ETSI's Open Source MANO (OSM) has announced its new Release SIX. The new Release brings a huge new set of capabilities to provide end-to-end orchestration across heterogeneous networks and cloud technologies. 

Among a large number of improvements, Release SIX makes the management of complex services much easier thanks to the extended capabilities to create Network Service primitives and the extension of its Service Assurance (SA) framework, which now can control, store and react to a much wider set of events and conditions in the context of running Network Services and Slices.

In addition, Release SIX widens even more the range of underlying technologies that are supported by OSM. New connectors have been developed for FOG05 Edge clouds, TAPI-based transport networks, VMware’s vCloud Director 9.5, and public clouds. Similarly, various improvements have been added to the already large set of connectors available from previous releases to support additional EPA attributes and ameliorate the support of underlays with the addition of multi-segment networks.

The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through sustainable open source, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ETSI, the independent organization providing global standards for ICT services across all sectors of industry, to bring open source and standards closer and foster synergies between them.

Building on the existing working relationship between the two organizations, the formal collaboration agreement will enable faster information-sharing and deployment of open networking technologies across the industry. The formal link between communities of experts will encourage and enable collaborative activities, joint communication, promotion and events, as well as potential common initiatives related to interoperability and conformance testing.

Areas of mutual interest between ETSI and the Linux Foundation span across a range of technologies, including those focused on NFV, MANO, AI and edge computing.