MEF has a vision for NaaS: Easy provisioning and integrated security across a federated network of providers

The framework allows providers to deliver services either as individual components or bundled solutions, depending on customer needs. 

“Sometimes a multinational says, ‘Look, I only want on-demand NaaS because I’m going to build my own cybersecurity on top,’” Menezes said. “But sometimes a small business says ‘I don’t want to deal with all this.’ So it’s à la carte.” Bundling seems to be what smaller businesses want, he noted.

LSO APIs drive automation at scale

The technical foundation of MEF’s vision rests on its Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs, which have now achieved significant market traction with 160 providers adopting the framework. These APIs enable automation across the full service lifecycle, including ordering, billing, service testing, monitoring, fault management, and settlement.

Menezes said that the overarching goal is to create a fully connected and automated ecosystem where enterprises can quickly provision the NaaS services they need, across a federated network of providers.

The API framework represents eight years of development work, with MEF now releasing new service payloads. These payloads extend the framework to support various services including carrier ethernet, IP services, wavelength services, SD-WAN, and wireless applications.

Security integration reaches milestone

A key part of the MEF’s NaaS blueprint is the integration of security, specifically SASE.