Sonja Filiposka & Roman Łapacz: Modular, Standards-Based Network Orchestration with AI-Accelerated Development
Building reliable, adaptable network services at scale requires far more than a set of automation scripts. It calls for orchestration systems that are modular in design, aligned with industry standards, and flexible enough to evolve across domains. This philosophy guided the development of a production-grade orchestration stack for the Polish NREN, PIONIER, under the GÉANT GN5-2 project.
In this joint session at BalticNOG 2025, Sonja Filiposka of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and Roman Łapacz of Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) will take the audience inside this system’s architecture and the innovative methods used to accelerate its development.
The orchestration stack they present is built on TM Forum-compliant models, dynamic inventory, and workflow automation. It connects seamlessly from service design to device configuration, demonstrating how a structured orchestration process can move from architecture to deployment while retaining clarity, control, and standards alignment.
From Traditional Coding to AI-Assisted Development
As network orchestration becomes more complex, traditional coding methods often struggle to meet the demand for rapid yet standards-compliant service design. This led the team to explore the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) as active copilots in architecture, design, and implementation.
Drawing on the concept of vibe coding, they guided the LLM to produce every element — from workflow tasks and Source of Truth operators to schema-compliant payloads and retry-aware logic. The talk will not only outline the technical results but will also share practical strategies for prompting AI to generate modular logic, enforce the use of TM Forum Open APIs, and help newcomers navigate the intricate patterns of network orchestration.
Insights and Lessons Learned
The session will highlight two interconnected stories: the architectural choices that led to a fully functional orchestration platform for PIONIER, and the experimental journey of integrating AI into the development cycle. The findings show that while human expertise remains essential, prompt-driven workflows can significantly reduce time-to-design and deployment, support maintainability, and create a smoother onboarding process for teams entering the world of network automation.
By combining open APIs, reusable building blocks, and carefully guided AI assistance, Sonja and Roman demonstrate a vision of orchestration that is functional, standards-compliant, teachable, transferable, and ready for broader adoption across the research and education networking community.
About the Speakers
Sonja Filiposka is a full Professor at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia. She specializes in service management, the cloud-edge continuum, cybersecurity, and open science infrastructure. Her leadership in European and NATO-funded projects integrates AI-driven orchestration with policy-aligned research practices.
Roman Łapacz is a network systems researcher at PSNC, operator of the PIONIER national network in Poland. He leads the Network Platform team for the GN5-2 project, focusing on programmable infrastructure, virtualisation, automation, and orchestration to advance next-generation networking services in Europe.
📅 When: 25 September 2025, 3:30 PM
📍 Where: BalticNOG 2025, Litexpo, Vilnius, Lithuania
