networkto

Networkto is a conceptual framework for interconnecting disparate computer networks through a layered model that unifies control, data, and policy planes across administrative domains. It envisions modular components that can be deployed in enterprise networks, data centers, and edge environments to enable seamless cross-domain connectivity.

The term blends the idea of a network with the directional implication of moving toward other networks, signaling the goal of inter-network data transfer. It emerged in theoretical and experimental discussions in the late 2010s and has since appeared in several research articles and pilot projects exploring interoperable networking architectures.

The architecture centers on three tiers: a control plane that enforces inter-domain policies, a data plane that carries user traffic, and an abstraction layer that provides uniform addressing across domains. A security model emphasizes end-to-end encryption, authenticated peering, and policy-based access control, aiming to reduce cross-domain exposure while preserving flexibility.

Protocols for networkto draw on established standards, adapting routing and tunneling mechanisms while introducing a cross-domain policy language to express inter-network agreements. This approach relies on existing IP-based routing, VPN-like encapsulation, and software-defined networking primitives, complemented by mechanisms for policy negotiation and trust management.

Implementations remain speculative or in early-stage pilots. Potential use cases include multi-cloud interconnectivity, large-scale IoT deployments, and distributed data-center ecosystems requiring consistent policy and security across administrative boundaries.

In relation to similar concepts, networkto shares goals with software-defined networking and intent-based networking but emphasizes inter-domain coordination and unified policy enforcement rather than intra-domain optimization alone. No formal standard exists, and real-world deployments are limited to experimental settings. See also interdomain routing, software-defined networking, network virtualization.