From NGN to future internet testbed management - collaborative testbeds as enabler for cross-technology, cross-layer, and cross-domain communication and network research

Next Generation Network (NGN) research initially focused on access network convergence by harmonizing the session control plane and giving birth to the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Shortly after, the focus shifted towards the NGN service plane generating versatile Service Delivery Platforms, predominantly designed following Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles. Current investigations of NGN Management mechanisms are highlighting the benefits of SOA principles also for the NGN management domain. Future Internet research investigates approaches that strive to improve the shortcomings of the current Internet. In this context evolutionary as well as revolutionary approaches regarding the network and the application layer of the Internet are being developed and evaluated. Federate d and highly modular experimental facilities accelerate and facilitate NGN research and also provide the basis for empirical Future Internet research. Such facilities shall not be static. Rather, they must evolve and adapt to the demands of industry and academia. This article shows how SOA-based NGN Service Delivery Platform mechanisms and NGN management mechanisms are being exploited for federating distributed heterogeneous testbeds to assist communication and network research for todays and tomorrows networks.