Ricard Vilalta
The TeraFlow project has reached its conclusion, and throughout its course, several important lessons have been learned. One significant challenge encountered was the difficulty of establishing a common way of working among different companies involved in the project. Despite this challenge, the project successfully utilized a reference project, such as OpenSource MANO (OSM), to guide its implementation and foster collaboration.
To ensure the sustainability of the TeraFlow ecosystem, efforts were made to establish a presence in Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Telecom Infra Project (TIP), and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). This involvement in SDOs allowed TeraFlow to contribute to the development of standards and specifications, ensuring interoperability and industry-wide adoption.
The project recognized that while Software-Defined Networking (SDN) may have lost some momentum, its foundational principles are crucial for the successful implementation of emerging applications such as Zero-Touch Service Management (ZSM) and Automation. Therefore, it is necessary to explore new business models that leverage SDN as a fundamental component.
The support from ETSI has been instrumental in the success of TeraFlow. The research and development work undertaken by the project has been remarkable, making a real impact in both SDOs and Open-Source Software (OSS) communities.
TeraFlow has also made efforts to enhance its visibility in research and industrial conferences. Numerous workshops, paper presentations, demonstrations, and booths have been organized to showcase the project's achievements and engage with the wider community. It is worth noting that the project was not significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to continue its activities uninterrupted.
With the conclusion of the TeraFlow project, its legacy and ecosystem sustainability have been ensured. However, specific actions need to be taken in the future to build upon the project's achievements. One such action is the incorporation of TeraFlow solutions into other projects within the SNS (Service Network Systems) framework, with up to eight projects utilizing and further developing TeraFlow's work.
Additionally, there is a recognized need for a project focused on integration costs and further research work. This would enable the exploration of potential challenges and costs associated with integrating TeraFlow's solutions into existing network infrastructures, while also fostering continued research and innovation in the field.