In
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
, a user–network interface (UNI) is a
demarcation point
In telephony, the demarcation point is the point at which the public switched telephone network ends and connects with the customer's on-premises wiring. It is the dividing line which determines who is responsible for installation and maint ...
between the responsibility of the service provider and the responsibility of the subscriber. This is distinct from a
network-to-network interface
In telecommunications, a network-to-network interface (NNI) is an interface that specifies signaling and management functions between two networks. An NNI circuit can be used for interconnection of signalling (e.g., Signalling System No. 7, SS7), ...
(NNI) that defines a similar interface between provider networks.
Specifications defining a UNI
Metro Ethernet Forum
The
Metro Ethernet Forum MEF, founded in 2001, is a nonprofit international industry consortium, of network, cloud, and technology providers. MEF, originally known as the Metro Ethernet Forum, was dedicated to Carrier Ethernet networks and services, and in recent years, si ...
's Metro Ethernet Network UNI specification defines a bidirectional Ethernet reference point for Ethernet service delivery.
Optical Internetworking Forum
The
Optical Internetworking Forum The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) is a prominent non-profit consortium that was founded in 1998. It promotes the development and deployment of interoperable computer networking products and services through implementation agreements (IAs) fo ...
defines a UNI software interface for user systems to request a network connection from an
ASON
was a prestigious hereditary noble title in Japan, used mainly between Asuka and Heian periods. At first, it was the second highest, below '' Mahito'', which was given to members of the Imperial family, but after Heian period it became the h ...
/
GMPLS Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) is a protocol suite extending MPLS to manage further classes of interfaces and switching technologies other than packet interfaces and switching, such as time-division multiplexing, layer-2 switchin ...
control plane.
See also
*
Network termination
A network termination (NT) (also NTE for network termination equipment) is a device that connects the customer's data or telephone equipment to a carrier's line that comes into a building or an office. The NT device provides a connection for ter ...
External links
Metro Ethernet Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:User-network interface
Network management