Platform Mesh Operator Perspective

Finally, let's consider the perspective of platform mesh operators.

Set up a Service Orchestration Environment

A platform mesh setup typically includes a service orchestration environment

The central component of the ApeiroRA Platform Mesh, in which service consumers can order and manage digital twins.

and, in many cases, at least one service marketplace

A place where service providers offer various services, and consumers can discover these services.

. Depending on the scenario, external third-party service marketplaces may also be involved.

ApeiroRA does not offer turnkey solutions for either component. Instead, it provides a toolbox of core and optional elements designed to be complemented with additional components that are likely already present in the existing setup where ApeiroRA is deployed.

Here are some examples that fall outside the scope of ApeiroRA:

• Identity Provider (IdP):
  ApeiroRA requires one or more OpenID Connect-compatible identity providers for authentication and user management.

• Legal contracts and customer management:
  ApeiroRA offers solely technical account management and does not include CRM functionalities or infrastructure access management for employees or something similar. It is assumed that these systems are already in place and need to be integrated.

• Billing, cross-charing infrastructure, and related topics:
  Similar to the topics mentioned above, ApeiroRA focuses exclusively on technical infrastructure. It offers integration points for external systems only.

The responsibility of a platform mesh operator is to establish and maintain integrations with other systems. This task can be quite complex for a public cloud offering or relatively straightforward for a repeated edge setup.

Maintain Service Marketplaces

Another significant aspect is the maintenance of content within service marketplaces.
Service providers

A service provider offers services to consumers.

need to be registered and aligned with the commercial model of the service marketplace. These providers might operate within the same data center as the marketplace and be managed by the platform mesh operator, or they could be remote providers maintained by external suppliers.
Additionally, service providers and the services they offer change over time, making this an ongoing task.