Ops Center

Cisco's cNFs consist of Helm charts (applications and charts) and Docker files (images).

To simplify and establish consistent operations across the various charts and images that comprise each NF, each NF is designed with an Ops Center. Ops Centers provide a common, stable CLI/API for operators to deploy and manage the NF in a holistic way.

NF/Application Ops Center

SMI provides the following functionality in relation to NF Ops Centers:

  • Common NETCONF, RESTCONF, and CLI interfaces, which allows for integration network orchestrators such as Cisco's Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) without need for a custom network element driver (NED)

  • A YANG model for the application

  • Audit logging and configuration validation

  • Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) interface directory information services — for example, Active Directory (AD) — to ensure all applications use a common set of user accounts

  • Cisco Smart Licensing integration

  • Callbacks into the application to execute operational commands

  • NETCONF Access Control (NACM) security model