NSP allows you to create and execute intent-based automation flows to allow you to implement network-level planning and design. Intents translate high-level goals to the necessary network configuration, and the NSP generates and validates the configuration and continually verifies the state of the network.

With the use of intents, you can implement planning and design at a network level rather than at an individual device level. NSP translates the high-level goal from an intent to necessary network configuration. NSP generates and validates the configuration and continually verifies the state of the network and systems under its administrative control.

For example, you can have a goal to set up a service for a subscriber. In NSP, you define this goal using an intent type. The intent type defines the parameters for the service and provides mapping for device models. The intent type defines how an intent will work. When you create an intent using an intent type, you create an instance of the intent type with any required inputs provided. Network Intents maintains a catalogue of intent types created or imported by the user.

You can store service topology and configuration information in the database for later deployment and schedule audits of the network against the saved configuration requirements. Intents are customizable and can be deployed during runtime.

RESTCONF APIs are available for Network Intents; see the Intent Manager API page on the Network Developer Portal.

An intent type is a detailed specification for a desired network configuration. The intent type includes the YANG model and scripts and templates for the configuration to be performed. The intent type describes both what the creation of the intent looks like in the NSP, and what executing it does.

An intent is an instance of an intent type. The intent provides inputs to the intent type and executes the configuration.

Intent types can be modified or reused as often as needed, and can be deployed at any time for maximum flexibility.

The Network Automation Guide provides an overview of network intents for operators.

For detailed information about the following topics for developers, see the Network Intents tutorial on the Network Developer Portal:

• intent type design

• resource file configuration

• schema form configuration

For users to create, import, modify, or delete intent types, the following must be true:

• the license must include the NSP developer feature package, and

• developer mode must be enabled in the NSP configuration form

If the feature package is present but developer mode is disabled, intent type management is restricted for all users.

See the NSP System Administrator Guide for information about licensing, and the NSP Installation and Upgrade Guide for information about the NSP configuration form.

viewConfig file updates

Intent types use viewConfig files to augment the intent type YANG to create the input form the user will see when creating an intent, or when using intent-based configuration in another NSP function. For example, if the YANG declares that the intent creation form will contain two string fields, a viewConfig file can provide names for the fields. The viewConfig file can also be used to define which fields are visible to the operator, which fields can be edited, which are visible with default values shown, and which are not visible and defaulted to a value.

These files are managed separately from the intent type itself.

Management of viewConfig files does not require a developer license or developer mode enabled. See How do I add or change a View file? for the procedure.

User groups are assigned access to menus, network resources, and Analytics resources by assigning roles in the NSP. Action permissions are assigned to roles.

Note: License and configuration considerations override access control settings.

The following table describes scopes that are specific to intents.

The scopes are combined to create the following roles:

• Developer:

  • Write Intent Types

  • Import

• Troubleshooter:

  • Manage Policies

  • Manage Mediators

  • Operate Intents

• Operator:

  • Manage Intents

  • Operate Intents

• Network Engineer

  • All scopes

Depending on your access settings, some of these pages or operations may not be available to you. See the NSP System Administrator Guide for more information.