses







Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                 [Page 9]

Internet-Draft         NMA enhanced actn framework          October 2025


   Xing Zhao
   CAICT
   Beijing
   China
   Email: zhaoxing@caict.ac.cn


   Henry Yu
   Huawei
   Canada
   Email: henry.yu1@huawei.com


   Yunbin Xu
   CAICT
   China
   Email: xuyunbin@caict.ac.cn


































Zhao, et al.              Expires 23 April 2026                [Page 10]
