Intelligent network application programming interface server architecture

Abstract

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's PowerPoint conference presentation. The paper argues that the diversity of services and networks, demands a fresh approach to service creation. The authors argue that the Application Programming Interface (API) approach promises to meet many of the demands of service creation in the new environment. Formalising at the level of the API in service creation allows the underlying control structures the flexibility to be ahnost completely proprietary in nature. However it will be argued that the API approach demands new additional structures to make the model commercially viable. This paper examines the requirements of the API server and introduces the notion of an API state-machine. An API server allows third party software providers or end users access to control resources without regard to how the offered services are to be implemented. It must therefore provide the flexibility of service creation with the restriction placed by policing functions to protect against misuse of code or malicious intent The server must also provide access to support infrastructures such as billing systems and management systems. In addition it also needs to be capable of fme grained process control. Hence, the aims of the state machine are complex. The paper describes work being done at UCL in defining a state machine, similar in many respects to that of the Basic Call State Model and the Call Party Handling model but for the API server case. The state machine aims to mask the service on offer from the external requests. It also aims to reduce the interfaces between service providers to a simple state machine view that seeks to eliminates problems such as deadlock or integrity violations between complex multiple service provider interactions. The paper also examines the relationship between API approaches and the TINA framework. It argues that TINA evolution can be pushed forward by an intermediate API stage in development