Masterclass - Intent: Enabling true autonomy for Autonomous Networks

Autonomous networks aim to improve network efficiency, reliability, security, and scalability while reducing operational costs and minimizing human errors. By automating routine tasks such as network configuration, optimization, and troubleshooting, network administrators can focus on more strategic activities that add value to the business.

The goal of autonomous networks is to create networks that are self-managing and can adapt to changing conditions without human intervention and reduce operational costs and human errors. However, to achieve true network autonomy, we need to move beyond simply automating routine tasks and embrace the concept of intent.

The intent is a critical concept that enables networks to operate on high-level business goals and objectives rather than technical details. It means telling a network what we want it to do, without specifying how it should be done. By enabling true network autonomy, intent allows businesses to manage their networks more strategically, focusing on what they want to achieve rather than how to achieve it. 

Intent carries utility information which is an expression of value. It allows an intent-driven system to self-adapt and resolve conflicts by selecting the strategy that will maximize utility. This capability is essential for reaching level 4 and level 5 autonomy.

In this masterclass, attendees will:

• Learn about the latest industry assets and the vision for autonomous networks
• Hear from leading case studies on how CSPs have implemented automation into their networks and the results they achieved
• Gain an understanding of intent, including how to apply it, the approach to the architecture, intent expression, ontologies, and interfaces
• Receive hands-on experience identifying expression gaps and creating new extensions to further their knowledge and understanding of intent in autonomous networks