WHY a flow matrix?
Numerous components are embedded in the ONAP architecture.
To enable a reliable and efficient security level of the deployed solution, the owner of the solution has to manage his IN/OUT flows of it. Then adapted access control rules can be activated to enable only authorized incoming and outcoming flows.
Without this information, it is impossible to deploy a real access control solution.
For more clarity reasons, 3 types of flows have been defined.
- External flows
It is by definition all flows out of ONAP platforms e.g. interconnection to a BSS.
The main objective is then to authorize only pre configured flows on specific ports.
- Inter-components flows
All flows defined between components defined as project by ONAP.
For example it could concern a flow between the AAI and DCAE.
- Intra-component flows
The flows remain within the components - ONAP project.
For instance for DCAE component, a flow between the collector (VES) sub_component and DCAE_lifecycle_manager.
WHEN a flow matrix?
A flow matrix should be established for each ONAP project.
It should be reviewd at each major release of the component.
As all projects already exist:
- first external flow should be specified.
- then proceed with inter-components flows.
- Intra-component flows
The 2 first steps are important to gather relevant information to build the access control strategy of ONAP platform.
The information regarding inta-component flows is interesting, but do not condition it.
HOW a flow matrix?
This may be too complicated to address all flows for a given project.
As a first step, external flows should be considered, and then the 2 other categories.
- a YAML file is available, in order to formalize the sharing of the information.: onap_matrix-flows.yaml
This file enables to provide information for each external flow for the DCAE example:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| name | name of the ONAP project e.g. DCAE. |
| sub_components: - name: | real name of the sub component e.g. dcae-snmptrap-collector |
| external_server_side: | in external server side list only ingress (external -> ONAP) traffic |
| type: | nodePort |
| To_Be_Specified_communication: | This can be:
|
| description | e.g. SNMP trap |
| id | e.g. DCAE_EXT_1. |
| communication_initiator | which component initiates the communication. e.g. any component sending SNMP either internally to ONAP platform or externally e.g. xNF. |
| communication_receipt | which component is the dest of the communication. |
| protocol | at least level 4 or higher, to be specified if applicable. |
| version | to be specified if applicable |
| exposed_pod_port | to be specified if applicable |
| exposed_port | to be specified if applicable |
| encryption | none or active e.g. HTTPS implemented. |
| data_exchanged | specifies the file format, the main exchanged information. e.g. SNMP trap information. |
| tls_server | to specify whether the component hosts a TLS sever or a TLS client (yes or no), if applicable. |
| tls_client | to specify whether the component hosts a TLS sever or a TLS client (yes or no), if applicable. |
| flow_direction | incoming our outcoming. |
==> This file has to be generated for each category: external, inter-components and intra-component flows.
AND WITH a flow matrix?
The YAML files will enable to dress a map of the different flows and then ports to be open and authorized for the running of the ONAP platform.
==> this enables a reliable and an efficient implementation of the access control.
A common repository is proposed, in order to have a central and common storage of the different files.