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Northbound interface
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<h2 id="typical-use">Typical use</h2> <p>A northbound interface is typically an <a href="/facts/Output_(computing)/WQTE8Jas">output</a>-only interface (as opposed to one that accepts user input) found in <a href="/facts/Carrier_Grade_Open_Framework/HhURR5wq">carrier-grade network</a> and <a href="/facts/Telecommunications_network/NFCX0STS">telecommunications network</a> elements. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">languages</a> or <a href="/facts/Protocol_(computing)/5uady7cB">protocols</a> commonly used include <a href="/facts/Simple_Network_Management_Protocol/UNYPVA1C">SNMP</a> and <a href="/facts/Transaction_Language_1/BFUVRLyU">TL1</a>. </p><p>For example, a device that is capable of sending out <a href="/facts/Syslog/n6a7vIkt">syslog</a> messages but that is not configurable by the user is said to implement a northbound interface. </p><p>Other examples include <a href="/facts/Systems_Management_Architecture_for_Server_Hardware/WRaKzrbE">SMASH</a>, <a href="/facts/Intelligent_Platform_Management_Interface/hrcePUSL">IPMI</a>, WSMAN, and <a href="/facts/SOAP/vXlAMnjp">SOAP</a>. </p><p>The term is also important for <a href="/facts/Software-defined_networking/MJGFxyoj">software-defined networking</a> (SDN), to facilitate communication between the physical devices, the SDN software and applications running on the network.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"northbound interface / southbound interface". techtarget.com. Retrieved 2019-11-12. <a href="https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/northbound-interface-southbound-interface" target="_blank">https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/northbound-interface-southbound-interface</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"SDN's Northbound Interface Evolves". networkcomputing.com. 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2019-11-12. <a href="http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/sdns-northbound-interface-evolves/562466230" target="_blank">http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/sdns-northbound-interface-evolves/562466230</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>